What if the most powerful thing you could do for your children, your faith, and your own mental health was simply to tell your story?

In this deeply moving episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with Rachel Trotter, a professional storyteller, family history educator, newspaper reporter turned author, and longtime RootsTech speaker. Rachel brings over 15 years of storytelling experience to a conversation that will change how you think about your family, your past, and your future.

Rachel is the coauthor of the upcoming book Changing the Ending: Writing Your Life Story, and a longtime contributor to Evalog.life, a service helping individuals and families document their stories through oral histories and life story books.

This episode is a must listen for anyone who has ever thought their story is not interesting enough to tell. 

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why writing your life story changes your future Rachel explains the central idea behind her new book: when we give voice to our experiences, we start to see ourselves as people who have triumphed, grown, and endured. 
• How family stories create belonging for youth In a world of social media noise and comparison, this kind of grounded identity is a gift.
• The spirit of Elijah and the power of connection This is not just a conversation about preserving history. It is a conversation about eternal belonging.
• How to start telling your story today Rachel gives practical, guilt free advice for beginning your storytelling journey. 
• Tips from a professional: how to tell an effective story That emotional truth is what people remember, what invites the Spirit, and what connects us across generations.
• What Elder Mark Bragg told Rachel the day before she spoke at RootsTech In a simple yet profound exchange, the General Authority overseeing FamilySearch gave Rachel a reminder that stopped her in her tracks: this work begins and ends with the Savior.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Evalogue Life (https://evalogue.life/) — Oral histories, life story books, and storytelling services 
• FamilySearch Memories App — Record voice stories, tag family members, and preserve your history directly on FamilySearch 
  • Download via https://apps.apple.com/us/app/familysearch-memories/id885970971
• FamilySearch Family History Centers (https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/) — Interactive spaces to explore your family history with guided tools and booths 
• RootsTech Event (https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/event/rootstech-2026) — The world's largest family history conference held in Salt Lake City each year
• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl — Referenced by Will in connection with meaning, purpose, and suffering 
• Changing the Ending: Writing Your Life Story — Upcoming book by Rachel Trotter and Rhonda Lauritsen, releasing this December

Connect with Rachel: 

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://evalogue.life/
• Evalogue.Life Social Media Accounts

Instagram: @evalogue.life

Facebook: Evalogue.life 

• Rachel's Personal Social Media Accounts

Instagram: @racheljtrotter

Facebook: Rachel Jackson Trotter 

X: @racheljtrotter 

LinkedIn: @racheltrotter

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What happens when the loudest message God ever sends you is a last name on a piece of paper? In this powerful episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with Richie Steadman, the veteran host of The Cultural Hall podcast, for one of the most honest and faith affirming conversations this show has ever had.

Richie shares his full faith journey, from navigating his parents' divorce as a teenager and wrestling with a black and white view of the gospel, to receiving a mission call to Cleveland, Ohio that changed everything. He opens up about serving near the Kirtland Temple, the sacred covenant he made at the Newell K. Whitney Store, and a spiritual experience while running near the temple that gave him a glimpse of the early Latter day Saints in their time. These experiences became the foundation of his testimony.

Topics Covered in This Episode:

• Growing up in the LDS Church through a family divorce and the cultural pressures of youth
• Why Richie started The Cultural Hall podcast in 2011 and what keeps it going
• Receiving a mission call to Cleveland, Ohio and overcoming disappointment about a stateside assignment
• Serving near the Kirtland Temple and what it meant to walk the same ground as Joseph Smith
• Making covenants at the Newell K. Whitney Store at the start and end of a mission
• A sacred and personal vision of the early Saints during a morning run near the Kirtland Temple
• The unique spiritual weight of serving in Church history sites
• Coming home from a mission and being excommunicated within a year
• What excommunication actually feels like from the inside and what the Church can do better
• Why Richie kept coming to church every week for nearly a decade
• The moment at the Jordan River Temple when a last name on an endowment card said everything
• How unconditional love is the only right response to someone navigating excommunication
• Richie's definition of perfection: the only thing you can truly be perfect in is never giving up

Whether you are navigating a faith crisis, supporting a loved one who feels on the outside, or simply trying to show up better for the people around you, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.

Find Richie: 

Podcast: The Cultural Hall (available everywhere) 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3VBCeQ9B2iG7ODniikObTG?si=b3fbf7e2a7954131
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cultural-hall-podcast/id459622595
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCulturalHall

Instagram/Socials: 

• @TheCulturalHall - https://www.instagram.com/theculturalhall/
• @RichieTSteadman - https://www.instagram.com/richietsteadman/

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In this powerful episode, host Will Humphreys sits down with Keith Harr, a 30-year veteran of Seminary and Institute, husband of 45 years, father of 9, and grandfather of 38 for a conversation that will change how you think about covenant living, parenting, and the infinite power available to you through your sacred promises with God.

