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Stories in this episode: The sudden loss of his corporate job throws Dave into a new and sometimes confusing role at home; Jenny's once-thriving life is upended by an unwelcome diagnosis that offers her a powerful connection to some of her Church History idols.

Dean Hughes: Digging Into Polygamy and Other "Muddy" Issues

When Dean Hughes began writing his latest book, he didn't plan on writing about polygamy but the topic became impossible to ignore. At times, there are things (both past and present) that may affect our beliefs and be impossible to ignore. Dean describes these things as "muddy," but explains that there are faithful ways to approach seemingly messy aspects of our faith or our Church's history.

26: "Worth … the Riches of the Whole Earth" (Doctrine and Covenants 67–70)

Have you ever thought, “Oh, I could do that so much better”? Maybe it was something as important as a job or as trivial as a party invitation, but you just knew that your effort would’ve been superior than the person who actually did it. Well, in Doctrine and Covenants 67–70, we are going to learn about a few men who were so convinced that they could write revelation better than Joseph Smith, they even tried it. So grab your scriptures, and let’s find out what the result was and what it can teach us about how God operates today.

23: "All Flesh Is in Mine Hand" (Doctrine and Covenants 60–62)

You may not be a world-class beatboxer—or do public math—but chances are, you have a talent. In fact, all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a very specific talent. And as we study Doctrine and Covenants 60–62, we are going to find out what that talent is, why it was important to the early Saints, and how we can share it with others today.

20: "That Which Is of God Is Light" (Doctrine and Covenants 49–50)

One word for "evil" in Greek is ponos. But unlike the English definition of evil, the word ponos means pain, anguish, distress, or suffering. In most cases, ponos could describe what we feel when we make a mistake or commit sin. The Savior knows this pain because He suffered for us. He will always be the first to meet us and the last to judge us. That’s what this week’s lesson from Doctrine and Covenants 49–50 is all about: Christ coming to meet us where we are and helping us understand the great blessings He has in store for us.

40: “It Is Thy House, a Place of Thy Holiness” (Doctrine and Covenants 109–110)

Have you ever been to a temple dedication? If so, do you have any specific memories about the event? A temple dedication often brings a flurry of excitement and energy to an area, and that was certainly the case for the Saints who were eagerly awaiting the dedication of the Kirtland temple. This week we will dig into Doctrine and Covenants 109–110 to read the stories of Saints who attended the dedication. We'll see what their experiences teach us about attending temples, including the struggle we might sometimes have over feeling worthy to be there.

16: "If Ye Are Not One Ye Are Not Mine" (Doctrine and Covenants 37–40)

“Pack up everything—we’re moving.” When you read those words, how do you feel? Are you excited? Or does your heart drop as you think of all the packing, cleaning, and organizing that moving entails? Maybe you feel a bit of both? Well in this week’s lesson, the early Saints are asked to do just that: pack everything up and move. While this move was challenging and full of hardship, it also came with many blessings. And as we dig into Doctrine and Covenants 37–40, we’ll learn how the Lord asks us to move spiritually and what blessings we receive as we obey.

31: “Stand Fast in the Faith of Christ” (August 3–9)

The war chapters—sounds kind of like a PBS documentary, don't you think? Well with all the contention, tactics, wins, and losses, Alma 43–52 would make an epic war movie. So why would Mormon choose to include these stories about battles and intrigue in the Book of Mormon? Join us in this week's study group as we dig into the scriptures to discover how the war chapters apply to our day and why we might actually grow to love them and their message to us.

33: "The Rock of Our Redeemer" (August 17–23)

If you knew Christ was coming in three days, what would you do? That’s a terrifying question, right? Well, what would you do if you knew Christ was coming in 85 years? That’s plenty of time to stock up on toilet paper. However, even that amount of time wasn’t enough to help the Nephites. In Helaman 1–6, we’ll see how some contentions and “serious difficulties” prevented the Nephites from preparing spiritually for Christ’s coming and we'll learn how we can avoid making the same mistake.

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15: "You Are Called to Preach My Gospel" (Doctrine and Covenants 30–36)

You’ve probably asked this question many times: How can I help? Whether at home or work or church, this question seems to naturally come whenever there’s a need. And as the gospel began to be restored and many needs arose, a lot of freshly baptized members wondered what they could do help. The result was Doctrine and Covenants 30–36, and as we study this week’s lesson, we’ll find out how God wants us to help build up His kingdom as well.