Long before she won a Grammy, Lauren Daigle was a teenager homebound by sickness. But during this period of isolation, God gave her hope for a future through a dream of becoming a singer. Years later, the Christian music singer and songwriter has millions of fans but she isn't interested in having followers herself. Instead, she hopes to always direct people to the Savior of the World. Although the road certainly hasn't always been easy, Lauren can now look back and see that God was working in h...
Dec 09, 2020•27 min•Ep. 110
The son of converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jason Deere has lived most of his life in Oklahoma or Tennessee. After finding success in the music industry, Deere took his love for country music and combined it with a love for the gospel. The result, The Nashville Tribute Band, has inspired thousands and redefined Deere’s career. "The heartbeat [of the Church] is family by family and it’s when you put a bunch of heartbeats together that you have something that really sta...
Dec 02, 2020•46 min•Ep. 109
A lot goes on in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but in the midst of cooking and shopping, are we taking time to reflect on the cause for our celebrations or the source of joy that we feel? Do we stop to think about the Christ child who became the Savior of the world? On this week’s episode, John Bytheway explores the miracle of Jesus Christ and why that miracle can bring us joy regardless of our age—and even in the midst of a pandemic. "We know the source of joy. We know where to go for tha...
Nov 25, 2020•42 min•Ep. 108
Through the lens of his camera, Devin Graham has witnessed some pretty incredible things—things he never could’ve imagined as a shy young man. But his time as a missionary in Jamaica taught him to step out of his comfort zone and today, he has worked with some of the most successful companies in the world, including Google and Disney. Although there have been key moments in Graham’s career where his standards have been called into question, he has remained true to a standard he set for himself a...
Nov 18, 2020•39 min•Ep. 107
As a college student, Tara Bench saw pictures of beautiful food spreads in magazines and knew what she wanted to be: the person who made that food. It took awhile to figure out what that job would look like, but eventually she landed a dream job as a food editor at Martha Stewart Living. From there, Bench rose to senior food editor and became the food director of Ladies' Home Journal magazine. Now, Bench—perhaps best known as Tara Teaspoon—is living the New York dream, having just published her ...
Nov 11, 2020•47 min•Ep. 106
Our understanding of religion, whether it be scripture or history, is greatly influenced by art. The depictions we see impact not only how we picture certain passages, but also which passages we know at all. In his new book, "Repicturing the Restoration," artist Anthony Sweat felt a desire to capture some of the lesser-known parts of our Church history in hopes of expanding our understanding of the Church’s founding. Today, we talk with him about how Restoration art can change our perspective of...
Nov 04, 2020•48 min•Ep. 105
When Mandie Sherman was born in 1989 with Cystic Fibrosis, she was expected to live just 18 years. Three years later, her little sister Natalie was also born with the same disease. As they have battled their condition, the two sisters have endured painful challenges and daily treatments together. And yet, they are determined to take every opportunity and live life to its fullest. "Knowing that our life could be cut short—really at any moment—it allows us to repent of our sins more quickly, seek ...
Oct 28, 2020•54 min•Ep. 104
Most of us are young enough to remember a world without social media and yet, for many of us, connecting with others online has become a part of our everyday lives. Church leaders have spoken of the power of social media. We’ve been encouraged to use it in sharing messages of light and truth, but our prophet has also issued specific invitations to take a break from it. Becky Higgins engages with over 80,000 people online as she builds a business centered on documenting life. On today's episode, ...
Oct 21, 2020•51 min•Ep. 103
As human beings we tend to view conflict as something to fear or avoid, but what if we viewed conflict as an opportunity to love? Chad Ford has devoted a large portion of his life to what he calls his “true passion”: peace building and conflict resolution. On this week’s episode, Ford teaches us how our approach to conflict—specifically our willingness to “turn first”—can make all the difference. “Instead of judging and condemning and fighting and all of the things that we engage in, we would sh...
Oct 14, 2020•48 min•Ep. 102
Eric Dyches and Leslie Huntsman Dyches both lost spouses to battles with mental health. In the midst of postpartum anxiety and depression, Eric's wife Emily Cook Dyches ran in front of a semitruck. Leslie also lost her husband Chad after a 14-year battle with depression and anxiety. Now, the two have joined their families—including their collective eight children—and are honoring the memory of their late spouses by speaking out about mental health. "Somehow, God provides a way for hearts to love...