Keith and Will met on a service trip to Kenya, and from the moment they started talking, it was clear Keith carries hard-won, deeply practical wisdom about how the gospel actually works in real family life.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why covenants aren't just promises, they are conduits of power, and how to access that power daily
• The 5 levels of temple covenants and how they connect to the Abrahamic Covenant (posterity, land, and the priesthood/gospel)
• How the world's greatest crises: pornography, broken families, loss of identity are direct attacks on those same Abrahamic covenants
• The offense vs. defense framework for raising covenant-keeping children in the latter days
• How to build individual, one-on-one, and family spiritual rhythms that don't feel forced
• Why your child bringing their heart to you is like an offering on an altar, and how to receive it with tenderness

Connect with Temple Bound

• Instagram: @TempleBoundPodcast
• Host: Will Humphreys

Enjoyed the show? Please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs a boost of confidence today!

• The "secret handshake" principle: how to stay relationally connected to your kids as they grow and change
• Why parenting shame often comes from the adversary, and how the Atonement covers your imperfect parenting too
• The surprising connection between covenant living, service, gratitude, and anxiety relief
• How consecration isn't just giving everything away, it's accessing God anytime, anywhere

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In this powerful return episode, Curtis Keller joins host Will Humphreys for one of the most heartfelt conversations yet on Temple Bound. Curtis opens up about how a book recommendation from a friend transformed his approach to prayer, moving from rushed, going-through-the-motions prayers to intentional, timer-set, 10-minute morning conversations with God. That shift opened the door to a deeper reckoning: Do we really understand what it means to rely wholly upon the merits of Jesus Christ, or are we secretly trying to save ourselves?

This episode touches on grace vs. works, what "after all we can do" really means, the protective power of temple worship for our families, and how to keep parenting in faith even when children exercise their agency in unexpected ways. Curtis also shares his favorite temple quotes from Elder Bednar, Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, President Nelson, and Richard G. Scott, drawn from the binder he's kept for years that first inspired this podcast.

We go deep on:

• The prayer habit that transformed Curtis's mornings (hint: a timer is involved)
• Why 15 minutes of daily prayer = exactly 1% of your day, and what that number should make us feel
• What "after all we can do" actually means, and why the common interpretation is quietly exhausting
• How the veil of the temple is a symbol of Jesus Christ, and why passing through it is a picture of pure grace
• What to do when your children make choices that break your heart
• Elder Bednar, President Nelson, Elder Featherstone & Elder Richard G. Scott quotes from Curtis's legendary binder

This episode will change how you pray. It will change how you attend the temple. And it might just bring peace to a parent who's been trying too hard to be their child's savior.

Resources Mentioned:

Temple Quote Binder Copy - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hMuPlfsN8dbYoCk5WAerBJt0Qpe0Ul-M?usp=sharing

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What happens inside a Latter-day Saint temple, and why does it matter?

In this episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with Jasmin Rappleye, a trusted voice in the Latter-day Saint digital space, for a conversation on temple preparation, ancient symbolism, sacred garments, and finding Jesus Christ throughout the temple endowment.

Whether you're preparing for your first temple visit, returning after a difficult experience, or looking for deeper meaning in worship, this episode offers practical guidance and spiritual insight.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why the Lord uses ancient rituals and symbols in temples, and how they connect to the Old Testament, the Abrahamic Covenant, and Jesus Christ
• How to prepare for a first temple visit with realistic expectations and practical guidance
• The meaning behind the temple garment through Adam & Eve, the Hebrew word kippur (“to cover”), and Christ’s Atonement
• What “tokens” symbolize and how they represent our journey back to God
• Why repetition deepens temple understanding over time
• How the temple narrative centers on mercy, redemption, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ
• How to support someone who had a difficult first temple experience
• Connections between sacred clothing in ancient religions and Latter-day Saint temple worship
• Why Christ is central to the endowment, even when not directly named

Subscribe to Temple Bound for more conversations on faith, temples, and discipleship. If this episode strengthened your testimony, leave a comment sharing one thing that helped you love the temple.

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In this powerful General Conference review episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with returning guest Brad Farr to break down the April 2026 General Conference through the lens of temples and covenants.

