Bless The Refreshments: Recent Episodes
Bless The Refreshments
Three members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sit down every week and have a fun, interesting and authentic conversation about the gospel.
Today we sit down for our third session with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife to talk about divorce. We discuss the factors leading to the decision to, or not to get a divorce and how we can best help those we care about to navigate that difficult event.
This is our last episode for the summer while we take some time with family, vacations, etc. We look forward to being back with you in the fall for more great gospel discussions.
This week we get some new reviews, thanks to all of you who are listening and interacting with us, we really appreciate it! We also take a few minutes on the whistleblower 60 minutes interview and share our thoughts. Finally, we devote the balance of the show to the last, but not least of the Three Witnesses, David Whitmer. His life, the part he played in the restoration of the gospel and his legacy in the church today. Hope you enjoy!
This week Xander Clark joins us to discuss his experience with addiction and describes his journey to recovery as well as healing his relationship with God. He talks a lot about both Alcoholics Anonymous and the Addiction Recovery Program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as instrumental in helping him attain his sobriety that he has sustained for the last ten years. He also tells some amazing stories about the people within those programs that helped him to heal. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction of any kind, please visit www.addictionrecovery.churchofjesuschrist.org to find meeting times for support groups that can help.
This week we each talk about what our favorite secular books are that also contain a gospel theme. Come join us and see if we pick some of your favorites too!
This week we break our own rules and talk about a recent Come Follow Me topic - the Parables of Jesus. We go over some of the parables that speak to us and discuss why Jesus taught in parables. We also get a really fun call from a listener...
This week we do our much anticipated General Conference fantasy draft! Join us as we select the general conference talks that spoke to us. They may not be the talks that you think... Spoiler alert, Jeffrey R. Holland is not chosen ;)
This week we discuss the beauty of the earth. How does care and stewardship over the earth relate to the gospel plan? What is the divine destiny of the earth and how can we show more reverence and appreciation for this wonderful gift? We talk about all the reasons why our earthly home is awesome!
In today's episode we discuss the life and legacy of one of the elect ladies of the church, Emma Smith. We talk about many of the events in her life surrounding the restoration of the gospel and the sacrifices she made in order that the work could roll forth, including the translation of the Book of Mormon and the first hymnal. Hope you enjoy!
This week we talk about our thoughts on this past General Conference. We discuss the major themes of the talks as well as the messages that resonated more with each of us. We also talk about our takeaways and what we want to work on for the next six months. Hope you enjoy!
After much anticipation, we get to our episode on Sacrifice. What has the Lord's people been required to give historically for the gospel sake? What are we required to give today? We discuss some personal examples of sacrifice and the blessings we have received. Hope you'll come join us!
Our best laid plans were derailed this week and we departed from our planned topic (sacrifice) to talk about the fall. Jon and Tyson have an interesting disagreement about Eve in the garden. A very good discussion about all aspects of the fall ensues and we have a very fun episode. Hope you enjoy!
This week we discuss The Chosen: Season 3. Spoilers abound, come join us for a fun chat.
This week we talk about Apostasy. We start out with the 'Great Apostasy' and continue into more general apostasy as we see it in the church today. We discuss patterns of apostasy in church history as well as some examples of people who have succumbed to apostasy in our own lives.
This week we guest host the This Week in Mormons podcast. We talk about the past week of news that includes controversy involving Heather Gay of the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City being sued by the church. We also talk about the recent earthquake in Turkey, saving the Great Salt Lake and the Super Bowl. It's a fun one, come and enjoy!
This week we welcome back to the show Bonnie Young! Bonnie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and author of the book Sex Educated: Letters from a Latter-day Saint Therapist to Her Younger Self. In the book, Bonnie gives insights and advice to her younger self about things she wishes she understood about sexuality at various times throughout her life. We have a great conversation about many of the issues she discusses in her book as well as some 'bonus material' you'll only get here.
