WARD RADIO

Elder TikTok tells all! This discussion dives into his unique origin story, his mission as a content creator, and the impact he hopes to have on both LDS and non-LDS audiences.

Cardon Ellis and Jonah Barnes are joined by guest Austin Falter to react to the trailer for “Young Washington,” Angel Studios’ upcoming film about the early life of George Washington. The conversation quickly becomes an engaging blend of movie hype, historical commentary, and playful banter. The group is immediately excited by the quality of the trailer, with Andy Serkis (famously known for playin...

Cardon and Jonah Barnes dive deep into scripture, scholarship, and the culture of LDS academia. The discussion begins playfully as Jonah explores chiasmus—a poetic structure in ancient texts—within the Book of Moses. He highlights a striking pattern between Adam and Eve’s statements after the Fall, jokingly calling it their “epic rap battle.” Adam’s partial chiasmus is countered by Eve’s bold, com...

This episode dives into the controversies and complexities surrounding Elder TikTok, a well-known LDS TikTok personality who’s faced repeated cancellation and criticism throughout his social media career. The hosts Cardon Ellis, Jonah Barnes, and guest Austin Falter discuss both the specific recent incidents and the broader cultural context in which Elder TikTok operates.

Cardon Ellis is joined by Ella Katzenbach, who put together both an article and a video on the topic, capturing authentic responses from fellow students on campus. This episode centers around the immediate student reactions at BYU to the passing of President Russell M. Nelson, the late prophet and leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The conversation opens with Cardon and Ell...

When Deseret News journalist Brigham Tomko sat down to profile Charlie Kirk, he didn’t know it would become the last interview before Kirk’s shocking assassination. In this episode of Ward Radio, host Cardon Ellis dives deep with Brigham into that story — from the tense 36 hours that followed the breaking news, to what Kirk revealed about his faith, prayer life, and the “bloodsport” of politics ju...

Shad Brooks, also known as "Shadiversity" comes in studio to talk about the sword of Laban and "peacemaking" of all things.

Most Latter-day Saints think they know what the Pearl of Great Price is—but what if we’ve all been misunderstanding it? Cardon sits down with Jonah Barnes, author of Lost Gems of Genesis, to uncover the overlooked origins, revelations, and hidden depth of one of the Church’s most fascinating volumes of scripture. Jonah reveals that the Pearl of Great Price isn’t one continuous text, but a compilat...

When The God Makers hit the scene in the 1980s, it became one of the most infamous and damaging anti-Mormon films ever produced. In this episode of Ward Radio, we sit down with Robert Starling—author of A Case for Latter-day Christianity —to hear the inside story of how he confronted it head-on. Robert opens up about his time as a stake mission president and media specialist in Los Angeles, where...

We react to conference and a recent video a data scientist did about the Book of Mormon.

The relationship between evolution and Latter-day Saint belief is more than a passing curiosity—it’s a source of tension that continues to spark debate in classrooms, chapels, and even at BYU’s own Bean Museum. In this episode of Ward Radio, the panel dives straight into the heart of the issue, asking why exhibits depicting apes evolving into humans—and references to “Lucy”—cause so much frustrati...

Did Brigham Young really teach that Adam was God? In this powerful and clarifying episode of WARD RADIO, hosts Jonah Barnes, Austin Falter, and Cardon Ellis dive deep into one of the most misunderstood topics in Latter-day Saint history — the so-called Adam-God Theory. From historical documents to punctuation changes that flipped entire meanings, this conversation exposes how copy errors, misquote...

Cardon is joined by Ella Katzenback and guest Leah Tomlinson to dive deep into how Gen Z students at Brigham Young University (BYU) are rethinking marriage, children, and family size in today’s world. While large families have long been a celebrated part of Latter-day Saint (LDS) culture, shifting priorities and economic pressures are shaping new perspectives. Many students now prioritize financia...

