Let's look back at 2023, look forward to 2024, and answer some commonly-asked questions about Leading Saints and its future. This is Part 1 of a two-part podcast. Listen to Part 2 here. Links The Leading Saints Community Subscribe to the Leading Saints Newsletter About Leading Saints 5 Reasons Negative Church Culture Exists Unashamed Unafraid podcast episode with Kurt Francom The Cultural Hall Podcast This Week in Mormons Podcast The Art of Manliness Podcast Faith Matters Podcast Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret to a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge Warrior Heart Boot Camps There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 3:30 The story behind Leading Saints and how it started. Kurt’s first leading experience as an elders quorum president in his singles ward. 5:50 Kurt poured himself into his calling and did some good things but also made a lot of mistakes. He gave the typical guilt trip lesson about doing home teaching and got no results. 8:30 After getting married, Kurt moved into a ward and was called to be a counselor in the bishopric and then as high priest group leader. He started looking around at all the leadership books to find ways to improve and understand leadership better. 10:20 May 26, 2010 is the birthday of Leading Saints. It started as a hobby blog where Kurt would read a leadership book and try to apply it to leadership in the church. After four years he turned it into a podcast and did interviews. 12:30 The process of starting Leading Saints and taking it full time. Kurt really had to hustle and do a lot of side jobs when starting Leading Saints but he really had a vision of what it could be. 14:30 What can we expect from Leading Saints in 2024? New website and creating more community within Leading Saints 16:30 Leading Saints hack: Where to find the most downloaded episodes and where to start if you are a new listener Listen to Part 2 here. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.