Best-selling author Jason F. Wright is a fan of people. It is apparent in the way his face lights up when he talks about those who have impacted his life, some of them strangers he met only briefly. On today’s episode, he explains how his passion for people and their stories began in his childhood home, thanks in large part to the example of his parents who taught him to believe in the goodness of others.

Matthew Estes lives in a beautiful home just south of Salt Lake City Utah with his gorgeous wife, two precocious children and adorable dog, Lucy. When Matthew isn't being a stay-at-home dad (aka chauffeur), he is a professional D&D Dungeon Master and manager at a local game shop. Through Dungeons & Dragons, Matthew is able to help youth and young adults find themselves through their imagination and develop valuable social skills. As an advocate for autism, having both a brother and son with this "superpower", Matthew enjoys the opportunity to help neurodiverse individuals find ways to express themselves. He also enjoys a good video game, reading a classic comic book or listening to interesting movie themed podcasts.

Tyler was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, enjoying the “Show-Me State” until he served his mission in Fresno, California. Because he lived in St. Louis, Tyler is a die-hard Cardinals fan (go Cards!). Tyler was the baby of four half-brothers and four half-sisters, but he doesn’t consider any of them “halves.” He was first married in 1999, and then divorced in 2005. He later remarried, marrying Tammy’s sister whom he had the biggest crush on while growing up. Today they have a family of three girls (20, 16, 16) and 2 boys (15, 10). Tyler began his law enforcement career in August of 2000. He first started at Utah State Prison. He later transferred to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office where he currently serves as a Sergeant. He has served in the following different areas throughout his career at the Sheriff’s Office: jail, patrol, investigations, contract-city patrol, courts with specialty assignments on the traffic team, Special Victims Unit, and SWAT. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time playing board games, bowling, and watching movies or hiking with his family.

Years ago, before the Church instituted the three-hour block schedule for our Sunday meetings, we used to go to the chapel for meetings three times every Sunday—once in the morning for priesthood meeting, a second time for Sunday School opening exercises and classes, and finally a third time for a ninety-minute sacrament meeting. When I was a very young man, our ward’s Sunday School superintendent, Brother Marchant, came to our class one Sunday to ask for volunteers who would be willing to give the prayer, the 2½-minute talks, and the sacrament gem (a verse of scripture shared before the sacrament was passed) in the following week’s Sunday School opening exercises. My strategy was to quickly volunteer to say either the prayer or the sacrament gem. I was motivated by the desire to avoid having to give a talk at all costs! Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t the only person in the class with that strategy, and I missed out on my first choice, the prayer. I was quick enough, however, to score the sacrament gem assignment. Given the other alternative, I felt lucky.

The youths and leaders, mostly from Clearfield Community Church, which had experienced a fire last spring just before its annual yard sale, said they were grateful for the experience the resulting event funded. Members of several stakes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at that time not only donated untold numbers of items for the sale, but they also held the event on their property and helped man the event.

Vashon’s Mormon church has received preliminary approval from King County to move forward with its plans to develop a teen girls camp at its 100-acre property on the southern tip of the Island. In a letter dated Nov. 21, the county’s Department of Permitting and Environmental Review (previously known as the Department of Development and Environmental Services) issued a conditional use permit to the Vashon church, noting the organization had met a number of concerns raised by neighboring residents as well as issues that came up during a state-mandated environmental review.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is preparing to break ground for its new Hartford Connecticut Temple this weekend. The Courant reports that demolition was underway July 30 to clear the 11-acre property of five houses and an office building prior to the groundbreaking Aug. 17. Check out the paper's photo gallery of the demolition here.

Moana Wolfgramm was just 12 years old when she and The Jets released their debut album through MCA records—an album that would produce top 10 charting songs and ultimately go platinum. She and her siblings were truly living the dream as they traveled the world and performed on some of the world’s biggest stages. But by the time Moana was 17, fame had taken a toll on her family and she felt as if they were already has-beens. As she tried to find herself again and the Wolfgramms had to decide if family was more important than money, Moana says one thing kept her grounded—her faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.