Joni Hilton holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Professional Writing from USC. She has written five award-winning plays and 25 books, including her most recent, A Little Christmas Prayer (Covenant). She’s also the author of the bestselling As the Ward Turns series, Funeral Potatoes—The Novel, and The Power of Prayer. All her books are available on her website (http://www.jonihilton.com), along with her weekly humor blog. She also writes for Music & The Spoken Word.
A former TV talk show host in Los Angeles, Hilton currently shares life hacks as the Youtube Mom with hundreds of videos on her channel “Joni Hilton”. She is married to TV personality Bob Hilton, is the mother of four, and currently serves as an Interfaith Specialist for LDS Public Affairs.
How would you measure your commitment to the Lord?
Satan is working around the clock to confuse us about…
Do we sometimes actually block the Lord’s efforts to help…
Sometimes it seems life mimics the tides, one problem after…
There are three huge outcomes of ministering that most people…
Sometimes we need to let God do what God does.
Still think genealogy is dry and boring? Think again!
Children are the priceless jewels of life. How can we…
Humans are drawn to the element of surprise. Read on…
In many ways, children with disabilities seem ahead of the…
Relax. You’ve already proven you can learn symbolism.
What if we reached out in five completely new ways?
When experts say there is no one key to a…
This is not only an easy way to journal, but…
What a blessing it is when someone makes even the…
Labels may seem harmless at first, but are they are…
You may not remember your own, but it can impact…
You may be feeling fine, doing well, and coasting along—today.…
Few things matter as much as our relationships. Are we…
Christ showed us a better way. He loved everybody, even…
This incredible arm of Family Services includes pornography, and can…
We all want to be liked, respected, and heard. But…
Sometimes Heavenly Father saves the best for last.
A gas station owner's decision to do something offbeat to…
This short compilation reminds us of the many messages God…
Do you know the other verses of this popular hymn?
Sometimes life’s choices send us into a tailspin. Here’s how…
This Christmas, give something amazing that will last for eternity.
We’ve been largely isolated for a while, now that we…
Sometimes we use the Band-Aid approach instead of treating the…
Here’s another way to consider what Jesus Christ has done…
Most people gossip. Here’s how to stop being like most…
Here’s why we need both to advance spiritual understanding.
Sometimes we think we’ll never achieve our hearts’ desires, but…
There is one essential question that can open door after…
If it’s hard for you to get organized, this article…
How Can We Better Follow Christ’s Directive to “Be One”…
Too many times our members do have questions but hesitate…
How funny—and sad, really—that we are able to be patient…
Something is happening in the sky today and it can…
Could a small change make all the difference?
We need to remember that before-and-after pictures are usually selling…
We live in strenuous times. Can we really look forward…
Sometimes a particular talk seems tailored specifically to us.
Next time you listen to the Sacrament prayers, take special…
Searching and rescuing is actually our assignment.
People across the United States are experiencing unusual and severe…
Six years ago my husband, Bob, got prostate cancer and…
Is it really possible to feel inspiration every day?
Here are 10 activities to enrich your kids and increase…
What happens when we broaden our social circle to include…
We all have adversaries, even enemies. Can we really change…
Families are split politically, workplace resentments grow, COVID experts can’t…
What’s the one area where you can really know you’ve…
We’ve all heard this useless phrase, right? Or is it…
Are you lonely? Do you know someone who’s lonely? This…
Why is there so much repetition in the restored gospel…
Often life does not follow your blueprint. Adversity strikes. If…
We’ve all been there. People disappoint us. Sometimes it seems…
The world seems filled with crazy chaos right now. Is…
Are you taking this one vital step to keep it…
Don’t forget the most important step you can take as…
We’ve all struggled to measure up and serve well. Here…
Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, a philosopher…
Here’s how to ask meaningful questions that build real connections.
Is it honestly possible to be grateful, immersed in today’s…
The way we view our membership can make all the…
Have you ever identified with some of the “-ites” in…
Here’s why I think those mishaps can be a glorious…
When it comes to our health, we want to hear…
During these times of quarantine there’s an activity we all…
We, and our children, can still follow Christ’s admonition to…
Many animals have a homing instinct. But what about humans?
We’ve all procrastinated, felt gripped by fear, and doubted our…
Just studying, just knowing what we know is not enough.…
It’s not about feeding them, or greeting them warmly in…
How can a loving God just stand by when disaster…
There’s a secret hidden in many of our favorite tales.
Here’s how to make this year different from last year.
Hearing or not, we all need to learn this key…
You may never hear this song the same way again.
For generations, people around the world have crafted amazing and…
Here’s a wonderful way to unify your family and instill…
How are we doing, when it comes to watching out…
When success seems unreachable, is it worthwhile to keep trying?
Welcome to Displeasure Island. But it’s worse than you think.
