Advertise on podcast: Temple Bound

Many people are taught that grace is a gift with no strings attached. Accept Christ and it's done. Cooper Johnson spent 15 years studying what the word grace meant to the people who first heard it, and he found that in the ancient world, grace was the start of a relationship that asks something of you in return. In this episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys and Cooper talk about his return to the Church after 10 years away, the questions that pushed him to study the Atonement, and how the original Greek and Hebrew words for grace, faith, belief, and knowing changed the way he reads scripture. Cooper now teaches temple prep in a young single adult ward. He shares how he frames worthiness, symbolism, and covenants for people preparing to enter the temple for the first time. What you'll learn: What the Greek word charis meant to Paul's first century audience, and why grace was always relationalHow pistis, the word translated as faith, carries the meaning of loyalty and faithfulnessWhy "believe" in John 3:16 means to trust and rely on Christ, not just agree that He existsWhat ginosko teaches about knowing God through experience in John 17:3How hesed describes God's covenant loveWhy covenants are connections, not contractsHow to see worthiness as readiness instead of perfectionWhy God teaches through symbolism, and why symbols lose meaning when they're overexplainedWhat "endowed" means: to be clothed with powerWhy staying with a scripture, talk, or temple experience until it opens up to you mattersResources mentioned: Elder David A. Bednar, "In the Strength of the Lord" (2001)John Barclay's work on grace and PaulBrent Schmidt, Relational Grace and Relational FaithJennifer Lane's book on the templeMelinda Brown's teaching on law as loveSend us Fan Mail

Shayden Bertagnolli has sat across from more grieving families than he ever expected when he became a therapist. That's what pushed him into men's mental health, and it's what shaped the idea at the center of this episode. Pornography addiction was never really about pornography. It's about pain nobody ever taught these men to name. In this conversation, Shayden and Will Humphreys break down why men suppress pain instead of naming it, why so many chase approval and call it love, and what the temple initiatory ordinance actually represents (a wound being washed, anointed, and covered). If you've ever felt stuck, or you love someone who is, this episode gives you a new way to see it. What you'll learn: Why pornography is a solution to pain, not the problem itself, and why treating the symptom keeps men stuckWhat "attunement" means and why so many boys stop being truly seen around age six or sevenWhy men chase approval through achievement when they've internalized the false idea that love has to be earnedHow the temple initiatory ordinance mirrors what every parent does for a child's wound: wash it, anoint it, cover itWhy asking God to "help me overcome this" keeps men in a cycle of shame, and what changes when they ask to be healed insteadThree practical questions parents can ask their kids to open up conversations that usually stay hiddenWhy the average age of first exposure to pornography is now 10 to 11 years old, and what to do about itGuest: Shayden Bertagnolli, licensed therapist and founder of Motyv, creator of the Liberate program for men working through pornography addiction and pain. Learn more at motyv.com. Send us Fan Mail

Former Bishop Tim Raymond has sat across from more men confessing pornography addiction than he can count. His conclusion after years in that chair: the addiction was never really the problem. Pride was. In this episode, Will Humphreys and Tim unpack what actually helps someone come back from pornography addiction, why the standard reactions of shame and judgment make things worse, and why Ezra Taft Benson's 1989 talk "Beware of Pride" became the single biggest influence on Tim's ministry outside of the Book of Mormon. This is the first of three episodes for Recovery Awareness Month. The next two feature a married couple who nearly lost their marriage to this addiction, and a therapist who has spent years treating men through it. What you'll learn: Why the first reaction to a confession decides whether someone comes back for help againThe difference between the addiction you can see and the pride underneath it that you can'tWhy pornography addiction is no longer only a young man's struggleWhat humility actually means (it's not what most people think)Five faces of pride most people don't recognize in themselvesWhy "just stop" never works as a long term solutionThe one sin Tim says actually matters, and it isn't the one you're thinking ofGuest: Tim Raymond served as a bishop for several years, working closely with youth and counseling individuals and families through repentance and addiction recovery. He is a father of seven and currently serves as an ordinance worker in the Gilbert Temple. Referenced in this episode: "Beware of Pride" by President Ezra Taft Benson, delivered at General Conference in April 1989 and read by his counselor Gordon B. Hinckley. Send us Fan Mail

