All In

For the last decade, Fiona and Terryl Givens have brought to light wonderful and expansive doctrines in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ by drawing upon literature and other faith traditions. Their work helps Latter-day Saints appreciate the beauty of what we believe. On this week's episode, we talk with these scholars about many of their books, how those books are influenced by their life experiences, and how their studies have brought us greater appreciation for our faith tradition and the faith traditions of others. "If something harrows the mind and constricts the heart, that I don't think is of God—that is not of the Spirit. But if something—an idea, a thought, a song, a book—enlarges your mind and awakens your heart to joy then we can know that that is true." Show Notes 1:52- Fiona's Story 8:47- Terryl's Story 11:21- The Influence of Life Experiences 14:58- What the Restoration Brings to the Table 21:10- Doubt as a Catalyst 26:23- "The Greatest Act of Self-Revelation" 30:10- The Atonement is Not a Back-up Plan 38:17- Approach to Questions 41:40- "An All-Embracing Gospel" 47:41- Remorse Vs. Guilt 51:48- Desires in Doctrine and Covenants 54:42- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For four years, John Beck lined up under center at BYU as quarterback of the football team. He is likely best remembered for a winning play in a rivalry game against Utah that is often referred to as "The Answered Prayer," but in the years since his collegiate career, Beck has learned a lot about seemingly unanswered prayers and perceived failure. On this week's episode, Beck discusses the refiner's fire as well as the delicate balance between putting in the work to achieve success while allowing space for recovery and rehabilitation—both mentally and physically. He believes this begins with being centered in Jesus Christ. "To achieve the most difficult things, failure and fear is something you have to look straight in the face and be okay with." Show Notes 2:07- Beck to Harline 6:09- A Good Little Arm 8:52- Favorite Cougar? 12:56- Missions and Sports 17:53- Working On Our Sculpture 22:28- A Father's Love and a Refiner's Fire 27:18- Perceived Failure 33:34- The Master Teacher 38:01- Work: A Delicate Balance 40:42- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marcus Martins never planned to serve a mission, to be sealed in the temple, or to serve as a bishop. These things would require him to receive the priesthood, and there was a restriction in place that precluded him from doing so. But Martins's life changed forever on June 8, 1978, when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a revelation extending the priesthood to all worthy male members ages 12 and older. Since that day, Martins has served not only as a missionary, but as a bishop, a temple officiator, a Book of Mormon translator, and a mission president. On this week's episode, Martins explains how he developed a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ even before 1978 and why he has never looked back in the nearly 50 years since he joined the Church. "I'm very optimistic about the future and the fact that because of the testimony of Jesus Christ, we will come eventually to a point, even before the millennium, in which this will be for most people a thing of the past because, since we are always receiving new converts, we will always have to be revisiting these lessons but it won't hurt as much." Show Notes 1:44- Hearing the Gospel Message for the First Time 8:05- Priesthood Ban and Baptism 13:30- Attempts at Explaining the Ban 19:28- Racism, Human Nature, and a Crossroads in History 26:11- Serving a Mission 34:20- Knowing the Significance of the Priesthood 38:02- Small Things Accumulate Over Time 44:00- Optimistic for the Future 48:39- Expanding the Horizon of Our Understanding Through Diversity 54:05- Representation 57:28- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 25 years of documenting the ministry of prophets, apostles, and general officers of the Church, Sarah Jane Weaver reflects on the lessons she has learned not only from Church leaders, but from members of the Church throughout the world. On this week's episode, Weaver, the editor of Church News, looks back on a career that has taken her places she never dreamed of, both literally and figuratively. "I always say that I look at the church through the Church News window. …I'm certainly not doing anything different than any other member of the Church is, I just have a unique view into what our Church leaders do, how they act, how they minister, what they teach. And that view from the Church News window is profound and it's beautiful." Show Notes 2:37- A Teacher's Promise 5:53- Coming to the Church News 7:24- Evolution of Media in 25 Years 13:36- When Questions Require More Information 21:38- The Hallmark of Church Leaders? 28:40- The Support of Those Around Us 34:01- How the Gospel Brings Us Together 38:55- A Prophet and Compensatory Blessings in a Pandemic 43:15- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In February 2020, Dr. Candace Mcnaughton participated in her first conversations about coronavirus at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. While she has been on the frontlines of COVID-19, she has witnessed the toll the virus has taken on patients and their families, tirelessly researching how to bring about the end of the pandemic with her colleagues. On this week's episode, she graciously answers our questions surrounding COVID-19 and shares what the experience has taught her about discipleship. "They talk about this...resistance training or high intensity training. That's kind of what we're all getting spiritually this year. It's like one extended, very long series of repetitions of patience." Show Notes 5:41- Witnesses of a Miracle 10:48- How Does a Vaccine Work? 15:09- Real Humans Battling COVID-19 23:05- The Parable of the Lost Sheep 32:17- How Will We Respond? 