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Elder Jeffrey R. Hollands facial expression says it all here.  We have no idea what's going through his mind at this point.  However, we do know that life does not always result in smiles and giggles.  Sometimes, it requires very uncomfortable situations.  Sometimes those situations are a result of our defending our beliefs.  

Join us in this bonus episode as we discuss the idea and need to defend our beliefs as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  All Christians around the world are having to defend their beliefs more and more as secularism continues to spread.  For years, those in the LDS faith have been accustomed to defending their beliefs on two fronts; those from outside Christianity, and those within Christianity.  Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are not always classified as Christians.    

In recent years a third front has developed.  There has been a very public display of Latter-Day Saints choosing to step away from their faith for one reason or another.  As part of their choice to leave, they make it public and try to convince others to do the same.  Whether it's based on beliefs, church history, or both, there is a very public attack on members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  

Jackson poses a question to Marcus and Andrew about the responsibility or need for members of the LDS faith to actively defend their beliefs.  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, in a General Conference address, points out that there is a need to defend your beliefs.  Although, he encourages us to be courteous about it, the faith needs defending.  

What are your thoughts on actively defending our beliefs?  Should we seek out social media conversations?  Should we seek out individuals?  Or do we only defend when confronted?  

#Thechurchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #mormons #lds #churchofjesuschrist #ldsdiscussion #ldsbeliefs #mormonbeliefs #mormonsandchristians #ldspodcast #jeffreyrholland #quorumofthetwelveapostles #truth #gospeltruth #defendtruth #ldsdoctrine #podcast #christians

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Join us this week as we discuss the Plagues placed upon the Pharaoh and his people as he attempted to keep the children of Israel under his reign.   

From Come Follow Me:

Plague after plague afflicted Egypt, but Pharaoh still refused to release the Israelites. And yet God continued to demonstrate His power and give Pharaoh opportunities to accept “that I am the Lord” and “there is none like me in all the earth” (Exodus 7:5; 9:14). Meanwhile, Moses and the Israelites must have watched with awe at these manifestations of God’s power in their behalf. Surely these continued signs confirmed their faith in God and strengthened their willingness to follow God’s prophet. Then, after nine terrible plagues had failed to free the Israelites, it was the tenth plague—the death of the firstborn, including Pharaoh’s firstborn—that finally ended the captivity. This seems fitting because in every case of spiritual captivity, there truly is only one way to escape. No matter what else we may have tried in the past, it is with us as it was with the children of Israel. It is only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Firstborn—the blood of the Lamb without blemish—that will save us.

#comefollowme #moses #childrenofisrael #plaguesofegypt #oldtestament #christianpodcast #ldspodcast #bible #biblestudy #faithinchrist #yallkeeponstriving #gospelgrowthandgoodtimes #thegospel #thegospelofjesuschrist #churchofjesuschrist #churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #mormon #mormonsandchristians #thisisthegospel #followtheprophet

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This week we discuss Moses' rise to biblical stardom.  Moses was raised as an orphan.  Kinda, but not really, as his mother decreed a plan that would save his life and allow her to be heavily involved in rearing him.  We discuss Moses taking the life of an Egyptian and the historical settings from different sources as found in the Old Testament Institute manual.  We also discuss Moses' continuous attempts to get out of what The Lord would have him do.  Sometimes I feel like we do the same thing.  Moses didn't want to be tested, he didn't want to be the leader of the children of Israel.  He was not confident in his ability to do that.  Yes, we all have insecurities that we have to deal with.  If we face them with the faith in The Lord, we can take those weaknesses and make them strong.  

From Come Follow Me:

The invitation to live in Egypt literally saved Jacob’s family. But after hundreds of years, their descendants were enslaved and terrorized by a new pharaoh “who knew not Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). It would have been natural for the Israelites to wonder why God allowed this to happen to them, His covenant people. Did He remember the covenant He had made with them? Were they still His people? Could He see how much they were suffering?

There may be times when you’ve felt like asking similar questions. You might wonder, Does God know what I’m going through? Can He hear my pleas for help? The story in Exodus of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt answers such questions clearly: God does not forget His people. He remembers His covenants with us and will fulfill them in His own time and way (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:68). “I will redeem you with a stretched out arm,” He declares. “I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under [your] burdens” (Exodus 6:6–7).