This is episode 100 of Temple Bound, and it kicks off the show's three-part series for Recovery Awareness Month. Natalie and Cory Wadsworth sit down with Will to talk about what came after that night: years of counseling, weekly drives to the temple, and how a marriage on the brink of divorce became, in their words, the best of friends. What you'll learn: Why pornography addiction is rarely about sex, and what it's actually a coping mechanism forWhy the addiction gets worse over time if it isn't addressed, and why willpower alone doesn't fix itWhy isolation is what lets an addiction grow, and why recovery can't happen aloneWhat a wife needs to hear in the moment she finds out (and why "it's not about you" changed everything for Natalie)Why their bishop told them to keep attending the temple and taking the sacrament during recovery, not step back from itWhy relapse is part of the process, not proof that recovery failedHow they rebuilt trust after years of hiding, and what their marriage looks like now, eight years laterThis conversation is honest about how hard this road is. It's also honest about what's possible on the other side of it. Follow Temple Bound Instagram: instagram.com/templeboundpodcast  Facebook: facebook.com/templeboundofficial  TikTok: tiktok.com/@temple.bound  Connect with Cory and Natalie Natalie's Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DEBx9sE4p/?mibextid=wwXIfr Cory’s Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/share/17XZTLodAz/?mibextid=wwXIfr Natalie's Insta link: https://www.instagram.com/natalie_wadsworth?stkn=MTM5Z2F4cGUxY29p&utm_source=qr Natalie's email: [email protected] Cory’s email: [email protected]  Send us Fan Mail

Will re-releases episode one of Temple Bound, a conversation with Brett Blake that never got the audience it deserved the first time around. Brett served as a mission president in Denver during COVID and shares what he learned about preparing youth for missions through temple worship and family history. What you'll learn: Why a testimony of and love for Jesus Christ matters more than any missionary training checklistHow the temple gives missionaries an actual endowment of power, not just spiritual encouragementWhy Brett tells parents the goal isn't the mission. It's the relationship with the SaviorWhat Brett saw in a generation of missionaries dealing with anxiety and isolation after COVIDHow repentance, not perfection, is what prepares a missionary's heartWhy "what does love look like here" became Brett's guiding question as a parent and mission leaderThe story of a missionary who found forgiveness after years of running from his pastSend us Fan Mail

In 2021, Jenny Komenda hit a fork in the road. Her business was growing. The opportunity in front of her was real. She could have leaned in harder. Instead, she chose her faith and her family. She didn't fully understand why that choice mattered until a year later, when her daughter landed in the hospital in a coma for almost a week. Jenny walks through the two conference talks that shaped that decision, the family history behind it (including a great-great-grandmother who crossed an ocean and stayed faithful for decades with no other church members around her), and how becoming a temple worker changed the way she runs her business, The Rooted Home. What you'll learn: Why "starting with the end in mind" led Jenny to step back from hyper growthHow Elder Renlund's heart transplant talk reframed what it means to protect a changed heartThe four-part Ho'oponopono practice Jenny uses to work through conflict with real charityWhy she said yes to becoming a temple worker, even when the timing made no senseThe story behind The Rooted Home, and the great-great-grandmother who inspired itWhat changes when you stop asking God to remove the burden and start asking him to make it lighterFollow Jenny and her Christian art company The Rooted Home: @the.rootedhome on Instagram and visit her website at therootedhome.com. Send us Fan Mail