This week we discuss the 2023 changes to the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet. We compare it to previous versions and talk about the ways it improves on the efforts of the church to safeguard youth development in the gospel. We also discuss some of our favorite sections.
This week Burgess and Tyson discuss lost scriptures. Books that are referenced in standard works that we don't currently have access to. We delve into what that means to our gospel understanding and how knowing about these books impacts our faith. We also get into a side tangent about movies, surprise? Ironically Tyson is uploading this episode from Paris...
This week we discuss the second of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon - Oliver Cowdery. Where did he come from, how did he come to be involved with the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how do we remember him in the church. It turns out to be a pretty complex issue, hope you enjoy!
This week we prepare to start studying the New Testament in Come Follow Me by drafting our favorite New Testament stories. Join us as we review our most beloved events from the life of Jesus Christ and His apostles.
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! This week we take a look back on 2022, talk about our favorite moments on the podcast and discuss some of the things we're all looking forward to in the new year.
Merry Christmas everyone! This week we talk about people who had visions of the birth of Christ and what they each teach us about the Savior. We hope everyone feels closer to the Savior this Christmas season, enjoy!
We're all very excited for Christmas, so we decided to discuss the wise men mentioned in the New Testament. Who were they and what do we know about them? What makes someone wise and how can we attain more wisdom in our gospel journey? Merry Christmas!
The long overdue October 2022 General Conference Fantasy Draft is here! We spin, we pick, we conquer. Relive the best of general conference with us and let us know what you think of our picks!
This week, as always, the BTR crew is excited about Thanksgiving! We talk about how we can know if we are spiritually feasting or spiritually starving. It's easy to tell if we're physically feasting or starving, the spiritual is sometimes harder to determine. We talk about why food is often used to help us understand our relationship to the Savior. We also dive into some of our favorite Thanksgiving dishes and how those correlate to specific things we enjoy about the gospel.
This week Jon and Tyson talk about translated beings. We discuss the few who we know have been translated as well as those we suppose might have. We talk about the process of translation and why it occurs. We also discuss what translation might mean for us as we get closer to the second coming. Enjoy!
This week we open the show talking about the trailer for the upcoming season 3 of The Chosen. After that, we get into some spooky discussions about the afterlife. Jon is really into ghosts apparently. We talk about what we know about what happens after we die and dive into some of the questions we have about our next estate. Hope you enjoy!
Today Tyson & Burgess are talking about the last days. Prophecies that we know have come to pass, what we know has yet to be fulfilled and many of the signs that tell us that the second coming of the Savior is near. Why are the last days important and what does the Lord want us to understand so that we can be prepared? It's a great discussion, hope you enjoy the episode.
This week we are inspired by Burgess' family experience this summer of planning to move and then having those plans go on hold. Even though spiritual promptings come, the outcome is not always clear and we need to search for the reasons and meaning behind things that don't turn out the way we would like in the time frame we have in mind. The simple truth is sometimes we need to wait on the Lord in order to receive understanding and see the fulfillment of spiritual promptings in our lives. Each of us share things that we have needed to wait for and how we have drawn closer to God through those experiences.
This week we talk about our thoughts on this past General Conference. We discuss the major themes and how they will impact each of us the next six months. Christ is the answer! Jonny is disappointed that there wasn't more Twitter buzz. Talk about temple announcements and where we think some of the large metro temples might be announced in the future. Enjoy!
Today we decide to discuss the topic of idolatry and how it applies to us today. How has idolatry evolved over time and how does it manifest in our society. Is fantasy football an idol? How do symbols affect our worship? Do we desire things that are of the world or of eternity? We discuss how humankind is susceptible to falling into the trap of idolatry as much today as in any time in history.
In this weeks episode we set the record straight on one of the most misunderstood figures in the Bible - John the Baptist! We talk about the prophecy about his birth, his mission and ministry. We also debunk a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions about who he was as a person and lay out many of the reasons he was such a great prophet.
In this episode, we answer questions from our listeners that Burgess and Tyson don't know beforehand. Have a listen and see if your question made it on the air. It was a good time, hope you enjoy!
