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Bonus: Race and Priesthood in the Old Testament

You may have heard the profound quote by Lorenzo Snow, “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be." But you may not have heard BYU professor Dr. Marcus Martins’s thoughts that then “God ... could very well be like me.” Martins believes that “if [God] lived on an earth like ours with the same plan of happiness, then it might not be so far from [the] truth to say that [He] could be Asian, Pacific Islander, African, Hispanic, Mauri, or American. We really don’t know, but it is worth considering.” In this special bonus episode of Sunday on Monday, we’ll discover how all have been truly alike unto God since the very beginning, and how race and the priesthood relate to the Old Testament.

Your Story Has Power

In this final episode of This Is the Gospel, KaRyn, Katie, and Erika sit down and listen to their favorite untold stories from the pitch line—submissions from you that didn't make it into an episode for one reason or another, but that we love all the same. These three-minute stories range from wild, epic bear chases to small, quiet moments of revelation. While the voices and narratives may vary, each illustrates how even in a matter of minutes, individual’s stories have the power to bind us all together.

Ed and Wanda Willis: From Black Panthers to Latter-day Saints

Ed Willis’s life began in a place literally called “The Lower Bottom.” Drugs, Alcohol, Prostitution—you name it, and it could be found in the lower bottom. Ed was always searching for something. It was this searching that led him to become a Black Panther. Ultimately, Ed can now see that the dignity he was seeking all along could be found in understanding that he is a child of God. On this week’s episode, Ed and his wife, Wanda, share how their membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints changed their lives.

Steve Young: An Introduction to the Law of Love

A football field is not usually considered a place of love. But it was during his time playing for the NFL that Steve Young began to explore what he now calls the law of love. He realized that relationships based on the expectation of receiving something in return eventually rot, but when we bring long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, and love unfeigned to our relationships—that’s when the magic happens.

20: “Rebel Not Ye against the Lord, Neither Fear” (Numbers 11–14; 20–24)

How do you know if you can trust someone? Whether you feel an instant connection or it's earned over time, the first leap to really trusting someone can be a little scary. In this week’s discussion of Numbers 11–14 and 20–24, we’ll see how the children of Israel made the leap several times not just with each other, but with the Lord as they were asked again and again to trust in Him.

24: "My Heart Rejoiceth in the Lord" (Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–3)

Here’s a fun fact—the word for “Ruth” in Hebrew means "compassionate friend." And when you think of how friendship was all Ruth and Naomi had during a time of uncertainty, that name has an extra special meaning. As we study the book of Ruth and 1 Samuel 1–3 this week, we’ll see how this compassionate friendship exists between Ruth and Naomi and between all of us and Christ as we face challenges and uncertainties in our lives.

27: "If the Lord Be God, Follow Him" (1 Kings 17–19)

One definition of the word destitute is to be “without basic necessities.” Has there ever been a time where you felt spiritually destitute? Like you were missing the basic necessities? If so, this week’s lesson 1 Kings 17–19 is for you because if there is anyone who understands the feeling of being destitute, it’s Elijah the prophet and the widow of Zarephath. Through their examples of faith, we’ll learn who we should turn to in our greatest moments of need and learn how all things can be restored through the Savior.

7: "Upon You My Fellow Servants" (Doctrine and Covenants 12–13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75)

As the first prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith had a lot of questions about how to organize Christ's church upon the earth. And from these questions came an incredible outpouring of visions and revelations. So it is no wonder that when Joseph and Oliver Cowdery had a question about baptism, the answer would usher in the glorious restoration of the Aaronic priesthood upon the earth. In this week’s study group, we’ll study Doctrine and Covenants sections 12–13 and Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75 to discover how the restoration of the priesthood helps us build Zion in the latter days.

50: Christmas (December 21–27)

We did it! We made it through the entire Book of Mormon for this year’s Come, Follow Me study. To celebrate, we asked some of our study group guests and listeners to share their ultimate takeaways. So grab your headphones and let’s spend this Christmas reflecting on what we learned this year from the Book of Mormon.

6: “We Lived after the Manner of Happiness” (Feb. 3–Feb. 9)

Let’s see if you can finish this scripture: “Men are that they might have . . . ?” If you said "joy," you're absolutely right. But has it ever felt like the opposition in your life makes it difficult to feel that joy? In this week’s Sunday on Monday study group, we’ll be digging into 2 Nephi 1–5 and learning more about the law of opposition and why it’s essential for experiencing joy.

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