But How Can I Know He’s a Prophet?

In an era oversaturated with access to information and opinions, is it possible to know for certain whether a prophet is called of God? The first time I questioned my testimony about Joseph Smith was during a bike ride with a district leader on my mission. I still vividly remember… Continue reading

On Trial: Our Dedication to Truth

building with lots of columns

When we come across difficult gospel questions, how do we manage the court proceedings to come to the correct verdict? In a court of law, the phrase “leading the witness” is used to refer to a tactic some lawyers employ, in which they use carefully crafted questions to put words in a witness’s mouth or suggest… Continue reading

Staying Planted in Christ 

man in aspen trees

Even the strongest testimonies can be shaken, but there are ways you can keep holding on to your faith and stay planted in Christ.  Some Latter-day Saints are experiencing what LDS scholar Patrick Q. Mason refers to as a “faith crisis”: they are questioning their beliefs and seeking answers to… Continue reading

Thinking Critically about Our Faith

scriptures

Faith and scrutiny don’t have to be at odds. Careful reasoning and critical thinking can encourage experiences that deepen our faith. Can critical reasoning and religion work together? Science and the process of critical reasoning are often depicted to be at odds with theology and religious thought. But Dr. Ed… Continue reading

How Can Your Gospel Questions Make You Stronger?

A man, whose upper body is hidden from view, squats down to hold and lift a barbell.

Just like the soreness of muscles after a hard workout, the pain of the questions we ask is a sign of growth, not of weakness.  During my first year of classes at Brigham Young University (BYU), I was confronted with complexities in the Church’s history and doctrine that I had… Continue reading

Questions Got You Down? Look Up for the Truth

We live in a world where fact-checking has never been more important. But with the wealth of information available at our fingertips, where do we go to find real truth? In a society overloaded with information from every medium possible, where do we turn for the truth? Social media is… Continue reading

How to Face Unanswered Questions

Stone bridge

When we face difficult questions, we can look to the undoubtable truths we already hold dear to strengthen our patience in God’s timing. The world has a tendency to pull the rug out from under us. Just when we think we have life figured out, friends and family may walk… Continue reading

Why Marriage: A Focus on Family

With such pressure to get married, it’s easy to forget why we focus on marriage in the first place. “Why aren’t you married?” “Have you found a husband yet?” Ever since I became an adult, questions like these seem to keep springing up around me. And it has become a… Continue reading

3 Dos and Don’ts for Asking Effective Questions

a teacher in a gospel class, in spanish

Do you use effective questions when teaching the gospel at church or at home? Imagine you are in Sunday School. Your teacher wants the discussion to go a certain direction that works with his or her notes, but also wants to ask a question to get people involved. In order to drive the discussion,… Continue reading

Engage in the Wrestle: Seeking Spiritual Answers

What is the difference between a doubter and a seeker? The answer is all in the wrestle. The world today seems to draw questions out of dark corners, blurring the lines of morality and casting shadows on the light of faith. When these questions arise, many people may feel uncertain… Continue reading