It's been a minute, but we're back! Talking about what we did over the summer, is this finally the picture of Joseph Smith we've been waiting for? Who is the oldest prophet ever? Plus a controversial AP article. Hope you enjoy!
Quick update, this will be our last episode for a little bit, while we all take care of some personal busyness, but we wanted to get one more episode in before Father's day. Today, Burgess and Tyson talk about fathers from the scriptures and the lessons we can learn from them and how they can help us look at our own journey as parents and children. Until next time, hope you enjoy!
In this week's episode, Jon & Tyson discuss a YouTube post by Dallas Jenkins regarding the "LDS Issue", specifically if members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship the same Jesus Christ. We discuss generally what it means to be a Christian and how that term can be understood by believers of various denominations of Christianity. We also talk about how beliefs about Jesus Christ may differ, even between members of the same church.
This week we talk about the Book of Abraham. We discuss what is known by first hand accounts about how Joseph Smith encountered the documents, but that they were later destroyed in the great Chicago fire. We talk through the points in the gospel topics essay on the subject and how we each feel about the text itself and how we approach our testimony of the book of Abraham. Tangents abound!
This week we invite a special guest, Tyler Tolley from the podcast 2 Guys On A Tangent. We talk about aspects or people in the church being represented in the media. The meat of the discussion is how accurately are members portrayed by Hollywood and what does that mean for us in the church. How does that portrayal affect other discussions we have with people not of our faith. How do we feel when we're represented in a negative or untruthful light?
This week we decide to talk about how Star Wars can be related to the gospel. Jon hates Star Wars and was supposed to be gone for this episode, but decided he wanted in on the action. We talk about some of the good and bad of why members are drawn to Star Wars as well as some other fiction. How can we have passionate hobbies and balance them with our dedication to the gospel? Does a certain prophet bear a striking resemblance to master Yoda? We recorded this episode on May the 4th, so come have a few laughs with us and enjoy!
This week we sit down and discuss why we need a church. We are obviously able to be close to God away from church, so what do we gain from belonging to and attending church regularly. Why are so many people shying away from church affiliation and can that be a reason for some of the ills we see in society? How can we get more out of our regular church attendance? Is church attendance just about us? Enjoy the show!
This week we welcome Mace Sorensen and Sam Peterson who are the actors behind Laman & Lemuel in the Book of Mormon Library Project. They talk about their amazing experiences getting into the roles and what it was like to work on the project. We also talk a little bit about how the church approaches videos production. Did they try out for the roles they eventually got? Are Mace & Sam like Laman & Lemuel in real life? Tune in and find out!
In this episode we are happy to have Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife back on the show to talk about sex. How to talk about sex in a positive way with our partners, children and youth. We dive into some of the traps we fall into when tackling this subject and how we can turn that into a more positive, uplifting experience and better that aspect of our lives.
Celebrating one of our favorite traditions on the show, we have our fantasy draft of general conference talks for April 2022. This one was a lot of fun as we stepped a lot on each others picks and had to dig deep to rebound. Burgess had no undrafted free agents! We have a lot of fun and exchange some good-hearted banter.
This week we talk about our thoughts on this past General Conference. We discuss the major announcements as well as the emphasis placed on missionary work. We talk about some items that had mixed responses among members and how we feel about those issues. We also mention some less frequently discussed items we noticed in talks this time around. Hope you enjoy!
This week we finish our two part series on the power of the priesthood. And we start our second season! We start at the dispensation of Christ and follow through the restoration of the gospel in the last days. John the Baptist was ordained to the priesthood and prepared the way for Jesus Christ. Christ ordained his apostles to the high priesthood. The great apostasy was a different times in the old and new worlds prior to the restoration of the priesthood by John the Baptist and Peter, James & John to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. We talk about the different offices in the priesthood and how we administer the blessings of the gospel through the priesthood today. Nest week - General Conference recap!