Tia Smith hosts "Thinning of the Veil," one of the only other podcasts built around temple worship. In this episode, she and Will unpack President Nelson's talk on the temple and spiritual foundations, and Tia shares how her own near death experience with cystic fibrosis changed the way she sees the veil between this life and the next. This conversation goes beyond temple attendance. Tia lays out an actual practice for connecting with ancestors: intercessory prayer, paying attention to names and dreams, and treating family history as a two way relationship instead of a checklist. What you'll learn: Why President Nelson called this "an unprecedented time" and what that word actually meansThe difference between fishing (ordinances ready) and hunting (intercessory prayer) in family history workHow Tia survived a 20 percent chance of survival during septic shock, and what she heard in that hospital roomWhy healing in the temple isn't just spiritual. It's physical, mental, and marital tooThe story of the DeGear family Bible and how it found its way homeHow to know what's "too sacred" to share and what the Spirit is actually asking you to sayWhy parting the veil happens in increments, not all at onceIf you've ever wondered whether your ancestors are actually aware of the work you're doing for them, this episode answers that directly. Connect with Tia Facebook: Thinning of the Veil Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinning.of.the.veil/ Send us Fan Mail

At 18 years old, Seth Christensen ran an experiment on his own high school. He wanted to know if five minutes of family history work a day could move the needle on anxiety and depression in his generation. The results surprised even him. Seth served as his ward's Temple and Family History Leader starting at age 13. He spoke on the RootsTech main stage last year. Now he's headed to Jakarta, Indonesia on a mission, carrying the same message with him. This episode covers his 21-Day Challenge, the survey data behind it, and why five minutes a day did what hour-long lectures never could. What you'll learn in this episode: The pre- and post-survey results from Seth's 21-Day Challenge, including mood scores that jumped from a 2-4 range to 8-10Why starting with "four generations" on FamilySearch is the single most effective first step for a beginnerThe specific FamilySearch activities that got high schoolers hooked (Where Am I From, Surname Origins, Compare-a-Face, and more)Why five minutes works better than a full hour, and what habit science has to do with itHow to reframe social media as a family history tool instead of writing it off as the enemyThe story of Thomas Reese, a scythe, and a deathbed promise that changed a family line foreverWhat Elder Holland's six words ("ask for angels to help you") mean for anyone doing family history work todaySeth's advice for parents on the single biggest mistake families make when introducing kids to their ancestorsIf you know a teenager who's struggling, or you're looking for a way back into your own family history, this episode gives you a place to start today. Explore BYU Family History Lab: https://fhtl.org/ Send us Fan Mail

Forgiveness gets called a miracle for a reason. It asks us to do something that feels outside our own capability, and then it delivers peace that only the Savior can provide. In this episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with Katie, an institute teacher who has spent years teaching The Divine Gift of Forgiveness by Elder Neil L. Andersen. Katie walks through what repentance actually means in its original Hebrew and Greek roots, why the Latin translation buried it in shame, and how two of the hardest experiences of her life, her father's arrest and her husband's addiction, taught her that forgiveness was never about the other person. It was about her own peace. Katie also shares how she and her late husband Brandon rebuilt trust after his struggle with pornography came to light, why she believes the real opposite of trauma is trust rather than peace, and how she found joy even in planning his funeral after he died unexpectedly of a stroke. She closes with practical guidance for anyone who feels too far gone for the Atonement, and for any parent, spouse, or bishop who wants to be a safe place when someone finally works up the courage to confess. Key takeaways: Repentance means to turn to God. The shame around it came from a Latin mistranslation, not from the original meaning of the word.Fear and pride are the Twin Bullies that stop repentance before it starts, even when they disguise themselves as humility.No one has sinned beyond the reach of the Atonement, no matter how far gone it feels.Forgiveness is not for the person who hurt you. It is for you, and it lifts a weight you may not realize you are carrying.The real opposite of trauma is trust, not peace. Peace follows once trust is in place.Saying "thank you for telling me" first can make all the difference when someone confesses something hard.Healing and joy can exist in the same moment, even in the middle of grief.If this episode means something to you, follow Temple Bound and leave a comment on the app you're listening from. It helps this reach the people who need it. Featured book: The Divine Gift of Forgiveness by Elder Neil L. Andersen Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with Mike King, a longtime Old Testament and temple symbolism teacher, to trace this pattern from the Exodus of the children of Israel all the way to the ministry of Jesus Christ among the Nephites and the temples built in Kirtland and Nauvoo. Mike King walks through the symbolism of the blood on the doorposts, the crossing of the Red Sea, the pillar of fire, manna and water in the wilderness, and the mountain of the Lord, showing how each step points toward faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the sacrament, and the temple. Topics covered in this episode includes:  The temple pattern in the Old Testament. The symbolism of the Exodus.Baptism for the dead.The meaning of the baptismal font.Isaiah and the temple.Hebrews as a temple text.The Kirtland Temple and the Nauvoo Temple.The doctrine of celestial glory.The difference between going through the temple and letting the temple work on us.If this episode helps you see scripture differently, please follow Temple Bound and leave a comment on the app you are listening from. It helps this podcast reach more people who are trying to learn, grow, and come closer to the teachings of the temple.  Send us Fan Mail

