Here are 3 ways that we can improve our spiritual health.

Know who you are. The most fundamental truth that we all must know is that we are God’s children. We are His literal spirit sons and daughters, and within us are godly attributes and divine potential. He has sent us here to be tried and tested so that one day we can become like Him. He knows each of us by name. He knows our struggles, insecurities, fears, trials, joys, efforts, and achievements. He loves us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son to redeem us all. As His children, we can be assured that He is always there to comfort, understand, listen, lead, and correct.

Knowing that we have a divine birthright gives us an eternal perspective beyond the bounds of mortality—that our divine destiny is to become perfected in Christ and that our life here on earth is a time of preparation for us to become like God if we choose the path that will lead to it.

Knowing who we are gives us an indescribable spiritual strength because we know what we are capable of. It also makes us more confident and determined to choose the right because it is part of our divine nature. We become more conscious of our actions as we reflect on whether we are living true to who we really are.

Speak kindly. President Hinckley counseled us to “speak of one another’s virtues more than we speak of one another’s faults” and to “still our voices of insult and sarcasm, [and] more generously compliment virtue and effort.” This counsel is important now more than ever given the realities and circumstances that surround us these days. We see a lot of hate, disagreements, and fault-finding that divide so many, even to the point of ending friendships that took years to build.

Let’s not jump on the bandwagon and add to the rage. If we disagree and want to voice our opinion, let’s do it respectfully and kindly. Accept that others have different views and that this fact alone doesn’t make them bad people. Let’s build each other up and show compassion through the words that we speak and post on social media. Let’s seek common ground more than our differences with others.

When we choose to speak kindly and not yield to contentious conversation, we can feel peace and harmony within ourselves. We are also more in tune with the Holy Spirit as we seek promptings on how we can improve our spiritual health. Harsh words can do more harm to our spirits than to the person who is the target of our anger. So let’s speak kindly, not only to each other, but also to ourselves.

Read the scriptures purposefully and apply the principles you learn. Spiritual hunger and thirst results from depriving ourselves of the spiritual nourishment that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Book of Matthew, we read that “[man] shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” The scriptures contain truths and enlightenment that our spirits need to live. As we purposefully take time to read the scriptures, we learn about the Savior—His life, teachings, mysteries, and more importantly, His love for us. We also learn about the people who have lived before us—the trials they faced, their humility when they made mistakes, their resolute faith in the midst of difficulties, their absolute obedience— even to commandments that seemed impossible to accomplish, and the rewards of their faith and obedience.

But our learning doesn’t end with reading. We must see to it that we apply the principles we learn in our lives because only then can we truly learn the mercies and mysteries of God. When we do this, our spirit will thrive and become more receptive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit who can reveal and teach us the “truth of all things.”

The challenges that we face these days are mounting, so we can’t stay complacent. Much like our physical health, our spiritual health needs continuous and consistent nourishment. The good news is we’re not doing this alone. Our Father in Heaven is always ready to help us in our sincere efforts to improve our spiritual health. He is mindful of us and rejoices when we make progress. Even if we sometimes feel spiritually frail, His love for us is constant and will never fail.

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Remember who you are

In Genesis, we learn that we were created after the image of God. Knowing this absolute truth gives Latter-day Saints confidence in their beauty in whatever form they were physically created. Regardless of skin, hair color, race, height, social status and other attributes that can be linked to beauty, there is no mistaking of the fact that “[we] are gods, children of the most High.” (Psalm 82:6) This divine knowledge that we the offspring of an Eternal God—a God perfect and most powerful beyond comprehension—should give us a strong backbone to feel beautiful because everyone on this earth was born with innate beauty coming from the creator of beauty both in heaven and on earth. Everything created by God since the beginning is created with indescribable beauty and we are one of those masterpieces he created. This truth must be well planted in our hearts that we may all feel confidently beautiful even when the world says otherwise.

Receive His image in your countenances

The 5th chapter of the Book of Alma poses the question, “Have ye received his image in your countenances?” (Alma 5:14) Receiving the countenance of God is probably one of the most beautiful aspects of beauty a person can receive—a beauty that cannot be painted or surgically manipulated. This blessing is a result of righteousness, faith and obedience to the laws of heaven. This deep beauty shines from the inside out that radiates glow and brightness way beyond what the world consider as beautiful.

Look into the mirror of eternity

If we remain faithful unto the end and have proven worthy to return to Heavenly Father’s presence, we learn in the 10th chapter of the Book of Moroni in the Book of Mormon that we are promised that we will be perfected by the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ. (Moroni 10:32) This is an absolute truth of beauty for what more can be more beautiful than being perfect like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This is an eternal beauty that has been promised to us by our loving Heavenly Father.

Seek, develop and share the best gifts

As children of the Eternal Father, we were given gifts to bless our lives and to bless the lives of our fellow travelers in our earthly journey. In the 46th section of Doctrine and Covenants, we are taught that “to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God…to some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.” (Doctrine & Covenants 46:11-12) In the same section is an account of some of these gifts.

13 To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.
14 To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful.
15 And again, to some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the differences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord, according as the Lord will, suiting his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men.
16 And again, it is given by the Holy Ghost to some to know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God, that the manifestations of the Spirit may be given to every man to profit withal.
17 And again, verily I say unto you, to some is given, by the Spirit of God, the word of wisdom.
18 To another is given the word of knowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge.
19 And again, to some it is given to have faith to be healed;
20 And to others it is given to have faith to heal.
21 And again, to some is given the working of miracles;
22 And to others it is given to prophesy;
23 And to others the discerning of spirits.
24 And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues;
25 And to another is given the interpretation of tongues.

These gifts need to be sought diligently, developed valiantly and used according to the will of the Great Giver of all these gifts. Seeking and developing these gifts means seeking and developing eternal beauty that cannot be purchased nor washed off. After seeking and developing these gifts, sharing it to other people is a great portrayal of beauty. A singer can sing to bring out the beauty of using clean language on song lyrics, a painter can paint a masterpiece for an art gallery to remind people to appreciate the beauty of nature, and a dressmaker can make clothing to express the beauty of modesty. These examples among many others are portraying beauty.

Beauty has its many forms and among these forms, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints see beauty as something that does not wear out, something that cannot be bought over the counter, something that cannot be corrupted by moth and the trends of this world. Beauty is godly attractiveness.

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