Maddie Tolk

Maddie is a content specialist for LDS Living. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from Harvard and has published and edited content for the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, Macmillan Learning, HarvardX, Utah Valley University, and Adobe. Maddie enjoys reading, playing the violin and piano, and watching musicals.

Sharon Eubank greets someone Mormon Women for Ethical Government conference at UVU

Latter-day Saint Life

The first thing Sharon Eubank tells people who want to help others more

By Maddie Tolk

September 24, 2025 04:05 PM MDT

Sharon believes this approach can lead to more lasting solutions.

3 Min Read

A young woman prays with an open Bible on her lap.

Latter-day Saint Life

A way to hear God’s answers more clearly when you’re making decisions

By Maddie Tolk

September 23, 2025 03:41 PM MDT

Elder Renlund suggests this approach will help us better recognize revelation.

1 Min Read

Meditative senior man looking up at sky with serious expression

Latter-day Saint Life

One of the most important ways to prepare for life-changing revelation

By Maddie Tolk

September 16, 2025 09:43 AM MDT

“Life-changing revelation is not reserved for prophets,” Dale G. Renlund writes in his new book.

1 Min Read

A graphic of a woman thinking next to a question-mark bubble

Follow the Prophets

Is a thought from me or the Spirit? Elder Renlund’s advice for when you feel uncertain

By Maddie Tolk

September 12, 2025 02:14 PM MDT

This counsel can help us move forward with confidence.

1 Min Read

President Russell M. Nelson member devotional on September 1, 2018.

Stories of Faith

What it was like to be in President Nelson’s home ward

By Maddie Tolk

September 10, 2025 01:55 PM MDT

“Interacting with President Nelson—even briefly—has given me a glimpse of the Savior’s deep and abiding love.”

3 Min Read

Ben and Chad Truman in the Give Me This Mountain music video

Help for Life Challenges

This music video will help you face your trials with more faith

By Maddie Tolk

September 09, 2025 04:19 PM MDT

Featuring stunning shots across New Zealand, the video honors a relative who passed away from terminal brain cancer.

4 Min Read

President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is photographed in his office at the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 13, 2022.

Follow the Prophets

Read Pres. Nelson’s 101st birthday essay for ‘Time’ magazine

By Maddie Tolk

September 05, 2025 03:28 PM MDT

In the global publication, the prophet shared two truths that contribute to lasting peace.

1 Min Read

President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, right, talks with Elder Brian K. Taylor, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Utah Area, before the closing devotional of the 2025 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference, held in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, August 31, 2025.

Follow the Prophets

10 golden pieces of life advice from Pres. Holland’s new devotional

By Maddie Tolk

September 02, 2025 03:23 PM MDT

The Apostle shared pivotal lessons about how he came closer to Christ.

1 Min Read

Jeffrey R. Holland Social Media Video August 28, 2025

Follow the Prophets

Pres. Holland’s comforting advice for staying calm in the last days

By Maddie Tolk

August 29, 2025 02:19 PM MDT

“It’s going to be OK,” he reassured. “Be still and know that God is God and all flesh is in His hands.”

2 Min Read

A woman prays next to her bed near her open scriptures

Latter-day Saint Life

How to open your heart to receive more revelation

By Maddie Tolk

August 27, 2025 09:40 AM MDT

Are you receptive to all the beautiful possibilities God has in store?

1 Min Read

Sun beams breaking through the clouds at sunset

Help for Life Challenges

3 words to remember when you can’t seem to feel God’s love

By Maddie Tolk

August 25, 2025 12:17 PM MDT

You can trust in this phrase even when God feels far away.

2 Min Read

Jan and Kelly Wigington with Youngchan Kim and Jaehwan Jung

Stories of Faith

He mentioned his mission to a stranger. A cascade of miracles followed

By Maddie Tolk

August 13, 2025 04:10 PM MDT

Kelly often wondered if he’d made a lasting impact during his mission—now, he had an answer.

4 Min Read

President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, sits down for an interview in Toronto, Ontario, on Monday, March 24, 2025.

Follow the Prophets

Pres. Holland answers, ‘How do I know when I’m forgiven of my sins?’

By Maddie Tolk

August 05, 2025 02:22 PM MDT

Here’s what President Holland shared to support anyone grappling with this personal question.

2 Min Read

A returned LDS missionary with her sister on her homecoming day

Latter-day Saint Life

The best thing to do with your missionary as soon as they get home

By Maddie Tolk

July 31, 2025 03:32 PM MDT

“This may be the most memorable thing we did when my sister returned home from serving her mission.”