Oct 07, 2020•58 min•Ep. 101
With general conference quickly approaching, we have the privilege of bringing you a candid conversation with the Relief Society General Presidency. These three women are uniquely qualified with life experiences that make them a powerful force for good. In this week's episode, the General Presidency discusses what they have learned from working closely with the First Presidency. They also share what they wish women in the Church understood right now and what 2020 has taught them about God’s love...
Sep 30, 2020•44 min•Ep. 100
A lot has happened in 2020: the pandemic, wildfires, social unrest, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados—the list goes on and on. It is understandable, then, that many are curious about what this all means in regard to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. While the “day or hour knoweth no man,” Gerald Lund has devoted years of his life to studying the Second Coming. In today’s episode, he explains what he believes our current circumstances mean and what we can do to prepare so that regardless of what...
Sep 23, 2020•40 min•Ep. 99
Neylan McBaine was raised in New York City by a single mother who also happened to be a singer in the Metropolitan Opera. She watched as her mother was applauded and recognized within her faith community for her accomplishments. But as a young student at Yale, Neylan began to realize that many women perceived a woman’s role in the Church as something different—something prescriptive. Neylan has since dedicated her time and talents to helping women see there is no one way to be a Latter-day Saint...
Sep 16, 2020•46 min•Ep. 98
Steve Young, Dave Checketts, Jabari Parker, Clayton Christensen, Spencer Hadley, Gary Crittenden and Kyle Van Noy. These are just a few of the Latter-day Saints Jeff Benedict has profiled during his career as a journalist. On today’s episode, we talk with Jeff about what these people and their stories have meant to him and why he is grateful for a job that has allowed him to spend time seeing the world through a unique lens. “Of the 16 books that I’ve written...almost all of them have changed my...
Sep 11, 2020•55 min
As a young journalism student at the University of Utah, Heidi Swinton had big dreams of one day working for Newsweek, but a prompting encouraging her to focus on the work of the Lord led her to a different path in life instead. This path still involved Swinton using her talents through writing, but in ways she never could’ve imagined—including writing the biography of President Thomas S. Monson. That was the point when the journalist in me gave way to essentially a child of God.” Show Notes 1:4...
Sep 09, 2020•52 min•Ep. 97
While pursuing a doctoral degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School where his studies have been focused on anti-religious rhetoric, Jared Halverson has simultaneously sought to help students who wrestle with questions and doubts about the restored gospel. And while many say that divinity school tends to weaken faith, he says he has only become more convinced of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. “The Father of every prodigal is still staring out the window waiting for any movement home...
Sep 02, 2020•54 min•Ep. 96
In 2010, S. Michael Wilcox lost his wife, Laurie, as the result of an inoperable brain tumor. Previously, the couple had dreams of traveling the world together. Instead, for the last decade, Wilcox has traveled alone, seeking solace from the grief of his loss and looking for confirmation from God that he is on the right track to see his beloved wife again. On this week’s episode, we discuss the lessons he has learned from loss and the truths he has found in love that lasts forever. “Grief is lov...
Aug 26, 2020•50 min•Ep. 95
We may not hear the words “in sickness and in health” in the temple, but Jalyn Shaw believes the meaning is still there as Latter-day Saints commit to love and serve each other through all eternity. In 2011, Jalyn and her husband, Acey, experienced firsthand what "in sickness and in health" really means when Acey contracted a rare virus. The virus left Acey without the use of his legs, as well as limited use of his arms and his voice. On this week’s episode, the couple shares what their experien...
Aug 19, 2020•42 min•Ep. 94
Years ago, while sitting alone in a hospital waiting room as his wife had an emergency C-section, Randal Wright made a commitment to God as he called upon the powers of heaven to help his wife safely deliver their newborn child. In that commitment, he promised that for the rest of his life he would look for important lessons. Not only would he look for those lessons, he would record them and share them. The Lord protected and preserved the lives of Randal's wife and child, and in return, Randal ...
Aug 12, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 93
It was "the moment of the games" and one that will be forever etched into Olympic history—the moment when skeleton athlete Noelle Pikus Pace cleared a barricade to jump into the stands and celebrate her silver medal victory with her family. What you may not know is the road that brought Noelle to that moment: a runaway bobsled, days and weeks spent away from her young family, a shoestring dragging on the ice, and a miscarriage that led to a decision to come back one more time to a sports she lov...
