According to a 2023 U.S. News & World Report, Utah’s economy continuously ranks first across all 50 states. Experts have even deemed the state’s noteworthy economic growth, strong business climates, and high rates of economic mobility a miracle. But what are the major contributing factors for this “Utah economic miracle”? In this episode Dr. Jenet Erickson, associate professor in the Department of Church History and Doctrine, and Dr. Jason Carroll, family initiative director of the Wheatly Institute and a professor in the School of Family Life, discuss one of the strongest predictors of state economic success: strong families. In examining the “Utah family miracle,” they detail the foundation of strong, resilient relationships and highlight which factors make relationships more fragile. They emphasize how the blessings of religion help us develop the characteristics and virtues to strengthen relationships and marriages.

Click here to learn more about Jenet Erickson and here to learn more about Jason Carroll

Jenet Erickson Publications:

• “The Utah Family Miracle: Five Policy Ideas to Keep Utah Families Strong and Stable” (Sutherland Institute & Institute for Family Studies Policy Publication, 2023)
• “The Complementary Nature of Mothers and Fathers” (Y Religion, episode 48, year)
• “Motherhood: Restoring Clarity and Vision in a World of Confusing Messages” (in By Divine Design, Religious Studies Center, 2014)
• “Homeward Bound: The Work-Family Resent in Post-Covid America” (Institute for Family Studies, 2021)

Jason Carroll Publications

• “The Soulmate Trap: Why Embracing Agency-Based Love is the Surest Path to Creating a Flourishing Marriage” (Wheatley Institute, 2024)
• “A Not-So-Good Faith Estimate: Why Many Studies Underestimate the Full Benefits of Religion” (Wheatley Institute, 2022)
• “A True Temple Marriage” (BYU-Idaho Devotional, BYU-Idaho Speeches, 19 March 2024)
• The Marriage Compass (BYU Academic Publishing, 2018)

The word anxiety (or anxious) is used nine times in the Book of Mormon, and it appears in both positive and negative forms. In the positive form it refers to something more akin to “eagerness” (see Mosiah 29:38 and 3 Nephi 3:3), whereas the negative refers more to “uncertainty” or “troubling fear” (see 2 Nephi 1:16 and Mosiah 28:12). Of the seven negative references, four are penned by the prophet Jacob, including one in which he couples “great anxiety” with the counterbalancing attribute of “faith” (see Jacob 1:5). In this episode Dr. Jared Halverson, associate professor of ancient scripture, discusses the mental, emotional, and spiritual issues related to anxiety as explained in the life and teachings of Jacob. Professor Halverson closely examines Jacob’s writings on the anxiety born of adversity (trauma), anxiety due to responsibility (pastoral perfectionism), and anxiety over one’s standing before God (scrupulosity). In analyzing Jacob’s words, we can find counsel and compassion, whether we struggle with anxiety or are anxious to support those who do.

Click here to learn more about Jared Halverson

Publications:

• “‘Because of Faith and Great Anxiety’: Jacob and the Challenges of Mental Health” (in Jacob: Faith and Great Anxiety, Religious Studies Center, 2024)
• “Protecting Our Strengths: Alma’s Counsel to Shiblon” (in Book of Mormon Insights: Letting God Prevail in Your Life, Religious Studies Center, 2024)
• “The Way, the Truth, and the Way to Truth: Harmony in Pursuit of Orthodoxy” (in I Glory in My Jesus: Understanding Christ in the Book of Mormon, Religious Studies Center, 2024)
• “Swine’s Blood and Broken Serpents: The Rejection and Rehabilitation of Worship in the Old Testament” (in Ascending the Mountain of the Lord: Temple, Praise, and Worship in the Old Testament, Religious Studies Center, 2013)
• “Lehi’s Dream and Nephi’s Vision as Apocalyptic Literature” (in The Things Which My Father Saw: Approaches to Lehi’s Dream and Nephi’s Vision, Religious Studies Center, 2011)
• “Of Soils and Souls: The Parable of the Sower” (in Religious Educator, 9.3, 2008)

As we prepare for the Easter season and celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we often sing the hymn “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” But what if we temporarily shift our focus from rejoicing that the Redeemer lives to rejoicing in how he lived for us? In this episode Professor Tyler J. Griffin, associate dean of Religious Education, discusses his article “I Know That My Redeemer Lived” from The Power of Christ’s Deliverance. He emphasizes how everything the Savior did and said in his day-to-day life was focused on helping others and doing God’s will. In recounting Christ’s service and miracles, trials and tribulations, and Crucifixion and Resurrection, Professor Griffin illustrates how the Savior chose to live each day for us. Ultimately, knowing how Christ lived for us can empower us to emulate his example and become more like him. 