For a really, really long time, most members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reasonably assumed that their shared love of Christ and his teachings meant they were "Christians" like the rest of the North American Church... well... if the Michigan Chapel Shooting and the reaction by many 'Christians' in North America is any indicator... we may need to quickly rea...

Cardon and BYU student Ella Kotzenbach reflect on the profound impact of Charlie Kirk’s assassination on the BYU and UVU communities. With on-the-ground student interviews from Haley, Maya McGavic, Ethan Clark, and Reese Schmidt, this episode captures the raw emotions, grief, and spiritual searching that swept across both campuses. From candlelight vigils to spontaneous gatherings at temple ground...

What’s it really like to date at BYU? Ella Katzenbach joins Ward Radio to share her first-hand perspective on the unique—and sometimes hilarious—world of Latter-day Saint dating culture in Provo. From unwritten rules and blind dates to the tension between faith, friendship, and finding “the one,” Ella doesn’t hold back. She unpacks stereotypes, shares personal stories, and talks through the challe...

We are joined by filmmaker Matt Whitaker, director of Truth and Treason, to explore the remarkable life of Helmut Hübener, a teenage Latter-day Saint who dared to defy Nazi Germany. At only 17 years old, Helmut became the youngest resistance fighter executed by the Third Reich, standing against tyranny with nothing but courage, conviction, and the written word. Whitaker shares how Helmut secretly...

Matt Whitaker, a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a prolific filmmaker is making a movie, "Truth & Treason" with Angel Studios and he swung by the Ward Radio studio to talk to us all about it!

What do baptisms for the dead really mean—and why do so many outsiders get it wrong? 🤔Cardon sits down with the crew for a lively, funny, and honest discussion about one of Mormonism’s unique rituals. The panel breaks down misconceptions about proxy baptisms (no, it’s not necromancy 😅), compares LDS rituals to cultural traditions like Texas football, and debates whether “baptism for the dead” sh...

Is the LDS Church fueling “toxic perfectionism”… or protecting against it? 🤔 Cardon and Jonah Barnes take on one of the most common stereotypes about Latter-day Saints—that their faith drives unhealthy perfectionism, scrupulosity, and OCD-like tendencies. Referencing a major study by BYU professor Justin Dyer, they reveal surprising results: active Latter-day Saints actually report the lowest lev...

Cardon and co-host Austin sit down with Drew Scarborough, Joseph Gambot, and Kwaku L. to unpack a timely question: Why do young people in the Church need apologetics now more than ever? Joe shares how he nearly lost his faith after a flood of anti-LDS content online—but found his way back through honest, bold apologetics. Drew opens up about drifting into megachurch culture in Texas before redisco...

We are just trying to "follow the science" here, people... all the way to church. And, fortunately for us, stylometric A.I. has just figured out that Deuteronomy was basically forged, and the Book of Mormon wasn't... we don't make the rules.

The Book of Abraham is one of the most controversial parts of Latter-day Saint scripture. Critics claim Joseph Smith couldn’t have translated it, the facsimiles don’t match, and there’s no evidence supporting his account. Egyptologist Kerry Muhlestein joins Cardon to break it all down. Together, they tackle the top 3 “killer arguments” against the Book of Abraham and explain why they don’t hold up...

Cardon together with Jonah and Austin dive into the unforgettable moments and key messages from the recent "Make Babies and Grow a Garden" General Conference talks. They explore why the phrase “have babies and grow a garden” is trending as the new “touch grass” in conservative LDS circles, and unpack Rasband’s deep dive on the origins and spiritual significance of the Family Proclamation...

Ambushing young LDS missionaries for YouTube clicks isn’t bold—it’s exploitation. Cardon Ellis, his son Ryder, and associate professor Jonah Barnes call out the rise of content creators like “Christian Muhammad” who build platforms by cornering missionaries with loaded questions, then editing the footage to make them look unprepared. But are the missionaries really stumped? Far from it. The panel...