Aug 05, 2020•40 min•Ep. 92
McArthur Krishna is one of the co-authors of the popular book series, Girls Who Choose God. Not long before the first book in the series was published, McArthur faced a significant choice of her own—should she marry her now-husband and move to India with him? Although she still had her concerns when she received an affirmative answer, McArthur trusted the revelation she received and chose God anyway. Now, she is determined to share the stories of other women who chose to follow Him as well. “Our...
Jul 29, 2020•49 min•Ep. 91
"The Chosen" explores the life of Christ through the eyes of those who knew Him. The narrative multi-season show has received high praise from viewers and critics alike, earning a 9.8 out of 10 rating on IMDB. But with the praise, it has also attracted skeptics. Some don’t believe evangelical Christians should be working with Latter-day Saints on a show about Jesus or vice versa, and others believe scripture should only be portrayed exactly as it is written without creative liberties. The show’s...
Jul 22, 2020•52 min•Ep. 90
Michalyn Steele has devoted her life to civil rights work. On today’s episode, Michalyn shares her thoughts on how we can better “mourn with those that mourn” amidst current discussions surrounding racism. She resonates with a well-known scripture in 1 Nephi 11:17, stating that while she does not understand the meaning of all things, she knows God loves His children. “He wants us to be one. He wants us to not just feel empathy but to do the things that will bring some relief for those burdens.” ...
Jul 15, 2020•41 min•Ep. 89
Lovesac was the fastest-growing furniture company in America in 2019 according to Furniture Today. Shawn Nelson can’t be certain if the company he founded would still be in existence if he hadn't served a Latter-day Saint mission, but he doesn’t think it would be. After all, it was his ability to speak Mandarin that made fulfilling the company’s first big order possible. But Nelson says his mission also taught independence, mental toughness, and how to build relationships of trust—all skills he ...
Jul 08, 2020•41 min•Ep. 88
You may have never heard of scrupulosity, but it is possible it has hijacked the religious experience of you or someone you love. In her September 2019 Ensign article, Dr. Debra Theobald McClendon wrote, “Scrupulosity masquerades as a desirable, higher standard of righteousness and personal worthiness—but it’s not!” So, what is scrupulosity? How does it manifest itself? How is it treated? Dr. McClendon helps us answer all of these questions and more on this week’s episode. "If it is a spiritual ...
Jul 01, 2020•49 min•Ep. 87
In February 2019, Lori Walker walked into her family’s vacation home but never walked out, as the house exploded while she was trapped inside. She did, however, make it out alive thanks to countless miracles and three heroes. In the days, weeks, and months that have followed the explosion, Lori has become more convinced of the goodness of humanity, the omniscience of a loving Heavenly Father and the resilience that is found inside each one of us. "I don't remember the pain at all. I remember how...
Jun 24, 2020•59 min•Ep. 86
The complexities surrounding conversations of racism today are numberless but the root of the solution is the two great commandments: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. On this week’s episode, we talk with Abe Mills and Stephen Jones, two black Latter-day Saints, about their experiences with racism within Church culture, the faith of those who came before them, and why they don’t hesitate to share their faith in Jesus Christ. "Understanding what He did for us, it gives us hope, which w...
Jun 17, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 85
BBC dubbed them “the Christmas present that could tear your family apart.” Family history DNA tests have been all the rage over the past several years and Randy Lindsay is one of millions who submitted his DNA in hopes of finding missing links in his family tree. However, like many others, Lindsey got more than he bargained for when he learned that the man he thought was his father was not actually his biological father. “Family is who we love and who loves us.” See omnystudio.com/listener for p...
Jun 15, 2020•33 min
In February 2019, Charlie Bird published an op-ed through the Deseret News that revealed two secrets: 1. He was the man underneath the Cosmo the Cougar suit that made national headlines and led NBC Sports to dub 2017–2018 the “Year of the Mascot.” 2. He is a gay member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Next month, Charlie will release a book called “Without the Mask,” and on today’s episode we talk with Charlie about what the gospel continues to teach him as he embraces a life ...
Jun 10, 2020•41 min•Ep. 84
When asked if she sees incongruity between her career as the drummer of the rock band Neon Trees and her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elaine Bradley has replied that she finds total incongruity between being a human and being a disciple of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, Bradley shares the foundations of her belief, how she has maintained perspective, and how Christ fills in the gap between where we are and where we are meant to be. “We really struggle as huma...
Jun 03, 2020•42 min•Ep. 83
