SOM Transcript S5E51

Season 5 Ep. 51 | Sunday on Monday

The following transcript is intended to aid in your study. However, while we try to go through the transcript, our transcripts are primarily computer-generated and often contain errors. Please forgive the transcripts’ imperfections.

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[00:00:00] Our study of the Book of Mormon this year has been incredible. 52 weeks, you guys, for 52 weeks, we have dug into this book and I am changed because of it. I love the Book of Mormon. And you know what? The prophet Moroni, he loved it too. And one of the last things he wrote for us is to consider this book, all that it contains, and discover for ourselves if it is not true.

Isn't that interesting? He wants us to challenge the book and to learn for ourselves if it is in fact true. So, I invited five guests who were past guests this year to consider this challenge. As we study Moroni 10 together, I just want you to listen and notice the spiritual impressions that you receive as the Holy Ghost helps you discover or rediscover the truthfulness of this book and how merciful the Lord has been to all of us who are his people that he loves dearly.

Welcome to the Sunday and Monday study group, a desert bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living, where we take the come follow me lesson for the week. And we really dig into the scriptures together. I'm your host, Tammy. Use a lack call. If you're new to our study group, we want to make sure you know how to use this podcast.

So please follow the link in our description that will explain how you can best use this podcast to enhance your come follow me study. Like listeners who are sisters, Carlene Adder Sloan and Kim Jacobson. I loved meeting you ladies. Now, another awesome thing about our study group is each week we're joined by two of my friends, but you guys.

We're not doing two friends this week. We are doing five. Five former guests are on this episode. And I am so excited for you to hear their answers to questions. Oh, it's gonna be so good. So rather than grabbing your scriptures, well, actually, no. Grab your scriptures because we are gonna dig into the scriptures together.

But sit back and enjoy what my five guests have to say about Jesus Christ. So the first guest I get to introduce you to is, and I'm going to use this title because she earned it, Dr. Holly Richardson. Hi, Holl. Hi, thanks so much. Oh, you are welcome because listen, if I ever get a PhD, like I've said before, I'll make my kids call me doctor.

Yeah. You've earned it. I tried to do that and they told me no. Yeah. I told my daughter that one time, she goes, that's never happening, mom. All right, listen. So I invited Holly back because right out of the gates, I just knew she would be able to answer this question. I don't know her answer and I'm looking forward to it.

So Holly, here's what I asked you to consider and I just want you to share with us. Share your own witness of the Book of Mormon and how did you get this witness? Well, we have to go way back. Great. Many years ago to when I was a teenager. And I think the beginning of my testimony happened when I was reading the Book of Mormon as a teen, maybe, I don't know, 14 ish.

And It just struck me that this was somebody's journal and not somebody, but many somebody is over a series of years. And of course, now, as an adult past that, I actually have a different perspective. It's not so much a journal. Right? But. But that's how I started is feeling like this was somebody's journal and they were recording things that have happened.

And that's what I tried to do in my journal, even as a teenager, right? Okay. Well, this day I did this. And, and for a little while as a teenager, I actually tried to have a separate journal, like the small place of Nephi, where I reported spiritual experiences. And then I did. And so cool. Actually, it got a little overwhelming and so to try to have 2 separate ones.

And so I just combined now there. It's all 1 and it has been all 1 for a long time. But, um, that's how it started. And then, you know, as we go through every 4 years, at least we, we revisit the Book of Mormon as a church as a whole. And, and every time I go through, it's so amazing. You learn something new every time.

And this past year, I've had the really great opportunity to be a gospel doctor and teacher and, and being able to do a deep dive every time I teach and, um, in the weeks in between as well has just really deepened my testimony. And I love the Book of Mormon. I love how it brings us to Christ. And I think for me, one of the things I've really thought about recently, and more than just this year, but, but relatively recently, is how, how focused we are on the Savior and, and how, how much more maybe even the church as a whole is really aiming us towards the Savior.

I think we're moving away from some of the more proscriptive. This is how you do home teaching. Well, now we're going to minister and this is what, how it looks differently. Right. We're thinking about how do we connect with people and how do we share our testimony of the savior that for me. [00:05:00] Um, I would say my testimony is rooted in the savior and the book of Mormon just brings me back to the savior over and over and over.

And there's lots of ways, um, that that can happen. If you're visual, there's videos. If you're auditory, there's podcasts like this one. If you're, you know, somebody who learns by reading, of course read the book of Mormon, but you can also read additional materials. But, but for me, it started when I was a teenager and Oh, This is somebody writing down their journal.

Well, when you've come to learn this and you've gained this testimony of the Book of Mormon, I want to know, what would you say to someone who's unsure about the Book of Mormon? You know, I've thought about that question a lot because, um, I've had loved ones who said, well, I've read it. And I prayed and I didn't get any answer.

Right. So what does that actually look like? And, and how, how do we gain a testimony if we're just not sure, or maybe there's parts where. It's painful, right? There are parts of the Book of Mormon that are like, really, they're willing to leave their wives to add concubines to the family unit, right? And how heartbreaking that was for the women.

Anyway, there, there are parts of it, right? That can be painful, but I, I keep thinking about Elder Uchtdorf's talk. Um, where he said doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. And to me, one of the things that that can imply is, is there any part of the Book of Mormon that resonates with you? Can you start from there?

And, and the other part I think for me is Really, even even in my academic pursuits, if I don't understand something, I want to go deeper into it rather than avoid it. Right? So go to go back to the Book of Mormon and and maybe not necessarily some of the extra content that's available elsewhere. But maybe go back to the Book of Mormon and do a deeper dive and then take that piece that you're struggling with or wondering about and see if you can grow from there.

Um, I think that's important and it's an important process, um, in many ways to just say, if I don't understand, I've got to dive deeper into it rather than walk away from it. Holly, have you ever had to have this conversation with any of your children? Yes. What was that like? And just so everyone knows who's listening, if you don't remember Holly, Holly has a lot of kids.

She and her husband have had biological children and adopted children to the total of 25. Yes. 25 children, 25 children, 25 children. What do you do when your kids don't believe the Book of Mormon is true, especially when it's something you've raised them with, you've read with them. What has that conversation look like?

Do you have an experience? Well, sure. So the one, like the one I mentioned before, who said he read and prayed about it and got nothing. That was my son. Um, and he still is, he, he has an interesting approach to religion. He believes in God. Um, and not all of my kids are still, um, attending church, but one of the things that I continue to gain, not only from the Book of Mormon, but from the rest of our, um, scriptural canon is.