Will Humphreys sits down with Jennie Dildine, a certified life coach and host of the LDS Mission Podcast, to talk about what actually helps missionaries before they leave, while they are serving, and after they come home. Jennie has spent seven years coaching missionaries and their parents through anxiety, burnout, identity struggles, and the transition home, and in this episode she breaks down what she has learned. The conversation is rooted in Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk Forget Me Not from October 2011. Jennie read the talk, replaced every mention of sisters with missionaries and elders and sisters, and found something she now teaches nearly everyone she works with: five things missionaries, and the people who love them, are not supposed to forget. In This Episode, Will and Jennie Discuss: Why Jennie became a certified life coach for missionaries and their parents, and the moment that convinced her this was her callingElder Uchtdorf's Forget Me Not talk and the five things it teaches missionaries never to forgetWhy worth was never tied to goals met, lessons taught, or how a mission looks from the outsideThe normalize, validate, and repeat method for what to say when a missionary wants to come homeThe missionary spiral, and how a single hard moment turns into guilt, shame, and frustrationSupport versus challenge, and how parents can find the right balance for their missionaryHow to prepare a missionary before they leave, including five things to teach before departureNavigating romantic relationships before and during a missionThe biggest myth about returned missionaries, and what actually helps them transition homePreparing Missionary Cheat Sheet: https://www.subscribepage.com/preparingmissionarycheatsheetmissionariesww Connect with Jenny Website: https://jenniedildine.com/ Instagram: @jennie.theldsmissioncoach Podcast: LDS Mission Podcast  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MnlUX55Lnvo66Ti13yYhk?si=03786b400bd74285 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lds-mission-podcast/id1573286056 Send us Fan Mail

Denny Barney recently completed his service as a mission president in the Iowa Iowa City Mission alongside his wife Nichole. In this episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with Denny during Missionary Month to talk about what it actually takes to endure a mission, and what enduring is supposed to mean in the first place. What you will learn in this episode:  Why "show up, choose faith, trust the process" works as a daily framework for hard things, not just missionary work. The difference between acting charitable and becoming charitable, and why that distinction changes everything about spiritual growth. Why missionary purpose has to become personal, not just memorized. How ancient temple worship in places like Egypt and Guatemala connects to the pattern used in temples today. What Elder Bednar means when he says charity should possess us. How to talk with a missionary preparing to leave, or a child who has chosen a different path, without losing connection. Why the atonement of Jesus Christ is bigger than fixing sin, and how it applies to everything that feels unfair in life. Denny also shares a personal story from a recent family trip to Egypt, where standing at the base of the pyramids and inside the Karnak temple gave him a new appreciation for how deeply rooted temple worship is in human history, long before the Restoration. This episode is built for anyone connected to missionary service right now: a missionary in the field, a missionary preparing to leave, a missionary just home and figuring out life, or a parent walking alongside any of them. Send us Fan Mail

