All In

Jamie Jensen, Biology professor at Brigham Young University, discusses how science and religion can coexist. She shares strategies for helping students approach science in a way that enhances their understanding of God’s wonders. Topics include teaching science to students of faith, the comparison of scientific and spiritual evidence, the harm of dogmatism, the importance of basing faith on correct evidence, and being 'all in' the gospel of Jesus Christ while integrating science and religion.

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. “The beauty of it all is that we are here now and have an opportunity to learn and do something good. That’s what we have control over. We can’t change what was, we were not there. But we are here now.“ —Mauli Bonner Show Notes 3:24- Blacks in the Early Days of the Church 8:50- Legislation with Theological Implications 12:00- Learning the History as a Black Latter-day Saint 15:22- Green Flake and Brigham Young 25:28- Strengthening Testimony Rather Than Weakening 31:44- Historical Accuracy 37:12- What Needed to Change? 44:22- Why Monuments Matter 51:22- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? This episode originally aired on May 19, 2021. View full show notes and transcript at ldsliving.com/allin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 2020 First Presidency Message reads, “The sacred teachings, promises, and ceremonies of the temple are of ancient origin, and point God’s children to Him as they make further covenants and learn more about His plan, including the role of the Savior Jesus Christ.” Learning more about God’s plan and the role of a Savior in that plan are things that all of us desire but religious rituals can be difficult to understand and the prospect of wearing sacred temple garments may cause apprehension. But the temple carries with it great promises from God and on this week’s episode, we discuss the many blessings that are available to us as we choose to make promises with Him. “Temple worship provides a way to put the Lord first, to stay oriented to Him, to love Him the most, to love Him first.” —Jennifer Lane Show Notes 2:10- Changes to the Temple Ordinances 5:40- Religious Rituals of Other Faiths 10:32- Garments and Taking His Name Upon Us 13:39- The Temple Garment as a Gift 18:49- Promise of Temple Garments 21:13- Freemasonry  25:01- Embodiment 29:02- Maps 33:01- Ascension  39:16- What Does It Mean to Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  Links & References: Let’s talk about Temples and Ritual See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Rolfe knows that his wife, Lindsey, may have been hesitant to get her hopes up about their relationship. After all, who would choose to marry someone who was likely dying of cancer? But Kevin wanted to be the one who battled cancer with Lindsey—he chose to be that person. On this week’s episode, Kevin shares the many things that have gotten him through since Lindsey’s passing: A stepson, loving family and friends, and the hope of a resurrection that will allow him to see Lindsey again.  “I think part of marrying somebody with cancer...was because I have a strong faith and belief that no matter if she was to live 20 years or two, it wouldn't be the end for us.” —Kevin Rolfe Show Notes 2:16- Meeting Lindsey 4:52- #ThisTeam 7:36- A Choice 9:19- Acting in Faith and Acceptance 14:21- Sealed 17:36- Witnessing Grace and Feeling Gratitude 27:54- A Son 33:14- Music’s Role in Grieving 37:15- Construction and Scaffolding 43:23- Imagining the Resurrection 47:46- The Price of Love 51:49- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? 55:31- From Lindsey Links & References: Lindsey Anderson Rolfe obituary Elder David A. Bednar, “But We Heeded Them Not” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing up in Australia, Gaye Strathearn faced a dilemma familiar to many faithful families: how to balance Sabbath day observance with the demands of the world. As a young girl, she worried that her non-member father might feel left out as the family spent hours at church. But as she grew older, Gaye began to see the Sabbath not as a burden but as a sacred opportunity to connect with God and with loved ones. Now, as a respected gospel scholar, Gaye has compiled a collection of essays exploring the commandment of the Sabbath from its origins on Sinai to its relevance in the 21st century. “If this is a part of our covenant journey, all of us are at different places on that covenant journey and our understanding of the Sabbath is going to be at different places. And so let’s have people grow into their understanding.” —Gaye Strathearn 8:39- Assumptions 11:34- The Way We Ask Questions 14:18- Why the Study of the Sabbath? 22:37- The Sabbath as a Covenant 31:40- The Modern Sabbath 36:48- Be Still and Know 43:42- Praise 49:24- The Opportunity to Worship 52:40- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ?   