God plays a long game. And, and for me, I want my children to know that I love them and whatever religious path they choose to walk on, that is going to be maybe part of their learning experience. But, but one of the things that they have asked me is mom, why do you stay? Why do you stay in a church where.

You know, maybe there's X, Y, Z past policy that was painful or a current policy. That's painful. And that's where I have an opportunity to share with them that my testimony is grounded in Jesus Christ. And the Book of Mormon points us to Jesus Christ in a way that none of the other scriptures do in, you know, they all do.

And yet, I think the Book of Mormon is unique in the way it points us to the Savior. And I guess, for me, I want. I want people to know that the book of Mormon and the way, I guess, I guess one of the things that really touches me about the book of Mormon is, is the way that God cares for all of his people.

So we know in the new Testament, he tells his apostles, Christ tells his apostles that other sheep I have, which are not of this fold. And, and we know in the book of Mormon that that is one flock of sheep, but he also tells the people in the new world. That he still has other sheep of his fold. And I think for me, maybe more than ever this past year, I've really appreciated the love that Jesus Christ has for all people [00:10:00] of the world.

And that contained within that is a lesson for us that. That is members of his church that we are responsible to love everyone that we're responsible to love people who may look different from us live differently than us have a different cultural background than us even have different religious faiths right now from us that still those people are all part of, um, God's flock, right?

And that he will not lose any of them that he is the shepherd for all. And that. Mhm. Uh, I've told them a number of times that I've had experiences, including experiences that led us to know they should join our family that I can't deny. And I'm not going to walk away from. And the Book of Mormon is part of that, right?

The Book of Mormon that shows us a God who loves his people who plays the long game, who also has families that have issues. I mean, look at Lehigh, right? But yeah, The only one, but we start right off the bat with a family that struggles with kids who don't believe and want to kill their siblings and their dad.

And I don't have that. So that's good. You got that going for you. Wow. Holly, that thank you for sharing that personal experience. And I just, I wanted to know what that was like because you've, you're a, you play the long game as well. Let's be very clear. Well, I have to, you have to, yeah. You've got these beautiful children and a family that you love and.

It takes me to the title page where it says, to the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the eternal God manifesting himself into all nations, everyone. And that's your family, a family of all nations. All everything is your family. So thanks for connecting it to that, Holly. I really appreciate your testimony.

Yeah, my pleasure. Love you, friend.

Segment 2 - Robert

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All right. I'm here with Robert Howarth. Hi, Robert. Hey, Tam. How you doing today? Longtime listener, even longer timer friend. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Uh, Robert, we've been friends forever. I was joking with Robert at the beginning saying, who knew our friendship would go down this path? I mean, we thought we were just friends and now look at me, I'm just, I'm bleeding you dry with all your stories.

No, you know, Tammy, I can't remember a time I wasn't your friend now. It's totally true. And Robert knew me when I was single and struggling. I did. Now I'm married and struggling. Yeah. Always know when you're struggling, but uh, yeah, single and married, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Well, Robert, tell me a little bit about your experience this year with reading the Book of Mormon.

What has it been like for you? Uh, you know, this has been a good year for me. I think, um, you know, the, the chance to study the Book of Mormon has really, uh, strengthened me a lot. Um, I think I, I got a, uh, email from our son who's on a mission in Nashville. Um, and you know, it's been a struggle for him to kind of get his mission legs underneath them and, you know, he, he got to the mission field and was kind of, you know, in a dark place on, you know, he was just, it was, he was our baby and we were probably the worst parents in the world at that point.

You know, we were great for the first four, but, uh, we were just not great. Uh, probably not what he needed, but you know, he, uh, even said, Oh dad, you know, even the book of Mormon is not bringing me joy right now. And you know, as I, he said that to me, I was like, ah, that's just not true. It's just not true. And so, you know, we got a letter from, you know, just today and, uh, he talked about baptism.

He talked about a spiritual experience where he was brought to repentance, you know, because he thought his companion was doing silly going back in to talk to somebody in the convenience store. And, and realizing that it was meant to be. And, and, you know, he then quoted Ether 1227, uh, which is definitely one of my favorite scriptures where he talks about making weak things strong.

But I really like that, you know, he, he gives us weaknesses that will be humble. And I've had a lot of humility this year in, um, you know, my family and everything that's going on in my life, which has been wonderful. Uh, you know, you don't normally say those types of things, but it's been wonderful. Because the, uh, verses that we talked about in Moroni absolutely struck a chord with me as I thought about my reflection on this year with the Book of Mormon.

Will you go there and read those verses for us? Sure. Sure. Let's go there and read them. Moroni chapter 10, verses 30 through 33. And again, I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ. And lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem, yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion, and strengthen thy stakes, and enlarge thy borders for ever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants [00:15:00] of the Eternal Father, which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled, yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.

And if ye shall deny yourselves of all in godliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ. And if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in no wise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then is Then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy without spot.

Now, the, the, the phrase that's just absolutely pierced my soul as I read this preparing was at the end of verse 32, And love God with all your might, mind, and strength, and then is his grace sufficient for you. That by his grace, ye may be perfect in Christ. And if by the grace of God, you're perfect in Christ, you can in no ways deny the power of God.

And there's so many times that, you know, I, I felt to deny the power of God, you know, to, to deny that, you know, he doesn't care, you know, that this isn't a big deal to him. He, obviously this doesn't matter to him or, you know, I don't know what God's really doing right now. Um, But you read the Book of Mormon and you understand, you know, what the Atonement is about and being perfected in Christ.

You can in no wise deny the power of God. And I know that's true. That it pierces me to my very soul to think about, you know, the Book of Mormon and what it means to me in my life, you know, because I, I remember on my mission, we were teaching these, uh, I think he was a, a, a college professor and his wife was a professor too.

And, you know, they said, listen, you can take the Bible and you can, you know, actually point to places on the map and say, this is where that happened. You can't do that with the Book of Mormon. How can you believe this is true? How, you know, you, I know you're only 19 years old, but come on. And I, I remember that experience and coming home and just feeling defeated.

Just like, Oh my gosh, you know, I, not only did I know, not know what to say there, but you know, now I'm like, why do I believe this true? Why do I think these things are true? Is it just because I grew up this way? Or, you know, is there really something here? And, uh, I just remember, you know, kneeling down and just praying and saying, listen, I need to know.