JD and Kendra Dockstader have taught temple prep for three years, and they've watched the class change right along with the kids sitting in it. This episode is for parents, temple prep teachers, and anyone trying to figure out how to talk about the temple with a generation that gets most of its information from TikTok before it ever gets to church. JD and Kendra walk through what they actually teach: the five covenants, the difference between worthiness and perfection, and why leaning into symbolism works better than starting with Solomon's Temple. They talk about covenant path versus life plan, why comparison is the real threat to these kids, and what it means that the temple manual most wards are using was written in 1978. Will, JD, and Kendra also get into something bigger than curriculum. Kids are being trained to see the temple through influencer content whether their parents opt in or not. The conversation covers what that training looks like, how to counter it without being combative, and why moral authority (living it, not just explaining it) is the most convincing lesson a parent gives. Topics covered: Why the standard temple prep manual hasn't kept up with how youth learnTeaching the five covenants without making them feel like a surpriseWorthiness versus perfection, and why kids confuse the twoCovenant path versus life plan, and the pressure of doing things in a certain orderSymbolism as a teaching tool, from the altar to the clothing to the building itselfHow proximity to a temple (or distance from one) shapes a family's relationship with itAdvice for anyone newly called as a temple prep teacherIf you're a parent wondering when to start these conversations, or a teacher trying to figure out how to reach kids who already think they know what's inside, this one gives you a real starting point. Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Temple Bound, Will Humphreys sits down with Sadie to talk about what changed. She walks through the five elements of the doctrine of Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end) and teaches it live, the way she would teach a friend on her mission. Sadie also opens up about growing up with OCD and perfectionism, the health crisis that nearly kept her from serving, and why her transition home has felt different than most returned missionaries describe. She shares the rocks, pebbles, and sand framework she now uses to prioritize temple attendance, and the simple daily habit any member, missionary or not, can start today to build real conviction in the doctrine of Christ. Topics covered:  Doctrine of ChristLDS mission baptismsReturned missionary transitionTemple attendance, faith and repentanceOvercoming the adversary, OCD and faithBook of Mormon studyHer Journey from Jacksonville Florida mission.If you're preparing for a mission, supporting someone who is, or you're newly home and trying to keep your fire burning, this one is for you. Subscribe to Temple Bound for more conversations on faith, family history, and the temple. Send us Fan Mail

What does it mean to grow up in a country where faith is forbidden, where your father could go to jail for painting the Beatles on the kitchen wall, and where your hunger for God has nowhere to go? For Eva Timothy, that was not a metaphor. That was childhood in communist Bulgaria. In this episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys sits down with fine art photographer and founder of the Enlighten podcast, Eva Timothy, whose story stretches from the cement rooftops of Sofia to the altars of the Salt Lake Temple. Eva shares how the fall of the Berlin Wall opened Bulgaria to missionaries, how a picture of the Savior on a street board stopped her mid-walk and changed her life forever, and why she believes that every person on earth has been given a creative gift from God. Eva is known for her award-winning series The Lord Is My Light, a photo-painting collection displayed in institutions including the Smithsonian. Her work uniquely omits the face of the Savior in every piece, a prompting she received when the series began, so that every viewer can place themselves into the moment with Christ. This conversation covers: The reality of growing up under communism with no religious freedom and no First AmendmentHow Eva found the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through a chance encounter with missionaries in a parkHer first prayer ever, offered during sacrament meeting in a rented room above a soccer stadium in BulgariaWhy photography literally means to write with light, and how that shaped her entire artistic visionThe concept of chiaroscuro, the Renaissance technique of using darkness to make light more brilliantHer mission president's challenge to create something for Jesus, and the seven years it took for that prompting to become The Lord Is My LightWhy she never shows the Savior's face in her art, and what that invites the viewer to doThe painting Lord Save Me, depicting Christ pulling Peter from the water, and what it means to be held with both handsThe temple as a masterclass on creation, and how going to the house of the Lord empowers our creative giftsDoctrine and Covenants 109:22 and the promises given to those who come forth from the temple armed with God's powerHow repentance and the Spirit are essential ingredients in the creative processAdvice for people who believe they have no creative gifts, and why that belief is a lie from the adversaryHow to seek your gifts through prayer, patriarchal blessings, and the things that make you lose track of timeIf this episode touched something in you, please follow Temple Bound and leave a comment on the platform you are listening on. Every follow and review helps this podcast reach more people who are searching for light.  Follow Eva on her podcast: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7rNGJgBEbSNED6lefM7p7Q?si=7bf720f254174a27Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enlighten/id1770341207YouTube - https://youtube.com/@eva_timothy?si=5yxoxihNx9CveDO-Connect with Eva: Website - www.evatimothy.art Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eva_timothy/Send us Fan Mail