Whether you’re suffering from the crushing grief that seems to…
Whether you’re a man or a woman, let’s all resolve…
Here’s what’s wrong with that line of thinking.
Ever notice how many people seem to fall short of…
Do you ask more questions or make more statements?
There are many righteous wishes. There are many beautiful blessings.…
Why does society seem so lacking in respect today? And…
Have you ever been disappointed by the announcement of a…
Too many people have stopped believing they can truly be…
When we insist upon mirror-image appearances, we reveal our insecurities.…
Everybody faces adversities in life. That’s plural for a reason.…
Part of the plan is to accept the plan.
Have you ever visited ancestral lands looking for distant relatives?
Without charity we are nothing—but if you read that wrong,…
Each of us will endure grief, disappointment, and great losses…
A Northern California Stake Center recently filled with 1,000 women…
I am an expert at missionary methods that don’t work.…
We all find ourselves at a crossroads from time to…
What really keeps us from reading the Sunday School lesson?
We’re all given callings to teach from time to time,…
This experience in the aftermath of the California wildfires tells…
The biggest problem with Christmas shopping isn’t the prices, the…
But it’s Christmas! How can these be the worst of…
In our last General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson challenged…
Who knew an MRI would reveal much more than medical…
There’s another way to shepherd—I learned it on the sheer…
How many of our hymns’ messages are missed because we…
Is it sometimes difficult to get excited about raising kids?…
We know education is important. Here are 10 ways to…
Why do so many young marrieds struggle to feel truly…
Is your key ring also an object lesson?
Think about Jesus for a moment. You could have an…
Here’s an easy way to help you make daily life…
How one bishop discovered the perfect solution for a suffering…
Sometimes our darkest moments lead to brilliant light and understanding.
No two people are identical. But what happens when the…
Are Latter-day Saints going to shoulder this alone?
It’s not about reading between the lines, but beside them.
How a breast cancer diagnosis made me face mortality, but…
When you first read “how to feel energized all the…
The world offers more opportunities than ever. But what’s the…
One of the best lessons we can teach our kids…
President Gordon B. Hinckley said that faith is the antithesis…
It’s certainly an exciting time for the LDS Church. Those…
Perhaps you’ve even wondered how you would live if you…
Sometimes there’s another message beyond the one coming through the…
Sometimes wards labor for years to reach a goal—more baptisms,…
That life-changing moment when someone’s small decision to act made…
We call him The Comforter. And in pondering this wonderful…
Eric Schwitzgebel, author of Perplexities of Consciousness, said of the…
Here’s a one-size-fits-all resolution that can direct and inspire you…
Sometimes there’s more to a scripture than we realize.
Here are 12 ways to get over the hump and…
Here’s a way to make Thanksgiving even more meaningful.
It seems more and more young people today are postponing…
The least important part of missionary work is the one…
Here’s how to meet these disasters head on.
What single attribute can help you in every single endeavor?
What actually happens when missionaries set aside their current activities.
As society and families break apart, one author recommends following…
How this family taboo can truly save the day.
Priesthood blessings are available to all, including nonmembers, but who…
The little-known, amazing part of the Mormon Trail.
As the world grows more uncertain, here are two ways…
Think you’ve checked all the boxes? Think again.
Are you one of those folks who’s happy to give,…
Why was Israel called the Land of Milk and Honey?…
Here’s how to train your kids to make great spouses.
Whether you’re a teenager with a summer job or an…
Have you joined the Self-Acceptance movement? Here’s why I don’t…
You might not be as good a listener as you…
Have you found His signature everywhere that it exists?
A crisis at the airport leads everyone to self-reflection.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s take a look at…
How often do we discount everyday miracles as happenstance?
How studying genetics helped me face adversity.
I don’t know anyone whose every prayer is answered immediately.…
The most important part of the Christmas tree is the…
Christmastime can be stressful whether you’re busy or lonely. Here’s…
Criticism and persecution will always find the church. How do…
We hear much about how to adjust to a scary,…
We may not seek signs and wonders, but we have…
What one, simple thing can have the most impact on…
Much of the Christian world, including many Latter-day Saints, think…
I just learned how to multiply my appreciation for God’s…
What if we applied the “Good-Better-Best” formula to our prayers?
How can we be more like Ammon, without having to…
Think you know what it’s going to be like? Here…
Did you know hardships actually present a choice?
We all struggle spiritually from time to time. But what’s…
Sometimes things look one way, but are exactly the opposite.
Your YouTube Mom is back with some great summer tips…
Nonmembers are often stunned when they learn about Fast Offerings,…
What if you didn’t wait for instructions? What if you…
Did you know there’s actually a guarantee for success?