And just feeling like, ah, come on, you, you know, I mean, I just remember thinking about, uh, uh, Moroni in the promise, um, you know, that it was just, I felt silly. Even asking at that point, because there's so much more to this life than people really understand, or even I understand, I've never sat there and thought, well, we're just here.

There's no God. There's no reason. I always had felt there's something more to this. There's a purpose. And a plan behind, you know, all this, and then when you start having kids and you start going through that, he's like, how could this not be the plan? How could this not be the plan in salvation? Yeah. How could this not be true?

And so as I thought about the book more, I've thought about all these different experiences I've had through my life, just blessed of the gift that it is, that I've got this in my life. And, you know, Tammy, I know that we talked about Ellery and, you know, that's been one of the most difficult, the most difficult thing probably towards, um, my faith, not my faith, but my understanding saying why, what, what's it about, what's the purpose of this year?

Cause I grew up, you know, I, I didn't know anything about anything. And then, you know, you start having kids and, and I have this daughter that, uh, um, you know, she's 25 years old. And, you know, she served a mission in Guatemala and she, you know, got her degree from BYU and, you know, did study abroad in Jerusalem and came home with all these wonderful stories about the, uh, you know, Jesus's life and, and, um, you know, being in all these different places where he walked and then coming out and saying, you know, I'm gay.

And they're like, well, we can fix that. And, and, and really what the fixing is, is that, you know, I, I, I'm a different person. You know, I'm not the same person I was a couple of years ago, and I hope I'm a lot better because I love Much more deeply than I did before and not just my kids, but everybody Yeah, Ellery came to me, you know crying because she goes why does God not love me?

He goes he [00:20:00] loves you Then why does he want me to be with him? And if that just stops you in your tracks Yeah, and he's a what do I say to my daughter at that point? Because you know, I've got this testimony of this gospel You And now I've got these questions that I can't answer and I can't answer for her, but I can say this, that I love her in such a way that, um, you know, I can't imagine anybody else in this world loving her more than I do.

You know, I would do anything. I mean, whatever it took, I would help her in any way that she needed. And I think, you know, if I am just this evil person can love her like this, how much more does our Heavenly Father love her? How much more does he love me? Um, so there's got to be a purpose and a plan and a reason for things, you know, and the Book of Mormon helps me to love people and to, um, you know, experience the spirit in my life such that I'm ready.

So you have, uh, uh, the perfection that comes from, you know, the grace that our, our savior gives us. And that, that perfection doesn't mean I'm perfect, but it means that I've got the ability to have the spirit of the Holy Ghost with me continue every moment of every day. You know, I, I talked to the young men all the time and we, how often should you feel the spirit, you know, and they're like, Oh, maybe once a week, maybe, Oh, every day.

Like I want you to feel it a thousand times a day. I want you to feel a thousand times a day because you can, and, um, you know, and it might just be smiling at somebody or, you know, I, I got this feeling. I was driving home from work the other day and it was starting to rain. And there's this man in a wheelchair, just kind of pulling himself along the street and I'm like, Oh man, I better help him out.

And then I was like, Oh wait, there's traffic all over the place. How am I going to get over there? What am I going to do? But you know, you just do it. You get out and you throw the wheelchair in the back, you put them in and say, where are you going? And, um, you know, that's, that's what the spirit does is it, uh, it helps us to look at every opportunity around us and see the good that we can do.

And that's what the Book of Mormon has done for me. So a follow up question. I love everything you said. And one of the things that keeps coming back to my mind is a word that you used early on the word defeated when you feel defeated. And one of the things that I love the most about our friendship and with Holly and and the whole group of women that all of us as friends is we all know what the feeling of being defeated every single one of us.

And we've shared that with each other, those moments in our life where we just feel beaten down. And so here's my question for you. Mhm. If you were to give someone listening right now who feels defeated, what is your advice to them? I'm going to tell you this. You never give up. You never stop because I promise you that there is a way, there is a way to win and to get where you need to be.

You're never in a hole so deep that there isn't a way out because the atonement is infinite. Uh, your God, your Heavenly Father's love is infinite. Um, and so I, I say never give up, never ever give up. You can feel defeated. I don't care, but don't give up today. Give up tomorrow, right? Give up tomorrow, but just don't do it today.

And I think that that, that is the greatest advice I could possibly give anybody. It's that, Hey, I know it feels dark. I know that you feel alone. Um, but if you just really humble yourself and. You get on your knees and pray. The thing that you're going to really see is the tender mercies that are in your life each and every day.

And you start to be, have gratitude for the, the small, you know, the, the, the way that the clouds come across Mount Olympus and, and you know, how beautiful is that day or how lucky you are to have a sweet wife that's willing to do all sorts of wonderful things and, and, you know, has, has raised these beautiful children with you that, uh, you've got children that, you know, are really trying to do the right thing, you know, that are sweet and kind and beautiful.

How can you, you know, you can't feel defeated at that point. He's like, Hey, you know what? Things aren't going my way right now, but I know how to fix that. And that is never give up and rely fully on the Lord and get up and go, get up and go because he will strengthen you and he will open up doors and he will lead you down paths that you never thought you'd go on.

And that everyone, just so you know, that is Robert Howard's spiritual gift. Right there. You are Moroni 10, 30 through 33. You deny not. You've never denied. In all the years I've known you, our friendship of 25, 30 years, it really is your gift. You've been defeated, my friend. And you, you could so easily deny.

Don't you love those verses where it just says, deny not, [00:25:00] deny not. And you just never have. I, uh, there's, uh, I said this before, I think in our last podcast, you know, and when your elder came out as gay, uh, just trying to, you know, is this true, you know? And the thought just came to me if this isn't it, then what is it?

Because there's nothing out there that I've ever noticed seen. And I'm, I'm, I'm. I've been out in the world, I know things, uh, but you know, I, if this isn't it, then what is it? This is it. You know, I, I testify through my experiences with the spirit that this is the gospel of Jesus Christ, that this is his kingdom on the earth and that he has a prophet here today and that this is the path that will lead us to everlasting happiness and glory.

You know, I, I think about in, in James, you know, we, we always read about, uh, if any of you lack wisdom, I've asked of God, but there's a scripture right before that, a verse that says counted all joy to fall in diverse temptations. And I was like, on earth, are they talking about, but it's, you know, it's, if you were like Joe, but you're going through tough times, be joyful, be joyful because these things are happening because your heavenly father is refining you and making you a person you could never be otherwise.