This week we start our two part series on the Power of the Priesthood. We discuss the beginnings of the priesthood in the pre-existence and through the time of Christ. We talk about the distinction between the priesthood and officiating in the priesthood. We discuss dispensations and how we may not know all the dispensations in the history of the church. The priesthood has been utilized in the church whenever it has been established on the earth to bless the human race and bring souls to salvation.
This week we discuss the law of the fast. We talk about fasting and the giving of a generous fast offerings. We go into what fast offerings are used for and how to make our purpose in fasting more meaningful. Fasting is a very personal way of receiving more spiritual strength and a greater conversion to the gospel. The Savior received strength to rebuke the temptations of the adversary as He fasted in the wilderness. As we fast each month, we are given a great opportunity to receive blessings we need and bless the lives of others in solidarity before the Lord.
This week we do a fantasy draft of our favorite general authority talks. We have a dramatic shakeup in the draft order, this may never happen again... ever! We have some old ones, we have some new ones. Even though we have countless options, one of us steals one the other wanted. We have a real good time, hope you enjoy!
This week we continue our discussion of Laman and Lemuel. Ishmael's family joins the caravan. We talk about some cultural context of this nomadic lifestyle. We also discuss the family unit and it's role in keeping the peace. The parents have a big role in making the expedition work. Laman and Lemuel are persuaded by status and power and Nephi is seen as a threat to that aspiration. The birthright rarely goes to the eldest son in the scriptures even though that would be the cultural norm. The Lord is no respecter of persons and entitlement is a dangerous thing spiritually. Laman and Lemuel will not cry to the Lord and so they can't understand what Lehi and Nephi expound to them. They also take the words of the Lord to be hard and are not willing to do the work required to be converted and gain spiritual knowledge.
Today we discuss the quintessential antagonists in the Book of Mormon - Laman & Lemuel. We discuss the context of their experience fleeing their homeland into the wilderness and how that impacted their spiritual state. We talk about the birthright culture they were brought up in and how that motivated many of their actions. We look at how the gap between Laman & Lemuel and Nephi & Sam widens quickly when their road became difficult. Doesn't take long before Laman & Lemuel want to kill their father and brother. We also discuss some reasons why Laman & Lemuel didn't just give up and go back to Jerusalem. We get so interested in this story, we run out of time, so tune in next week for part 2!
This week we invite our old friend, Spencer Winegar on the show. Spencer has recently sent his oldest son, Cooper on a mission. We talk about what it's like to prepare our children to serve missions. We talk about things from the youth perspective, but also as a parent our youth leader guiding the way. What are the most important things to focus on when preparing to serve a mission? How can we best influence our children to make the best choices? We all give perspectives on these questions, enjoy!
This week we invite guests Angilyn and Nate Bagley from the Mormon Marriages podcast. We talk about some of the struggles we fall into in marriage and why it's important to face those challenges and be proactive in creating relationships that are awesome. The Bagleys share personal experiences from their own marriage as well as examples from the many people they've helped over the years. One item in particular we discuss is what the Bagleys term 'Roommate Syndrome', where you fall too much into a comfortable routine and forget what really being in love feels like. This is a natural part of being in a relationship, but it's important to get out of our comfort zone and find lasting ways to make your relationship new and exciting. Enjoy the show!
In this episode, we invite Bonnie Young on the show. Bonnie is a marriage and family therapist, mother of two, and author of several academic articles on religion and mental health. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history with an emphasis in LDS women’s history and a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, both from BYU. Currently based in Seattle, Bonnie specializes in treating clients with anxiety, religious OCD / scrupulosity, and sexual disorders. Bonnie currently serves as a CTR-10 teacher. We talk specifically about Scrupulosity, what it is, how it affects individuals and what we can do to help those individuals on a path to wellness and a more positive relationship with the Savior.