Brad brings statistical analysis, personal stories, and four remarkable thematic threads, what Will calls "The Bradford Flow"  that connect the entire conference into one unified, temple-centered message.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

The Bradford Flow: 4 Themes Connecting Temple & Covenant Teachings:

1. The Atonement and Resurrection Make Eternal Families Possible Talks by Elder Anderson, Elder Cook, and Elder McCulloch all pointed to the sealing power restored through Elijah and how Christ's resurrection is the foundation of eternal family doctrine. Brad shares a moving story from his workplace that illustrates how this teaching resonates even outside the faith.
2. Temple Covenants Give Us Access to Divine Power From Elder Holmes' blind marathon runner tethered to his guide, to Sister Freeman's quote from For the Strength of Youth, this section unpacks the real, tangible spiritual power available to those who make and keep temple covenants.
3. The Temple Strengthens Our Personal Relationship with God Elder Mutombo's deeply moving account of losing multiple children while being pressured by family to leave his wife, and finding peace through his temple sealing covenant, anchors this theme in real human experience.
4. Temple Covenants Transform Us to Become Christlike Elder Bednar's message on becoming new creatures in Christ, and Elder Tay's humble testimony of incremental change, remind us that transformation is a process, not an event.

Scriptures & Sources Referenced

• Doctrine & Covenants 49:16 — The purpose of marriage and the earth
• Matthew 5 — Love your enemies (Sermon on the Mount)
• Mosiah — The mighty change of heart
• For the Strength of Youth — Sister Freeman's quote on temple ordinances
• The Chosen series — Passover scene parallel to President Hinckley's quote

If this episode blessed you, share it with someone preparing for the temple, navigating a hard season of marriage, or curious about what Latter-day Saints believe about eternal families. 

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What if the key to overcoming addiction, making better choices, and living with more purpose came down to one thing, knowing who you truly are? In this episode, Will sits down with close friends Wade & Jennifer Beckstead to dive deep into Tad Callister's powerful talk on our divine identity and eternal destiny. From the concept of spiritual identity theft to the logic of "like begets like," this conversation will challenge and inspire you to see yourself, and everyone around you through God's eyes.

They explore why we are not just creations of God but His literal offspring, what that means for our potential to become like Him, and how the temple is the very place where that transformation begins. Plus, Wade and Jen get refreshingly personal about parenting, marriage, faith, and the spiritual gifts they've had to earn the hard way.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why President Nelson's answer to pornography addiction was "teach them their identity and purpose" and why that's more powerful than it sounds
• The difference between being a creation of God vs. an offspring of God, and why it completely changes your sense of worth and potential
• How "spiritual identity theft" works and how to recognize it in your own life
• What five categories of witnesses, scripture, early Christians, poets and authors, logic, and history, teach us about our quest for godhood
• Why C.S. Lewis said "there are no ordinary people" and what that means for how we treat others
• How ordinances and covenants in the temple are the keys to unlocking godly power in our lives
• Why spiritual gifts are not just given, they are earned, and how to seek them intentionally
• The surprising way temple robes connect to a physical therapy research study on visualization and growth

Leave a comment below! What spiritual gift are you currently seeking or working on? We'd love to hear from you. Don't forget to Subscribe to Temple Bound for your weekly dose of eternal perspective! 

Resources & References Mentioned:

• Talk: Our Divine DNA by Tad Callister https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/tad-r-callister/our-identity-and-our-destiny/
• Book: Look to Me in Every Thought by Dennis Deaton
• Scripture: D&C 84:20–21
• Scripture: John 17 "That they may be made one"

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Most of us are taught to view the Atonement through a "legal" lens: we owe a debt, we can’t pay it, and Jesus steps in as our defense attorney to satisfy an angry judge. But what if that transactional model is actually blocking us from a deeper connection with God?

In this powerful episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with Cameron LaDuke, a scholar of Ancient Judaism and Religious Studies, to flip the script on how we view the Atonement. Cameron shares how his own "mental block" regarding God’s justice led him on a 20-year journey to discover a more beautiful, transformational model hidden within the temple endowment: The Creation Model.

Together, they walk through the symbolic geography of the Tabernacle—from the "lone and dreary world" of the outer courtyard to the Holy of Holies—explaining how every step of the temple is designed to transfer God's "glory" (His actual essence and power) back into our lives. If you’ve ever struggled to see the Savior in the creation story or felt that repentance is just about "getting back to zero," this episode will change how you experience the temple forever.