Amen. Amen. Amen, Robert. Wow. Thank you. I appreciate your testimony and your willingness to share your thoughts with us about these verses in Moroni. You're awesome. That was great. Well, it's always a pleasure to be with you, Tammy. That's what we needed, Robert.

Segment 3 - Tava

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I get to have my friend Tava on this segment, and I am so excited. Hi, Tava Udall. Hi, dmi. This is so exciting. I cannot thank you enough for having me back. I just absolutely love you. I love the Sunday on Monday podcast and I'm just so excited to be back. So thank you. Well, I just realized how perfect your last name is 'cause you are a doll.

So Eva, you doll. Aw, it's probably Udall or something, but I'm gonna go You doll. You're a doll. Yeah. You know when Kent, my husband would run for. Like student body or whatever. They would always make, you know, posters that says you're a doll or something like that. So yeah, that's funny. It's perfect then.

Yep. So Tava, remind our listeners, you've been on the podcast before, but just remind us of where you're from a little bit about you. So I am originally from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and that's the place that I will always call home because it's God's country. Um, and then I met my husband 37 years ago and got stuck here in Arizona where we raised our family of three children.

They're all married. I have six beautiful grandbabies that I get to play with and have so much fun with. And I own a milk transportation company here in the valley and we pick up The big tankers of milk from the dairies and the processing plants and bring them into the processing plant so that everyone can have milk on the shelves.

We want milk. I love when you were talking about that because I bet people are listening and they were like, did she say milk? She said milk, didn't she? Oh my goodness. Milk. Yes. She dabbles in milk. You guys, that's her career. It's so cool. So I am excited to have Tava on because I felt like when I read this question that she was someone who could answer it.

So before I ask the question, though, let's go into Moroni chapter 10. And I want you to highlight verses 30 through 33, because those are what we're going to talk about right now. And I want us to look at these verses because there's something really beautiful about them. They help us understand what it means to come unto Christ.

So Tava, I'm curious, what did you underline or mark in these three verses that gives us direction on how we can come unto Christ? Can you just give me a few things we could underline? So one thing that really stood out to me was you put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion. And then in verse 32, come unto Christ and be perfected in him and deny yourselves all of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind, and strength.

That this is His grace sufficient for you, and that by His grace you may be perfect in Christ. And if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in no wise deny the power of God. Oh. Why did you, why did that stand out to you? Well, life is so hard, I mean, and we get so weighed down in the world and all the things that come, combat us on a daily basis.

And if I know that I can keep my focus on the Lord. And I keep him in my heart and in my thoughts at all times, then there's nothing that I can't accomplish. There's nothing that I can't do because I have him by [00:30:00] my side. I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to ask you a very personal question. What's something hard?

How do you know this works? What's something hard in your life? Well, I don't think you know this, Tammy, but, um, In February of this, well in January of this year, I got released from my state calling and I was heartbroken because I absolutely loved it, but the state president kept saying to me, I think there's something more that's coming your way and I don't want to be in the way.

And it really was a struggle because I didn't understand what I had done or what went wrong or anything. Cause I was just starting to get my stride and it just didn't make any sense. So fast forward to the middle of February and I was driving to work and I was just pleading with Heavenly Father, please just tell me the why.

Like, what did I do wrong? What did, you know, just tell me the why. Um, and the next day I got a phone call from my doctor who told me that I had follicular lymphoma of the small intestines and I was like, Oh, okay, wow. All right. That's the why. Um, You, and I walked outside and I looked up at this guy and I said, you got a great sense of humor right now, but okay, let's go.

And she called me back afterwards and she's just like, Tava, do you have anybody around you? And I said, no, I don't. And she's like, well, where are you? I said, I'm at work. And she said, Tava, I just told you, you have cancer. I said, yeah, got it. And she was like, okay, do you have an oncologist? I said, no. And she says, well, let me call and I'll get you in.

And so. Um, she called me back and she said, okay, I've got Ian for Monday, Tuesday. And I said, okay. And then she says, okay, seriously, is there someone that can drive you home? And I said, actually, I'm going to go get my hair cut and then I'll go home. And she was like, Tava. And I'm like, I, I got it. I'm fine.

And I just knew at that moment that yes, it was really hard. Um, news to get, but I knew I had Christ on my side. I knew he walked with me. I knew he, he led me, he guided me through everything in my life. And I was just like, okay, this is just another trial. This is just another obstacle and he'll get me through it.

And he has, and he led me, guided me to the right people, to the right doctors. And, um, I did a lot of hard work. Um, I didn't have to do chemo. I didn't have to do radiation. I did a much more alternative treatments. And in September I was, um, told I had no more cancer. So I do know that he lives and I did not that the answers prayers every single day.

Tell me the effect that this has had on your family. You know, uh, it was hard, you know, it was, it was gathering them together and letting them know of the news and not really knowing. Um, where I was, um, you know, I prayed, I hope that it was going to be very small and, and I kept getting kind of setback, um, you know, at the start it was, okay, it's in this part of your stomach, intestines.

And then I came back in May, well, now we've found out that it's 48 percent of your intestines is covered. And I was like, okay. And so I kept getting kind of some hits, you know, but yet my family was there every step of the way and multiple priesthood blessings. And I can attest to powerful ness of priesthood blessings and that they do cure and that they do heal.

Um, sometimes it's not always the way that we want to be healed. Because also this year I had one of my best girlfriends, we traveled together. She's my mentor. She's my buddy. And six weeks later, she got diagnosed with cancer herself. So here we were two best friends battling cancer at the same time. She had to do chemo and October the 18th.

Sorry. Of this year, she had two rounds of chemo, she went septic, went into septic shock, and she passed away. So even though my blessing was what I got and her blessing was what she got, they're both diabolically different, and yet we both ended up being cancer free. Which was what our goals were and what our plans were and what we talked about.

Hers was just not the way that we wanted it to be. Um, but again, God is so good because he has been there for both of us every step of the way. And she knew him, [00:35:00] I know him, and together, yes, we came through it together. Hers in a different way than mine. Um, But there's never a doubt in my mind that he is not living and walking and guiding and being beside us every step of the way.

Oh, Tava, I'm so sorry for your loss, your sweet friend. Oh, it breaks my heart. But thank you for sharing that story. And thank you for sharing your testimony. I mean, how, I love how beautiful it is that just by reading a few verses in Moroni chapter 10, Just by reading from the Book of Mormon, we were able to come unto Christ.

