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Carmen O’Donnal and Auguste Lippelt: Two women who changed the face of the Church

Read the stories of two faithful Latter-day Saint women, including a convert from Guatemala who inspired the Gospel Principles class and the consolidated Sunday meeting block.

Mauli Bonner and Paul Reeve: Understanding the History of Blacks in the Church

In 1830, the same year the Church was organized, a former slave named Peter became the first documented Black member of the Church. Nearly 200 years later, Mauli Bonner first heard Peter's story when he started exploring his own faith as a Black member of the Church. This journey led him to Paul Reeve, a professor at the University of Utah who has studied Blacks in Church history extensively. On today's episode, Mauli and Paul explain not only the importance of the stories of early Black Latter-day Saints, but also how their stories can strengthen our faith and our testimonies of the restored gospel.

Shima Baughman: What’s More Powerful Than Public Policy?

Shima Baughman has worked for years to bring about policy reform, especially as it relates to incarceration. After immigrating to the United States from Iran as a child, Shima has become an attorney, a national expert on bail and pretrial prediction, and a professor of criminal law at the University of Utah. But while she is a believer in giving second chances through law, on this week’s episode she explains the most powerful type of reform isn't only through the justice system. Instead, she believes change truly occurs as people turn their hearts to Christ.

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.

Mauli Bonner and Paul Reeve: Understanding the History of Blacks in the Church

In 1830, the same year the Church was organized, a former slave named Peter became the first documented Black member of the Church. Nearly 200 years later, Mauli Bonner first heard Peter's story when he started exploring his own faith as a Black member of the Church. This journey led him to Paul Reeve, a professor at the University of Utah who has studied Blacks in Church history extensively. On today's episode, Mauli and Paul explain not only the importance of the stories of early Black Latter-day Saints, but also how their stories can strengthen our faith and our testimonies of the restored gospel.

“Dreaming of You”: The Role of Dreams in Family History

“Late at night when all the world is sleeping, I stay up and think of you. And I wish on a star that somewhere you are thinking of me too.” These first lines of legendary singer Selena’s “Dreaming of You” may have been written about a romantic relationship, but they also apply to family history work. Our ancestors think of us, and we think about them—and sometimes we even dream about them too. For this episode, we invited Miya’s and Michelle’s friends (as well as our amazing producer Erika Free) to share how dreams have helped them draw closer to their families in the past, present, and future.<

19: “Holiness to the Lord” (Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 16; 19)

What do you say when someone asks you to do something difficult? Do you sometimes give a noncommittal maybe? Or do you sometimes say yes, but secretly mean no? In this week’s lesson of Exodus 35–40 and Leviticus 1, 16, and 19, we’ll see how the Israelites responded when the Lord asked them to do something difficult, and what we can learn from their response.

7: "To Be a Greater Follower of Righteousness" (Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2)

Do you remember a time when you made a promise? And not just a silly pinky promise about something trivial, but a promise so serious it was practically an oath? Abraham knew all about making and keeping these kinds of promises. In this week's discussion, we're going to study about a covenant he made with God in Genesis 12–17 and Abraham 1–2 and learn how we can enter into that same promise.

Jared Halverson: Giving People the Benefit of their Doubts

While pursuing a doctoral degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School where his studies have been focused on anti-religious rhetoric, Jared Halverson has simultaneously sought to help students who wrestle with questions and doubts about the restored gospel. And while many say that divinity school tends to weaken faith, he says he has only become more convinced of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Mormon Antidote to Dwindling Jewish Youth: More Expectations and Conversions

As someone who believes that Jews should actively proselytize to non-Jews and become as involved as possible in Jewish life, I was dismayed (though not surprised) at the results of a recent Pew Research Center survey of U.S. Jews that showed an increasing detachment of non-Orthodox Jews -- especially young Jews -- from Judaism. This does not bode well for the future of the American Jewish community, and countless commentaries on the survey’s findings have appeared recently in the Jewish press nationwide. When Jewish life is viewed through Mormon spectacles, it is hard to see how the survey could have turned out otherwise, given the relative lack of religious responsibility placed on young Jews’ shoulders.