Click here to learn more about Tyler J. Griffin

Publications:

• “I Know That My Redeemer Lived” (in The Power of Christ’s Deliverance, Religious Studies Center, 2022)
• “Matthew’s Portrayal of Jesus: Son of David, a New Moses, and Son of God” (in The Person and Work of Jesus in the New Testament, Religious Studies Center, 2018)
• “The Great Plan of Happiness: A Christ-Centered Visual Approach” (Religious Educator, 18.1, 2017)
• “Nephi: An Ideal Teacher of Less-Than-Ideal Students” (Religious Educator, 13.2, 2012)
• “Jerusalem, the Holy City: A Virtual Tour of the City in the New Testament Period” (in New Testament History, Culture, and Society: A Background to the Texts of the New Testament, Religious Studies Center, 2019)
• “Visualizing the People, Places, and Plates of the Book of Mormon” (BYU Religious Education Review, Fall 2019)
• “The Jaredite Journey: A Symbolic Reflection of Our Own Journey along the Covenant Path” (in Illuminating the Jaredite Records, Religious Studies Center, 2020)

In John 11:35 we learn that “Jesus wept” with Mary and Martha as they mourned the loss of their brother Lazarus. Like the Savior, we too might experience “the sting of death” (Mosiah 16:7-8) as we bereave our loved ones. In this episode, Professor Hank R. Smith, associate teaching professor of ancient scripture, discusses his article “Mourning with Hope” from the anthology Learn of Me: History and Teachings of the New Testament. He examines how we can mourn with hope as we navigate the sorrows of death and exercise faith and hope in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Click here to learn more about Hank R. Smith

Publications:

• “Mourning with Hope” (in Learn of Me: History and Teachings of the New Testament, Religious Studies Center, 2022)
• followHIM Podcast
• “The Role of Trust in Religious Education” (Religious Educator, 14.2, 2013)
• “Cache Cave: Utah’s First Register” (in Far Away in the West: Reflections on the Mormon Pioneer Trail, Religious Studies Center, 2015)

Some 150 voices unite in the Book of Mormon to provide a clear witness of the Savior Jesus Christ. What insights might we gain from examining their distinctive voices? And what meaning can studying unique voices of the past lend to our lives today? In this episode BYU professor of Ancient Scripture John Hilton III answers such questions in discussing his recent book Voices in the Book of Mormon—Discovering Distinctive Witnesses of Jesus Christ. Dr. Hilton details some of the linguistic characteristics of major speakers, from Nephi and Mormon to Jacob and Jesus Christ. He also explains how voices speak in harmony, especially as later prophets use teachings from their predecessors. Finally, Dr. Hilton asks us to consider applying Elder Boyd K. Packer’s question, “therefore, what?” as we examine who is speaking, to whom, and for what purpose, and how such unique voices might teach principles relevant to our lives. 

Publications:

• Voices in the Book of Mormon—Discovering Distinctive Witnesses of Jesus Christ (Religious Studies Center, 2024)
• “Textual Similarities in the World of Abinadi and Alma’s Counsel to Corianton” (BYU Studies Quarterly, 51.2, 2012)
• “Samuel and His Nephite Sources” (BYU Studies Quarterly, 56.3, 2017)
• “Remembering Christ’s Blood Which Was Shed” (Religious Educator, 23.3, 2022)
• “The Isaiah Map: An Approach to Teaching Isaiah” (Religious Educator, 21.1, 2020)
• “Abinadi’s Legacy: Tracing His Influence through the Book of Mormon” (in Abinadi, Religious Studies Center, 2018)

Click here to learn more about John Hilton III

Elder M. Russell Ballard expressed, “It is important to be still and listen and follow the Spirit. We simply have too many distractions to capture our attention, unlike any time in the history of the world.” The Restoration began with a young boy who sought stillness in a sacred grove, and President David O. McKay taught that meditation is one of the “most secret, most sacred doors” through which we come to know God. How can more stillness and mindful presence deepen our experience of intimacy with God, ourselves, and one another? In this episode, Professor Ty Mansfield discusses his book The Power of Stillness: Mindful Living for Latter-day Saints, coauthored with Jacob Z. Hess, Carrie Skarda, and Kyle Anderson, and outlines ways we might balance anxious engagement with intentional stillness. Dr. Mansfield discusses methods for implementing mindfulness into our daily lives and how such practices can deepen our conversion to the gospel and prepare us to receive more of the healing and enabling power of Jesus Christ. 

Publications:

• The Power of Stillness: Mindful Living for Latter-day Saints (Deseret Book, 2019)
• In the Image of our Heavenly Parents: A Couple’s Guide to Creating a More Divine Marriage (D Street Press, 2022)
• Voices of Hope: Latter-day Saint Perspectives on Same-Gender Attraction—An Anthology of Gospel Teachings and Personal Essays (Deseret Book, 2011)
• In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-Gender Attraction (Deseret Book, 2004)
• “Homosexuality and the Gospel” (in A Reason for Faith, Religious Studies Center, 2016)

Click here to learn more about Ty Mansfield

Amid nationwide calls for increasing mental health services for students, researchers recommend increasing teacher training to support student mental well-being in the classroom. In his book Improving Learning and Mental Health in the College Classroom, coauthored with Steven V. Hunsaker and Bonnie Moon, Professor Rob Eaton offers practical tips for teachers to design courses and teach students in ways that reduce unnecessary stress while boosting learning for all students. These techniques allow teachers–without adding to their workloads or duplicating campus services—to better support the unique needs of each student and maintain the academic rigor of the course. Professor Eaton explains that such small, deliberate changes to our course design can enhance the learning environment, increase student retention, and strengthen participation for all students. In taking such actions, we move forward measures to destigmatize mental health challenges, provide students with an environment to thrive, and enhance our abilities to teach in the Savior’s way.