And, and so I would love to know, because I feel like this verse sums up everything you said, because what I underlined was in Moroni chapter 10, verse 30, when it says, Again, I would exhort you that you would come unto Christ and lay hold upon every good gift. And when I think about that verse, it could mean more than that.

Just a myriad of different things. But for me today, what you just taught me is when it says, lay hold upon every good gift, the gift is Jesus Christ. And, and that is, yeah, like that's the whole point of this Christmas season in December is that we say Jesus is the reason for the season. He is literally the best gift.

He is the good gift. And when we lay hold upon him. No matter what we're going through, we will get through it. I do believe that it might not be. And like you said, it might not be how we imagined or what we had hoped for or prayed for, but it's, it's, it's what God is intending for all of us because he loves us.

Yes. Wow. A hundred percent. Tava. Thank you. You're welcome. You beautifully taught us the power of scripture. You taught us the power of Christ in scripture. So I love you. I love you. Thanks Tammy.

Segment 4 - Mike

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So we have my friend Mike Lindsay here and Mike was on the podcast earlier this year and he and his wife did such a phenomenal job. So I just asked Mike to come back and talk to us. But before I do, Mike, remind us a little bit about you. Sure. My name is Mike Lindsay. I live in Humboldt, Texas, which is just a suburb of Houston.

Lived here for 23 years, I think, um, been married to my wife for 21 years. And we have a son, Noah, who's 15 years old, he's a sophomore in high school. And currently I am teaching early morning seminary to a group of juniors and seniors. Yeah. You're still doing it. Still doing it. Wow. What time do you start in the morning?

5. 50. What? That's what time class begins? We start 5. 50 to 6. 50. We go four days a week. Um, and then we don't, just a nuance of the school. We don't go on Thursdays. Oh, that's interesting. Yeah. That long story short, they have late arrival. And so we just makes it a little easier for the kids. So Mike, I gave Mike quite a big paragraph to read ahead of time.

It was a little bit daunting. I'm not going to lie because the Book of Mormon closes with an imitation from Moroni. Remember how merciful the Lord has been. And so I asked Mike to think about that, about how merciful the Lord has been and the tender mercies that he's received in his life. And so here's my question, Mike, how has the Lord been merciful for Mr.

Mike Lindsay? It's a good question. I've thought about that a lot over the last couple of weeks. And at first, I was really thinking about the tender mercies in my life in the last year. And I wasn't, there wasn't anything that really jumped out at me specifically. Um, a couple of things that I recall that had an impact on me is we took 220 some odd of our youth to Nauvoo this summer, which is a really neat experience, and just that in it alone was a logistical miracle.

There was so many tender mercies along the way. Um, Jen and I were not responsible, we weren't ultimately responsible for planning it, but we were, Maz and paws, I guess, for about a group of about 20. Um, it was such a wonderful experience. Um, it's something that was life changing, not only for me, but for lots of the youth.

Um, you know, particularly as. You know, those getting ready for missions and those sorts of things are just, lives were changed. And that was definitely a tender mercy. And, and we had the, obviously the, uh, the blessing of going with our son as well. And, and, and his life was touched as well. So that's, that's always important.

Had you been there before? I have not. I have not. No. So it was a first for me. [00:40:00] Okay. So let me, let me ask you this question. Cause somebody asked, but the first time I ever went to Israel. Somebody said this to me, what I'm about to say to you, and I had never considered it, but it happened to me. Is there one specific place where you had your moment?

Yes, it was. It was at Well, there's quite a few. I would say the temple, the Nauvoo temple is amazing. And then, Carthage was life changing. Really? Carthage really was, because that was when you see, I mean, the bullet hole is still in the door. I mean, you were actually seeing the house where the prophet was killed.

And it was It was a spiritual moment that I, I've rarely experienced and everyone kind of felt the same thing. And it was when I definitely needed some time really to compose myself because it was, it was such a moving experience just to, just to be there and experience that and know what happened there.

And so that was, that was an amazing experience, but there were so many great things, but that particular one was the one that just broke me. It just completely broke me. Wow. That's pretty powerful to have your moment there. Well, especially because I'm thinking, you know, you talk about this word tender mercies and merciful and that you would think that the mercy would be in the form of letting Joseph live and he didn't.

And I think how often in our lives, what, what mercy looks like there. You had this merciful moment where you gained a testimony of the power of Joseph Smith. That's pretty cool. Mike. Yeah, it was neat. It was neat experience. Keep going. So I started to think and I don't, when I think of these things, I tend to think through the lens of where I am, kind of in my life, you know, and, and obviously a big part of that is, is teaching seminary.

So I'm always thinking of, of, of how, how I can help the youth that I teach. And myself as well, kind of grow in the gospel, grow in their testimonies, and have that spiritual momentum. And that has been a life changing experience for me, is the opportunity to teach. People make fun of me because I'm pretty open about my two favorite callings I've ever had have been nursery and seminary.

And nobody believes me. Because I think I do. I'm really just saying that, but it's fantastic. Yeah. I think part of it is I'm not a big fan of meetings and neither one of those callings involve really any meetings, right? And so I just get to, I just get to be there in seminary and I get to prepare, which is a blessing in and of itself.

And then just to teach and have that, that experience. You know, whatever, four days a week, I guess, um, with those youth is, has been wonderful and also a kind of a, not a side benefit or direct benefit of that is my son. I don't teach my son. He's a year younger, but he goes at the same time. So he and I get to ride in the morning.

Get to have, you know, little bit of discussion in the, in the brief time we are together, but then I get to, we get to talk about the same things because we're having similar lessons. Those sorts of things. So that has been a blessing as well. And then. Also, my wife is the Young Women's President, so we're kind of working with the same people, which is kind of, which is kind of neat as well.

That is. You know, and then I think as we studied the Book of Mormon this year, I tend to have a thing for, I don't even call it unsung heroes, or people who maybe don't get, I also like redemption stories, those sorts of things, and I think two, two really jumped out at me as I've studied the Book of Mormon this year.

The most recent one, I guess, would be Mormon. Which, not necessarily an unsung hero, but I just gained a new appreciation for everything he went through. Yeah. And it's just, um, I mean, it's heartbreaking. I mean, to some of the things that he had to go through, basically see the demise of his people. And we talked about this in class, and I'm not going to take credit for this because it was my co teacher who brought this up.

