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Kerry Muhlestein: The Grand Adventures of the Book of Abraham

When Kerry Muhlestein received a PhD in Egyptology from UCLA, he had no plans to research the Book of Abraham. But when people kept asking him about the scripture’s origins, he decided to devote his time to finding the answers. Years later, Dr. Muhlestein is considered an expert on all things Old Testament and the Pearl of Great Price. He joins us on this week’s episode to help us get excited for this year’s Come, Follow Me study.

25: "The Battle Is the Lord’s" (1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–18)

Have you ever heard that part of “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” where the lyrics read, “Here I raise my Ebenezer” and wondered what it was talking about? It turns out "Eben-ezer" was the name Samuel gave a stone as a token of gratitude for deliverance. In Hebrew, the word also means "stone of help." So when we think about David and Goliath, we see how crucial a stone of help is—and not just in slaying giants. As we study 1 Samuel chapters 8–10, 13, and 15–18 we'll discover how the Savior is our personal Ebenezer, and how He helps us face our own Goliaths.

Alissa Parker: Finding Emilie

December 14, 2012, is remembered by many as the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. But Alissa Parker remembers it as the day she lost her daughter, Emilie. In the nine and a half years since Alissa has found solace in the kindness of others and in the goodness of a God who has allowed her to feel her daughter's presence time and time again. While the trauma of her loss still causes Alissa to feel anxiety, she continues to find comfort in the confidence that she will be reunited with Emilie again.

26: "Thy Kingdom Shall Be Established for Ever" (2 Samuel 5–7; 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 8; 11)

What does it mean to inquire of the Lord? We have a sneaking suspicion that it means more than asking a question, and a look at David’s life might confirm our hunch. For most of his life, David inquired of the Lord to know what he should do—and he was blessed. And sadly, David sometimes chose not to inquire of the Lord—and he suffered a lot of regret and sorrow. As we study 2 Samuel 5–7, 11–12 and 1 Kings 3, 8, and 11, we’ll look for examples of what it means to inquire of the Lord, and how this action can bless and protect our lives.

Heather Vanboerum: Miracles in a Costco Parking Lot

Five days before Christmas last year, Heather Vanboerum was leaving Costco when a driver accidentally hit the gas rather than the brake, pinning her between two cars. Her life changed in an instant—but the miracles that followed, both big and small, are remarkable and on this week’s episode, Heather helps us see them all through her eyes.

Carlos Martins: Billionaire Turned Humanitarian Missionary

After making a fortune from the English language schools he created in Brazil, Carlos Martins and his wife, Vania, turned their attention to serving the Lord and their family. In hopes of helping their son achieve his dream of serving a full-time mission, they served a humanitarian mission on the border of Venezuela. By the Martins’ count, they were able to help 20,000 refugees relocate. On this week’s episode, Martins discusses how the English schools came to be, and how he came to see that concern for his son was only a means to an end for the Lord.

Roger Connors: Understanding God’s Patterns

As a former mission president and former MTC branch president who currently serves in a YSA stake presidency, Roger Connors has heard from a lot of young people who feel like God just isn’t keeping His end of the deal. It is for these people that Connors set out to write his new book, Divine Patterns. It is His belief that as we observe the way that our unchanging God has worked in the lives of men and women throughout history, we can more easily recognize that He is with us every minute of every day.

Brett and Kate McKay: Loving the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Second Half of Life

Various philosophers have often mused that there are two halves of our lives. What separates them is the period of time when we transition from a belief system to a humble inner knowing. This week’s guests, Brett and Kate McKay, are no strangers to the evolution of faith and say they have experienced significant moments of decision within their own faith. But they have also found that it is very possible to transition from the first half of life to the second with your faith intact. They believe faith shouldn’t be boring; instead, it’s very possible to stay passionate about the gospel after leaving young adulthood.

2: "In the Beginning God Created the Heaven and the Earth" (Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5)

Did you know that the books in the Old Testament have Hebrew names that are different from what we see in the King James Version of the Bible? Which, once you think about it, is a no-brainer considering all the translations the Bible has been through. But these other names for the Old Testament books reveal something so profound about God and our mission on earth that we just have to talk about it. In fact, we invited our friend and Hebrew scholar Donald Parry to really dig into this week’s lesson in Genesis 1–2, Moses 2–3, and Abraham 4–5 to find out more about what has been lost in the English translation of the Bible.

Jenn Knight: On the Other Side of the Veil

No mother should ever have to bury her child. Jenn Knight has been through the heartbreaking experience twice, all while suffering multiple forms of cancer due to a genetic mutation. But on today’s episode, Jen speaks of angels—both the heavenly and the earthly kind. As she wrote on her blog, "The room sometimes feels crowded with others. ... I firmly believe that these spiritual wind gusts are ethereal angels God has sent to comfort and help us from the other side.”