Church history is full of indomitable women. We are going to explore the story of the unlikely link between three such women today and how they refused to be defeated no matter what challenges they faced. Mercy Fielding Thompson, Mary Fielding Smith, and Jerusha Smith impacted early church history and their connected family left a legacy for generations of saints to come. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf PLUS+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmo...
Jul 03, 2025•44 min•Season 4Ep. 4
On a wall in the Manti Utah Temple hangs part of the legacy of the woman in Church history we are talking about today. Diantha Morley Billings was living in Kirtland, Ohio, when Joseph Smith and the Saints arrived. She was also the first woman baptized in the Kirtland area. Diantha then started her exciting journey to Zion, which led her to Missouri, Nauvoo, and eventually across the plains to Utah. Her story is one of faith and one worth studying this year. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sun...
May 08, 2025•42 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Joseph Smith’s history has been told and canonized in scripture. You may be familiar with the names of the women close to him, but what do you know about their stories and roles in the Restoration? Today, we are focusing on the women from his family: Lucy Mack Smith (his mother) and Sophronia, Katharine, and Lucy (his three sisters). Further reading: At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/church-historians-press/at-the-pulpit?la...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 2
There are only two women named in the Doctrine and Covenants, but Church history is filled with stories of strong women of the Restoration. And thanks to diaries, recorded speeches, and family histories, we know many of their names. This bonus series will serve as a companion to our weekly Come, Follow Me podcast this year. And today's episode features two young sisters, without whom we wouldn't have the pages recording the early revelations of this standard work. Teach kids about the Rollins Si...
Feb 06, 2025•45 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Helaman went to battle with 2,000 young men and they needed every single one of them. They needed to be ready and they were prepared physically and spiritually by incredibly faithful mothers. What did it take to raise a stripling warrior and what can we learn from them? Find great Book of Mormon art at the Book of Mormon Art Catalog . Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf PLUS+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday...
Dec 20, 2024•37 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Close your eyes and picture the wilderness. What does it look like to you, and what is or isn’t there? If you had to live there, what would those living conditions be like? Today, we are going to study what the word wilderness means, looking at the Book of Mormon’s named and unnamed women who not only lived in the wilderness but thrived. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday...
Jun 27, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Art forms an impression on our minds. When we visualize scripture stories, it’s often in the style we’ve seen before through art. It’s easy to picture Nephi’s family on the boat, Moroni praying over the plates, Abinadi before King Noah, and more. But can you picture the women from the Book of Mormon? There’s art for them, too. Find all the art mentioned in today’s episode at bookofmormonartcatalog.org : Nephi Protected from his Brethren by the Daughter of Ishmael and her Mother by George M. Otti...
Apr 18, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 2
The scriptures are filled with stories of women once you start looking for them. In conjunction with our weekly Come, Follow Me podcast, this bonus series will explore accounts of women throughout the standard works, focusing on the Book of Mormon this year. Did you know that the only time the word “sisters” is mentioned in the Book of Mormon is when it refers to Nephi’s sisters? Today, we’ll talk about the sacrifices and faith of the women—named and unnamed—of the first family in the Book of Mo...
Feb 22, 2024•40 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Mother Teresa said, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” Today’s story is about Tabitha, a woman who took Paul’s charge in Acts 6 seriously and served widows who were neglected and marginalized. In this episode, we get to reflect on her story and discover how we, in our own way, can care for those who are unnamed, unwanted, unloved, uncared for, and forgotten. Listen t...
Nov 30, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Have you ever shared something personal only to have someone dismiss or not believe you? Perhaps you tried offering more explanation or information but to no avail. Well, today’s discussion includes the experience of a woman named Rhoda in the New Testament who had a spiritual witness to offer but was not taken seriously by the people around her. Rhoda’s example may have lessons for us all in how to respond in frustrating moments of others’ disbelief. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on ...
Sep 28, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Many of Christ’s miracles in the New Testament have one special word accompanying them—compassion. It is one of those enduring Christlike attributes that conveys full and deep emotions and love for those around us. When He comes across the unnamed widow from Nain He immediately has compassion on her. And wouldn't we all love to stand in the compassion of Christ each day? Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday...
