Search - LDS Living

Randal Wright: Learning and Improving through Life

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 has kept his promise to God. On today’s episode, Randal reveals the power of sharing our experiences and learning from the experiences of others to inspire us to be better and live life to its fullest.

Daniel Peterson: The Power of a Witness

David Whitmer, Martin Harris, and Oliver Cowdery. Those are the well-known names of three men whose witnesses of the Book of Mormon stood the test of time, even if their loyalty to the Church sometimes wavered. But who were they? What about these men enabled God to use them in Restoration? Why did they all, at various points, step away from the Church? And why did two of them come back? On this week’s episode, Daniel Peterson, an executive producer of the new movie “Witnesses,” discusses the significance of these men’s roles in Church history and why we should hold gratitude in our hearts for their lives.

Aaron Franklin: The Literal Light of the World

Could a greater understanding of the physical properties of light allow us to better radiate God's light—spiritual light—to those around us? How can our hope and trust in God increase when we more fully appreciate the ability of God's light to reach us? On this week’s episode, we speak with Aaron Franklin, an engineer, chemist, and a professor at Duke University about how an increased grasp of principles of light could open our eyes to the gospel truths associated with spiritual light.

Ally Isom: Making Space for Female Voices

In October 2015, President Russell M. Nelson, then-President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, issued a plea to the women of the Church: “We need your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom, and your voices.” Since becoming prophet, President Nelson has reiterated similar pleas and has said that the women of the Church have “the spiritual power to change the world.” So, how do we make space for female voices in today’s world? Ally Isom, former head of global branding for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has a few ideas.

Start Your Engines!

Every great road trip has a destination, whether known or unknown. For us, the destination is Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration. But how we get there, and what we learn along the way, is different for everyone. In this episode, host Heidi Swinton and her friends share what caused them to "start their engines," so to speak, to begin to learn more about the Prophet Joseph Smith.

35: "Receive of His Fulness" (Doctrine and Covenants 93)

What do you think of when you hear the word, “light”? Do you think of stars, a candle, a lightbulb, or something completely different? Maybe after this week, you’ll think of Doctrine and Covenants 93 because this section is all about light. In fact, doctrinally, this section is one of the most important sections in the Doctrine and Covenants because it has as much light and truth for us today as it did for the Saints back then. So make sure to grab a pencil or two and let’s dig into Doctrine and Covenants 93.

Reaching Joseph, Reaching Christ

From the maple trees of the Sacred Grove to busy London streets, from the quiet Susquehanna Valley to bustling Taiwan, this journey to know Joseph Smith has brought us many places. But has it taken us to Christ? In this final episode of the Joseph podcast, we saved the best for last as guests share their stories of how, through heartbreak and rock bottom, they were able to find Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith.

John Beck: Centered in Christ

For four years, John Beck lined up under center at BYU as quarterback of the football team. He is likely best remembered for a winning play in a rivalry game against Utah that is often referred to as “The Answered Prayer,” but in the years since his collegiate career, Beck has learned a lot about seemingly unanswered prayers and perceived failure. On this week’s episode, Beck discusses the refiner’s fire as well as the delicate balance between putting in the work to achieve success while allowing space for recovery and rehabilitation—both mentally and physically. He believes this begins with being centered in Jesus Christ.

1: How We Minister

Stories in this episode: A High School Student tries to find his tribe when he moves with his parents to Eastern Europe; A no-coffee, no-swearing study-abroad with BYU students sets one woman on a path to Christ; and a congregation in Virginia shows us what it means to truly love every person as they are, where they are.

Marcus Martins: Focused on the Future, Learning from the Past

Marcus Martins never planned to serve a mission, to be sealed in the temple, or to serve as a bishop. These things would require him to receive the priesthood, and there was a restriction in place that precluded him from doing so. But Martins’s life changed forever on June 8, 1978, when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a revelation extending the priesthood to all worthy male members ages 12 and older. Since that day, Martins has served not only as a missionary, but as a bishop, a temple officiator, a Book of Mormon translator, and a mission president. On this week's episode, Martins explains how he developed a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ even before 1978 and why he has never looked back in the nearly 50 years since he joined the Church.