LDS Living Podcasts

In this episode of Unnamed Women of the Doctrine and Covenants, we explore the remarkable story of Amanda Barnes Smith, a courageous woman of faith whose trials during the early days of the Church helped lay the groundwork for an unshakable testimony. Amanda’s life is a powerful testament to resilience and spiritual strength. Her life had both joys and sorrows, and her story inspires us to build our own solid foundation of testimony amid life’s challenges. Learn more about Amanda Barnes Smith on the Church History Topics Essays. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday

Church history is full of indomitable women. We are going to explore the story of the unlikely link between three such women today and how they refused to be defeated no matter what challenges they faced. Mercy Fielding Thompson, Mary Fielding Smith, and Jerusha Smith impacted early church history and their connected family left a legacy for generations of saints to come. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf PLUS+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday

On a wall in the Manti Utah Temple hangs part of the legacy of the woman in Church history we are talking about today. Diantha Morley Billings was living in Kirtland, Ohio, when Joseph Smith and the Saints arrived. She was also the first woman baptized in the Kirtland area. Diantha then started her exciting journey to Zion, which led her to Missouri, Nauvoo, and eventually across the plains to Utah. Her story is one of faith and one worth studying this year. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday

Joseph Smith’s history has been told and canonized in scripture. You may be familiar with the names of the women close to him, but what do you know about their stories and roles in the Restoration? Today, we are focusing on the women from his family: Lucy Mack Smith (his mother) and Sophronia, Katharine, and Lucy (his three sisters). Further reading: At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/church-historians-press/at-the-pulpit?lang=eng The Witness of Women: https://www.deseretbook.com/product/P5157256.html?utm_source=ldsliving&utm_medium=podcast&utm_id=pod250320-SOM-S4E2 Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com