Think you know the deadliest animal alive? No, it’s not…
Sometimes feelings are best expressed in poetry. If you’ve ever…
We’ve all heard the light bulb jokes. But have you…
Did you know it’s impossible to procrastinate a decision?
Next time you step into an elevator, think of this…
Does the ground seem shaky, sliding about in these troubling…
Check out this hidden gem on the most-read page of…
Whether you’re succeeding a popular bishop, an extraordinary chorister, or…
What if you could start your day like you start…
Millions of people will be voting soon. What difference will…
James Thurber once said, “Love is what you’ve been through…
Here they come, the cards and newsletters, the family photos.…
Your YouTube Mom is back with great suggestions of easy…
Your YouTube Mom is back to try the two-ingredient brownie…
There’s something about airports for me. And Heavenly Father knows…
Do we really take Christ’s name upon us as we…
Your YouTube Mom is back to tell some cool uses…
If we’re basically good people, why can’t we feel the…
What two words have the power to free, heal, and…
Everything’s on the computer now. Can we finally take a…
School is back and so is your YouTube Mom with…
Many LDS children are given back-to-school blessings, new clothes, backpacks,…
Every branch and ward is a flock—but are all the…
Have you ever wished your prayers could be answered sooner?…
Can two words really be powerful enough to turn your…
Your YouTube Mom Joni Hilton shows you how to measure…
Is it time you stopped plowing through your scriptures every…
Your YouTube Mom Joni Hilton teaches you a make strawberry…
Your YouTube Mom is back with a life hack on…
Your YouTube Mom is back with a great life hack…
Many of us try to follow Christ’s example, but rarely…
Here are some great tips on making sure the stuff…
As temple construction rolls forward around the world, are you…
Weren’t both of these sisters exemplary women? Then why does…
Your YouTube Mom demonstrates this easy method for creating your…
Check out these great do-it-yourself activities for getting your kids…
What are you giving Christ for Christmas? After all, this…
Another life hack for keeping a cleaner bathroom from your…
Think you’ve finished climbing the ladder of life, and checking…
Does the next generation want faith in their lives?
Ten years ago something miraculous happened at a temple groundbreaking.
Here are some things you may not know about this…
Is the Book of Mormon even more than it claims…
The first crop of younger missionaries are just starting to…
Joni Hilton is your youtube Mom who shows you a…
None of us know the moment-will you end on a…
Have you ever looked at God's purpose through your own…
If you aren't happy with your circle of friends, maybe…
Next time you consider sharing the gospel, here's a new…
Gifted people are fascinating. And not just because of their…
Where do you weigh in on social media? Is it…
Do you know- and do your children know-about the power…
What if you're incompatible with your spouse, your co-workers, or…
From Temple Openings to the Pinewood Derby, we always have…
Is scripture memorization a talent some have, and not others?
Scientists have argued for generations about which one has the…
You can make your home elegant without spending elegant prices.
We all know the question words Who, What, Where, When,…
Testimonies are important and dynamic. They can grow or diminish…
We have become entertainment junkies. We have bought into the…
Do Mormons love administrative meetings? Why do we plan so…
There's a growing group among our ranks- seniors who feel…
With some things you can follow specific instructions and receive…
While we cheerfully acknowledge our cultural quirks, we never actually…
"How's your love life?" "So who are you dating?" "When…
Have you ever considered consecrating your trials unto the Lord…
Tiny white lace bonnets, a blanket crocheted by a grandmother,…
There's just something about happily married Mormon women. They can't…
Prophets guide, warn, and inspire us in countless other ways…
There are two kinds of people in this world- those…
What if the Penn State pedophile tragedy was repeated at…
After working for years with less active women, I honestly…
One study shows that about one-fourth of employees admit to…
Our standard works are filled with drama, excitement, glory, and…
Patience- this is not my favorite topic-okay, it's my least…
Herewith is a list of just 20 ways to ensure…
There I was, right in the middle of an intersection…
When my neighbor complained that the Book of Mormon repeats…
In the familiar Christmas song, "Santa Claus is Coming to…
We're always on the look-out for the ideal gift, aren't…
When you need parenting advice, you often go to others…
Honesty is the best policy and we should never fudge…
Do we have the attention span of five-year-olds when learning…
Here are a dozen ways to frustrate the adversary and…
It is tempting, sometimes, to think God has forgotten about…
These three words encompass an entire way of looking at…
I'd love our boys to go off with their dads…
I have a friend who thinks that General Conference is…
You've never heard the "12 Days of Christmas" like this…
Spare your children the lessons of hard work and we…
Who has more babies than Mormons or Catholics? Nobody, right?…
The trouble with being a "lifer" in the Church is…
Improvement is a good thing, right? So why do so…
Joni imagines what great callings would be Al Pacino, Celine…
I'm watching TV with my 19-year-old son the other day,…