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Brother Mark Christensen was born and raised in Salt Lake City. He served the Lord in the Massachusetts Boston Mission. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Communications from the University of Utah and later a Master of Arts in Educational Counseling degree from the University of Phoenix. He is married to the former Cheri Watson and they are the parents of four children, and now have seven grandchildren. He has been a Seminary teacher, principal, curriculum writer, or Institute instructor for 35 years in various locations in the Salt Lake Valley. He currently teaches institute at Ensign College. Some of his hobbies include reading, hiking, fishing, studying Church History, visiting historical sites, and playing “hide and seek” with his grandchildren.

Jacob 1–4: Pride

The prophet Jacob in the Book of Mormon felt the weight of his calling, and the pains of his people. He uses a word that many of us can relate to today in describing his state of mind—anxiety. In reading Jacob 1–4 we’ll see if we can find out what is causing Jacob’s anxiety, how we can relate, and the advice he has for everyone who has felt like he has.

Restoration Proclamation: Restoration Goes Forward

The Doctrine & Covenants is full of people with questions, and God giving answers with truth. And one of the eternal truths that we see the most is that God loves His children. In fact that is the first line in the Restoration Proclamation that was read in General Conference by President Nelson. To start our study of church history and the D&C we have five scholars to discuss their thoughts on that landmark proclamation.

49: “His Ways Are Everlasting” (Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah)

Imagine being in a courtroom and holding your breath before a sentence is given to someone. You might experience a similar feeling studying the books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. While these books may be short in length, they are rich in passion and conviction as prophets of old pronounce sentences on the people they have been sent to save. So as we dive into the scriptures this week, we invite you to sit in on these cases to watch and learn as the prophets’ judgments unfold.

Danny Ainge: The Angels Who Make Us Who We Are

March Madness is in full swing and, in 1981, Danny Ainge experienced his "one shining moment” in the NCAA Tournament when he scored with two seconds left on the clock, helping BYU advance to the Elite Eight. It was the highlight of a remarkable college basketball career, but only the beginning of his professional career in sports. Still, Ainge doesn’t take credit for his success. He insists that the Lord has placed angels—ordinary people setting an extraordinary example—along his path to help him every step of the way. In this episode, we talk about the power of positive influences in our lives that guide our paths and why Ainge believes the people we surround ourselves with have the ability to make all the difference.

43: "O God, Where Art Thou?" (Doctrine and Covenants 121–123)"

"Prison temple." Now there are two words that don’t seem like they belong together. And while these words seem contradictory, they are exactly how Latter-day Saint historians have described the experience of Liberty Jail for Joseph Smith and his friends. As we study Doctrine and Covenants 121–123, we’ll see that while this experience was beyond harrowing, it also had moments of unspeakable sacredness. And we'll learn that we too can have sacred moments of comfort and peace during our most difficult trials.

SOM Transcript - S5E41

SOM Transcript - S5E43