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Zandra Vranes of “Sistas In Zion” and Laurel Christensen Day: Racism In the Church

Zandra Vranes and Laurel Christensen Day’s friendship requires a conscious, deliberate effort to create trust. In this episode, they talk with “All In” host Erin Hallstrom about why they have chosen to create a strong relationship and understanding with one another by refusing to shy away from difficult conversations. Vranes and Day discuss how racism is manifest in the Church today and what we can all do to help each other feel at home in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

33: "Establish … a House of God" (Doctrine and Covenants 88)

Were you ever afraid of the dark as a kid? Maybe you still are? Even if you are brave enough to never have feared the dark, there’s something undeniably comforting about stepping into the light. And this week’s lesson in Doctrine and Covenants 88 is all about comfort and light. After previous sections filled with prophecies of war and discord, this section shows us what we can always find comfort in as Latter-day Saints. So grab your scriptures and as many marking pencils as you can find, and let’s dig in.

30: Where "Much Is Given Much Is Required" (Doctrine and Covenants 81–83)

“The key to happiness,” “Keys to success,” “The key to your heart”—let’s face it, keys are an important part of a lot of metaphors. In fact, they are used so often, we may not even really think about what they represent. But what if we paused to consider why the Lord uses the word "keys" when describing the keys of the kingdom or the keys of the priesthood? This week as we study Doctrine and Covenants 81–83 we’ll dig into what these keys represent, who can use them, and what they mean for us.

28: "Great Shall Be Their Reward and Eternal Shall Be Their Glory" (Doctrine and Covenants 76)

For this week’s lesson, you may want to buckle up because there’s a reason Doctrine and Covenants 76 is called “The Vision” with a capital “V.” This is the vision of the three degrees of glory. There is so much pivotal knowledge of the gospel in these verses, and it’s going to be quite a wild ride as dive into this section. So grab your scriptures and as many colored pencils as you can find, and let’s dig in to section 76.

21: "A Faithful, a Just, and a Wise Steward" (Doctrine and Covenants 51–57)

Throwing an egg at your sibling may seem like an extreme reaction, but at one point or another, a heated argument may have caused you to do something you wouldn't normally do. Whether it was a friend or a relative, feelings were no doubt hurt in the process. But in Doctrine and Covenants 51–57, the Lord teaches us how important relationships are—how we should seek to help those around us rather than tear them down. As we study these chapters we'll find that if we can do this, the Lord promises us something special in return.

19: "Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts" (Doctrine and Covenants 46–48)

Do you remember watching the giveaway episodes on Oprah? Did you ever feel a tad envious of the audience when Oprah would say, “You get a gift! You get a gift! Everybody gets a gift!”? Well, today we’re going to study about a different—but infinitely more valuable—type of gift that you already have. In this week’s lesson of Doctrine and Covenants 46–48, we’ll learn about spiritual gifts and how we can use them to help those around us.

34: "Remember the Lord" (August 24–30)

How would you react if you came home from a long trip only to find your once-clean home messy? Like everything-is-sticky-and-all-over-the-place messy. That’s kind of what happened to Nephi when he returned from preaching in a different land. But instead of coming back to a dirty home, Nephi came back to find the Nephites had turned to chaos and wickedness. In this week’s study group, we’ll dig into to Helaman 7–12 to find how Nephi reacted to the wickedness of the Nephites and how his actions proved he was a prophet of the Lord.

Find full episodes of the Sunday on Monday study group here. Start your free trial of Deseret Bookshelf PLUS+ here.

48: “May Christ Lift Thee Up” (Moroni 7–9)

Faith, hope, and charity. Many have heard these three words, but why are they so often used together? And what is it about having faith, hope, and charity that is so powerful? As one of his last lessons to us, Moroni beautifully answers these questions and teaches us how vital these three little words are to our salvation. So grab your scriptures, and let’s dig into Moroni 7–9 to study one of Moroni’s last lessons for us in the latter days.

4: “My Work Shall Go Forth” (Doctrine and Covenants 3–5)

No one likes the feeling of being in trouble—that sinking, gut-wrenching feeling that just makes you want to hide under a blanket forever. At one point, Joseph Smith and Martin Harris felt that to an extreme most people will never know. However, there was still hope for them. In this week’s study of Doctrine and Covenants 3–5, we’ll find out what led Martin and Joseph to feeling this way and hear the incredible message of mercy and love that can help all of us climb out from under our blankets.

Bonus: Temple Symbols and Their Meanings with Donald Parry

Right about now, we're probably all missing the temple. Never before has the need for the instant peace that comes from stepping into these sacred spaces been more keenly felt by so many members. But we can do more during this time than eagerly await the day when we can finally return to full temple worship. In this week’s bonus episode, we invite religious scholar Donald W. Parry to help us dig into the meaning behind temple symbols so that we can be ready to enter the Lord’s house with new perspective and greater understanding.

Find full episodes of the Sunday on Monday study group here. Start your free trial of Deseret Bookshelf PLUS+ here.