Episode 134: “Thunder and Roar Out the Gospel”–The Brigham Young Journals (Gerrit Dirkmaat)
Y Religion
From the moment Brigham Young emerged from the waters of baptism in 1832, a fire burned within him to preach the restored gospel: “I wanted to thunder and roar out the Gospel to the nations. It burned in my bones like fire pent up….” That same passion drove him to keep detailed records of his labors and later his service as a Church leader and prophet. In this episode, professor of Church history and doctrine Gerrit Dirkmaat discusses his work on The Brigham Young Journals: Volume 1: April 1832–February 1846. Dr. Dirkmaat shares the behind-the-scenes insights into the editorial...
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Episode 133: Wrestling with the Restoration–Learning to Think Slow So You Know How You Know What You Know (Steven C. Harper)
Y Religion
In a world obsessed with speed, what if the answers we need come only when we slow down and listen? In this episode, Professor Steven C. Harper invites us to pause, reflect deeply, and attune ourselves to the voice of God. Drawing from his book Wrestling with the Restoration: Why This Church Matters, Dr. Harper combines rigorous scholarship with faith to thoughtfully address critiques of the Restoration. He explores complex questions–such as the translation of the Book of Mormon and the origin of the Book of Abraham–and counsels us to slow down and carve out time to ask, “What do I...
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Episode 132: "Hosanna to Such Days to Come": The Adam-ondi-Ahman Revelation (Alex Baugh)
Y Religion
Shrouded in rumor and myth, the name of Adam-ondi-Ahman (mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 116) has sparked questions for two centuries. In this episode, Professor Alex Baugh clarifies what we know—and what we don’t—about this location that holds great significance in both antiquity and early Restoration history, as well as in future prophecy. Adam-ondi-Ahman is revealed to be in Daviess County, Missouri, and is the location where Adam and Eve lived after being cast out of Eden. Joseph Smith was recorded to have said that is also “the place where Adam shall come to visit his people,...
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Episode 131: Reconciling Our Expectations with God's Unfolding Plan (Derek Sainsbury)
Y Religion
How do we reconcile our expectations with God’s unfolding plan? In this episode, Professor Derek Sainsbury explores the remarkable life of Nancy Naomi Tracy–a woman whose unwavering faith and bold defense of religious liberty and temple service helped shape the early Latter-day Saint experience. Through persecution, political exile, and personal loss, Nancy remained devoted to the gospel. Professor Sainsbury draws from her writings and activism to reveal how she navigated the tension between personal hopes and divine direction, offering a compelling lens into the cost of conviction and the...
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Episode 130: Are Latter-day Saints Prone to Perfectionism? (Justin Dyer)
Y Religion
Perfectionism in adolescence can be a heavy, even isolating, burden—shaped by social media, identity pressures, and the overwhelming number of choices youth face. Amid these challenges the Doctrine and Covenants offers a powerful reminder: “Remember that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (18:10). This eternal truth stands out in contrast to the feeling standards of the world. In this episode Professor Justin Dyer explains how such expectations contribute to rising perfectionism among our youth. Drawing from BYU’s Foundations data, he offers advice on how parents,...
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Episode 129: Justification by Faith (Stephan Taeger)
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How can educators help students stop fearing their sins and start trusting Christ? In this episode, Professor Stephan Taeger discusses his article “Declared Guiltless: Justification by Faith in the Latter-day Saint Classroom.” He explores how teaching justification by faith can transform our classrooms. Addressing both guilt-ridden and morally indifferent students, he clarifies the doctrine using scripture, prophetic teachings, and scholarly insights. Taeger explains how understanding grace and justification fosters peace, inspires obedience, and strengthens discipleship. He offers...
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Episode 11: Creating Relevance and Application (Susan Porter & Scott Esplin)
Y Religion
How do we help students take the gospel from the classroom and into their own lives? In this episode Sister Susan Porter and Dean of Religious Education Scott Esplin discuss ways teachers can help students take what they learn in class and apply it to their daily lives. Y Religion Presents: Gospel Teaching is a limited series podcast where, each week during summer 2025, expert teachers share insights that highlight key principles and practices of effective gospel teaching.