Publications:

• Improving Learning and Mental Health in the College Classroom (West Virginia University Press, 2023)
• “What Happens When Students Have More Chances to Master Concepts” (Inspiring Minds Newsletter, Harvard University, 2024)
• “Improving Learning and Mental Health in the College Classroom” (Teaching in Higher Ed Podcast, Episode 422, 2022)
• “Improving Learning and Mental Health” (Tea for Teaching Podcast, Episode 275, 2023)
• “A Look at Improving Learning and Mental Health in the College Classroom” (Social Learning Amplified Podcast, Episode 13, 2023)
• I Will Lead You Along: The Life of Henry B. Eyring (Deseret Book, 2013)
• Extremes: How to Keep Your Virtues from Becoming Vices (Deseret Book, 2008)
• “The Case for Student Participation” (Religious Educator, 9.2, 2008)

Click here to learn more about Rob Eaton

The prophet Ammon declared that “God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles” (Mosiah 8:18). A marvelous work and a wonder during the Restoration was the translation of the Book of Mormon. But how exactly did this translation take place? Why do critics and believers debate various theories? In this episode, Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat, associate professor of Church history and doctrine, discusses his book Let’s Talk about the Translation of the Book of Mormon, coauthored with Dr. Michael Hubbard MacKay. He explains why conflicting theories exist, demystifies the translation process by analyzing witness and scribe accounts, and details the Prophet Joseph’s own depiction of the miraculous translation of the Book of Mormon. 

Publications:

• Let’s Talk about the Translation of the Book of Mormon (Deseret Book, 2023) 
• From Darkness unto Light: Joseph Smith’s Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon (Religious Studies Center, 2015)
• “Firsthand Witness Accounts of the Translation Process” (in The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon, Religious Studies Center, 2015)
• “Joseph Smith’s Negotiations to Publish the Book of Mormon” (in The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon, Religious Studies Center, 2015)
• “Lost Teachings of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Other Church Leaders” (in The Council of Fifty, Religious Studies Center, 2017)

Click here to learn more about Professor Gerrit Dirkmaat

As the only named Lamanite called to prophesy unto the Nephites, Samuel serves as a memorable figure in the Book of Mormon. Not only did he risk his life to preach repentance unto the Nephites from the wall of Zarahemla, but he also detailed vital signs of the birth and death of Jesus Christ. In this episode, Dr. Frank Judd Jr. discusses his chapter “Samuel the Lamanite and Prophecies Fulfilled,” from the Book of Mormon Academy volume Samuel the Lamanite—That Ye Might Believe. Professor Judd discusses Samuel’s prophecies of the Savior and a possible connection with the Joseph Smith Translation. These signs were so crucial to our understanding of these events that the resurrected Lord commanded Nephi to include all of them in the record (see 3 Nephi 23:9—13). In studying these words, we “might have glad tidings” (Helaman 13:7) unto our souls much like Samuel intended.    

Publications:

• “Samuel the Lamanite and Prophecies Fulfilled” (in Samuel the Lamanite—That Ye Might Believe, Religious Studies Center, 2021)
• For Professor Judd’s other publications, please see his Religious Studies Center author profile here

Click here to learn more about Frank Judd Jr.

While most church history sites provide guided tours or historical markers for visitors, some contain little to no information. Yet where might we turn for more insight on these locations? How can we engage with these living sites and gain a witness of the Restoration? Dr. Mary Jane Woodger and her colleagues answer such questions in the book series Search, Ponder, and Pray: A Guide for Travel and Studies. In this episode, Dr. Woodger discusses the power that comes from being in church history sites. She shares how to use mini devotionals to think, talk, and learn about these locations like a church historian, and she details how such works can complement the resources and activities provided at each of these holy places.

Publications: 

• “The London Missionary Society in the Cook Island: Restricting Religious Freedom” (in Religious Liberty and Latter-day Saints: Historical and Global Perspectives, Religious Studies Center, 2023)
• “Time and Intensity: Growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Greece” (Religious Educator, 23.2, 2022)
• “Praying a Mission into Existence: Frantiska ‘Mamousek’ Vesela Brodilova” (Religious Educator, 18.2, 2017)
• “Abraham Lincoln and the Mormons” (in Civil War Saints, Religious Studies Center, 2012)
• “Building the One Hundredth Temple: A Test Case of Religious Freedom in New England” (in Regional Studies in Latter-day Saint Church History: The New England States, Religious Studies Center, 2004)
• Search, Ponder, and Pray: Missouri Church History Travel Guide (Cedar Fort, 2023)
• Search, Ponder, and Pray: New England Church History Travel Guide (Cedar Fort, 2023) 

Click here to learn more about Professor Mary Jane Woodger