There are only two women named in the Doctrine and Covenants, but Church history is filled with stories of strong women of the Restoration. And thanks to diaries, recorded speeches, and family histories, we know many of their names. This bonus series will serve as a companion to our weekly Come, Follow Me podcast this year. And today's episode features two young sisters, without whom we wouldn't have the pages recording the early revelations of this standard work. Teach kids about the Rollins Sisters with the animated scripture stories on churchofjesuschrist.org. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories in this episode: Sarah and her brother decide to turn their father in to the police hoping he will find the help he needs to make necessary changes in his life; Chrislyn is deep in grief after learning about decisions her mother made and watching her be sentenced to life in prison. The Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of forgiveness take on new meaning for both our storytellers, even if their lives haven’t yet reached a happy ending. 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories in this episode: Even though she's up against a language barrier, Bonnie takes matters into her own hands after noticing the refugee women she lives among on a military base don't have what they need; All of Ben's resources are expended when he's put in charge of providing meals for thousands of refugees, and he hits a breaking point. So he makes one phone call that teaches him just what—and who—it takes to be Christ’s hands while serving His children. 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories in this episode: Frances struggles in her role as a mom of three kids but is offered a helping hand right when she both needs it most and it's the most difficult to accept; Phyllis has always been eager to accept callings, but in her grief and loneliness after her husband passes away she feels like letting someone else step up to the plate—that is, until she’s reminded of how service can deeply affect the lives of those who give. 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories in this episode: While Rachel’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder helps her better understand herself, it doesn’t ease the lifelong fears she’s had of being unable to truly connect with other people. That is, until two sisters in her ward reach out and show Rachel just how much she truly belongs; Medlir grew up seeing Rembrandt Christian paintings during his childhood in communist Albania, and that artwork planted seeds of faith that eventually led him to the restored gospel. When he is later called as president of the first Albanian stake, he strives to understand how to define and create a Zion community. 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories in this episode: A bucket list adventure through the Uinta Mountains in Utah turns into a night through a dreaded fire swamp as unexpected challenges plague Heather and her friend; Aliah experiences a dream pregnancy until she is rushed to the hospital and doctors scramble to save her and her baby. Show Notes + Transcripts: http://ldsliving.com/thisisthegospel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Alexis, a teenager battling cancer, learns that a new boy named Ricky is in the same unit of the hospital as her, she expects him to be a sweet child like the other patients she’s befriended. To her surprise, however, Ricky is a tall, handsome teen. A friendship develops between the two amidst their chemo treatments and years of relapses and recoveries. Their bond eventually leads to marriage and a life of supporting and loving each other even with the myriad of unknowns they face with their health, each learning all the forms true Christlike love can take. 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claudia faces one of the darkest nights of her life—both literally and figuratively—when she is taken hostage and held for ransom. Her only comfort comes in the form of a radiant sign from God that He loves her and is aware of her situation. When she is finally let go, she embarks on a journey to seek for more light and develops a relationship with God that she never would have imagined was possible. 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories in this episode: Adam's mission is more overwhelming than he expected, leading him to doubt whether he’s in the right place when suddenly a companion's photo puts everything into focus; LeAnn finds a perfectly placed dad joke in her scriptures at just the right moment; Becky’s hopes to adopt are finally fulfilled, but she faces heartache in her relationship with her child until an unexpected dinner guest gives her just the answer she needs. 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories in this episode: Jolene fully expects a lecture from her father when he invites her to lunch, but is surprised when the conversation takes an unlikely turn; Steven's hopes for a bright future are thrown for a loop when his college football career comes to a sudden stop, causing him to spiral into his addictions until he finds God where he least expects it—an isolated jail cell. 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories in this episode: KaRyn sits down with co-producers Erika and Katie as they each tell a story of their own. Erika struggles to find the confidence and the right words to share her beliefs with a chatty stranger on a flight; Katie decides to train for a marathon to prove that her diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis won’t limit her life; KaRyn’s plans to show a family from Uganda all about Pioneer Day goes awry in every possible way, until a surprise encounter reminds KaRyn of who's really making the plans. Click here to take our survey!  Show Notes + Transcripts: http://ldsliving.com/thisisthegospel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helaman went to battle with 2,000 young men and they needed every single one of them. They needed to be ready and they were prepared physically and spiritually by incredibly faithful mothers. What did it take to raise a stripling warrior and what can we learn from them? Find great Book of Mormon art at the Book of Mormon Art Catalog. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf PLUS+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday

Close your eyes and picture the wilderness. What does it look like to you, and what is or isn’t there? If you had to live there, what would those living conditions be like? Today, we are going to study what the word wilderness means, looking at the Book of Mormon’s named and unnamed women who not only lived in the wilderness but thrived. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday

Art forms an impression on our minds. When we visualize scripture stories, it’s often in the style we’ve seen before through art. It’s easy to picture Nephi’s family on the boat, Moroni praying over the plates, Abinadi before King Noah, and more. But can you picture the women from the Book of Mormon? There’s art for them, too. Find all the art mentioned in today’s episode at bookofmormonartcatalog.org: Nephi Protected from his Brethren by the Daughter of Ishmael and her Mother by George M. Ottinger And They Were Strong by Tehya Vassar Sariah in the Wilderness by Rose Datoc Dall Holding Holy Things (Sister of Jared) by Caitlin Connolly The Vision of Abish by Anna Wright Morianton’s Maidservant by Mandy Jane Williams They Did Not Doubt by Joseph Brickey Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday

The scriptures are filled with stories of women once you start looking for them. In conjunction with our weekly Come, Follow Me podcast, this bonus series will explore accounts of women throughout the standard works, focusing on the Book of Mormon this year. Did you know that the only time the word “sisters” is mentioned in the Book of Mormon is when it refers to Nephi’s sisters? Today, we’ll talk about the sacrifices and faith of the women—named and unnamed—of the first family in the Book of Mormon and what we can learn from their examples. Listen to full weekly episodes of Sunday on Monday with Bookshelf+ | Start your free trial at deseretbook.com/sundayonmonday