Key Takeaways

• The Problem of "Courtroom" Theology: Why viewing God as a "debt collector" can hinder our love for Him and how the temple offers a more merciful alternative.
• Atonement as "Re-Creation": How the Savior uses the same power He used to organize the earth to organize the chaos and darkness in our individual lives.
• The "Coat of Skins" as Mercy: A deep dive into how God’s first act after the Fall was an act of protection, covering us in His own goodness (Grace).
• The Symbolism of the Altar: Understanding the "Altar of Sacrifice" and the "Altar of Incense" as physical representations of the Savior’s proximity to us in our fallen state.
• The Veil as a Rescue Operation: Why the "Sentinels" at the veil aren't there to keep us out, but to ensure we are physically prepared to handle God's glory without being destroyed.

Resources Mentioned 

• Cameron’s Original YouTube Presentation 

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In this powerful episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with Michelle Bentley to dive deep into the visual and transformative teachings of Elder Edward B. Rowe’s talk, "Jesus Christ, Our Rock and Covenants, Our Anchors."

Whether you are navigating the "turbulence" of a health scare, career uncertainty, or the daily anxiety of the "what-ifs," this conversation provides a roadmap for finding peace that is "night and day" different from what the world offers. Michelle shares her vulnerable story of a life-threatening medical emergency and how her "worst-case scenario" became her greatest witness of God’s love.

Key Takeaways:

• The "What-If" Game: Understand how our brains are wired for survival and how to flip the script from fear-based thinking to faith-based scenarios.
• The Umbrella of Covenant Relationship: Learn the vital distinction between making covenants (the outward ordinance) and keeping covenants (the daily living and integrity).
• The Rock Climbing Analogy: How to see life’s trials not as failures, but as "slips" on a rock face where Jesus Christ is the solid granite and covenants are the pre-placed anchors.
• Confidence vs. Capability: Why true confidence isn't about our own strength, but about our connection to the Savior’s strength.
• The Power of the Atonement in Failure: Will shares his personal story of a 50-foot fall and how the Savior rescues us even when we fail to "clip in."

Resources Mentioned:

• Talk: Jesus Christ, Our Rock and Covenants, Our Anchors by Elder Edward B. Rowe (BYU Devotional, Nov 2025).
• Scripture: John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you..."
• Scripture: Helaman 5:12 - "Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer..."
• Scripture: Doctrine & Covenants 84:20 - The power of godliness in ordinances.

Join the Conversation

What is a "what-if" you are currently handing over to the Savior? How has keeping your covenants given you confidence during a storm? 

Leave a comment below, we read every one!

Enjoyed this episode?

• Subscribe to Temple Bound for more deep dives into LDS doctrine and discipleship.
• Share this video with someone who is struggling with anxiety or feeling "untethered." 
• Leave a Review on your favorite podcast platform to help us grow!

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Do you ever play the "what-if" game? It’s that spiral of worst-case scenarios that feeds our anxiety and drains our confidence. In this episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys welcomes back Kyle Black—a devoted father, Bishop, and physical therapy leader—to discuss the tactical, scripture-rooted power of "lifting where you stand."

Inspired by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s iconic address, Will and Kyle dive deep into why there are no "small" callings in the Kingdom of God. They explore how responsibility acts as an invitation to exercise agency, why the "mantle" of leadership is actually a gift of love, and how our service in local wards directly mirrors the life-giving work we do within the walls of the Temple. Whether you are leading a family, a business, or a Sunbeam class, this episode will help you trade fear for the "forces of confidence" found in the Savior.

Key Takeaways

• The Piano Principle: Why "lifting where you stand" is the only way to move the heavy "gravity-defying" obstacles in our lives.
• The Anatomy of a Calling: Why a responsibility is more than a chore—it’s a divine invitation to exercise faith and receive personal revelation.
• The Power of Being "Set Apart": Kyle explains the spiritual significance of priesthood keys and how they empower us to perform tasks beyond our natural talents.
• Leadership as Love: How the best leaders aren't the most "efficient," but the ones who love the most.
• The Temple Connection: How our work for the dead is the ultimate act of "lifting where we stand" for our ancestors and descendants.
• The Legacy of John Rowe Moyle: The incredible story of the man who carved "Holiness to the Lord" on the Salt Lake Temple after a brutal personal tragedy.

Links & Resources

• Talk Referenced: "Lift Where You Stand" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
• Book Mentioned: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

Connect with Kyle Black

• Instagram: @kyleblack12 | @dr.kyleblackpt
• LinkedIn: Kyle Black, PT, DPT

Connect with Temple Bound

• Instagram: @TempleBoundPodcast
• Host: Will Humphreys

Enjoyed the show? Please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs a boost of confidence today!

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