This Month’s Theme: Renewing Your Love of the Gospel

Hi, friends!

Recently, a dear friend sent me some flowers and treats. She knew that I was having a particularly emotional day, on top of recovering from a recent surgery. While I was arranging the flowers in a vase, I was touched by my friend’s thoughtfulness, but I noticed that some of the flowers were looking a little … sad. Droopy. Lifeless. I even considered throwing a few particularly wilted ones in the garbage so they didn’t ruin the aesthetic, but in the end, I put all the flowers in the vase and left it at that.

The next morning, I did a double take when I saw the vase. All the blooms were beautiful, open, and full of life after a night of soaking up nutrient water. I couldn’t believe that even the sorriest looking of the blooms appeared as though they had never been anything but flourishing.

This got me thinking. There have been so many times that I’ve felt like those wilted, tired, defeated flowers. Times when I wasn’t being nourished spiritually or drinking from the well of living water. But the Savior promises us life in abundance (see John 10:10), and I’ve learned from experience that His promises are sure.

I know from my work with the Church’s digital magazine for young adults that some of you might have unanswered questions or struggle with certain policies or principles in the gospel. There may have been things you were taught incorrectly that led to a negative impact on your faith. And there may be times when living the gospel doesn’t feel as enriching as you want it to be.

We put together this month’s issue of YA Weekly with you in mind. With it being Easter this month, we wanted to offer a reminder of the incredible, life-giving gift that is the Savior, His atoning sacrifice, and His gospel and show how He can help us rise above negative experiences that might keep us from connecting with Him.

Here are some of the articles from young adults this month:

• Four things you can do to find peace if you feel you’ve faced unrighteous judgment at church

• An article about the comforting knowledge of the plan of salvation when facing death

• A young adult from Spain sharing how he chose faith after having difficult experiences on his mission

We also have stories that are part of our ongoing series:

• Life Skills: How to discuss a pornography problem with the person you are dating

• Questions and Answers: Can we really be happy if life doesn’t go the way we planned?

• Applying the Doctrine and Covenants to Your Life: What a story about William W. Phelps can teach us about forgiveness

• Especially for Newlyweds: Ideas for navigating life when your spouse is busy with work, callings, or school

The Savior’s greater love means that we can be brought back to life, not just physically but also spiritually. We can find renewed joy and hope in living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Praying for you always,

Mindy Selu, Assistant Managing Editor over YA Weekly