How Do I Know if I’m Good Enough?

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your spiritual confidence before God?” —Jörg Klebingat  We have all surely asked ourselves at some point, “How do I know if God is pleased with what I’m doing?” We know the commandments, but no matter how hard we strive… Continue reading

Applying the Savior’s Atonement to My Own Life

Hand in the dark.

I realized that I had been so focused on working to take the gospel to other people that I had forgotten to let the gospel work in me. Early in my mission to Tennessee, my companion shared with me part of Sister Linda K. Burton’s address from the October 2012 General… Continue reading

Three Ways to Strengthen Your Family

Having strong family relationships can help you weather the challenges of life. This year marks 20 years since President Gordon B. Hinckley presented “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” The doctrines outlined in this document regarding marriage and family are designed to build and maintain family strength, especially in… Continue reading

Our Guiding Mistakes

Uneven rocky stairs leading up the side of a mountain.

Because of the Savior, we have infinite opportunities to learn from our mistakes. We all make mistakes. But this fact is not a mistake in the plan of salvation for humankind. In his talk “Until Seventy Times Seven,” Elder Lynn G. Robbins explains that “repentance isn’t [God’s] backup plan in… Continue reading

Will Forgiveness Come?

Because we sometimes feel ashamed of the need to repent, we forget that the Savior wants to forgive us. There is a common perception that asking for forgiveness is something to be ashamed of. Repenting of our sins can seem daunting. We imagine ourselves kneeling before the throne of grace,… Continue reading

The Leopard’s Lie: Do People Really Change?

Even with our knowledge of the plan of salvation, it can be difficult to see others as God sees them—especially when they seem unwilling or unable to progress toward achieving their divine potential. Is permanent improvement possible? Clinton Duffy, an American prison warden known for successfully rehabilitating prisoners, certainly thought… Continue reading

Seeking the Holy Ghost

We need the Holy Ghost more and more as the last days progress, but how can we make our desire for the Holy Ghost steady and intense? I wanted to stop my own pride cycle. I wanted to seek God without having to be reminded by my spiritual lows. I… Continue reading

Calling in Reinforcements

When all seemed lost for the Taylor brothers as they battled PTSD, they learned to seek God and ask for his help. Mitch and Chris Taylor are brothers who served in the military. They describe in a blog post on the Mormon Channel how their tours of duty in Iraq… Continue reading

Why Your Greatest Accomplishments Can Be Small and Simple

We often think we need to change the world in order to feel accomplished. In truth, it’s the small and simple things that are harder to achieve and more glorious in reward. In “Small and Simple Things,” President Dallin H. Oaks reminds us of a familiar scripture: “By small and… Continue reading

Small and Simple or Large and Difficult?

We may think the small things don’t matter, but in reality they add up to something more. Go to church, read your scriptures, say your prayers. Seems easy enough, right? What happens when we forget to do these steps? In the general conference talk “Small and Simple Things,” President Dallin… Continue reading