Saints Unscripted

*originally posted on YouTube near Father's Day* We LOVE the good dads in our lives! We are grateful for Father’s Day each year which gives us extra reason to celebrate the father figures in our lives. In this episode, we celebrate dads by sharing our favorite “dad jokes.” Each host shares a joke to the other host in hopes of generating a good ol’ Father’s Day belly laugh. Are the dad jokes good enough to crack the hosts? Let’s see how many laughs we can get! Did you laugh at any of the dad jokes shared in this video? What is your favorite dad joke? Let us know in the comments below!! And happy Father’s Day to the good dads who do so much good for their families!

We are incredibly grateful for the knowledge and insight of Heath Odgen on our show today as he discusses the importace of embracing science as faithful members of the LDS Church (otherwise kwown as the Mormon Church). Heath discusses his interest in evolution and how he reconciles evolution and the theory of Adam and Eve. The theory of evolution doesn't have to contradict believe in the story of Adam and Eve but that both can be supported by each other. Do Mormons believe in evolution? Should Mormons believe in evolution? Both of these questions are explored by Heath in today's episode!!

Brian Hales, LDS scholar and friend of Saints Unscripted, addresses the controversy around Joseph Smith's polygamy. He discusses accounts of polygamy, different scholars' approaches to history, and specific claims against Joseph Smith. The podcast explores polygamy deniers, Joseph Smith's revelation on eternal marriage, contemporaneous evidence of the revelation, arguments against Joseph Smith's polygamy, and the involvement of John C. Bennett in spiritual wifery.

Derek and Denise Galanis join us on Saints Unscripted to talk about Derek's conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Derek grew up in a family of crime. Prison and crime were natural parts of his formative years. Derek was convicted in 2001 and then again in 2016 for fraud. Derek talks about reconnecting with Denise, someone he had known earlier in his life, while he was in prison. He and Denise stayed in contact while Derek served his time in some harsh prison conditions. Derek read the Bible and was eventually introduced to the Book of Mormon by Denise. He read the Book of Mormon 4 times while in prison and knew he had to join the church. But joining wouldn't be easy, as he is still on probation for his crime. Watch the video to get the full story!!

Emma Wood is a remarkable new convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! We had the great opportunity of hearing her conversion story. Growing up in Arizona, she knew about members of the LDS Church (otherwise known as the Mormon Church) but didn't have much interest in joining. She decided to go to school in Utah where she began learning more about the Church. She went through some challenging faith crises and had many, many questions about this emerging faith. After years of diligent study, Emma took a huge leap of faith and chose to be baptized. You don't want to miss this episode!!

Ross Richey joins to discuss the intersection of AI and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Topics include ChatGPT and AI, the parallel between intelligences in Abraham 3 and the world, and the need to determine what is good and give intelligences choices between good and evil.

*This was released on YouTube around Mother's Day* Today the hosts had NO IDEA what the outline of the episode would be… truly unscripted. They knew the theme would be Mother’s Day but nothing more. We surprised them by having them call a mother figure (in this case, they each chose their mom) and expressing their appreciation for a lesson they were taught by that mother. Kaitlyn talks about her mom’s ability to be calm and steady for her and for everyone around her. Cam talks about his mom’s genuine love for all people, no matter the background.

Talmage served mission for the Church of Jesus Christ (otherwise known as the Mormon Church). Upon his return, Talmage faced a lot of challenges including addiction and pornography issues. He felt worthless and purposeless. However, his family was never going to give up on him, no matter how low he felt. With their faith, he began a long healing process which led him to start an incredible podcast. He talks about what he has learned from the podcast, how he navigates criticism, and how others can get involved in sharing their light.

Filming this episode with Terryl Givens was both humbling and remarkable. Terryl Givens is a leading LDS academic who has written some of our favorite books on many religious topics. Today, Terryl talks about his book, Let’s Talk About Faith and Intellect. Prior to filming this episode, we noted our favorite quotes from his book and asked him to expound on the quotes mentioned. He addresses many topics including the following: - The issue with social media and religion - How people become mad with reason alone (and how faith and intellect are both necessary to thrive) - How logic is found in faith and religion - How the natural world directs us to God Terryl also shares his testimony. He talks about the deep and beauty of the restored gospel. If you haven’t considered the depth of the gospel, try to find those questions in your soul and do the correct research necessary.

Guest Liz's Story grew up in a polygamist family and eventually joined the LDS Church. She shares her journey of growing up in a polygamist family, facing judgment, finding acceptance from a kind-hearted family, and her desire to be baptized into the Church. Liz discusses the challenges she faced and her journey towards baptism. She also reflects on the conflict between honoring her parents while disassociating from them, and the power of personal stories to inspire transformation.