Jul 27, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Being offended is a universal experience, but how we react is a very individual matter. In this episode of Sunday on Monday’s bonus series, Unnamed Women in the New Testament, we dive into the story of the Syrophoenician woman. She had every reason to be offended and lash out but instead responded with remarkable humility. Let’s study her example in Matthew 15 and Mark 7 and see if we can’t bring a little more humility—and thereby a little more peace—to our lives. Listen to full weekly episodes ...
May 25, 2023•37 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Linda K. Burton, then Relief Society General President, shared the following quote from Daughters in My Kingdom during general conference: “The New Testament includes accounts of [certain] women, named and unnamed, who exercised faith in Jesus Christ [and in His Atonement], learned and lived His teachings, and testified of His ministry, miracles, and majesty. These women became exemplary disciples and important witnesses in the work of salvation.” In this special episode, we discuss the certain ...
Mar 30, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Here’s an interesting question: How many generations ago were your ancestors speaking a different language than you are now? When Dr. Joel Selway lost his mother when he was 12 years old, he also lost a tie to his Thai ancestry. But shortly before his mission he came across an old book about learning Thai, and something sparked inside of him. Little did he know then that he would embark on a decades-long journey to learn the Thai language and, in turn, discover more about his family history than...
Mar 02, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 9
What does sunshine have to do with family history? Well, besides helping our plants and vegetables grow, sunshine has a profound effect on our bodies. One of those effects is melanin production. Melanin is a dark pigment in our hair, skin, and iris of the eye that protects us from the sun’s radiation. Tragically, throughout history some have used melanin to create caste systems that determine social status, ultimately affecting our family history. In this episode, Dr. David-James Gonzales discus...
Feb 23, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Have you ever heard the term “spill the tea”? In recent contexts, this phrase means to perpetuate gossip or rumors. But is spreading gossip and rumors always a bad thing? In family history, it might not be. For this episode, we invited Dr. Sharon Staples to discuss what gossip has to do with family history and whether it can be used as a clue to learn more about our lineage.
Feb 16, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 7
“Late at night when all the world is sleeping, I stay up and think of you. And I wish on a star that somewhere you are thinking of me too.” These first lines of legendary singer Selena’s “Dreaming of You” may have been written about a romantic relationship, but they also apply to family history work. Our ancestors think of us, and we think about them—and sometimes we even dream about them too. For this episode, we invited Miya’s and Michelle’s friends (as well as our amazing producer Erika Free)...
Feb 10, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 6
An indigenous teaching in many communities around the world is that in nature, poison is often located very near the antidote. For example, in Mayan legend, the Chechen trees have a toxic sap that causes rashes or burns when touched, but the Chaca trees grow nearby and provide an antidote. This idea of sting and relief can also be found in family histories. In this episode, artist Jalynne Geddes shares in her own life how generational trauma has been a sting and family history the relief.
Feb 03, 2023•47 min•Season 1Ep. 5
When you think about the term “family history tools,” images of gigantic binders, wrinkled family history charts, and dusty rolls of microfilm probably come to mind. While these items can be useful, there’s another less obvious set of tools we need when we research—especially when we learn about challenging aspects of our family history. For this episode, we invited Dr. Ofa Hofaka to discuss emotional tools we need as we approach body dysmorphia, mental health, and internalized racism in family ...
Jan 26, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 4
The Bible is full of stories about women—sometimes you just need to know where to look. In fact, both named and unnamed women are in the opening verses of the New Testament. This year during our Come, Follow Me study, we’ll take time to focus on the stories of these women—stories that aren’t often told. As we discuss their lives and learn from their examples, we’ll see just how important women are in the gospel of Jesus Christ both then and now. So let’s start our discussion with the book of Mat...
