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Richard Turley: The Cautionary Tales of Church History and the Role Models Worth Emulating

Richard Turley has spent his career facing history head-on because he believes the more we know, the better we can answer questions. When it comes to Church history, there are an abundance of examples worth emulating, but there are also cautionary tales we can learn from. On this week’s episode, Turley looks back on his takeaways from writing books about two dark moments in Church history: the Mark Hofmann trial and the Mountain Meadows Massacre. He then contrasts that to the uplifting lessons he learned from writing a biography about the exemplary life of President Dallin H. Oaks.

Roger Connors: Understanding God’s Patterns

As a former mission president and former MTC branch president who currently serves in a YSA stake presidency, Roger Connors has heard from a lot of young people who feel like God just isn’t keeping His end of the deal. It is for these people that Connors set out to write his new book, Divine Patterns. It is His belief that as we observe the way that our unchanging God has worked in the lives of men and women throughout history, we can more easily recognize that He is with us every minute of every day.

Being an Intentional Encourager with David Butler

In many cultures, clapping is a way to show respect, gratitude, and encouragement. We could all use more “clappers” in our lives—people who encourage us in the big moments and the small; someone who tells us to keep going, that we’re doing great, and that we are loved and supported. The Savior is the greatest clapper of all, and we believe He wants us to learn to cheer others on. In this episode, Kathryn and her guest David Butler discuss how we can become the clappers people need.

All Things New

Stories in this episode: Jolene fully expects a lecture from her father when he invites her to lunch, but is surprised when the conversation takes an unlikely turn; Steven's hopes for a bright future are thrown for a loop when his college football career comes to a sudden stop, causing him to spiral into his addictions until he finds God where he least expects it—an isolated jail cell.

42: "His Sacrifice Shall Be More Sacred unto Me Than His Increase" (Doctrine and Covenants 115–120)

Deciding what to name a stuffed animal, a doll, or a pet is usually a pretty fun thing to do. In those situations, the stakes are low and imaginations can run freely. But naming a person, a business, or an important organization? Now those are decisions to take more seriously because people’s perceptions and expectations for something will be influenced by its name. This week we will dig into Doctrine and Covenants 115–120 where the Lord reveals the name He decided on for the Church in this dispensation. We will learn why that name matters and what the Lord expects from us as a Church community living under that name.

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.

13: “Who Hath Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear” (Matthew 13, Luke 8; 13)

Do you see yourself—your day-to-day life, your joys, your troubles—in the parables of Christ? We may not separate wheat from tares or handle mustard seeds as often as the people of Jesus’s day, but His parables are still very much for us. They teach powerfully about ourselves and how we should treat others. In this week’s lesson in Matthew 13, Luke 8; 13, we will dive into why Jesus taught in parables and realize just how applicable they are to modern living.

28: "There Is a Prophet in Israel" (2 Kings 2–7)

This week's lesson contains six unnamed women in the Old Testament. Six! That's as many as we'll be covering in detail during this year's special Unnamed Women of the Old Testament series. But in this episode about 2 Kings 2–7, we learn about the adversity some of these women faced and how they performed heroic acts through their faith. Others show us the dire consequences of shutting Christ out of our lives. But all show us the importance of staying on the covenant path and helping others do the same. So grab your scriptures and let’s dig into these powerful stories.

11: “Strengthen the Church” (Doctrine and Covenants 23–26)

Imagine giving up your home, your family, and, at times, your safety. Then imagine losing children, seeing loved ones beaten and imprisoned, and enduring unrelenting persecution. This is just a glimpse into the life one of the Restoration’s greatest heroes. And as we study Doctrine and Covenants 23–26, we’ll come to understand how sacred revelation given to this individual can be related to us as we go through our own trials and triumphs.

2 Nephi 20-25: Delight

The September 2021 publication of the Friend magazine included the song “Peace in Christ” by Nik Day. The first verse reads: “There is peace in Christ / When we learn of Him. / Feel the love He felt for us / When He bore our sins. / Listen to His words. / Let them come alive. / If we know Him as He is, / There is peace in Christ.” Keep this song in mind while studying 2 Nephi 20–25 because the words of Isaiah about Christ can bring us peace in a world of division, captivity, sorrow, and destruction. And if there’s one thing we could all use a little bit more of now in the world, it’s peace.