Wayne Brockbank was a mission president in the Nigeria Uyo and the Ghana Accra missions from 2006-2009. He has lived and worked as a consultant and professor in Abu Dhabi for the past 7 years and experiences the unique culture of the LDS church in a Muslim country. He was born in Salt Lake City and grew up in Petaluma, California. As a young man, Wayne along with his wife served missions in the South German mission. He has degrees from BYU and UCLA and has taught at the University of Michigan where he also served as a bishop for 9 years. He also was recently released as a bishop in Abu Dhabi.
Today we head down to Friendswood, Texas to visit with Beth Young. Prior to becoming a Texan Sister Young was raised in Arizona in a family without the blessings of the Gospel. In this episode Beth shares what it was like to be raised in a home without the restored gospel by a father and mother who loved her but struggled with alcoholism. Sister Young was introduced to the Gospel in high school which ultimately led to her being baptized, serving a full-time mission, being sealed in the temple and holding leadership callings such as ward and stake relief society president.
Beth discusses how her leadership and experience in her own home prepared her to be a leader in the church as she shares how she navigated the waters of motherhood when her children experienced the struggles of mortality. She is very candid in discussing her experiences with one child who battled drug addiction and another who experiences same gender attraction and the heartache of his excommunication. Sister Young teaches us how to show tough yet unconditional love to our children.
David Terry is a former Bishop and Stake President in Washington State. David and his wife answered an advertisement in a newspaper to teach English in China. After this experience, they were able to serve in the temple presidency in the Kiev Ukraine Temple.
This interview follows the life and service of David Terry, in and out of the church. He shares stories of successful missionary work and tough times learning to lead and help people return to Heavenly Father. David served in the army during the Vietnam War. His story of attending church abroad during the 1960’s is the jumping off point for his continued dedicated service. David served in the Kiev Ukraine Temple Presidency and his wife served as the assistant to the matron. They then returned to serve again as temple workers for 18 months. They currently live in Utah close to some of their children and grandchildren.
Geoff Thatcher grew up in Farmington, Utah in an LDS home. He is a descendant of the apostle, Moses Thatcher. He served his mission in the Kentucky Louisville Mission. He graduated from BYU in Journalism and now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio where he works with large corporations to help them create attractions and museums to advertise their brands.
Geoff Thatcher’s calling involves working with all stake public affairs directors in a coordinating council (group of stakes). In the interview Geoff talks about the shift that is happening in the direction we are receiving from the general authorities to use social media and technology more activity to spread the message of the gospel.
When someone dies in a local ward many families turn to the bishop and or Relief Society president for direction and organization. In this episode I interview Greg Ballard, who is a former bishop and has had 20+ years of experience as a funeral director in Salt Lake City, Utah. We discuss some best practices of conducting and facilitating funerals.
In this episode I interview Scott Newman who has had over 25 years of leadership experience in Corporate American and now shares of that experience by teaching business courses at LDS Business College. One class inparticular that he teaches is called Leadership for Life where he focuses on 5 pillars of leadership. We take time to discuss some of these principles and how they relate to leadership in the LDS Church.
In this episode I am pleased to introduce you to the voice of Leading Saints Italia, Marco Ferrini. Marco is a bishop in Florence, Italy and got turned on to the Leading Saints podcast last year by another bishop who recommended it to him. He loved the resource so much that he contacted me about doing a similar podcast in Italian. I am excited to extend the Leading Saints brand over to Italy and continue the work of enhancing leadership in the Church.
Bishop Ferrini also talks to us about his Italian pioneer heritage. His mother was one of the first members in Italy. He has served in most leadership callings available in the Church and now has had the opportunity to serve as bishop for the last couple of years.
Christine Shaw is no doubt an individual on a mission of service. Though she has completed a formal mission with her late husband in Malaysia, she has been on a mission all her life. In this episode she tells of her experience as a Relief Society president and Primary president in a branch that was started with the help of herself and her husband. She tells interesting stories of helping invite Australian aborigines to church and some of the stories of faith that they showed in joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Warwick & Samantha Allen live on the east coast of Australia in beautiful city of Brisbane. Warwick is currently serving as the bishop or his ward and his wife Samantha is a great support and has many years of leadership service herself. In this episode we learn about their unique background of gaining a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ while dealing with growing up in a home impacted by divorce. We talked with Samantha about how her single-parent family was supported by her ward. Warwick talks about his awkward experience in the youth program and how it lead him to go inactive in the church for more than 14 years. His story of returning to the gospel will inspire all who listen to it and then how he has developed his leadership ability to lead his ward for the past six years.
The Allen’s 6 Principles of Leadership:
Lead from Behind
Love Your Counselors
Embrace Your Sisters
Show the Members Your Heart
Impart Confidence and Optimism
Tomorrow is Another Day
This was a fun interview! I had the chance to chat with Kalee and Neal Mortensen, both Arizona natives, who have been living in São Paulo, Brazil for the last 2 years. They have had a unique experience as newly weds in a foreign country while also attending a familiar church. Neal, who served his mission in Brazil, has served as ward clerk and is currently in the bishopric. Kalee is the Young Women president and has learned Portuguese since she has been there.
As we learn about their leadership experience we also learn about the status of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil and how their culture influences the day-to-day life of a Latter-day Saint in Brazil. We talk about some of the ramifications sensitive policy changes has had in Brazil, what apps are helpful for Brazilian leadership, and what it’s like speaking in stake conference in a 2nd language.
