David F. Torres

Building a Future with Purpose and Faith This week, I have been thinking about what I really want for my future—the kind of life I want to have in the next few years, and what I want it to be like when I am older. I have been asking myself: Are my plans really what I want? Are my goals taking me to that vision? I see that it’s not only about dreaming, but also about making sure my actions every day are leading me there. I want my goals to match the person I want to become, staying true to my values and faithful to my promises. Elder Quentin L. Cook said: “ I encourage everyone, young and old, to review goals and objectives to exercise greater discipline. Our daily conduct and choices should be consistent with our goals. We need to rise above rationalizations and distractions. It is especially important to make choices with our covenants to serve Jesus Christ in righteousness.” This reflection has shown me that my goals are not just for personal success, they are also about being t...

Growing Through Writing Writing has helped me get better at organizing my thoughts and making my writing clear and logical. I learned to use correct grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, which makes my writing more effective and easy to understand. One surprising way I have grown is my ability to plan and outline my writing. Making outlines before I start writing has helped me stay focused and make sure my ideas flow well from one point to the next. This has made my writing more organized and less confusing for readers. Another way I have improved is in editing and revising my work. I learned to go back to my drafts to make ideas clearer, fix mistakes, and make my writing shorter and better. This has made my final drafts much stronger and more polished. I also noticed growth in my creativity. Writing often has pushed me to think of new and interesting ways to share my ideas. It has helped me try different styles and ways to write, which makes my writing more fun and int...

Communication’s Standards I've come to understand that good communication is about respect and really thinking about the audience. It’s important to talk to others in a way that respects their views, making content that feels welcoming instead of too pushy or confrontational. If I share something that might make people curious or touch on sensitive topics, I see that it’s necessary to be careful. People are more likely to connect with what I share if they feel it’s done with respect and care. This respectful way of talking can lead to good conversations instead of making people feel misunderstood or hurt. President Russell M. Nelson said: “How we treat each other really matters! How we speak to and about others at home, at church, at work, and online really matters. I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. Please listen carefully: ‘If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy’ (see Article of Faith 13) that we can say about ano...

"How blogging has helped me grow as a writer"                 Writing blogs regularly has really helped me improve my writing and grammar. The more I write, the better I get at organizing my ideas and making my sentences clear. I've also learned to pay more attention to grammar and how to make my writing sound more professional. Writing blogs has also taught me a lot of new things. Every time I write, I have to research different topics, which makes me learn things I didn’t know before. This has helped me grow my knowledge and think about things in new ways. Another thing I’ve noticed is how writing for different audiences has made me more understanding of other points of view, making me a more empathetic writer. It has also helped me express my own ideas, beliefs and principles better, which makes my writing feel more like my true self.

The Art of Editing Our Lives: A Gospel Perspective Editing is used in many areas; movies, TV, writing, advertising, and more. It might seem simple, but editing is more than just cutting things out. It takes good communication, creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It is about finding what is important, what can be made better, and what needs to be removed. These same ideas can help us live the gospel and become better step by step. President Gordon B. Hinckley once said, “ Each of us can do a little better than we have been doing. We can be a little more kind. We can be a little more merciful. We can be a little more forgiving. We can put behind us our weaknesses of the past, and go forth with new energy and increased resolution to improve the world about us, in our homes, in our places of employment, in our social activities.” This sounds like the work of an editor, always trying to make things better, fixing mistakes, and improving what needs work. Our lives are ...

  Sensationalism vs. Newsworthy Have you ever started reading a story and couldn’t stop? Sometimes it’s the drama that pulls you in, and other times the information feels important. Sensational stories grab your attention with shocking details and strong emotions, but they often don’t have much meaning. In contrast, newsworthy stories keep you interested by giving useful information and facts that help you understand important issues. Whether it’s through sensationalism or newsworthy journalism, the way a story is told can either make you feel emotional or give you real knowledge, and it’s important to recognize the difference. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic showed a clear difference between newsworthy and sensational stories. A newsworthy article might have a headline like “Guidance for surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants: Interim guidance, 9 August 2021.” This type of article gives facts about new health measures, explains why they are important, and includes expert opin...