It was like, we were asking the question, it was like, why did he do this? I mean, he really is one of those, he did everything, and he really didn't see any sort of, He reaped none of the rewards of that, other than seeing everyone die. And someone said, as my co teacher said, he thinks part of it is to set the example for his son.

And I never thought of it from that perspective. Because Moroni was there the whole time, with Mormon, and just watching his dad. And seeing what his dad did. And then we can see what Moroni did after Mormon passed. And I think about that, obviously, in my own life, like, what kind of example am I setting for my son?[00:45:00]

And then I just think of those two, um, and the bond that they had in,

together, and, and experiencing the things they did together. And that, this time, as I've studied the Book of Mormon, that part really hit me. Part of it's probably being a dad. Um, I don't exactly know all the ages, but I'm guessing Moroni was about the same as my son. And Mormon was probably about the same age as me.

We're probably pretty, at least pretty close, going through similar circumstances. So that was a pretty touching moment for me as well. I can tell. I can absolutely tell. When you talked about this idea, and I, because you said it, but I thought it also, was that How perfect that you've chosen people like you had your moment with Joseph Smith, you had your moment with Mormon again, when you think about mercy, you think the Lord would spare their lives and he didn't.

And, and because of that, we get to learn from their example. I like how you said that, that they were an example for you and that you are an example for your son. I think that is so powerful. I think you're an example to your son of mercy for sure. And that's why you like, that's why you like redemptive stories.

I do. And I, I have one more that I'll, and this is please, one of my favorite, um, and this is gonna sound wrong, but one of my favorite people in the book of Mormon is Corten. And, and it's for, you know, that whole redemption story, you know, and, and Alma, was it 39 through, what is it? 42? He, he gets chewed out as much as anyone's been chewed out, I think, in the scriptures.

You know, and, and obviously he, he did some things that, that he shouldn't have done. His dad called him out for it and then he taught him. And that's the part I love. He calls me and says, Hey, you, you, you caused some damage here, but here's, let me teach you the gospel. And he taught the gospel. And then I think sometimes we, we use the story of Corianton as a cautionary tale, um, particularly around like sexual sin and those sorts of things.

But then I think we forget what happened to Corianton and, and the redemption story that he is. And that's always been one of my, um, you know, favorite stories is to kind of follow, follow the story of Corianton and kind of what happened to him. And so obviously in those chapters, like we talked about, he kind of gets, gets the business, then he gets, gets taught.

And then if you flip, if you follow his story, he shows up a few more times. And I remember in, uh, was it Alma chapter 49, verse 30. I'll go ahead and read that if it's okay. Yes, please. It says, Yea, and there was continual peace among them and exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their eed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblin, and Corianton.

And I just, I love that, as I think sometimes we, we forget about that, that yes, he made some mistakes. Yes. But he repented, and he changed, and he became a powerful missionary of the church. I think sometimes we forget that, that people aren't perfect, people make mistakes, but that's the whole gospel. The gospel is a gospel of redemption, it's a gospel of the ability to make changes and draw nearer to the Savior.

And that's, that's just a story I've always loved in the Book of Mormon, because I think it's sometimes it's misinterpreted. Or not misinterpreted, it's just incomplete, I think, in our study of that. I think it's misinterpreted. Mike, how has the Lord redeemed you? Oh, he's, oh, um, I think through a number of things.

I think, you know, in the last time I was on, I was pretty candid about, um, going through a pornography addiction and going through that recovery process. And I think that's probably why this story hits a little home with me. Um, cause there was a time with that where I did not think I was redeemable. I thought, I am broken.

This is something I'm going to have to deal with. The rest of my life, and that's just that's just who I am. There's nothing I can do about it. And when that redemption became possible in my life, it's, it was, um. Well, I'm not sure if anything's changed me the way that that has. Okay. I want you to go to Alma chapter 48 because there's a verse of scripture.

I'm going to put your name by now because you cited Alma 49 that talked about how great Corianton was, but Alma chapter 48. So this is the classic Captain Moroni chapter tells us how awesome Captain Moroni was. Even in my [00:50:00] childhood scriptures, I wrote in my, the margins, I want to marry a man like Moroni and who doesn't, let's be honest.

But I love Alma chapter 48 verse 17. So, verse 17 sums up Moroni perfectly, verily, verily, I say unto you, if all men had been and were and ever would be like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever. Yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

So we know Moroni is pretty incredible, but it's verse 18 that we all want to mark. And I'm going to write your name next to verse 18. Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon. The son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons. For they were all men of God. Don't you love the Corianton right there?

The son of Alma is being called a man of God, even after he got chastised by his dad. I love that scripture, and verse 19, the next one, is actually one of my favorites. Hit it! Where it says, Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable unto the people than was Moroni. I love that, it's like, because we do, we get Moroni, he's a big strong Moroni, and he's, you know, like you said, everyone wants to be like Moroni, but It doesn't say, it says Helaman and his brethren, one of which was Corianton, were no less serviceable unto the people than was Moroni.

I love that. That's, that's just one, the Lord, Thankfully, the Lord doesn't compare me to Moroni. I don't have to be like Moroni. I have to be better than Mike Lindsay was yesterday. Yeah. And that's, that's what I have to do. And that what I love about this is I remember as a seminary teacher, I believe it was Richard G.

Scott came and did an in service for all of the teachers and he taught us this verse of scripture and he, and he also read the scripture in Mosiah chapter 28 verse four about how the sons of Mosiah and Alma the younger were the very vilest of sinners. That's what it calls them. And then he connected it to Alma 48, and he read the verses of Scripture we just read, and he said, you teach your students that when they use the atonement of Jesus Christ, they are not second class citizens.

And I love how you read that they are no less serviceable to the people than Moroni was. And so those three verses and this discussion, Mike, is mercy. That's what it looks like right there. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Wow. That's exactly like, I just love how you thought about this. And if we go back to Moroni right now, and it says, remember how merciful the Lord has been.

I will remember how merciful the Lord has been to Mike Lindsay. I will remember how merciful the Lord has been to Corey Anton. And quite honestly, I remember how merciful the Lord has been to Tammy. All of us. This is great. Yeah. To every single one of us. So thank you for sharing your testimony and your witness of this.

This concept. Thank you for having me.

Segment 5 - Brown

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Uh, you guys, I have my, oh, I just want to go brownie. I have my friend Brown on. Hi, Brown. Hi, Tammy. Okay. Her name's Kimberly Brown Sorenson, but she's been on several times before. So if you know this, you know, I've never called her Kimberly. Not once, not ever. Ever. It was way too long. Yeah. Your name's way too long.