#oldtestament #comefollowme #moses #childrenofisrael #biblestudy #faithinchrist #churchofjesuschrist #churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #lds #ldspodcast #chirstian #christianpodcast

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This week we explore the 2nd half of one of the most iconic biblical stories known to man.  Joseph was sold into Egypt as a slave by his brothers who were jealous of their father's favoritism toward him.  Joseph has had some time to work out the emotional trauma he experienced from it.  Surprisingly and shockingly, his brothers travel to Egypt in search of grain due to the famine.  What is Joseph's reaction?  How does he handle the situation?  Why does he not inflict revenge upon them?  He exercises some some great wisdom and leadership qualities as he works through this unexpected reunion with his brothers.  

From Come Follow Me:

It had been about 22 years since Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brothers. He had suffered many trials, including being falsely accused and imprisoned. When he finally saw his brothers again, Joseph was the governor of all Egypt, second only to the pharaoh. He could easily have taken revenge on them, and considering what they had done to Joseph, that might seem understandable. And yet Joseph forgave his brothers. Not only that, but he helped them see divine purpose in his suffering. “God meant it unto good” (Genesis 50:20), he told them, because it put him in a position to save “all his father’s household” (Genesis 47:12) from famine.

In many ways, Joseph’s life parallels that of Jesus Christ. Even though our sins caused Him great suffering, the Savior offers forgiveness, delivering all of us from a fate far worse than famine. Whether we need to receive forgiveness or extend it—at some point we all need to do both—Joseph’s example points us to the Savior, the true source of healing and reconciliation.

#churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #oldtestament #comefollowme #josephsoldintoegypt #7yearsoffamine #ldspodcast #christianpodcast #bibleleadership #christianleadership #forgiveness #reconsiliation #familyreunion #biblestudy #scripturestudyd

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This week Andrew and Jackson review the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors.  Why was he the most favored?  Why were the brothers jealous?  What do we do when we feel like we are doing everything right but everything is going wrong.  Trust in the Lord!  

Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Life teaches us that lesson clearly, and so does the life of Joseph, the son of Jacob. He was heir to the covenant God had made with his fathers, but he was hated by his brothers and sold into slavery. He refused to compromise his integrity when approached by Potiphar’s wife and so was cast into prison. It seemed that the more faithful he was, the more hardship he faced. But all this adversity was not a sign of God’s disapproval. In fact, through it all, “the Lord was with him” (Genesis 39:3). Joseph’s life was a manifestation of this important truth: God will not forsake us. “Following the Savior will not remove all of your trials,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught. “However, it will remove the barriers between you and the help your Heavenly Father wants to give you. God will be with you” (“A Yearning for Home,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 22).  #josephandthecoatofmanycolors #thecoatofmanycolors #dreams #visions #oldtestament #comefollowme #gospelgrowth #thechurchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #ldspodcast #christianpodcast #hearhim #mormonsandchristians

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Chapters 28 and 32 of Genesis tell of two spiritual experiences that the prophet Jacob had. Both happened in the wilderness but under very different circumstances. In the first experience, Jacob was traveling to his mother’s homeland to find a wife and, along the way, spent the night on a pillow of stones. He may not have expected to find the Lord in such a desolate place, but God revealed Himself to Jacob in a life-changing dream, and Jacob declared, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not” (Genesis 28:16). Years later, Jacob found himself in the wilderness again. This time, he was on his way back to Canaan, facing a potentially deadly reunion with his angry brother, Esau. But Jacob knew that when he needed a blessing, he could seek the Lord, even in the wilderness (see Genesis 32).

You may find yourself in your own wilderness seeking a blessing from God. Maybe your wilderness is a difficult family relationship, such as Jacob had. Maybe you feel distant from God or feel that you need a blessing. Sometimes the blessing comes unexpectedly; other times it is preceded by a wrestle. Whatever your need, you can discover that even in your wilderness, “the Lord is in this place.”

#oldtestament #comefollowme

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This week we discuss Rebekah's faith, service, and inspiring acts that made her a wonderful companion to Isaac.  We look into the details and possibilities behind Esau giving up his birth right to his younger twin brother Jacob.  We discuss the potential reasons behind Rebekah's decision to deceive her husband Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing of the priesthood over Esau, the first born son.  We have a lot of fun with this discussion but it's all experiencing some gospel growth and good times!!

