October 10
Stop Asking Who Started It
What I do when my eleven-year-old and eight-year-old go at each other, when I stay out, and what to do about the toddler who grabs.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
Autumn · October
LDS Family Life
from a small garden south of Salt Lake
Family discipleship, honest motherhood, and the slow work of making a home, written at the kitchen table by Melissa Whitaker.
Lately on the kitchen table
read more →A note from Melissa
Faith that holds in ordinary rooms.
Words that hold on a hard one.
LDS Family Life is a publication about LDS family life, motherhood, marriage, homemaking, and practical gospel living for families who want faith at home to feel lived instead of staged. I write first-person essays on family discipleship, spiritual formation in ordinary routines, and the pressures families are trying to carry with steadiness and grace.
The sink full of mixing bowls. The garden row that finally came up. The child calling for one more glass of water. The prayer I whisper while scraping plates after dinner. Those are the things that hold a family, and they feel worth writing down before they slip past.
with love, Melissa
Essays
October 9
Saturday Was Split Evenly and We Were Both Worn Out
An even Saturday list can still leave one person holding the whole day in their head. How we're starting to divide the deciding along with the doing.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
October 8
I Keep Coming Back to Brother Reid's Talk on Teaching at Home
Brother Reid's Sunday afternoon talk was for anyone who teaches at home and doubts she knows enough. Here's what I took from it for my own table.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
October 7
One Halloween Theme for Three Kids Doesn't Work Here
A nearly-three-year-old, an eight-year-old and an eleven-year-old who is too old. What I'm making, borrowing and letting go of for under thirteen dollars.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
October 6
Lily Asked Me to Stay and Not Say the Thing
My eight-year-old was sad and couldn't say why. What I learned from Isaiah 53 and a woman I taught beside about staying put before saying anything.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
October 5
Tonight We Each Pick One Conference Talk and Say Why
Thirty-seven talks is too many for any of us to hold. Tonight each person in our house picks one, and we're going to try keeping it for three Mondays.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
October 4
Talk to Your Kids Before the Salt Lake Temple Open House
The temple doors open to the public April 5, 2027. I think the talking has to start months before anyone stands in line, and here's how I'd go about it.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
October 3
What I Caught of Saturday Afternoon With Ben in the Room
Watching conference with a two-year-old means missing pieces. Here's what I caught from this afternoon's session and how I decide what's worth keeping.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
October 2
Caleb Wants to Know When He Can Give Blood
The Church just gave the Red Cross more than $7 million. My eleven-year-old can't donate for six years, so here's what he and Lily can do at a drive now.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
October 1
Soup Is Only Cheap If Somebody Eats It
The short rotation of soups and slow-cooker dinners I run for five or six once it turns cold, what I buy in bulk, and how I freeze the rest.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
A few reader questions
FAQ
- What is LDS Family Life?
- LDS Family Life is an independent editorial publication about LDS family life, family discipleship, motherhood, marriage, homemaking, and practical gospel living at home for Latter-day Saint families and other Christian readers who want grounded faith in ordinary life.
- Who writes LDS Family Life?
- Melissa Whitaker is the sole author. Melissa is a 46-year-old former third-grade teacher, home cook, and mother of four writing from a kitchen table south of Salt Lake City.
- Is LDS Family Life an official Church publication?
- No. LDS Family Life is an independent editorial publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- What topics does the site cover?
- Melissa writes about family scripture study, Sabbath rhythms, marriage, parenting, homemaking, hospitality, emotional and spiritual life at home, and the slow work of building a faithful family culture. The voice still carries kitchen-table texture, but the core focus is faith and family life.
- How often does Melissa publish?
- Melissa publishes new essays throughout the week, with the archive updated regularly through both timely and evergreen pieces. Everything is announced on the homepage and in the archive.
- Does LDS Family Life focus on politics or church news?
- Not as a main lane. LDS Family Life focuses first on discipleship, family relationships, home rhythms, and practical gospel living. When public issues appear, they are handled only through the lens of family faithfulness and life at home.
- What does faith at home look like on this site?
- Faith at home means prayer, scripture, meals, service, repentance, and ordinary tenderness practiced inside a real family schedule. The site is built for readers who want discipleship that feels lived instead of staged.
- Who is LDS Family Life written for?
- LDS Family Life is written for busy families, especially mothers, who want honest encouragement, practical family discipleship, and a quieter, sturdier vision of gospel living in everyday rooms.