Latter-day Saint Women Podcast

In May 1831 Lucy Mack Smith stood on the deck of an ice bound ship in Buffalo Harbor on Lake Erie and taught a group of Latter-day Saints the meaning of faith. Join hosts Shalyn Back and Katie Perez along with special guest Jennifer Reeder, PhD as they discuss the words and example of mighty Mother Smith. Full Discourse https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/at-the-pulpit/part-1/chapter-1 “And even if this were not the case, where is your faith? Where is your confidence in God? Do you know that all things are in his hands? He made all things and still rules over them, and how easy a thing it would be with God if every Saint here would just lift their desires to him in prayer that the way might be opened before us. How easy would it be for God to cause the ice to break away, and in a moment’s time we could be off on our journey; but how can you expect the Lord to prosper you when you are continually murmuring against him?” - Lucy Mack Smith

Jane H. Neyman was denied membership in the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo. Rather than becoming bitter, Neyman went on to lead her local Relief Society in Beaver Utah. Join hosts Shalyn Back and Katie Perez along with special guest Mathew J. Grow, PhD as they discuss how we can learn from the example and teachings of Sister Neyman. Full Discourse https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/at-the-pulpit/part-1/chapter-12?lang=eng Mother Neyman addressed the meeting on the subject of charity, encouraging all to be forbearing and forgiving, refraining as much as possible from scrutinizing the conduct of our neighbors, remembering always that we are human and must therefore err. It seemed to be the unanimous agreement of the Spirit that presided over the meeting that tattling and slander should die a natural death; that charity, which covereth a multitude of sins, which thinketh no evil, and suffereth long and is kind, should dig the grave and help to bury all the malice and envy which at any time had intruded upon our peace and harmony; and in their stead establish truth and integrity, twin sisters of charity, and then appoint the Mormon creed as a rear guard to repel the first attack of the enemy, that we might be timely warned to avoid an evil wherein our mutual confidence might be destroyed. All this, though not expressed in so many syllables, was in substance the same, no doubt the sentiments of all present. We hope our new members will understand what will be expected of them in this honorable sisterhood: that they will live above reproach and by guarding the doors of their lips keep themselves from censure.

It can often feel as though religious rights and values are under attack in today’s world. You may be surprised that this view was shared by Elsie Talmage Brandley in 1934. Join hosts Shalyn Back and Katie Perez along with special guest Lisa Olsen Tait, PhD as they discuss how Sister Brandley’s insights can help us today. Full Discourse https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/at-the-pulpit/part-3/chapter-32 Sister Brandley’s service on the YLMIA general board spanned eleven years during the presidencies of Mattie Horne Tingey and Ruth May Fox. She joined the board in 1924 and, in addition to working on the magazines, helped to write manuals, plays, songs, programs, and other material. She was also a popular public speaker. E. E. Ericksen, with whom she collaborated on MIA committees, said that her idea of saving souls was to help all of their abilities—cultural, moral, and spiritual. “The human personality was sacred to her, and its development the great spiritual objective,” he said. She also championed young people in asking and finding answers to their own questions. “You are the ones whose responsibility it is to insure the faith and unwavering trust in the gospel which is your heritage,” she wrote.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God allow suffering when he has all power? Francine Bennion explored these topics in her groundbreaking discourse in March 1986. Join hosts Shalyn Back and Katie Perez along with special guest Kate Holbrook, PhD as they explore how gaining an understanding of our theology can help make sense of suffering. Full discourse https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/at-the-pulpit/part-4/chapter-43 “What I’m passionate about,” said Francine Russell Bennion (b. 1935), “is human existence, and the relationships between people and God, and what works and what doesn’t.” In an interview, Bennion explained that when she taught a Relief Society or Gospel Doctrine lesson she never wanted to brush off reality and speak only of ideals. Instead, she tried to present fresh, useful, and reality-affirming perspectives that would lift and enhance human relationships.

“Not enough people understand … that questions are good. … They can bring light and understanding.” Julie Willis shared this and other insights in her landmark speech at BYU Idaho in July 2014. Join hosts Shalyn Back and Katie Perez along with special guest Kate Holbrook, PhD as they discuss how to ask questions and seek answers. Full Discourse https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/at-the-pulpit/bonus-chapters/bonus-7 In the same talk Julie also shared, "This beautiful picture of Mt. Moran in the Tetons, photographed by my brother John, reflects a fundamental question that helped shape my academic studies. The actual question is immaterial; what’s important is that I left the serenity of the landscape and asked a question. What question would you ask about this scene? It likely depends on your background and interests. An outdoor enthusiast may ask about climbing routes, a botanist may wonder about the effects of glaciation on conifers, an artist might want to know how to best capture the reflections in the lake, and a geologist may ask about the tectonic forces that built the mountains. The variety and depth of questions that can be asked about a simple mountain scene can be as numerous as the people who view it. The ability and desire to ask questions and search for answers is a uniquely human attribute that is vital to the scientific, artistic, and religious advancements of humanity. We start asking questions at a very young age, as any parent of a precocious three-year-old knows. This suggests that we bring a questioning spirit with us to earth, and that learning by asking and seeking is one reason that our Heavenly Parents have given us the gift of mortal life."

Virginia H. Pearce gave her powerful talk “Prayer: A Small and Simple Thing” at BYU Women’s Conference in April 2018. Join hosts Shalyn Back and Katie Perez as they discuss how this discourse remains relevant today along with special guest Emily Utt of the Church History Department. Full Discourse https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/at-the-pulpit/part-4/chapter-50 From childhood, Virginia Hinckley Pearce (b. 1945) found that her parents wove prayer and church service into the fabric of their everyday lives. She remembers that when she or one of her siblings was particularly worried over a situation, her father, Gordon B. Hinckley, would say, “Just say your prayers and go to bed. Get up in the morning; it’ll be clearer.” Pearce has applied that good advice; her own restatement of it is, “Just say your prayers, go to bed, and when you get up in the morning, go back to work.” Gathering for family prayer, going to church, and working on church assignments felt like a natural part of her family life, not something on a list she had to complete. She saw that church work for her mother, Marjorie Pay Hinckley, was “part of who she was,” and that she always seemed energized by doing that work, not pressured or annoyed.