So we went straight for Brown. Brown. So that's what I'm going to call her throughout this episode. But many of you listening know her as Kimberly and she's one of my very best friends. We go way, way back. We met way back in the day. We were single. Good old years. The good old year. Oh, I love it. I love it.

Okay, Brown. I want you to tell our listeners something fun that you did recently because there's a lot of fun things she's done. I told her to pick one. Um, Okay. Okay. Let's see my most recent would be I just got back from New York early this morning like 1 a. m. I on a whim decided to go with my brother and sister.

We went and saw the Rockettes We stayed in Times Square, which is, you know, everyone should experience it. I bought two pieces of 99 cent pizza. That could go either way. It went well. And, um, we went to the Notre Dame football game, Central Park, all the things. We crammed it all in and it was a blast, but now I'm tired, but it was so fun.

It was last minute, which is not me. But it's not so glad I did it. So glad I did it. So yeah, we're we're real proud of you because yeah, Brown is not a last minute kind of gal. She's got stuff. She's got to get it in organized and figured out. But when you did that, it's a new it's turning over a new leaf.

I know I had to text you immediately and say, Tammy, I'm doing this mainly because I needed you to know where I would be in case I didn't show up. And if sure, I did. Sure. Sure. Just so someone could keep track of me. Well, I wanted to text you back and say, all right, what have you done with my friend Brown?

And is she safe? Totally. Cause this, this is not my friend. She's safe. It was great. So yeah, it was super fun. I loved it. Every second of [00:55:00] it. I'm so proud of you. So I, I sent you a question to think about, and I specifically chose this question for you for this episode, because you have had quite a year.

Quite a couple of years. If we're being honest, it's been rough. Yeah. And so in the book of Moroni, it says for us to quote, remember how merciful the Lord has been. You're going to read that in Moroni chapter 10 verses two through three. So I asked you to come prepared and I want you to talk to me about how, how has the Lord been merciful to Kimberly Brown Sorenson?

Well, the second I read what the question was, I I kind of knew because 2 weeks prior to that, I had an experience where I was just like, oh, okay, I get it. So the 1st thing. That came to my mind was he's been merciful in his patience and, um, I feel like we all go through times in our lives where we ebb and flow, right?

Like we ebb and flow with, not necessarily, I've stayed on the covenant path. There's been no swaying off of that. I've been there, but my effort level in all of that has just been minimal at best. And I've actually felt really good about it since, you know, for the past, Three and a half, four years, I have felt really good about my bare minimal effort.

I've still held a calling, gone to the temple, all those things, nothing has really changed except my, my desire to put forth any extra effort. And so I, when you asked me that question, I thought, well, gosh, she's just been real patient and really, really, um, let me navigate this. And I, I got your, I got your text and I thought, yeah, patience.

And then that very next Sunday, I was sitting in church and I actually should backtrack a little bit this summer when we were in Chicago. You and I and Sargi had a conversation about living the gospel of ease, and we just kind of were chatting about how, you know, it's very easy to live a gospel of ease, meaning, I'm going to go do this because this works better for me, or I'm going to do this because this is what I want to do, and I'm still living the gospel, but it's just bare minimum, the ease of the gospel.

I'm still on the path. Anyway, I was sitting in church. Two weeks ago and the spirit was extremely clear. Like, what are you doing? What are you doing? You've got a daughter on a mission. What are you she's she's changing. She's stretching herself. That's our family theme. Stretch yourself. What are you doing?

You're sitting here. You're not connecting with anyone in your ward. You don't want to connect in your ward, but you're not anything that would stretch yourself to make you better. You And it just kind of hit me that I've sat for a long time doing the bare minimum, and I don't want to do that anymore.

Now, don't, I'm not going crazy. I'm not going every week to the temple or anything like that, but I made a few commitments to myself to where I could just be like, all right, Heavenly Father, I got to stretch myself. And this is what it looks like to me because I don't want to give bare minimum anymore. I really want to stretch myself in doing something back to who I am, back to who I am.

Who I am at the core. So I was going back and I was reading and I immediately, like, I'm not even kidding. I was looking at my scriptures. I'm going to show them to you. The last time I was on the podcast, you asked us this question, Alma 5, how am I doing? Okay, there's the question. And I have it there. And I thought, how am I doing?

Well, I'm not, I'm, how am I doing? I'm base model Betty and I'm not a base model Betty kind of gal. So it has, so the Lord has been merciful because he's been so patient. But then also if I'm reading in Moroni, you know, chapter 10, he's like, okay, I'm going to bless you with this gift and this gift. And so I'm looking at my patriarchal blessing and he did not bless me with the gift of ease.

He didn't say, I'm going to give you the gift of. Base model, Betty, I'm going to give you the gift of this and the gift of this and the gift of this and that none of that says base model Betty so patience I would say has been my, the thing that he has blessed me. He has been that towards me. And I have been able to allow myself that in my own life, but now that's kind of worn off, and I'm so grateful I recognize that.

I still need patience, but I need it for other things, but not for my own personal [01:00:00] commitment and all of that. Okay. So I love how you said base model, Betty. That's great. Yeah. No, you're not a base model, Betty. That's for sure. So I want to know then going into 2025, what's one thing differently you're going to do then?

Well, I'm going to go to the temple twice a month. That's a big deal when you have kids that I have to schedule around and, but here's the coolest thing. Cause you're divorced. Yeah. You're a single mom in it. Single mom working full time, all the things, you know, I've got, I've got a daughter on a mission.

I've got three other kids at home, but we're busy. We have lives. Everyone does. Right. It's no excuse, but let me tell you how God works because I committed to that. I'm like, I'm going to go to the temple twice a month. That's a big deal. That's on a Sunday. Monday, my son Jack says, Mom, I made an appointment to go to the temple on Thursday morning at 5am.

Do you want to go with me? So I went, and he baptized me. I got my hair wet and all the things. And it was, it was, I didn't have this profound spiritual moment, but what it was, was, You're going to commit, then you got to get up at 4am and you got to go to the temple and you get to go with your kids and how cool, I'll provide a way, I'll provide a way for you to, to reach that, to stretch yourself, to have this, uh, a new found awakening of the gifts that I've been, that I have given you.

Wow. So, you know, so what am I going to do? I'm going to do that. And then at some point I know I'll be nudged a little bit more and he'll say, all right. It's time to do this and I'll be ready for that because I'm ready for it now, because I'm listening now, I'll be ready for that. So how am I doing? Well, I'm listening.

