Tribe of Testimonies

There are some controversial topics surrounding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One of them is the Indian Placement Program. I happen to be particularly thankful for the Program. And so is Priscilla Pearson. I interviewed her during my first year of Tribe of Testimonies. But she has mentioned to me a few times how much gratitude she has for the Program and asked if she could tell...

Lance Morris has done much good in Indian Country. He has helped honor veterans. He has stood for rights to worship and live. But he says that the most important things to him are much closer. He says that the living the tenants of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are the most important--because he wants to live with those he loves for forever. He says being worthy of holding and using the Priesthood is...

We didn't exactly follow the normal episode pattern. But that's okay. Bob taught us about how the history of his people has brought him where he is and makes him who he is. His ancestors and their stories really matter. And maybe we don't have a direct "link" with the stories in The Book of Mormon, those stories really matter and bring us as members of The Church of Jesus...

This episode was recorded two weeks before Blaine was baptized and now uploaded after his baptism! I'm so happy for him!!! I wish I could have been there to witness his special day and to hug him! (Gee whiz, I'm using a lot of exclamation marks!) Things I particularly loved about this conversation include his honesty about how things are with his family--especially his mother. I love tha...

There's a part in this conversation when JJ talks about feeling despair. I think that's why I needed to interview him. When have you felt despair? How did you respond to that? What caused it? What did you do to get out of it? I think it's important that we seek to move out of it ourselves first. Easier said than done, I know. But we have to have hope. We have to seek our Father and...

This episode doesn't "sound" right because I managed to turn my microphone off when I was adjusting the stand. But this episode sounds awesome in all wonderful things Kaika taught us. He loves his heritage because it brings him closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. He finds joy in the simple pleasures and teachings of his heritage. And he finds joy in sharing that with others through...

When she was a young lady, Lucille found the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has been on fire with that testimony ever since! Even when she was called to serve a full-time proselyting mission right in her backyard! Her description of how she became and has remained a translator for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so fun. I'm so glad that she gave us a little peek into the worki...

I really didn't know much about Samantha before we started visiting. But I'm so glad that we had this time to chat. She really sees the hand of God in her life--and I love that! She and her husband are a team in the goals that they have for their life. And she also recognizes that sometimes the plan you lay can change. Her love of her family and those relationships is a beautiful part of...

Dhanielle Declay reached out to me because her testimony is burning brightly. There are so many analogies with fire during this conversation. And there is the topic of a real-life fire that about took Dhanielle's life. She is a burn survivor. As she talked about the pain I could only imagine. She talks about angels who were with her on this side of the veil and those she's sure were help...

Ah...where to begin with this one. Geoff and Akasha came to my house. And they didn't use a tissue once. You might need one though. This is a tough, tough story. They lost their son out of the blue. Their son just didn't wake up one day. The baby of their family. And I'm so sorry for their loss. I asked them after we recorded how they felt this loss compared to suddenly losing someo...

One of a kind. Literally. Jacob is Navajo and Nigerian. No siblings. He's one of a kind. But something else that I love about Jacob is that he has dedicated his life to sharing his love of Jesus Christ. He wants people to see Jesus through his actions, speech, and works. It's interesting how sometimes I some of my guests surprise me with how deep their testimonies really are. Jacob is th...

One of the first people that has sent me multiple emails is LaRue. She often sends me a note to tell me how much something someone said on Tribe of Testimonies has affected her. It's taken me a couple years to get her to agree to be a guest. I'm glad she finally accepted my invitation. She has a strong testimony. During the interview, she mentions that she hasn't always had a perfec...

The longer we talked, the more I appreciated the things Josh had to say about life and family. We talked a lot off the recording as well. There is just so much that I could appreciate about his experiences. Josh shares about some of his family's trials of mental and physical health--and the toll those have on his mental health. I can commiserate! Having to deal with others' mental health...

In a few days from the posting of this episode, a full eclipse will pass over much of the United States. In this conversation, Ira explains a Seneca story about making promises of peace during an eclipse. He is planning on doing a similar pledge with his family and friends during the eclipse. I think that's beautiful! (I wish I could be there!) But Ira is seeking ways to mend hearts, to estab...

About a year ago I reached out to Brighten to ask her to be a guest. It didn't work out, so I just left if. But recently I was scrolling through old messages and saw our open conversation and I reached out to her again. This time was the right time. A year ago it wasn't. This time Brighten was not only willing to share her story and testimony, but it's even stronger and brighter tha...

I remember when I was a student at BYU, I saw this sweet little girl dancing at the Harold A. Cedartree powwow. She was there pretty much every year that I was. Her name is Tamera Wheeler. So, I've seen her around for a long time. She told me that she remembers me coming to her house with my friend, Sommer, to get help making regalia. Tamera has grown up now. She's lovely. And she has ex...

It feels like Kalista and I have a lot in common. We both grew up in eastern Utah. We both spent time in Washington, DC. We both have sought reconnection with our heritage. But there are a lot of things we don't have in common. I have not lived as many places as she. We are obviously from different tribes. The biggest common denominator, however, is that we both love Jesus, His Gospel, and kn...

Holy cow! This young lady is amazing. AH-MAZE-ING. I am so impressed with her testimony and her sweetness. She has lost a great many people in her life. She could choose to be bitter or hard. But instead she is sweet and soft. She is seeking our Savior Jesus Christ actively. She seeks to surround herself with people that live high standards and she seeks to love those who don't. Jada loves to...

Brother Mose was a cowboy. A bull rider, to be exact. Was. Until he got hurt. Since that injury, he's moved on with life. He doesn't do all the things that he once did. Now he does other things to improve his life and the life of those around him. He serves others. He has served as a branch president. He has served with the Boy Scouts. And he serves many, many people with the gift of fam...

Some of the most powerful things that Marilyn Reed taught me were: meet people where they are (children or adults); when teaching, allow imperfection and give them the right tools and instructions; grow hope; and make connections with people, Mother Earth, and especially the Godhead. Marilyn has worked hard in all her pursuits. She has received a bachelor's and two master's degrees. And...

As I listened to Anne, I was struck with how much she LOVES family. She's a single woman. But she clings to family, including those by close blood relations, those of her Nation, those who love Jesus Christ, and those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She started really regularly going to the temple because of the Catholic Pope. Seriously. She sees how The Bo...

The spirit of Elijah is strong with Cheryl McManus. She has felt pulled to her ancestors--sometimes literally. She talks about experiences she has had with them and how their influence has been felt and blessed her life. Cheryl also talks about how, in some regards, she has felt lost because of how her mother was unable to live and cherish her own culture. That might be a lesson for all of us to l...

As I was listening to Sister Enas, I just kept thinking that she's doing a lot more good than she realizes. She's humble. She's kind. She's a good person to be around. I love her stories about how she came back to church and has slowly been immersing herself fully into the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She sees how the church helps us become better people and she's allowing that...

Talking with a surfer dude was kind of fun. But he was also pretty inspiring. Mondo Hand really talked a lot about the Holy Ghost. He talked about how the Holy Ghost can help us in relationships. And he especially talked about how the Holy Ghost can help protect us. I loved that Mondo emphasized that we who have been baptized and confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...

I've often talked about how, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Native Americans, we have a different view than others. I have a different view than those who were raised "traditionally." And also, every tribe's "traditionally" is different. But as Carlos Reed and I talked about these things, it was very clear to me. We have been asked t...