Saints Unscripted

Ben recently joined us to talk about the nature of revelation in the church and has retuned to share some additional gems with us!! Today Ben joins us to talk about implicit context in scriptures. Ben, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ (otherwise known as the LDS Church) and a historian, shares his thoughts about the importance of understanding content in order to understand context. He discusses how understanding content grants us increased access to the implicit context of the scriptures, thus helping us deepen our interest and love for the scriptures.

Charles knew he had the very best conversion story so he reached out to share with our Saints Unscripted family!! Charles didn't grow up in the church and was actually cautioned from joining the church when he announced his decision to move to Utah. He wasn't planning on joining any religion but quickly began learning more about the gospel and finding friendship in the church. He felt humbled that God would care so much about the details of his life and he found himself seeking Jesus Christ more and more. Thank you so much for joining us, Charles!!

Ben talks about starting with assumptions. He says, “The positions we take follow from the assumptions we make.” Often when we tweak our assumptions first, we’re able to address difficult information with greater understanding. He talks about how we interpret “what scripture says” based on many assumptions, a few of which we would do well to remove or reevaluate. Ben illustrates examples from the Bible and discusses how we might improve our study of scripture and of revelation by focusing on the assumptions we have formulated.

How do I know if I have fully repented? How do I know if God has forgiven me of my sins? In this episode, David and Allex share their thoughts on repentance and about the process of forgiveness. While this topic is complex, we share a basic overview and hope it provides some clarity. But please research do some additional research on your own, as needed!!

Every April and October, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as the Mormon Church) holds a conference meant for the entire world! The conference is known as General Conference and is cherished by many members of the Church, as it is a time when the prophets and other authorities of the Church share sermons and give prayers. In this episode, we give a recap of our favorite sermons from the General Conference held in April of 2023.

Nicole grew up in Northern Ireland and was raised in the protestant faith. She was discouraged from engaging with people of the catholic faith, as their beliefs contrasted the beliefs she was taught. But she quickly learned that there was goodness everywhere. Around 12 years old, Nicole stopped attending church and prayed infrequently. At age 15, she began to pray more frequently as she was being exposed to many religions but she wasn’t ready to attend any one organized religion. Nicole had many heart wrenching events in her life that caused her to search for God. One of Nicole’s friends had been talking to the Mormons, something that was very surprising to Nicole. So she met the missionaries!!

In this episode, Stephen continues to share his story of leaving the Church of Jesus Christ, determining not to return the Church, and then coming back to the Church. In this episode, he talks about meeting his wife and going through quarantine with an additional faith crisis. His obstacles didn't end with his renewed faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Every 6 months (usually the first weekends in April and October), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as the Mormon Church) holds a conference for the entire world. It is broadcast all over the internet and accessible to anyone who can access YouTube and LDS.org. In this episode, a host attempts to guess a word written on each card as described by the other host. The words are all General Conference themed! While this episode was meant to be light-hearted, I think you'll all agree that Sabrina was the winner of this General Conference challenge! Let us know how you did on the quiz in the comments below!!

Antonio Movil was 17 years old when he started having a deep interest in learning about christianity. He decided to start studying theology. During his studies, he was required to study about different religions, including about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as the Mormon Church). He read about the basic doctrine but didn't have much personal experience with members of the Church... until he met a couple at the grocery store! He didn't think much of the encounter and eventually was ordained as a pastor. He was very active as a pastor but always felt like something was missing. The biggest issue for him was the peace that came from the power of the priesthood. He eventually decided to resign as a pastor. Antonio's faith is remarkable! Thanks for sharing your story with us, Antonio!!

Christopher joins us to share his story as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ (otherwise known as the Mormon Church) and to give some fascinating insight into his mission. Christopher talks about his formative years in the church and how he came across anti-Mormon material on YouTube very early in his life. He quickly learned some things that made him truly question his beliefs. But with a firm desire to serve a mission, he continued going to church and was called to serve in Farmington, New Mexico, much of which was on an Indian Reservation. He talks about his experience with the Navajo people -- their goodness, their light, and their belief in spirituality. Christopher's experience is one-of-a-kind and we're so grateful to have learned from him!!

Kempton talks about his formative years being distant from the LDS Church, despite much of his extended family having deep roots in the Church. While he was drawn to spiritual things, he wasn't consistently taught about gospel principles. It wasn't until recently that Kempton witnessed a miracle. After praying for a miracle, missionaries stopped by his house and left a note. Kempton knew he couldn't pass up the opportuntiy to learn more about the gospel. He has been on the route to fully integrating himself in the church including receiving his patriarchal blessing.

