LDS Living Podcasts

An indigenous teaching in many communities around the world is that in nature, poison is often located very near the antidote. For example, in Mayan legend, the Chechen trees have a toxic sap that causes rashes or burns when touched, but the Chaca trees grow nearby and provide an antidote. This idea of sting and relief can also be found in family histories. In this episode, artist Jalynne Geddes shares in her own life how generational trauma has been a sting and family history the relief.

When you think about the term "family history tools," images of gigantic binders, wrinkled family history charts, and dusty rolls of microfilm probably come to mind. While these items can be useful, there's another less obvious set of tools we need when we research—especially when we learn about challenging aspects of our family history. For this episode, we invited Dr. Ofa Hofaka to discuss emotional tools we need as we approach body dysmorphia, mental health, and internalized racism in family history work.

The Bible is full of stories about women—sometimes you just need to know where to look. In fact, both named and unnamed women are in the opening verses of the New Testament. This year during our Come, Follow Me study, we'll take time to focus on the stories of these women—stories that aren't often told. As we discuss their lives and learn from their examples, we'll see just how important women are in the gospel of Jesus Christ both then and now. So let's start our discussion with the book of Matthew and the women who were a part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.

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Here's a joke: What did the pickle do when it won the championship? He just stood there to relish the moment. If you're wondering what a pickle joke has to do with family history, just a wait a minute. Miya and Michelle invited Latter-day Saint comedian and actress Lisa Valentine Clark to discuss An American Pickle, a movie all about family history. And just like the movie, Miya, Michelle, and Lisa all ask the question, "Would you be friends with your great-great-grandparents?" and discuss how that answer may be more complicated than we think.

Have you ever heard of Marie Kondo? She's a Japanese professional organizer known for her method of only keeping what "sparks joy" in her life. We can follow her example by becoming a transitional character—someone who breaks cycles of negativity and embraces joyful practices. In this episode, we talk with BYU professor Christopher Jones about what it means to be a transitional character, and how we can spark joy in our own family histories.

Thanks to Encanto, everyone knows we don't talk about Bruno. But there are other aspects of family history we don't talk about, like poverty and shame. Our guest Dr. LaShawn Williams explains, "When we talk about shame, we're talking about this felt sense of unworthiness to be in connection or relationship with other people despite desperately, desperately wanting to connect with other people." And like we see in the Disney movie, this feeling of shame can be passed from one generation to the next. So how do we combat it? We talk about Bruno. We talk about poverty and shame within our family histories. And that's exactly what hosts Miya and Michelle plan on doing with Dr. LaShawn as they address shame and poverty in this episode.

References: "The problem with pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is not everyone has working bootstraps"

Dead cats and genealogy might seem like an odd mix. But when it comes to genealogical consciousness, they actually make perfect sense. BYU professor Amy Harris puts this into perspective by explaining that as a child, she would mourn the passing of her pet cats. But then she found peace when she realized that all "relationships are durable and meaningful—even beyond death." This got us thinking—if we can feel connected to cherished but long deceased pets, shouldn't our feelings about our ancestors run just as deep? In this episode, hosts Miya Jensen and Michelle Thorley discuss with Professor Harris how we can ensure our relationships with our ancestors stretch into the past as well as the future through genealogical consciousness.

Have you ever heard someone sarcastically say, "Who do they think they are, the Queen of Sheba?" Although this question is usually used to poke fun of those who flaunt their wealth, after listening to this Unnamed Women episode, you may think of it as a compliment instead. Because while the real Queen of Sheba was indeed wealthy, she was also wise—and in 1 Kings 10:1–13, we learn that her might and wisdom may have also contributed to the grandeur of the Israelite temple.

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The proverb of a virtuous woman is a famous one, but the woman who sang it—and the woman who it's about—are unnamed. But while we may not know exactly who these women are, they teach us unforgettable lessons of what it means to be truly virtuous. In this special live recording, we'll dig into the profound impact these women have had in our lives by teaching us through their words and examples what it really means to be a virtuous woman today.

Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday

For more about the proverb of a virtuous woman, check out Tammy's book: Far Above Rubies: The Power and Promise of a Covenant-Keeping Woman

In this final episode of This Is the Gospel, KaRyn, Katie, and Erika sit down and listen to their favorite untold stories from the pitch line—submissions from you that didn't make it into an episode for one reason or another, but that we love all the same. These three-minute stories range from wild, epic bear chases to small, quiet moments of revelation. While the voices and narratives may vary, each illustrates how even in a matter of minutes, individual's stories have the power to bind us all together.

See show notes and full episode transcript at LDSLiving.com/thisisthegospel or find us on Instagram and Facebook @thisisthegospel_podcast

Show Notes + Transcripts: http://ldsliving.com/thisisthegospel

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