This week we dive into Alma 5. Alma the younger is preaching to the people in the land of Zarahemla and the lands round about. He talks extensively about the establishment of the church by his father and how their predecessors were able to be delivered out of captivity by the hand of the Lord. He discusses how to recognize and heed the voice of the spirit unto salvation and gain a remission of sin. He talks about his own conversion and that we all can receive the image of Christ in our countenance and receive a mighty change in heart.
Today we decided to talk about the culture around emergency preparedness in the church. Although the conversation usually revolves around 72 hour kits, generators and food storage, we start by talking about being spiritually prepared and how that should be the most important form of preparedness. We also talk about having a plan about for some contingencies. Food, clothing, diversified assets and marketable skills are all things we need to have in store in case of a life emergency. Prayerfully consider things you should be preparing for and let the spirit guide you to those things that are most important for you and your family.
With the study of the Old Testament overtaking the gospel landscape, we decide to do a fantasy draft of our favorite OT stories. Burgess get's the first pick and if you listen to the show, you know the order of the rest. It's a lot of fun and we have a great little side tangent about the literalness of the scriptures. Is Job real, is there really a talking donkey? Listen and find out!
In this weeks episode we return to peace and tranquility, to the sacred grove where God the father and His son Jesus Christ appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith. We review all the accounts of this incident, both by the prophet himself and some of those who heard him tell that story first-hand. We talk about some of the perceived inconsistencies in these various accounts and how this is natural in the retelling of any story. We talk about some of the interesting things mentioned in some of the accounts and how words sometimes don't mean what we assume they mean. There's an Easter egg at the end having to do with the retelling of the appearance of the angel Moroni to Joseph Smith...
This week Jon and Tyson spar over something ambiguous, but eventually tie it into the topic of one eternal round. Burgess keeps score. We can't frustrate the purposes of God no matter how much we screw up, but we are invited to be part of the amazing gospel journey that never ends.
2021 was an amazing year for us. After 8 months of doing the podcast we reflect on the things we accomplished and what we're looking forward to in 2022. We agree the show has not turned out to be what we expected, but it's a lot more fun and fulfilling than we ever thought. The podcast came at a time that Burgess was having a midlife crisis (job change), Jonny was having a baby and Tyson was starting to work on Temples, but we all made it work and we are glad that it did. The spirit knows the timing of everything and we were given the strength we needed at the time this needed to happen for us. We hope you have enjoyed it as well.
In this episode we bring the wives back! Amy, Jeanine & Springer come on to talk about their perspectives about Mary, the mother of Christ. We discuss the circumstances around her conception and betrothal to Joseph. We talk about things we think she must have gone through during her years raising Jesus and the role she played in His ministry. We agree that compared to most Christendom, we don't talk about Mary quite enough, but that she is a great example of faith and determination to do the will of the Lord.
This week we move forgiveness from a possible topic to an actual topic. We are commanded to forgive as part of our discipleship even when that is uncomfortable or painful. One reason we need to forgive is because we are not qualified to selectively forgive others. Christ is the ultimate and just judge. We come closer to, and more like God as we forgive others. Little children are very quick to forgive by nature, something we should try to emulate. The Lord makes clear that we will be blessed more by forgiving than by seeking restitution. Jonny has never punched anyone in the face and has fared better than Tyson or Burgess.
This week we discuss the fine line between being devout and being extreme, kind of. We begin by talking about agency, then we talk about the Mandalorian, then we get around to the idea of being extreme. One way of being extreme is by imposing your theological view on others. Tyson thinks the gospel is really extreme at its core when compared to the philosophy of the world, which is extreme in a good way. We need to be on guard an not adopt the philosophies of the world, regardless if that is comfortable or not. We also talk about how to approach criticism of the church and it's members. It would be good if we could have less friendly fire and more unity in the church.
Today we invite special guests Kari Lewis & Kimi Matsumura on the show to talk about how we can help and support individuals and families with special needs. Kari and Kimi both have children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and talk about their journey raising their children with unique needs. We discuss some of the support structures that were in place that helped their children and also talk about some things that were not as helpful to them. We broaden the conversation to include people with all types of needs that fall out of our day to day conversation and try to make a more concerted effort to be empathetic and caring to everyone in our scope of influence.
