Paige Sommer

Paige Sommer is a content specialist, writer, and video producer for Deseret Book. She has a MFA in creative writing. If you want to be best friends, talk with her about books, creative writing, Italy (where she served her mission), or her five children and four stepchildren.

Latter-day Saint Life

This mission leader had a baby on her mission—what she realized about serving God

By Paige Sommer

April 14, 2025 01:52 PM MDT

Jenny couldn’t get out of bed for the first three months of her pregnancy. She felt inadequate until she realized what God was really asking of her.

2 Min Read

Temple Worship

This small shift in perspective can transform your temple worship

By Paige Sommer

April 10, 2025 02:28 PM MDT

Discover (or deepen) your love for temple worship by looking through this new lens.

3 Min Read

The back side of the salt lake city temple from the temple park in the spring sun.

Temple Worship

Former Salt Lake Temple matron shares 3 insights on finding Christ in the temple

By Paige Sommer

April 08, 2025 01:09 PM MDT

Rosemary Wixom and her husband served as matron and president of the Salt Lake Temple from 2017 until the temple closed for renovations in 2019.

3 Min Read

Help for Life Challenges

A widowed mom of 5 shares her simple steps to creating joy

By Paige Sommer

March 20, 2025 09:27 AM MDT

“I didn't see the big tragedies [coming] that have happened in my life. ... So, couldn’t the opposite be true?”

3 Min Read

The LDS Temple in Salt Lake City after a snow storm

Help for Life Challenges

How striving for a temple recommend saved a heroin addict’s life

By Paige Sommer

February 12, 2025 01:53 PM MST

“I have never felt more free in my entire life than when I have been putting my entire heart and life into the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

2 Min Read

African American woman studing and reading the Bible.

Latter-day Saint Life

Ready to live more mindfully? 3 simple tips from the scriptures

By Paige Sommer

February 04, 2025 02:36 PM MST

In these three scriptures stories, people demonstrate how to live mindfully—and thereby more happily.

3 Min Read

Woman with backpack looking into distance, enjoying serene desert landscape and sky with clouds. Relaxed tourist alone with nature. Colored flat vector illustration isolated on white background

Latter-day Saint Life

The way to worry less is in the scriptures—read the verse here

By Paige Sommer

January 29, 2025 09:43 AM MST

Feeling worried? This scripture could be just what you need to bring peace to your mind and heart.

2 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

The Hebrew word for joy you’ll wish you knew sooner

By Paige Sommer

January 14, 2025 02:04 PM MST

This definition can help increase our capacity for joy.

3 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

You still have time—4 simple ways to center on Christ before Christmas

By Paige Sommer

December 19, 2024 02:46 PM MST

Number 1: Change your mindset, not your to-do list.

2 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

The Hebrew word that will change how your family reads Luke 2

By Paige Sommer

December 16, 2024 01:58 PM MST

This word can help us think about Mary’s essential role in the Nativity in a new light.

3 Min Read

We usually dismiss platitudes as unsubstantial. But when we look at them with prayerful hearts, it's possible to learn more about ourselves and grow spiritually from their sentiment.

Help for Life Challenges

Does everything happen for a reason? Here’s the answer

By Paige Sommer

November 27, 2024 10:05 AM MST

In some ways, the phrase ‘everything happens for a reason’ is merely a platitude. But there is an empowering truth in the statement.

2 Min Read

An elderly grandmother with an adult granddaughter at home, washing the dishes.

Latter-day Saint Life

Ask this 1 question when you want to serve someone but don’t know where to begin

By Paige Sommer

August 01, 2024 04:06 PM MDT

Sharon Eubank, director of humanitarian services for the Church, shared on the Magnify podcast that the best thing we can do to serve others well is to learn to ask questions that don’t have predetermined answers.

3 Min Read

Jared Halverson on finding answers in the scriptures.png

Help for Life Challenges

How to find the answer to any life question in the scriptures

By Paige Sommer

July 08, 2024 01:15 PM MDT

With this helpful study technique from Jared Halverson, we can find answers from God in the scriptures to even our most difficult—and modern—problems.

3 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

Hoping to limit screen time this summer? Try 1 mom’s effective way of helping kids choose less on their own

By Paige Sommer

June 18, 2024 07:08 AM MDT

This faith-based approach to tech use in the home changes screen time from a battle to a productive conversation and helps everyone become more self-aware about using technology wisely.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

4 ways to teach children to love true stillness in a distracting world

By Paige Sommer

June 10, 2024 10:44 AM MDT

A child sitting in front of the television may seem still and calm. However, we all know, from watching TV ourselves, that this kind of physical inactivity isn’t the same as what Elder David A. Bednar said is “a higher and holier dimension of stillness.”

1 Min Read

Temple Worship

4 genius ways to study the temple from one of our favorite scholars (+ her book recommendations)

By Paige Sommer

June 05, 2024 02:16 PM MDT

Check out these helpful study tips and book recommendations to deepen personal learning about temple worship, our covenants, and the temple garment.

1 Min Read

Temple Worship

Use these 3 ideas to deepen your temple worship and find more happiness

By Paige Sommer

May 30, 2024 01:02 PM MDT

Applying three ideas to our temple worship can expand our personal understanding of sacred things, bring us closer to Christ, and turn the temple into what author Melinda Brown calls, “our happiness project.”

2 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

How can I love my neighbor when they’re a stranger? Here are 2 simple ideas

By Paige Sommer

May 16, 2024 05:14 AM MDT

A recent episode of the “Magnify” podcast inspired me with some easy ways to show up with more love in everyday circumstances.

3 Min Read

Female Chinese architect working in the office

Latter-day Saint Life

The 3 steps to persisting through failure from a bestselling author

By Paige Sommer

January 26, 2024 05:16 PM MST

Even when we’re motivated to move forward with a goal or project, there can be times when we feel stuck. Following these steps can help.

6 Min Read

Recommended by Us

6 genius ways to study scripture that anyone can do (from one of our favorite scholars)

By Paige Sommer

January 05, 2024 08:41 AM MST

We might look at others as a preeminent gospel scholar or master scriptorian, but each of us is our own expert in gospel learning and scripture study.

5 Min Read

Milano - Via della Spiga by nighy: Christmas shopping

Latter-day Saint Life

6 ways Christians use light to honor the Savior from Italy to Brazil

By Paige Sommer

December 22, 2023 07:00 AM MST

Learn how Christmas lights help people in Canada, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and Vermont feel closer to the Savior.

6 Min Read

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Latter-day Saint Life

Linger near the manger with this Nativity-inspired devotional

By Paige Sommer

December 18, 2023 09:09 AM MST

Use your own nativity set as a prop to go along with scriptures and short messages about the different Nativity figures.

11 Min Read

Happy black woman decorating Christmas tree with her daughter at home.

Latter-day Saint Life

The unconventional (and easy) Christmas ornament tradition you can start this year

By Paige Sommer

December 13, 2023 02:55 PM MST

What non-traditional ornament do you hang on your Christmas tree that reminds you of Christ? We can find reminders of the Savior’s mercy and love in every good thing, even Christmas ornaments.

3 Min Read

Recommended by Us

These 3 questions will change how you see Christ’s miracles—and find them in your own life

By Paige Sommer

November 20, 2023 07:15 AM MST

When we study and understand the miracles of Jesus on a more personal level, we can see miracles in our own lives, and the lives of others, more clearly and often.

3 Min Read