I'm trying to pay attention. I'm trying to, like the gifts, pay attention to those gifts and act upon them. Things that I haven't for the past year. years. I am so grateful we ended with you for this whole episode because we're going into 2025 now. And I think every one of us can say, and I'm so grateful that you made this your point when you talk about how merciful the Lord has been with you in, in the form of patience.

Cause I think he's been that for all of us. We're all just trying to figure it out and find finding what works for us. And so 2025, what a great time to just kind of do. A spiritual inventory, which is what Alma chapter five is, and ask ourselves, how am I doing? And I like the idea of just setting one goal because sometimes we get bogged down with, oh my gosh, I have to do this and this and this, but I love how you said you just have one goal.

And who knows, maybe a couple of months from now, the Lord will be like, okay, now I need you to do this. But right now you feel so good being where you are with this one goal. And it's going to take you from base model Betty To what floor show Betty. There you go. I'm gonna put a tablecloth on the tape.

Very good. So when we can, something we can parade around, Oh, Brown, I'm so excited for you. Okay. Can I be part of your temple attendance? Go one time. I'll meet you. Okay. So we can all go with our kids. That's a dream come true. Who would have ever guessed we were single? We'd go to the temple with our kids.

Isn't that amazing? And I do believe as, as I'm trying to get Jack ready to go on a mission. He graduates this year. And all of those things, I have to be, I have to be ready for those things. And I can't, Charlie and Vicki Brown do not want me face model bedding anymore. Like, we're, we're past that now. It's time to move on.

And it's time to be able to, again, awaken to, who I am. What gifts, what, what blessings, whatever that I get to have. I mean, there's so many that are awaiting me. Okay. I want to read to you this, um, this, I just like looked up on the LDS tools or whatever, what patience is. Okay. And I love this. It says calm endurance, the ability to endure affliction, insult or injury without complaint or retaliation.

Um, rest in the Lord and wait patiently. The thing that I love the most, it says is without retaliation. The thing that I appreciate and love the most, Through all of this was knowing that the Lord wasn't going to retaliate all those times. I'm like, why why did you? Take my mom and dad or why this or why this and I'm mad at you and I'm telling you I'm mad at you He wasn't gonna retaliate.

Oh, really? Oh I'm mad at you. I'll give you something to be mad about. Okay, so let me tell you there was no retaliation And I loved that [01:05:00] description of what patients from the Lord can be. There's no, there's no retaliation, just love, just like, Oh, you know, it's going to get louder and all the things. Wow.

And that right there, my friends is mercy. And that is why I love my friend Brown. Brownie, thank you so much. I love you. I love you. Thanks for having me.

Segment 6 - Tammy

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Well, I have to give a big thanks to all of my guests and they just, they knocked it out of the park. I loved everything they shared. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you friends. And thank you for being with me throughout this year. It was, What a great, I just love what people have to say. I love their stories.

And the reason we did this is because in the come follow me manual for this week, it points out that the book of Mormon opens with Nephi's promise to show us that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he has chosen because of their faith. You can find that in first Nephi chapter one, verse 20, then the book closes with a parallel invitation from Moroni saying, remember how merciful the Lord has been.

In Moroni chapter 10 verses two through three, my guests have wonderfully shared how they have seen the Lord's mercy in their own lives. And I wanted to know how has the Lord been merciful in your life? Now, listen, for me, I got to tell you. This has been a year of mercies and I would be so remiss if I didn't just take a moment to publicly thank my heavenly father and his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost for all the many promptings that I received this year that have completely changed my life.

And in fact, there's just one tender mercy that I want to share with you that came to me this spring. Um, I was going through something and as all of us are, I was just going through something in my life where I found myself sort of negotiating with heavenly father. Thank you Um, talking to him and convincing him that my way is the right way.

And as you know, know me pretty well, I started giving him direction on how things should turn out. Then I was in an institute class and the teacher shared the story from Elder Eyring about his father who was weeding in the onion patch. And I shared that story in episode 23. There's a great video on YouTube.

I highly recommend you go see it. The part that struck me from this video that brings me to tears every time I hear it, Is when Elder Eyring's dad says to him, how you'll be in an onion patch much of your life. And so will I, it will be hard to see the powers of heaven magnifying us in our efforts. It may even be hard to see our work being of any value at all.

And sometimes our work won't go well. And then he says this, but you didn't come here for the weeds. You came here for the savior. And if you pray, and if you choose to be clean, and if you choose to follow God's servants, You will be able to work and wait long enough to bring down the powers of heaven and it makes me so emotional thinking it Right now those words that you didn't come here for the weeds You came here for the Savior and I realized in that moment Like I have been teaching and trying to tell the Lord in my life How to handle my life and how, what the weeds should look like and complaining about the weeds and all sorts of things.

And that, that part just hit me because I realized, Oh yeah, I'm, I'm here for the savior. I'm too focused on the weeds. And so I love this part because then I connected it to my study of the Book of Mormon. And this video, it just reminded me of why I'm here. The Book of Mormon. It has a lot of weeds, but it has so much more Jesus.

And I want my life to be like that. I am just so grateful for the merciful reminder and that moment in my life this year. So tell me, how has the Lord been merciful? In your life, go join our group on Facebook or follow us on Instagram. And I want you to share your answer to that question. And then you can even ask questions on those formats if you want.

And I would love to answer any question that you have, but on a Saturday, we usually post a question from this episode and that's, I'm going to ask you. How have you seen the Lord's mercy in your life? Or what has the Book of Mormon done for you this year? And I cannot wait to read what you've learned. So comment on the post that relates to this lesson and share your thoughts.

You can get to both our Facebook and Instagram by going to the show notes for this episode at ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday and go there anyway, because it's where we're going to have a transcript of this whole discussion. So go check it out. The Sunday on Monday Study Group is a Deseret Bookshelf Plus original brought to you by LDS Living.

It's written and hosted by me, Tammy Uzelac Hall. And today, our incredible study group participants were Holly Richardson, Robert Howarth, Tava Udall, Mike [01:10:00] Lindsay, and brown or cute Kimberly Brown Sorenson. And you can find more information about my friends at ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday.

Our podcast is produced by Cole Wissinger and me. It is edited and mixed by Cole Wissinger and our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom. Thanks for being here. We'll see you next week. And please remember that the tender of mercies are over all of God's children because you are God's favorite.