With Thanksgiving upon us, we decide to dedicate this episode to the things that we're thankful for. Jon shows love and appreciation to our listeners and mentions some recent interactions. Burgess is all for being thankful unless you're trying to bear your testimony. Tyson thinks open-mic Sunday means the church must be true. There are apparently physical health benefits to being grateful. Being thankful brings people together and removes contention from their midst. We are all grateful for each other and the podcast!
This week we talk about the Sabbath Day. How do we treat the sabbath compared to earlier times. Burgess has a strong testimony of the sabbath and tells us how that came about. We discuss how hard it can be to define how we keep the sabbath day holy. Tyson thinks the sabbath day is a defining characteristic of true discipleship. Jon describes the sabbath as a struggle against the natural man and will become a delight over time.
This week we talk about agency. When did agency begin? Do we honor agency now and if not how can we do that better? Is Satan the author of temptation? Would Satan's plan have even worked? What role does agency play in our salvation? How does the exercise of our own agency affect others? Lots of questions, come with us and find out how deep the rabbit hole goes...
Now that Burgess is back we do our much anticipated General Conference Fantasy Draft for October 2021. This is a huge milestone as we repeat a fun tradition. Tyson drafts in the worst spot per usual. We pick, we talk, we conquer. Enjoy!
Today Burgess is under the weather, so we invited our friend Tokie to join us on the show. Recent conference addresses have mentioned that a majority of adults in the church are single. Tokie tells us her experience about her marriage ending and taking on life in the church as a single parent. We talk about some of the struggles she had with lack of support in critical times. We also talk about how we tend to treat people that are in a different phase of life. Most importantly, Tokie describes her experiences feeling the impressions and promptings of the spirit that allowed her to navigate some unfortunate circumstances throughout her journey.
In this week's episode we celebrate 6 months of the podcast and chat about the things we've accomplished (3000 downloads!) and enjoyed about the show in that time. We also talk about the word of wisdom and how it has evolved in practice over time, and how it may change in the future. John thinks beer is a mild barley drink, Burgess thinks we should all be vegetarians and Tyson apparently doesn't like energy drinks.
Today we welcome Richard Ostler, host of the Listen, Learn & Love Podcast. Richard is often called 'Papa Ostler' in social media circles. As a former Bishop, Richard was introduced to many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who were also part of the LGBTQ+ community. As he describes it, the spirit admonished him to 'wipe his hard drive' and open a dialogue with these members in order to love and understand them better. In this episode we discuss the many issues facing LGBTQ+ members of the church as well as how all members can show compassion more compassion and understanding toward them.
This week we discuss our initial thoughts on general conference. We also talk about the book of Mormon prophet Abinadi. Who was he and what does his ministry mean to us today? Having a prophet among the people is a privilege. The leaders were not the only wicked ones, the people were largely on board. We talk about what it must have been like to preach about Christ prior to His birth. We list out some of our favorite teachings of Abinadi. He was killed by the priests of king Noah, but probably not burned at the stake as it is usually portrayed. Abinadi is a type of Christ.
With a new church hymn book in the works, we discuss the hymns we would like to see included and ones we want to see on the cutting room floor. We talk about some of our favorite hymns and why they are meaningful to us. Jon really doesn't like happy hymns. Burgess wants a hymny mchymnal, and Tyson wants to include Hey Jude.
In this episode we discuss the gospel topics essay 'Book of Mormon and DNA Studies'. We discuss what we know about dna science and how it might apply to evidences for or against the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. We also discuss generally physical evidence as it relates to faith and belief. We agree the most useful evidence of the Book of Mormon is the confirmation of the spirit. We also add a few fun theories at the end.
In this weeks episode, we talk about how bad the Book of Mormon movies are. How do these movies stack up to others we've seen? Can they get better? Can they get worse? We do a deep dive into the good the bad and the good bad of church media and the videos that have stuck with us throughout our church years.