37:40- Misinformation 41:34- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A study of the Doctrine and Covenants may feel a little bit daunting. There is no doubt that it reads a bit differently than other books of scripture. But could it be that this is because the Doctrine and Covenants tells an international story that is far from finished? And could the reason it feels a bit messy be because it is a story that is still being written? Could it be that we are all a part of its ending? "We read the Book of Mormon in black and white…we watch the Doctrine and Covenants in technicolor." Show Notes 2:09- A Little Messy 4:42- Church History as a Missionary Tool 7:55- Context is Critical 11:44- Beauty in Complexity 16:38- "The Past is a Foreign Country" 19:47- Helpful Resources 22:44- People You Should Meet 28:12- Power of Knowing Church History 32:53- It's Not Knowing Too Much, It's Knowing Too Little 34:54- What Does It Mean To You To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if there is power in a Christlike attribute we have heard about our entire lives but have barely scratched the surface of understanding? In his new book, "A Better Heart," Tom Christofferson writes, "The gift of charity is enormous in conception, its effect and meaning eternal. And yet, it is also small and intimate and personal." On this week's episode, we explore charity and how it has the power to give us all better hearts. "It's that opportunity to be able now to simply be an instrument in His hands—to transmit as purely as we possibly can His affection, His knowledge, His intimate awareness of every individual, and then to strengthen them in their faith and then help them have hope." Show Notes 2:34- London with the Checketts and Missionaries 5:47- "Let It Be You" 9:31- Seeking to Understand 13:10- A Righteous Mother 17:06- The Powerful Gift of Seeing Someone 18:37- More Used Would I Be 23:24- The Connection Between Blessings and Commandments 28:53- Luxuriate in the Feeling of Christ's Love 32:02- Rooting Out Discouragement and Despair 34:46- "Communal Salvation" 39:50- Personal Power to Endure 43:59- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2012, amidst cancer treatments, Rebecca Hirschi achieved her goal of running the Boston Marathon. But on New Year's Eve 2020, Hirschi approached another finish line as she was nearing the end of her battle with cancer and was on hospice. That night, she was carried up the stairs by her family. Her daughter and husband got her ready for bed, but when it was time for her evening prayers, Rebecca insisted on kneeling. She said she owed everything to God. Three days later, Rebecca returned to that God who gave her life. In this episode, recorded just a few weeks before she passed, Rebecca shares what she learned about the gift of life and living each day to its fullest. "The eternal today is what really becomes the focus…each and every day—and the moments within each day—can be lived to its fullest." Show Notes: 1:57- Receiving a Diagnosis 5:06- Consciously Breathing 7:03- Fighting Cancer with Faith 8:31- Choosing to Run the Race 16:25- The Healing Power of Gratitude 20:21- Centering in Christ and Calming the Storm 23:50- "Build and Connect" 26:09- The Individual Gift of the Temple 29:45- "Only the Home Can Compare with the Temple in Sacredness." 33:45- The Magnitude and Significance of Tiny Moments 36:50- "Mount Up With Wings as Eagles" 40:38- What Does It Mean To Be "All In" the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eva Timothy describes growing up in Bulgaria as a place filled with darkness. But even amidst that darkness, she instantly recognized the light of Jesus Christ in art taped to the walls of a makeshift chapel. She felt His light through the words in the Book of Mormon—even through a pamphlet which only contained a handful of chapters in Bulgarian. She was drawn to His light then, and now she hopes to help others find that same light through her photography. "We all see Him in our own special way and that's the beauty of it—that He is so dear to our heart." Show Notes: 2:42- Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain 5:30- Finding Faith Above a Soccer Stadium 11:32- The Book of Mormon…Pamphlet 16:23- The Light of the Gospel 19:04- Coming to America and Serving a Mission in the Big Apple 24:51- Enduring Through Creating 28:10- Digital Painting Guided by God 30:02- Feeling Ourselves in the Art 35:59- Grateful for Opportunities and to Missionaries 37:37- What Does It Mean To Be "All In" the Gospel of Jesus Christ Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long before she won a Grammy, Lauren Daigle was a teenager homebound by sickness. But during this period of isolation, God gave her hope for a future through a dream of becoming a singer. Years later, the Christian music singer and songwriter has millions of fans but she isn't interested in having followers herself. Instead, she hopes to always direct people to the Savior of the World. Although the road certainly hasn't always been easy, Lauren can now look back and see that God was working in her all along. "The closer you draw to Him, He draws near to us and, in that exchange, He really does give us a mirror and let us see who we are. He stands in front of that mirror and we're able to see ourselves through Him." Show Notes: 3:00- "A place where you can watch souls come to life" 9:07- "Getting to Share Him" 11:51- Decision-making and criticism 18:04- Discovering identity through periods of isolation and incubation 25:01- What Does It Mean To You To Be "All In" the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.