God’s covenant with Abraham included the promise that through Abraham and his posterity “shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Abraham 2:11). That’s not a promise that could be fulfilled in one generation: in many ways, the Bible is the story of God’s ongoing fulfilment of His promise. And He began by renewing the covenant with the family of Isaac and Rebekah. Through their experiences, we learn something about being part of the covenant. Their examples teach us about kindness, patience, and trust in God’s promised blessings. And we learn that it’s well worth giving up any worldly “pottage” (Genesis 25:30) in order to secure God’s blessings for ourselves and our children for generations to come.

#oldtestament #comefollowme #latterdaysaints #ldspodcast #abrahamisaacandjacob #hearhim #ldsmissionaries #christianpodcast #churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #christiansandmormons #birthright #esauandjacob

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Saying it and Living it, are two different things.  It's really easy to say "nothing is too hard for The Lord" but when you have to put that into practice at a critical time in your life, that's where the rubber meets the road.  

Join us this week as we discuss the trials of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac.  We look at how we can apply their life struggles to our life struggles.  The Lord knows each of us, he knows our temptations and trials.  What will we learn from those trials.

Finally, we discuss the Abrahamic test.  What might have been going through Abraham's mind or Isaac's mind as they traveled to a place to offer up a sacrifice.  Do we all have to experience some type of Abrahamic test?  Will they be on the same level?  If one person is not tested as another, does that person qualify for the same blessings of Heaven.  

We try to offer some answers to these questions as we discuss this weeks come follow me lesson.  

From Come Follow Me Manual:

Abraham’s life, filled with events both heartbreaking and heartwarming, is evidence of a truth Abraham learned in a vision—that we are on earth to be proven, “to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command” (Abraham 3:25). Would Abraham himself prove faithful? Would he continue to have faith in God’s promise of a large posterity, even when he and Sarah were still childless in their old age? And once Isaac was born, would Abraham’s faith endure the unthinkable—a command to sacrifice the very son through whom God had promised to fulfill that covenant? Abraham did prove faithful. Abraham trusted God, and God trusted Abraham. In Genesis 18–23, we find stories from the lives of Abraham and others that can prompt us to think about our own ability to believe God’s promises, to flee wickedness and never look back, and to trust God regardless of the sacrifice.

#oldtestament #abrahamandIsaac #comefollowme #churchofjesuschrist #walkbyfaith #isanythingtoohardforthelord #ldspodcast #christianpodcast #sacrifice

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From Come Follow Me Manual:

Because of the covenant God made with him, Abraham has been called “the father of the faithful” (Doctrine and Covenants 138:41) and “the Friend of God” (James 2:23). Millions today honor him as their direct ancestor, and others have been adopted into his family through conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet Abraham himself came from a troubled family—his father, who had abandoned the true worship of God, tried to have Abraham sacrificed to false gods. In spite of this, Abraham’s desire was “to be a greater follower of righteousness” (Abraham 1:2), and the account of his life shows that God honored his desire. Abraham’s life stands as a testimony that no matter what a person’s family history has been, the future can be filled with hope.

#comefollowme #oldtestament #Abraham #posterity #abrahamiccovenant #fatherofrighteousness

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Join us this week as we discuss Noah's generation, the flood, the ark, and listening to the prophets then and now.  We discuss the Tower of Babel and what the people's purpose was in building the tower.  Marcus "the gunslinger" is quarantined due to a recent bout of "The Corona" but as we've stated before, it's hard to contain him.  Marcus makes his way onto the show with a visit via Zoom during the show.  

From Come Follow Me Manual:

Generations of Bible readers have been inspired by the story of Noah and the Flood. But we who live in the latter days have special reason to pay attention to it. When Jesus Christ taught how we should watch for His Second Coming, He said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man” (Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:41). In addition, phrases that describe Noah’s day, like “corrupt” and “filled with violence,” could just as easily be describing our time (Genesis 6:12–13; Moses 8:28). The story of the Tower of Babel also feels applicable to our day, with its description of pride followed by confusion and division among God’s children.

These ancient accounts are valuable not just because they show us that wickedness repeats itself throughout history. More important, they teach us what to do about it. Noah “found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Moses 8:27) despite the wickedness around him. And the families of Jared and his brother turned to the Lord and were led away from the wickedness in Babel (see Ether 1:33–43). If we wonder how to keep ourselves and our families safe during our own time of corruption and violence, the familiar stories in these chapters have much to teach us.

#noahandtheark #theflood #towerofbabel #comefollow me #oldtestament #ldspodcast #christianpodcast #churchofjesuschrist #churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #faith #faithinchrist

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