We are so grateful to hear Jett's story on Saints Unscripted today! Jett was raised in Utah but didn't join the LDS Church (otherwise known as the Mormon Church) until 2014. He had an interesting upbringing and had many difficulties that contributed to his general disinterest in the Church. One day, he went to his friend's sealing in a LDS temple but was unable to enter the temple with his expired temple recommend. This experience prompted him to question his decisions and why he had chosen to distance himself from the Church. Jett then talks about his navigation back to the Church.

We say this often but this conversion story TRULY is one of our favorite conversion stories! Shane grew up being taught very little about God, though he knew some basics from school. He eventually found a path in life that wasn't leading him to much happiness. He felt lost and confused when one day, he met some LDS missionaries at a bus stop. The missionaries began cracking jokes and casually talking to Shane. They got his phone number, address, and set up an appointment to meet with him. Shane immediately went home and told his roommates about his goals to string the Mormon missionaries along. But after joking with his roommates, he had a very strong feeling that he needed to take these missionaries seriously. Shane shared his story about how he was eventually baptized and how he met his wife. In just 7 years, he had completely changed his life around and was recently called as the bishop of his ward.

Our faith is often attacked by those outside of our faith. Members of other religions often have no issue calling "the Mormon Church" a cult. BUT Steve is not one of those people. While he isn't a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and has no interest in joining the church, his respect for our beliefs is incredible. He is well-studied and has read the Book of Mormon with an open heart. He gives Latter-day Saints the opportunity to defend their beliefs and to share, without criticism, their devotion to the Church. We LOVE Steve!! In this episode, we talk about Steve's YouTube channel 'Mormon Book Reviews,' how Steve conducts his interviews, and how Steve decided to start his exploration of the LDS Church.

Today we are elated to hear Alayna's mission story! And no, this isn't just another LDS missionary story... this story is unlike any mission story you've heard. Alayna always knew she would serve a mission AND she always knew she would be called to Spain. When she received her call, that is exactly where she was assigned! She was ready to embark on her new journey but, like many of us, didn't expect the world to be turned upside down when COVID-19 hit. She shares the big changes in mission life and how she finally went home after lots of tears and prayers. She felt like she had failed. She felt like the people in Spain would not forgive her for leaving early. But then a miraculous opportunity came her way...

Stephen, host of Mormonism with the Murph, joins us today to share his conversion story as someone who was raised in the Church. He lived a very normal "Mormon" life growing up but when he was 14 years old, he was going through some challenges. The missionaries prompted him to look more closely at his spiritual life, after which he truly began to gain a testimony of Jesus Christ. He served a mission in Canada and thrived as a missionary. When he returned home, he was still converted but began hearing things about the church that he hadn't heard before. He was eager to prove the critics wrong but slowly began to lose his testimony. He held to his belief in God but rejected Mormon beliefs in December 2018.

Our new friend, Jon Trout, shares his powerful story of going from being non-religious to joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He shares some profound memories of learning about the LDS Church through a friend and curious about the teachings and beliefs. Jon was only 15 years old when he felt a yearning for God and truth. He attended church with his friend and knew that the feeling he felt was something he'd been craving. His new thoughts and decisions were taking him on an incredible journey. Watch the video to find out the rest of Jon's story!!

We are so inspired by the words and example of Jensen, our new friend and inspiration! Jensen had been a member of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as the LDS Church) but slowly found herself distancing from the Church. She came to a point of feeling the necessity to remove her name from the church, meaning that she would no longer be a member of the Church and would need to be re-baptized if she decided to rejoin. After a series of difficult experiences, Jensen felt a pull back to church and decided to go one Sunday. Her experience was equal parts scary and spiritual! 

Martha Hughes Cannon was an ICON in her day and should be celebrated today! Sabrina shares some highlights from the life of female LDS leader Martha Cannon. Martha was a successful doctor, mother, politician, writer, and leader. She dedicated her life to learning and to faith. She was a powerhouse in LDS leadership.

Zach Black, a new friend of Saints Unscripted, shares his story of discovering the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as the Mormon Church) and what it’s like to be in the midst of learning LDS teachings. Zach had many questions about theology after going through a very dark period of his life. He was hesitant about the LDS Church but began reading the Book of Mormon and found answers to his questions. He shares much about his spiritual journey and his hope to becoming a Chaplain to help other people. While Zach isn’t a member of the Church, he has a great respect for the teachings of the Church. We’re so grateful for Zach for sharing his story and for his kindness and openness to new ideas!!