Personal

In a culture where dating and marriage are often viewed as the holy grail of life experiences, single members of the Church who face debilitating mental illnesses can often feel the quest is utterly hopeless. However, building and maintaining healthy relationships is possible through our own efforts and the efforts of a loving Savior who once said, “Let us love one …

In 1990, President Henry B. Eyring gave an address to Seminary and Institute teachers in the Church Educational System. He shared an experience he had when his boys were still in high school. He explained that his son, Matthew, had been called to serve on the seminary council and had just returned from a meeting in which they were determining …

Imagine that you are asked to run two miles. You are told that by the end of the journey you will feel accomplished and better than you have ever felt before. As you approach the end of the second mile, bystanders start cheering you on, clapping excitedly, and tell you that you only have three miles to go. At the …

At nine p.m. on a beautiful night two summers ago, I found myself paralyzed against a cliff that was a good 130 feet above a winding canyon road. A head lamp bounced sporadically around my neck, and bats swarmed around me, nicking my helmet with their wings and feet. My hands were soaked in sweat, making it difficult to grip, …

Today, many Latter-day Saints are experiencing the mists of darkness described in the Book of Mormon as those things which “hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.” As a friend or family member of someone who is seriously questioning their faith and standing as a member …

God is never meant to be our enemy. Even a quick study of restored Gospel truth reveals our Heavenly Father is truly committed to the work that is glorifying his children. So invested in our success is God that he “gave his only Begotten Son” so we may have everlasting life. However, Satan would have us believe God is anything …

With the sad news of the passing of beloved stage and screen actor Alan Rickman, fans around the world are remembering his roles and his influence. For the younger generation, Rickman has a special standing as the popular Harry Potter character Severus Snape; for many in the LDS community, the series has often inspired gospel thought. From the humorous “Who …

When I was setting my new years resolutions last year I decided, “I want to go to the temple 52 times this year!” Once a week, I thought that is a goal I could manage. And it would help me to follow the advice I had received when I returned from my mission earlier that year. My mission president told …

It was in front of me and I could only stare and mumble, “Thank you.” Hardly the grateful gesture I wanted to give to the Russian Orthodox priest proudly standing before after he’d given me his gift. In May, 1992 this rather large Russian Orthodox priest gave me that gift of a phonograph record commemorating the 1,000th year of baptism …

Faith is the basic building block of our spiritual life, a strong faith in Jesus Christ is vital to our survival as disciples of Jesus Christ. The first step to a strong faith in Jesus Christ is “planting” the seed of faith. (Alma 32:36) Many of us grew up sing the song “Faith” which contains this line. “Faith is like …