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Episode 10: Teaching the One (Phil Allred & Camey Andersen)
Y Religion
How do we find meaningful ways to connect one-on-one with our students? Teaching the gospel means more than delivering lessons—it means ministering to individuals, just as Christ did. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin taught, “We are to be our brother’s keeper. We cannot neglect this commission given by our Savior. We must be concerned for the one.” In this episode, professors Phil Allred and Camey Andersen explore how gospel teachers can fulfill this sacred charge. By reaching out with compassion, adapting their teaching to individual needs, and creating a space where everyone feels valued,...
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Episode 9: Answering Difficult Questions (Jenet Erickson & Brian Mead)
Y Religion
How do we respond with grace when faced with questions that challenge our deepest beliefs? In this episode, Professors Jenet Erickson and Brian Mead offer valuable insights into how we can lean into and thoughtfully respond to difficult questions. They explore a variety of approaches that emphasize addressing these questions with clarity and loving-kindness. Y Religion Presents: Gospel Teaching is a limited series podcast where, each week during summer 2025, expert teachers share insights that highlight key principles and practices of effective gospel teaching.
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Episode 8: Actively Engaging Learners (Tyler Griffin & Anthony Sweat)
Y Religion
What do we want learners to know, feel, and do with each lesson? In this episode professors Tyler Griffin and Anthony Sweat discuss strategies for incorporating active learning—ways to boost learning, motivation, and critical thinking by engaging participants in the educational process. By incorporating a variety of active learning techniques, teachers can lead students to intentional and meaningful ways of learning and participation. Y Religion Presents: Gospel Teaching is a limited series podcast where, each week during summer 2025, expert teachers share insights that highlight key...
info_outlineOn the day after his Resurrection, the Savior appeared to those who knew him best during his mortal ministry—Mary Magdalene, Cleopas, ten of the apostles, and many other followers. While they saw him physically, they did not recognize him. Instead, they mistook him for a gardener, stranger, passing traveler, and even another prophet, as they misunderstood his role as the Redeemer of Israel or the promised Messiah. Rather than rebuking them, the Savior and ministering angels worked to correct their mistaken expectations by teaching them the true identity of Christ. In this episode, Professor Krystal V. L. Pierce describes how the Resurrected Savior opens the spiritual eyes and minds of his followers and disciples, in ancient and modern times, through visual, audible, and tangible signs and teachings. By learning to identify the spiritual nature of the Savior, we can prepare to see him physically in the Second Coming.
Publications:
- “Seeing, Knowing, and Recognizing the True Identity of Christ” in He Was Seen: Witnessing the Risen Christ (Religious Studies Center, 2024)
- Book of Mormon Insights: Letting God Prevail in Your Life, ed. Kenneth L. Alford, Krystal V. L. Pierce, and Mary Jane Woodger (Religious Studies Center, 2024)
- “The Tower of Babel, the Jaredites, and the Nature of God” by George A. Pierce and Krystal V. L. Pierce in They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon (Religious Studies Center, 2022)
- Approaching Holiness: Exploring the History and Teachings of the Old Testament, ed. Krystal V. L. Pierce and David Rolph Seely (Religious Studies Center, 2021)
- “The Ger in the Pentateuch and the Book of Mormon: Refugee Treatment under the Mosaic Law” in Covenant of Compassion: Caring for the Marginalized and Disadvantaged in the Old Testament (Religious Studies Center, 2021)
- “Egypt and the Egyptians” in Pearl of Great Price Reference Companion (Deseret Book, 2017)
- “Egypt’s New Kingdom” in A Bible Reader’s History of the Ancient World (Religious Studies Center, 2016)
- “The Brazen Serpent as a Symbol of Jesus Christ: A Dichotomy of Benevolence and Admonition” in I Glory in My Jesus: Understanding Christ in the Book of Mormon (Religious Studies Center, 2023)
Click here to learn more about Krystal V. L. Pierce