June 14
Intentional Hospitality: Opening Your Home Without the Overwhelm
Letting go of perfect hosting and discovering the art of simple, connection-based hospitality in your real-life LDS home.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
Summer · June
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
June 14
Teaching Faith in Unplanned Moments: Lessons From the Margins
Finding the Lord's presence in ordinary moments like car rides, kitchen floors, and bedtime whispers instead of waiting for the perfect teaching time.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
June 14
Sabbath Delight: Moving from Checklist to the Heart
Letting go of the Sunday rules checklist and discovering what it means to find real joy in the day of rest.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
June 14
The Dried-Up Cheerio: Finding Peace in Imperfect Discipleship
An honest look at LDS parenting through the chaos, embracing the sacredness of the messy middle of family discipleship.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
June 13
The Quiet Competition: Finding Stillness in a Digital Home
Practical tips for LDS families navigating the tension between digital engagement and spiritual stillness in the home.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
June 13
The Ministry of the Open Door: Hospitality Without Performance
Moving from performance-based hosting to presence-based hospitality that welcomes the unexpected and prioritizes connection over perfection.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
June 13
The Scarf in the Box: Helping Children Grieve with Hope
Practical guidance for supporting children through grief with active remembering and the hope of the Plan of Salvation.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
June 13
The Bridge of Generations: Grandparents and Grandchildren
Building low-pressure traditions that connect grandchildren with their grandparents' stories, faith, and personal history.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
June 12
Sabbath as a Sign: Moving from Rules to Rest
The Sabbath isn't a performance checklist. Learning to move from rigid rules to restful rhythms that make Sunday a sign, not a test.
By Melissa Whitakerwith love, Melissa
June 12
Breakfast Table Councils: Bringing Family Decisions into Everyday Life
A mountain of shoes and a question at dinner. Learning that the best family councils happen at the breakfast table, not in a boardroom.
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.