A former full-time seminary and institute teacher, Tammy loves digging into the gospel as host of the popular Sunday on Monday podcast. We recently asked her a bit about her gospel insights, her life, and her faith.
What is something you like to do for fun?
When I want to have fun it is always, 100 percent, [going to] the movies with popcorn, Coke, and Milk Duds. . . .That’s my favorite thing to do in the world—I love going to the movies.
Can you tell us about a time when you did something that scared you?
I’d say one of the scariest things I did was approach producers about doing a Come, Follow Me podcast. . . . I was out spending time walking in the morning (which I actually do sporadically), but on this one occasion I got an overwhelming thought that Deseret Book should do a Come, Follow Me podcast. I had worked with the company’s podcast producers in the past and called to ask if we could meet to talk. . . . They agreed to meet and my heart was racing. But the Spirit was like, “Just say it,” [so] I blurted it out: “You need a Come, Follow Me podcast that is taught by a woman for women.” They were interested, and now here we are. . . . It’s just amazing how Heavenly Father knows what we need.
How would you define a successful scripture study?
For sure the very first rule is to not compare your scripture study to anyone else’s. Whatever you are doing is right. And then the second rule is for sure do what works for you. When I was a mom with little kids the best it got was a verse of scripture, and that was awesome. . . . Honestly, I think if anyone is reading their scriptures, that is successful scripture study.
What makes a good Sunday on Monday episode?
If my guests are willing to be vulnerable, that’s the key. Complete and total vulnerability. . . . I give them the scripture block just one week before [we record], because I don’t want them to come having studied like an institute teacher. I just want them to find time in their busy schedule to read the scripture block [and] then just come talk about their lives.
What is the most rewarding part of being a podcast host?
The only things success looks like for me is women studying the scriptures and teaching the scriptures to their family and friends. That’s it. I just want women to love the scriptures as much as I do—or anyone who listens. That’s success really—people in their scriptures studying them, learning about them, and loving them.
If you could have dinner with anyone from the Old Testament, who would it be?
I have gone back and forth between so many, but I have decided on the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings, chapter 4. She is one of the unnamed women of the Old Testament, and I can’t wait to teach about her. I love her so much that I actually have a necklace that has her words “It is well” on it. No matter how bad things seem at the time, . . . “It is well” [reminds me] that everything will turn out as it should for me.
What are you doing to strengthen your spiritual foundation during these unprecedented times?
I was talking to my husband once and said, “What if there’s something that rocks us, and we say we’re done with the Church?” Around the same time, we had just been called to teach in Primary, and the first week we were learning this new song that says, “Even though it’s still hard with questions that arise, every day I will say . . . ” I misheard the words and thought it said, “every day I will stay.”
When I sang those (wrong) words, “I will stay,” I felt the Spirit so strongly from the top of my head to my feet and I started sobbing because I thought, “That’s it! I will stay.” It’s going to be hard and that’s OK, but I’ve made the decision now: I will stay when times get hard because I have a testimony and I do believe.
Learn how to join Tammy for her study of the Old Testament at ldsliving.com/sundayonmonday and see the accompanying study journal below. You can also print the study journal pages for January free at here.