In today's episode we welcome Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife to the show to talk about how to suck less as a spouse. Dr. Finlayson-Fife specializes in teaching LDS couples and individuals how to strengthen their relationships, overcome relational and sexual roadblocks, and increase their capacity for intimacy, love, and sexual expression. She shares with us her thoughts on how both women and men approach relationships and marriage and how sometimes our instinctual tendencies can create roadblocks to both intimacy and honesty. Specifically, individuals tend to desire more to be perceived a certain way instead of wanting their true self to be known and loved by others. Through both theoretical concepts and practical examples, we discuss how we can suck less at being a spouse.
In this episode we save Tyson from exploding by doing a deep dive into the lost manuscript and whether or not it was actually 116 pages. We talk about the circumstances surrounding the manuscript's creation and disappearance. We try to piece together what we know about it and what we really don't know and what is just plain myth. We talk about what some of the people with knowledge of the manuscript have said and what we can deduce from those scraps of data. We also have a little fun theorizing about some of the things we like to think might have been contained in those pages.
Burgess was sick this week, so Jonny and Tyson talk about the much maligned figure in church history, Martin Harris. We discuss his life and some little known facts about him, such as his role in the war of 1812. We talk about his role in bringing forth the Book of Mormon and losing the initial manuscript. We talk about his service in the church and how he eventually came to Utah to be united with the saints. He was a defender of the divinity of the Book of Mormon until his death.
This episode is inspired by our friend Daegan. He wrote to us about how God's grace has been something on his mind and how it applies to our gospel journey. We talk about how different denominations understand grace and specifically how it is talked about in LDS culture. We conclude that God's grace is more encompassing and more free than we sometimes think, even though we concede that there is effort required on our part to partake of all the blessings God's grace affords us. We each struggle with our standing before God.
Today our guest is Jacey Bibeau, cohost of The Mother Trucking Truth podcast. In this episode she talks with us about her faith journey that included some time away from the church. We discuss how we can better minister to those around us who feel disaffected or marginalized. It's important that we not assume what is in someone's heart, but being open to hearing their story and empathizing with their questions and concerns. We also discuss Saturday evening session of conference coming back. You can see more about Jacey on Instagram @thismessyexperience.
In this episode, Jon, Burgess & Tyson draft their favorite Book of Mormon prophets and explain why they are meaningful. Tyson drafts in the worst slot per usual, this has been dubbed rule #1. We also make honorable mention of undrafted picks. Jon thinks Zeezrom is a prophet...
In this episode we discuss President Russell M. Nelson's invitation for the church membership to study the blessings promised to covenant Israel. We lay out the background information on the various tribes of Israel and discuss what that means to us today. We also discuss our role in the gathering and what we can do moving forward to obtain the promised blessings.
Warning, spoilers abound! In this episode we talk about The Chosen season 2. We do a deep dive into our favorite moments of the season, everything we liked and a few things we think could have been done better. We also speculate about what might be coming in the next season.
In this episode we discuss standards in the church. We explore where gospel standards come from and how they change for us individually over time. We look specifically at how the For Strength of Youth impacts gospel standards and what it means to us at different stages of our lives.
In this episode Jon weighs in on his favorite movies for last episode. Then by listener request, we discuss how we cam to end up living in the same neighborhood and becoming friends. We also discuss experiences we've had holding and being fired from callings in the church.
While Jon is on vacation with his family, Tyson and Burgess decide to pick their favorite movies that contain gospel messages and themes. They each pick three movies and three honorable mentions. Tyson get's the worst pick spot per usual. 1999 was one of the best years for movies. Much drama and debate ensues, enjoy the episode!
Jon, Burgess & Tyson discuss the news about the church discontinuing Saturday evening session of General Conference. They wish everyone a belated Father's Day and reminisce about what it has been like to be a dad. They all worry that they've messed up their kids in some way, but agree that the connection with your children is the most important thing. Kids are very forgiving of their parents shortcomings. Emotions are a difficult thing to parent. Tyson tells about their family's fertility issues. All of Burgess kids have had an unfortunate accident at some point and they never let him forget it. Jonny finds out something surprising about his daughter when she gets made fun of by another child. Parenting is a two way street and the whole family helps each other in their journey.
