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Vaina Barton

Vaina Barton is from the beautiful island of Tahiti and was born and raised in the church. After high school, she attended BYU-Hawaii and graduated with a Bachelor of Art degree in Piano Pedagogy. In college, she met her husband, a local Hawaiian boy. They are raising 3 amazing boys and 1 sweet girl. Now, she resides in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. She is a composer, piano teacher, photographer, baker, crafter and artist. She loves music and recently wrote, from her heart, a collection of beautiful compositions about our Savior. She served in many church callings such as primary teacher, primary pianist, relief society president, young women counselor, family history consultant, and ward organist.

Jim Hall

Jim Hall was born and raised in the Oakland California area. After serving a mission to Boston Massachusetts, he graduated from Utah State University with a bachelors and masters degree in business information systems. Jim enjoys gardening and maintains a very large vegetable garden every summer. His favorite band of all time is Echo and the Bunnymen. He is married to Tammy Hall. His guess is this will be the first and last time he is on the podcast.

Brother Jan Newman

Crystaleen Harris

Crystal Beazer

Crystal Beazer grew up in Southern California and currently lives in Utah County. She graduated from BYU Hawaii in Exercise Sports Science where she met her husband of 17 years. Crystal grew up with 3 sisters and now has 3 daughters of her own. Some of her hobbies include all kinds of sports, the outdoors, organizing and hanging with her family! Crystal always has had a testimony but going through a recent autoimmune disease brought her closer to her Savior than ever before.

Laurel Christensen Day

Laurel Christensen Day is the president of Deseret Book Company, where she has spent her career developing content. She received a master’s degree in communications management and is the author of several books including The Faith Experiment. Finding love later in life, she married Stephen Day and with that, gained an instant family and became a grandmother—a role she adores. She loves spending time with Stephen at their favorite places in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Catherine Reese Newton

Catherine Reese Newton is an associate editor for the Church Historian’s Press, where she works on the Joseph Smith Papers. She previously worked for The Salt Lake Tribune, where she was a copy editor and award-winning arts reporter. Among highlights of her long and varied service there, she interviewed one of the Three Tenors, one of the Beastie Boys, and two of the original stars of Hamilton. She has a BA in journalism from Utah State University.

Irene Caso

Born and raised in Madrid, Spain, Irene came to the United States after her mission. She had a successful career in television and broadcasting, and in 2017, Irene was hired as a Church spokesperson in Salt Lake City. From balancing demanding careers, to being wives and mothers, to seeking personal inspiration, Irene shares her thoughts on just how amazing the women of the Church are today. Insights that have come while traveling the world with Church leaders have strengthened Irene’s desire to be a better disciple of the Lord.

Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye

Melissa Inouye was an insightful author, scholar, and advocate. Having grown up in a multicultural family, she navigated diverse cultural landscapes with particular skill. Inouye's education in Asian and Pacific Island studies, as well as her PhD in Chinese history from Harvard University, informed her prolific writings. Living and studying abroad in Asia enriched her understanding of global issues and inspired her to explore Latter-day Saint themes within a broader cultural context. She was known for her ability to navigate doctrinal teachings and diverse perspectives with characteristic compassion. Through her books and essays, Inouye's voice and legacy continue to contribute to ongoing conversations about faith, identity, and the human condition.

Paige Sommer

Paige Sommer is a content specialist, writer, and video producer for Deseret Book. She has a MFA in creative writing. If you want to be best friends, talk with her about books, creative writing, Italy (where she served her mission), or her five children and four stepchildren.