Jan 26, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Here’s a joke: What did the pickle do when it won the championship? He just stood there to relish the moment. If you’re wondering what a pickle joke has to do with family history, just a wait a minute. Miya and Michelle invited Latter-day Saint comedian and actress Lisa Valentine Clark to discuss An American Pickle, a movie all about family history. And just like the movie, Miya, Michelle, and Lisa all ask the question, “Would you be friends with your great-great-grandparents?” and discuss how t...
Dec 01, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Have you ever heard of Marie Kondo? She’s a Japanese professional organizer known for her method of only keeping what “sparks joy” in her life. We can follow her example by becoming a transitional character—someone who breaks cycles of negativity and embraces joyful practices. In this episode, we talk with BYU professor Christopher Jones about what it means to be a transitional character, and how we can spark joy in our own family histories.
Nov 08, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Thanks to Encanto , everyone knows we don’t talk about Bruno. But there are other aspects of family history we don’t talk about, like poverty and shame. Our guest Dr. LaShawn Williams explains, “When we talk about shame, we’re talking about this felt sense of unworthiness to be in connection or relationship with other people despite desperately, desperately wanting to connect with other people.” And like we see in the Disney movie, this feeling of shame can be passed from one generation to the n...
Nov 01, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Dead cats and genealogy might seem like an odd mix. But when it comes to genealogical consciousness, they actually make perfect sense. BYU professor Amy Harris puts this into perspective by explaining that as a child, she would mourn the passing of her pet cats. But then she found peace when she realized that all “relationships are durable and meaningful—even beyond death.” This got us thinking—if we can feel connected to cherished but long deceased pets, shouldn’t our feelings about our ancesto...
Oct 25, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Have you ever heard someone sarcastically say, “Who do they think they are, the Queen of Sheba?” Although this question is usually used to poke fun of those who flaunt their wealth, after listening to this Unnamed Women episode, you may think of it as a compliment instead. Because while the real Queen of Sheba was indeed wealthy, she was also wise—and in 1 Kings 10:1–13, we learn that her might and wisdom may have also contributed to the grandeur of the Israelite temple. Listen to full weekly ep...
Aug 16, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 4
The proverb of a virtuous woman is a famous one, but the woman who sang it—and the woman who it's about—are unnamed. But while we may not know exactly who these women are, they teach us unforgettable lessons of what it means to be truly virtuous. In this special live recording, we'll dig into the profound impact these women have had in our lives by teaching us through their words and examples what it really means to be a virtuous woman today. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday wi...
May 26, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this final episode of This Is the Gospel , KaRyn, Katie, and Erika sit down and listen to their favorite untold stories from the pitch line—submissions from you that didn't make it into an episode for one reason or another, but that we love all the same. These three-minute stories range from wild, epic bear chases to small, quiet moments of revelation. While the voices and narratives may vary, each illustrates how even in a matter of minutes, individual’s stories have the power to bind us all...
Apr 04, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 87
Stories in this episode: Sarah and her brother decide to turn their father in to the police hoping he will find the help he needs to make necessary changes in his life; Chrislyn is deep in grief after learning about decisions her mother made and watching her be sentenced to life in prison. The Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of forgiveness take on new meaning for both our storytellers, even if their lives haven’t yet reached a happy ending. See show notes and full episode transcript at L...
Mar 28, 2022•39 min•Season 4Ep. 86
In honor of Women’s History month, we wanted to do something new and share one of our favorite podcasts with you. It's called Latter-day Saint Women, and in this episode, the Relief Society General Presidency has an important conversation with a few of their friends: a foster mom who's worried about a little boy she's come to love; a 22-year-old who's angry and confused when she can't serve a mission; and a recent convert whose parents are Mexican immigrants, so she wonders whether she will fit ...
Mar 21, 2022•1 hr 8 min
Building the tabernacle described in the Old Testament was no easy feat. We read about all those cubits and how there were specifications about everything . Even the people who helped had to be “wise hearted” and willing to give only the best of the best. In this episode of Unnamed Women of the Old Testament , we will tell the stories of the weavers—women who lent their hands and wise hearts to create the veils and priestly garments for the first tabernacle. We’ll also learn how their vital, sac...
Mar 17, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 2
