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39: "Behold, My Joy Is Full" (September 28–October 11)

You may be tempted to look at 3 Nephi 17–19 and think, “What’s there to study in just three chapters?” But these chapters are packed with a treasure trove of gospel gems, including when Christ heals the multitude, blesses the children, gives the sacrament to the people, and so much more. And so as we prepare for general conference, let’s dig into this week’s lesson, grab our colored pencils, and study these chapters like we never have before.

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Thurl Bailey: The Impact of Seeing Potential

When someone sees our potential it can make all the difference in what we become. But what has that looked like in the life of former NBA player Thurl Bailey? It meant his mother believing that she was not raising average kids, and therefore Cs were not acceptable. It meant not making the middle school basketball team again and again until a coach finally offered to put in some extra work with the 6'10" 9th grader. And it meant overcoming obstacles in marrying his wife when the odds were against them. But perhaps most important, it has looked like Heavenly Father knowing Thurl's potential as a disciple of Jesus Christ. On this week's episode, we talk with Thurl about potential in all its forms and what we can learn from it.

Makenna Myler: The Surprises of God’s Plan

In October 2020, Makenna Myler made headlines when a viral video showed her running a mile in 5 minutes and 25 seconds. Those numbers would be impressive for anyone—but Makenna did it just 10 days before giving birth to her first child. Still, her running time isn't the only thing Makenna is excited about; it's her opportunity to shine a positive light on motherhood and wellness in pregnancy. On this week’s episode, Makenna shares what she has discovered about the sometimes surprising role of God’s plan as we pursue our hopes and dreams.

Gabrielle Shiozawa: Joy After Loss

Just three weeks before she was going to graduate from high school, Gabrielle Shiozawa was on a run with her dad when he began to experience symptoms of heart failure. Later that night, her father passed from this life to the next and Gabrielle became acquainted with grief in an intimate way she'd never expected. Still a young college student, Gabrielle has now written the book she wishes she’d had when her world came crashing down.

Craig Manning: Mastering the Mind

Did you know research has shown that people who can control their minds have the greatest success in life? In fact, mental strength is a stronger indicator of success than IQ or the economic status of the family one grows up in. So how do we develop mental strength and what does it have to do with faith? Today, we talk with Latter-day Saint Dr. Craig Manning, who has helped some of the greatest athletes in the world answer these questions.

Elder Edward Dube: Can You Imagine?

"Can you imagine"—these three words, found in Alma 5, were used many times by Elder Edward Dube in this week’s podcast. But what do these words mean in our lives? From our approach in sharing the Book of Mormon to how we participate in family reunions, Elder Dube invites us to imagine how we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, could improve the little things and better appreciate the blessings of the gospel.

Samuel Brown and Kate Holbrook: The Evolving Story of a Marriage

Samuel Brown is an academic, a shock trauma ICU doctor, and a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. He has achieved much professionally, but it was not until his wife, Kate Holbrook, was diagnosed with cancer in her eye and he faced the risk of losing his beloved that Sam realized he had neglected things in his home. This realization was painful and required work to undo the hurt of the past, but together, he and his wife have rebuilt a home and a marriage they are grateful for and proud of.

Tackling Joseph's Complexities

Topics surrounding Joseph Smith’s life can sometimes be controversial, and they’re not exactly things we can sidestep on a journey to get to know him. So how do we tackle this complexity hundreds of years after his death? How do we make sense of the moments in Joseph’s life that were sometimes controversial? And how do we become stronger for it? We talked to Heidi’s friends, some of whom are renowned historians, who had these very same questions and learned from their experiences how we might find the answers for ourselves.

Keith Erekson: Investigating Latter-Day Saint Rumors and Assumptions

We’ve all heard them. There are pre-general conference predictions, rumors about certain celebrities investigating the Church, and sensationalized stories from Church history. How can you discern what is real and what’s rumor? On this week’s episode, Keith Erekson, director of the Church History Library, teaches how historians approach corroboration and how you can do the same in your own life.

Bryan Ready: From Critic to Convert

From the time he was a young boy, Bryan Ready felt drawn to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Initially, he studied everything he could find about it, determined to prove it wasn't the restored church on the earth today. But while working as a Southern Baptist pastor, he allowed himself to consider that it might actually be true. Over the course of five years, he went from tearing down the Church to joining it. On this week’s episode, we talk with Ready about why he eventually concluded that the Church is where he is meant to be, and why it is now his home.