Saints Unscripted

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise known as the Mormon Church or LDS Church, youth between the ages of 14-18 (give or take) are encouraged to attend seminary. Generally speaking, seminary is a religious education course taught throughout the year about a specific book of scripture. The rotating topics are typically New Testament, Old Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants (the four of which are often referred to as the "Standard Works" in LDS doctrine).  Seminary is different in different parts of the world and can be attended in-person or virtually. Where there is a large concentration of members of the Church, it is very likely to find that a secondary school will set aside released time during school for seminary. In that situation, seminary isn't taught as a calling (in other words, an unpaid, volunteer position) but is taught as a full-time job by someone who has undergone the proper teacher training. Have you ever been to seminary? What did you think about it? Message us your experience on Facebook or Instagram! And don't forget to subscribe to us on YouTube so you don't miss an episode :) 

If you haven't been in a faith crisis, it's very likely that one day, you will. A faith crisis is where you come across facts or opinions that challenge your faith, bringing you to question your beliefs and doubt everything you once knew to be true.  Guess what? Going through a faith crisis is NORMAL. But it can be scary, frustrating, and confusing. How do you navigate the questions while also trying to hold fast to your testimony? Is it possible to have doubts yet still want to believe? YES.  In this episode, we brought Christopher Cunningham to help us determine how to approach doubts. Christopher is a Senior Religion Writer and his publications can be found all over the internet (links to specific places below). We ask, "What can we do when we come across negative (often called 'anti-Mormon') content about the Church?" Christopher has become very familiar with the concerns against the Church and through his study, he's been able to see the Church in the most positive possible light. He's also been able to help others understand the difficult aspects of the Church without having to leave the Church and even increasing their testimonies.  Have you ever gone through a faith crisis? What was your experience? Message us on Facebook or Instagram with your experience! And don't forget to subscribe to us on YouTube! 

Has it ever been hard for you to prioritize the gospel on a daily basis? Some days are more difficult than others but how do we get past that? In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise known as the Mormon Church, members are encouraged to progress everyday by being consistent in their studies of the scriptures and in practicing their religion. But sometimes living "in the world" (where not everything is centered around Jesus Christ and his gospel) can feel almost impossible. So how do we prioritize the gospel every single day? In this episode, Justin, Kwaku, and Sabrina talk about how they prioritize the gospel in their lives.  Let us know your tips by sending us a message on Facebook or Instagram! And don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel! 

In this episode, we discuss the history of EVERYTHING. Okay, maybe not everything but the history of the world. We talk about our ancestors (yes, yours too), our Savior, Adam and Eve, and everything in between. This history is according to our beliefs as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise known as the Mormon church or LDS church.  David leads the discussion and gives a brief account of how man came to be. The three hosts talk about eras when people were faithful to God and eras when they fell away into apostasy (or deviance from the word of God).  What did we miss? What did you learn? Message us on Facebook or Instagram with your thoughts!! Also, don't forget to follow us on YouTube! 

There are A TON of dating tips out there... especially for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as Mormons). The emphasis on marriage within the restored Church may be a contributing factor to the tons and tons of dating tips out there, but whatever the reason for the dating advice, we decided to respond to some random suggestions we found online.  Sabrina, Kwaku, and Justin talk about gender stereotypes, about difficulties specifically in LDS Culture (otherwise known as Mormon culture), and about general dating tips for people of all religions and backgrounds.  What dating tips do YOU have?? Message us on Instagram or Facebook with your thoughts! Thanks for listening :) 

In this episode, Jordan joins us to talk about growing up in the Bible Belt as a member of the Church or Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as the Mormon Church or LDS Church).  Jordan and Kwaku both grew up in the south and grew up surrounded by people who had a knowledge of the misconceptions about the restored church. Jordan expresses how difficult it is to teach by the spirit when those around you are solely interested in proving you wrong and arguing with you. She talks about what it was like to be surrounded by those who have heard all kinds of stories about the restored church (casually called the Mormon church) and how to overcome the difficulties therein.  *In this episode, Jordan speaks of the people in her life who did not respect her beliefs. However, she did have some FABULOUS friends who supported her despite her religious affiliation. She is forever grateful for their love and support.  Have you ever been confronted with falsities about your religion? What do you think is the best way to react? Let us know via Instagram DM or comment on one of our videos on YouTube! Thanks for listening :) 

A LOT of people in our audience have asked, "Is it okay NOT to serve a mission?" Short answer: YES. It's okay.  David says that in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as the Mormon Church), young men are encouraged to serve a full-time mission. However, just because it's an encouragement does not mean it's a requirement to be a faithful member of the Church.  Kwaku talks about his experience in determining whether or not to serve a mission. Kwaku has decided not to serve a full-time mission, as it is formally known, and has instead determined that his mission was to preach the gospel online through different social media platforms.  David and Kwaku both express that their choice to serve a mission changed their lives for the better and that they don't regret the choices they made.  Did you serve a mission? And would you only date someone who served a mission? Let us know via Instagram DM's or follow us on YouTube and let us know in the comments to the video! Thanks for listening :) 

In this episode, Stephen Jones joins us to talk about PERFECTIONISM. And he explains it PERFECTLY 🙃  The truth is, you aren't perfect. No one is perfect (besides Jesus Christ, of course). But why do we think that so many other people are perfect? Why do we believe that we have to fit an idea of perfection that simply isn't real and simply isn't endorsed by God?  As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as Mormons), we are often confronted with this idea of perfectionism because we are commanded to be perfect. We are taught how to live a better, more fulfilling and ALWAYS fall short.  Stephen talks about what to do when you fall short and how to beat such feelings of inadequacy.  What do you think about perfection and how do you navigate feelings of inadequacy? Let us know by sending us a message on Facebook message or Instagram DM :) 

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as Mormons) frequently give 'blessings.' But what is a blessing and does it actually work?  In this episode, Kwaku, David, and Justin discuss what blessings are in the restored Church (also known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church) and how blessings work. They talk about the 'laying on of hands,' meaning that when a blessing is given, the person (or persons) giving the blessing will put their hands on the head of the receiver. This is an ancient practice that can be found throughout religious history of christianity and is still practice today.  So, can blessings cure sickness? Listen to the episode for our thoughts :)  Have you ever received a blessing? What was your experience? Shoot us a DM on Instagram with your experience! And don't forget to follow us on YouTube! 

For this episode, we had the INSANELY INCREDIBLE opportunity to interview Charlie! As you can see from the video, she is intelligent, sweet, beautiful and everything in between.  Everyone loves a good conversion story but this one was especially cool. Charlie talks about when she first encountered the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon Church) and her initial thoughts. She talks about her baptism and the difficulties among friends and family that followed.  For those of you looking for advice on how navigate unsupportive friends and family, listen to Charlie’s story! It just might be the answer to your prayers.  What did you like most about Charlie’s story? Send us a DM on Instagram or Facebook with your thoughts! Happy listening :)