Another excellent issue of the Ensign. I love the ministering principles column, with the advice it gives. This months issue was "Building Meaningful Relationships". It leads with this quote by Sharon Eubank - "I truly believe there is no significant change without significant relationships".

Another excellent article was "Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen", by Chakell Wardleigh (Digital version only). It addresses this topic - "We know He [God] is all-powerful. We know He is in control. We know He wants what's best for us. But there continue to be horrific tragedies and pain and suffering throughout the world. And we continue to face temptation, sorrow, and a multitude of trails within our own lives."The article gives some ideas, although we don't completely know the answer or "why", which is strongly discussed.

Finally, "The Beautiful Gift of the Sacrament" by Elder Dale G. Renlund and Sister Ruth L. Renlund was an excellent reminder of what the Sacrament is and why this ordinance is necessary.

Those are my highlights, but I enjoyed every article and look forward to starting the September issue now. ( )

We Are More Than Our Labels
What Can I Do?
Scatter all your “labels” on a page in your journal. Then write “Child of God” in big bold lettering at the top. Draw lines to connect all your smaller labels to your primary identity as you consider how being a child of God can influence everything else in your life.

Do Not Leave the Savior
How to Survive Spiritually
I suggest six essential things each of us must do to survive spiritually.
1. Love and obey God first.
2. Hold personal prayer.
3. “Seek learning even by study and also by faith” (D&C 109:7). Learning is a divine duty.
4. Search the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon—every day!
5. Focus on the big picture.
6. Above all else, trust in Jesus Christ.

But What If I Miss?
My fear of failure kept me from developing talents and seeking opportunities for growth.

Choosing Whom to Marry
I was amazed at how well we could predict [divorce] —multiple studies reported over 90-percent accuracy in predicting who would remain married and who would divorce. ..., but a great deal of predictive power was available even before couples went on their first date.
… Opposites may sometimes attract, but they have to work much harder at building a happy marriage.

5 Places to Look When Hope Is Gone
1. Look to the past.
2. Look inside yourself.
3. Look for someone you can help.
4. Look to role models.
5. Look to the Savior.

The Beauty of Broken Things
The poet Robert Bly wrote, “Where a man’s wound is, that is where his genius will be.”

The Beautiful Gift of the Sacrament
(This article has a table of doctrines and how often they are found in selected scriptural chapters.)

My Scar Story

Worshipping in a Digital Age
Elder Bednar taught that our relationship with God is real, not virtual. It can’t be double-clicked or downloaded.
Principle 1: My choices support worship.
Principle 2: I minimize distractions.
Principle 3: I focus on my own worship.

Building Spiritual Patterns
Interesting examples and practices.

Dealing with Disasters
Oriented to helping children cope.

These are not the only worthwhile articles in this issue. They can be read online at:
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2018/08?lang=eng ( )