Jon, Burgess & Tyson talk about the gospel topics essay 'Becoming Like God'. We discuss the potential we have as children of God to progress throughout eternity if we will follow the gospel. The human race has very different ideas about the nature of God and it's important to know who God is in order that we can know our purpose in this life and after. God desires to give all that He has to his children. Time is a mortal constraint, eternally infinites are everywhere. Man is nothing, but through the atonement we have a very high ceiling. Neal A. Maxwell is the master of smart jokes. We accidentally relate the Jet Li movie The One to becoming God somehow...
Jon, Burgess & Tyson share what movies of their mission experiences would be like. Burgess talks about his experience in St. Joe Missouri in a quest for their mission to get 100 baptisms in a month so they can go to the temple. Tyson talks about transferring out of areas before he get's to see his investigators baptized into the church. He also talks about an interesting experience with a minister of a different faith. Jon talks about seeing a man get hit by a car. He also can't stop another elder in his mission from confessing his love to one of the sister missionaries. Jon exposes Cinderella as a fraud and talks about his experience with the Yakuza.
Jon talks about his ancestors that immigrated from Japan and how the gospel was introduced to his family. He grows up in the gospel, but tries to keep one foot in Babylon. The scriptures start to speak to him as a young adult. He serves a mission in Japan. He meets his future wife after returning home, but has a hard time getting a spiritual confirmation about the decision. He learns that the Lord doesn't make all our decisions for us. Through his life, Jon faces doubts about his faith and his standing before the Lord, but relies on the spiritual pillars to get him through his trials, which continue to this day. He's ok not having reasons for everything since some things just require one to have faith.
Tyson talks about his conversion to the gospel. He is a life-long member of the church. His mother dies when he is 16 years old and that experience causes him to reflect on his beliefs and how much he believes in the gospel. Friends come into his life that help him to overcome his grief. The spirit continues to work on him through his college years and into married life. Trials continue to refine him as he learns to lean on the Lord for direction in his life.
Burgess talks about his conversion to the gospel. He was a practicing Catholic living internationally in Thailand, but had a spiritual prompting to follow his dad back to the states where he met the missionaries and his future wife.
In this episode, we invite some very special guests to the show, our wives Springer, Amy & Jeannine as well as our good friend Tokie. We talk about what we do and don't know about our Mother in Heaven and what that means to each of us.
In this episode, we talk about the Netflix docuseries, Murder Among the Mormons. Many spoilers. We give our take on the quality of the film and the relevance of the Mark Hoffman story to present day church members and critics.
In this episode, we have our much anticipated General Conference fantasy draft, where we take turns selecting our favorite talks from the April 2021 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We talk about the temple and the different level of engagement each of us have in that part of our spiritual journey. Tyson and Jonny fight about who knows Elder Gong better. Tyson got the Sons of Thunder wrong last week and will never question the Chosen writers again... The Deseret Alphabet was a thing.
In this episode we dive into our initial reactions about April 2021 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We also talk about what we thought of the first episode of season 2 of The Chosen. We argue about how to say words and if good things happen on accident.
In this episode, we share what we think are Easter eggs in the Doctrine and Covenants, or in other words, things you might look over, but are actually really cool and insightful. We discuss ideas about being unified as a family and how to be good spouses and parents. We also make our guesses as to what we might hear at General conference.
In this episode we introduce the Bless The Refreshments podcast and it's hosts, Jonny, Burgess and Tyson. We are faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We describe our goal for the show, which is to have a meaningful, fun and authentic conversation about the gospel each week. We hope that this will lead to greater faith and better friendship. We also hope we can help other people on their spiritual journey as well. We end the show by sharing our favorite Easter scriptures.