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On New Year’s Day 2023, as many people were waking to the excitement and endless possibilities of a new calendar year, Conlon and Rachel Bonner awoke to find that their nine-month-old son Joshua had passed away. The youngest of their six children, Joshua had been a source of light and love since joining their family in 2022, and now they were left to figure out how to live without him. For the Bonners, this meant focusing on how to live their lives with faith pointed toward a future when they will be reunited with Joshua again. “He is motivation. He is almost like a guiding light to hold on tight to our covenants, to our knowledge of what is right, to do our very best, and to help others along the way.” —Conlon Bonner Show Notes 1:35- A Sister, Ministering, and Facebook 6:49- Getting to Know Joshua 8:58- Turning Immediately to Christ 21:30- Helping Children Deal With Grief 27:48- Mourning With Those Who Mourn 31:43- Discovering Strength in Spouse 38:53- Waiting 42:09- Alive in Christ 46:05- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Links & References: The Bonner Family Shawna Edwards’ video with Rachel and Conlon Shawna Edwards’ music video featuring Conlon Bonner The Message C.S. Lewis quote Henry Van Dyke “Gone From My Sight” “Never suppress a generous thought.” -Camilla E. Kimball See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we sit down with Scott and Ashley Laneri to hear their remarkable story of two very different adoptions. From an unexpected phone call that led them to consider adoption for the first time to the deliberate effort and patience required for their second adoption, the Laneris share their journey and reflect on the miracles that brought their family together. “Yes, the Lord does love effort. But even if you put in all your effort and it doesn't work out, that doesn't mean it's impossible. It just means that the Lord also has His timing in his way. And true trust means really trusting in His timing, and in His way, and that He really can make it happen.” —Ashley Laneri  Show Notes 1:31- In Vitro Fertilization 5:17- A Life-changing Phone Call 8:19- Being Open to a Different Plan 12:55- A Special Green 15:26- Two Different Stories 18:29- The Social Media Route 23:47- When Things Are Out of Our Control 27:51- A Marriage Strengthened 30:58- The Lesser-Known Challenges of Adoption 33:49- God Eventually Delivers 39:33- Suggestions 42:56- Why Me? 46:47- Air 52:39- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are we the way that we are? This is a question licensed clinical psychologist, author, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur Kimberly Teitter has often explored—both in herself and in others. First, there's our divine identity. Then there is the influence of the generations that have come before us and the culture in which we were raised. As a Black Latter-day Saint who grew up in rural North Carolina, Kimberly shares how her experiences have shaped the way she sees the world. “It’s not about having hot takes. I want to get to heaven. I want Zion to be restored.” —Kimberly Teitter Show Notes 2:26- Coming in Contact with the Church 7:47- Black Latter-day Saint Experience 19:23- Ongoing Challenges 25:57- Embracing Identity 30:42- Family Systems Theory and the Woman Taken in Adultery 39:37- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Links & References: Every Needful Thing LDS Living article See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join us on a journey with Astrid Tuminez, President of Utah Valley University, as she shares the two pivotal moments that transformed her life as a little girl growing up in a disadvantaged neighborhood in the Philippines. First, an opportunity to enroll in a school run by Catholic nuns allowed Astrid to read and write. Second, a chance to be taught by missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about her divine identity as a daughter of God. This powerful combination of secular and spiritual knowledge opened up a whole new world of possibilities for young Astrid. Today, President Tuminez leads Utah Valley University with the belief that education has the power to transform lives. Show Notes 2:28- A Life That Began in the Slums of the Philippines 7:54- An Power of Education 14:00- When Someone Who Sees Your Potential 18:41- Finding the Gospel of Jesus Christ 21:58- Something Divine 25:18- Coming to America 31:32- The Importance of Who You Marry 35:55- When a Job Isn’t Your Strength 38:12- Coming to UVU 44:27- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Links & References All In Conference Special Every Needful Thing book Wrestling Super Fan article Church News profile on President Tuminez Astrid S. Tuminez: The Power of Dreaming, the Power of Doing video Lecture at BYU Disrupt Yourself interview with President Tuminez See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cameron Smith was just a college student when he happened upon a job listing for a little-known pancake company called Kodiak Cakes. Today, the company is one of the leading pancake brands in the United States. But how did they get there? Recognized as the company's "secret weapon" who helped get Kodiak Cakes on the shelves of retailers like Target and Costco, Cameron shares how great outcomes have come from simply asking the right questions. And more importantly, he marvels at how through it all, the Lord has been able to make more out of his life than he ever could have dreamed of. “I think in that moment what I brought was probably like a little stone…and then together, we built this sling. And then we decided, ‘Alright, let’s start working on this and let’s see what we can do with this.’ We broke a handful windows but then we were like, ‘You know what, maybe we can take on Goliath.’” —Cameron Smith Show Notes 1:47- A Job Listing  7:21- Kodiak Cakes Origin Story 9:03- Not Being Afraid of a No 13:29- Target  22:11- Shark Tank 29:06- The Currant Bush 35:09- Stepping Back 41:36- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  Links: KSL Television Special The Currant Bush story as told by President Hugh B. Brown Shark Tank Zac Efron See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.