Leading Saints Podcast

Sesily Lee is an inspiring Relief Society president in Las Vegas, Nevada. If you are an avid listener to this podcast you might remember her husband, Trent Lee, when I interview him prior. It was a fantastic episode and this one might be a little better. :) In this interview we hear Sesily's engaging story of conversion as she grew up in a less-active home and had many influential people in her li...

In this podcast, we talk to a 3 Term Senator that just became a Mormon. Senator Larry Pressler from South Dakota, Retired. He was baptized in April 2016. While Senator Harry Reid helped him along the path, he first read part of the Book of Mormon in a Marriott. He served with many in senate and house that were Mormon and has had a lot of feelings and run-ins with members along the way. It’s been a...

Jeff Case is a clinical psychologist, former elders quorum president, return missionary, and gay Mormon. In this interview we primarily focus on the basics a ward leader need to understand about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, personality disorders, suicide, and other mental illnesses. It's a fascinating discussion with best practices of how to help these individuals find a plac...

Ross Richey is originally from North Ogden, Utah. He is currently serving as a high priest group leader in South Salt Lake, Utah. In this episode Ross shares his 5 principles of leadership and other unique perspectives on leadership.

Dan Clark is an award winning motivational speaker and best selling author. He has traveled to 59 countries in the world motivating the masses to create a life of significance. He has also served as a Young Single Adult (YSA) bishop (twice). I first came across Dan's speaking ability when I listened to his BYU Devotional. It inspired me to be a better leader in the Church and it inspired me to get...

Why Brother Neveragain turns into Brother Relapse... Bishop: So you are struggling with pornography addiction? Brother Neveragain: Well, Bishop, it has happened a few times but believe me it won't happen again. Nooooo way! I can't believe I did such a thing when so much is at stake! From here on out it will NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!

I first came across Bishop Bumbaugh's name when I read his article called, What Happened When I Quit Home Teaching. I thought it was a fantastic story and I was pleased to see he was serving as a bishop in Huntsville, Texas. I reached out to Bishop Bumbaugh and he agreed to do an interview with me and talk about how he leads. In this episode we discuss his conversion to the Church and what guided...

I had the opportunity to attend the Utah Coalition Against Pornography Conference in February where I met the owners of Router Limits, a hardware company looking to help families control content coming into their home. Their stuff is cutting edge and they are experts in the field. I set up a time to visit their Layton, Utah office and interview their CEO, Skylar Walker. In this interview Skylar gi...

Scott Hall lives in Taylorsville, Utah and was recently released as bishop after a call to serve in a stake presidency (with my brother). He is a successful real estate agent and is supported by a wonderful wife and 6 children. We talked about his few years serving as bishop and most importantly, how to stay awake in church when everyone is watching you. He talks highly of the examples he has had...

Local LDS leaders are always striving to help single members of the Church feel comfortable in their wards. Each individuals situation is so different that it is difficult to know exactly how to support them. I wanted to gather a group of single LDS members in a room and discuss their experience with being single in their ward. We talk about the stigma of eternal marriage, the doctrine of sealings...

On a scale from 1 to 10 how well does your ward know each other? (1 = they just met, 10 = we are best friends forever)

This Leader to Leader story comes from a BYU Devotional called Constructing Spiritual Stability, by Elder Dale G. Renlund:

In this episode we hear from Trent Lee in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has rich experience as an instructor, teaching Gospel Doctrine, early morning seminary, ward mission leader, and currently serves on his stake's high council. We start off the interview by sharing both of our personal experiences of with Elder Oaks and how that influenced us as leaders. Trent's Leadership Principles: What I learned fr...

A story told by Bruce C. Hafen in 1979 in his talk Love Is Not Blind: Some Thoughts for College Students on Faith:

Brigham Rupp is a full-time seminary teacher in Gilbert, Arizona. He's served as elders quorum counselor, executive secretary, stake Sunday School, and currently serves as bishop. He served a mission in Chicago, Illinois and share many of his scriptural thoughts at The Silver Grey. In this episode we discuss how he decided to become a seminary teacher and how he was later called as bishop. We also...

In this episode you get to meet Rick & Karen Francom (my parents). They recently returned from an 18 month of service in the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission. I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn about how church leadership works in a foreign land like Mongolia. They also talk about their formal leadership experience and how surprised they are that I turned out as an adult that contribut...

A touching story told by Elder David A. Bednar in his book Act in Doctrine:

Neylan McBaine was born and raised in New York, New York. She is the founder of the Mormon Women Project and the author of the book Women at Church: Magnifying LDS Women's Local Impact. In this episode we discuss the ways local leaders in the Church can consider ways to bring more purpose to women in their wards and branches. It's a fascinating discussion and it will bless the lives of all leaders...

A story shared by Elder Dale G. Renlund shortly after his call as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve:

Eric Shuster is the author of 3 books, (1) Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest (2) The Biblical Roots of Mormonism (3) Where Are the Christians? He currently serves as bishops in a small farming community in Taylor, Texas. He was raised devout Catholics, married a former nun, and joined the LDS Church 26 years ago. In this episode Bishop Shuster briefly shares his conversion story and what inspired him...

Great sacrament meetings services start with great planning. The ward council (which includes the bishopric) suggests themes and speakers. The bishopric confirms the topics and invites the members to speak. How that invitation to speak is extended and how bishoprics follow up are critical. How we prepare someone to speak in sacrament meeting should be commensurate with the sacredness of the meetin...

A great leadership lesson from Elder Charles A. Callis

Every six months stake conference is a symbolic mile marker for most stake presidencies. When one ends the next one is ready to be planned for. Having the experience of going through my first stake conference as a member of the stake presidency, I realized what a hectic time it is for stake presidencies as they plan each detail. Not to mention we had a visiting authority that makes you feel like y...

In this interview I sit down again with Liz Wiseman who has been such a wonderful resource for LeadingLDS and I truly consider her a great friend and mentor. Liz recently spoke at a BYU Forum and spoke wonderfully about the power of rookie smarts and how what one knows can be a disadvantage to a growing leader. She discusses how learning how to learn is more important than the content of what one...

In this episodes we continue the conversation with leaders from North Star as we focus on Brigit Pack's story of finding peace and faith in her home and in her Church. Her spouse was born Ryan, but now prefer the name Ann. Ann is a transgender Mormon and Brigit tells her story of how leaders are working on finding a place for Ann in their LDS ward. It's an inspiring discussion that will definitely...