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In Abraham 2:24-25, Heavenly Father describes one of the purposes of our mortal probation. We will make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them. Are we willing to obey God’s commandments? Are we willing to sacrifice to do so? …

There is a dramatic mural in the entrance of Brigham Young University-Hawaii. A beautiful woman stands inside a fiery volcano, posed with power. Heavenly light illuminates her defiance as she faces the furious flames. Around her, people watch in awe. At first, this may seem like a strange scene to introduce visitors to an LDS school. Once you know the …

To forgive is divine, or so the saying goes. It’s a true statement, rooted in both ancient and modern scripture. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses,” Christ tells in Matthew 6:14, “your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Gordon B. Hinckley once said, “If there be any who nurture in their hearts the poisonous brew of enmity toward another, …

It sounds like an absurd idea, having conversations with Satan. After all, he is the Evil One. The Destroyer. The Adversary. The Father of All Lies. The Tempter. The Deceiver. The Defiler. The one who seeks to make all men as miserable as he is miserable. So why would anyone want to sit down and talk with him? Express our …

Featured image courtesy of flickr.com In Matthew 25, the Savior gives the parable of the ten virgins, likening the kingdom of heaven to the five wise and five foolish virgins hoping to meet the bridegroom. Half brought extra oil for their lamps and half did not. The night went on and they all fell asleep. When the bridegroom finally arrived, …

The LDS hymn Where Can I Turn for Peace is beloved for its honest supplication and all too real portrayal of difficult times. But do you know the inspiring story behind its creation? With text by Emma Lou Thayne and music by Joleen G. Meredith, the hymn was actually created as part of their mutual calling as members of the …

Utah is a beautiful state with stunning mountains, national parks, numerous temples, and more. But living in Utah can have a certain ‘Utah Effect’ as a result of the high percentage of LDS members. Active or not, 60% of Utahns are Mormon. This Utah Effect, then, is the idea that being surrounded by Mormons can actually make it hard to …

The allegory of the olive trees, found in Jacob 5, features a vineyard, a servant, and a master. As the servant and the master labor to bring forth good fruit from the tame and wild olive trees, a set of branches is put in the nethermost region of the vineyard. When the tree brings forth good fruit, the servant is …

One hour. I believe one hour was all it took for my brother to decide to take his own life. They had just had a wonderful Christmas. He and his wife had talked that morning about plans for the future, including their upcoming move to be closer to family in a few months. My brother had so many things that …

Imagine. You’ve been praying about an important decision for quite some time. Then, suddenly, a thought comes to your mind. Perhaps it feels like an absolute answer. Perhaps it’s a step to take in one direction or another. That’s when another thought comes to mind. Is this a prompting from the Lord? Or is it just me? Am I just …