2 Min Read

Young women from the LDS Firth Idaho Stake

Latter-day Saint Life

Watch: Moving song written at girls camp by 200+ young women

By Maddie Tolk

July 30, 2025 03:41 PM MDT

More than a campfire sing-along, the experience solidified the participants’ confidence as disciples of Jesus Christ.

2 Min Read

President Jeffrey R. Holland speaks about a scripture passage from the Doctrine and Covenants in a social media video on July 15, 2025.

Follow the Prophets

A scripture passage President Holland often shares with youth

By Maddie Tolk

July 29, 2025 02:35 PM MDT

These verses may be just what the youth in your life need to hear.

2 Min Read

Elder Gary E. Stevenson “Come, Follow Me” 2025 video

Follow the Prophets

The perfect scripture for when challenges feel too hard to bear

By Maddie Tolk

July 28, 2025 09:09 AM MDT

Elder Stevenson recently shared some beautiful counsel from the Doctrine and Covenants.

2 Min Read

The Church Office Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 11, 2025.

Latter-day Saint Life

10 facts about the Church Office Building that might surprise you

By Maddie Tolk

July 23, 2025 03:40 PM MDT

This week marks 50 years since the building was dedicated.

1 Min Read

Famous Latter-day Saints

Returned Missionaries Star in Popular Discovery Channel Reality TV Show "Diesel Brothers"

By Maddie Tolk

July 08, 2017 01:00 PM MDT

LDS entrepreneurs David Sparks and David Kiley are not exactly what you might think of as stereotypical returned missionaries. Better known as "Heavy D" and "Diesel Dave," these two friends own and operate DieselSellerz—the world's largest marketplace related to anything diesel. In January 2016, Discovery Channel aired the hit reality TV show, Diesel Brothers, which highlights the friends' custom vehicle builds, crazy stunts, and elaborate pranks.

1 Min Read

Fun

5 Songs We Don't Sing in Church Anymore

By Maddie Tolk

July 03, 2017 09:38 AM MDT

The Church has used many different hymnals throughout its history. In July 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith received the revelation known today as Doctrine and Covenants Section 25. In the revelation, the Lord instructed Emma Smith to compile a selection of sacred hymns for the Church. She completed a hymnal in 1835 with the assistance of William W. Phelps, a writer and newspaper editor. The collection of hymns included 90 hymn texts, with 39 hymns written by LDS poets as well as adaptations of several other non-LDS texts. The preface to the 1835 Collection of Sacred Hymns states:

2 Min Read

Fun

Watch: LDS Family Performs Beautiful Acapella Rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner"

By Maddie Tolk

June 30, 2017 04:06 PM MDT

Music plays an important role in the lives of LDS opera singer Debbie Siebert and her husband, Jim Siebert, who works as the chief meteorologist for Fox 26 News in Houston. They love to sing together with their four children—Ashley, Emmie, Grant, and Dallin— and enjoy sharing their testimonies of the gospel through acapella hymn videos, which they create as a Sunday family activity and post on social media using the hashtag #hymnselfie.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

First-Ever Mormon Arts Festival Set to Open in New York

By Maddie Tolk

June 27, 2017 03:08 PM MDT

On June 29 through July 1, 2017, Mormon artists, musicians, and scholars will gather from all over the world to participate in the first-ever Mormon Arts Center Festival. The festival will take place in New York City at the recently established Mormon Arts Center and is co-directed by Richard Bushman, the Gouverneur Morris Professor Emeritus of History at Columbia University, and Glen Nelson, the founder/director of the Mormon Artists Group.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

LDS Teen with Disabilities Heading to the 2017 National Miss Amazing Pageant

By Maddie Tolk

June 23, 2017 04:23 PM MDT

Earlier this year, 17-year-old Abigail Manery was crowned the 2017 Idaho Miss Amazing Teen Queen. She is currently preparing to compete at the National Miss Amazing Pageant, which will take place this August in Chicago, Illinois. Abby will be featured in an upcoming documentary highlighting her preparations for the pageant, as well as her life and the disabilities she lives with daily.

1 Min Read

Fun

11 Incredible Mormon Moments Caught on Google Earth

By Maddie Tolk

June 21, 2017 07:56 PM MDT

Thanks to mybestlds.com for the story idea.

1 Min Read