Louisa Barnes Pratt played a pioneering role as the first woman to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, beginning her journey in support of her husband Addison Pratt’s mission to French Polynesia in 1844 and joining him in 1850. Facing hardships such as scurvy and the challenges of raising four daughters al…

A few quotes from a new book that my wife and I wrote before coming on our mission to Tahiti. It is on Amazon and Cedar Fort sites now for pre-order. It will be released on June 11, 2024. All royalties will go to charity. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my …

Show Notes for Episode: “Island Bonds: Faith and Friendship in Tahiti” Welcome to another inspiring episode of our podcast, where we delve into the heartwarming experiences of those who venture into distant lands with a mission of faith and friendship. In this episode, we’re taking you to the picturesque setting of a small island, or motu, in Tahit…

Addison Pratt initiated his missionary endeavors in Tahiti in 1844, marking an earlier start compared to other Polynesian islands, with subsequent missions launched in Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Fiji, and eventually incorporating New Caledonia into the Tahiti Papeete mission by 1968. Overcoming language barriers was a significant chall…

This episode emphasizes the importance of relationships in the dissemination of the gospel, using the biblical account of Peter and Cornelius to underscore the transformative power of cross-cultural evangelism. It then connects this theme to the historical mission of 1843, when missionaries were dispatched to non-English speaking areas, akin to Pet…

Title: Feeling God's Love In this special Easter edition of our show, we delve into the central theme of God’s all-encompassing love. Our discussion is inspired by the poignant reflections shared in a recent text, which invites listeners to truly feel and experience the divine embrace during the Easter season. Show Highlights: Omnipresence of Divin…

St. Francis of Assisi once penned a moving prayer that fits so much into this podcast. It's really a prayer to help relationships flourish--both human and divine. I unpack this prayer line by line to show how it can help us improve any relationship in our lives. The text provides a comprehensive exploration of the spiritual teachings and life philo…

In this episode, I share observations on the commendable driving etiquette in Tahiti, where drivers exhibit a strong culture of consideration and selflessness by routinely allowing others to merge onto main roads, assisting with parking, and stopping for pedestrians. This behavior starkly contrasts with the aggressive and self-centered nature of ro…

Learning a foreign language has something in common with learning the language of the Spirit. In this episode, I compare the two and offer ideas about how we can improve our ability to communicate with God. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks…

People who have an anxious attachment style often try to buy their way into a relationship with others. They begin to trust more in things than in people. I discuss in this episode a study that investigated this phenomenon. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about m…

I talk about the emotions and motives related to greed, fear, and love and relate them to the seven deadly sins, showing how love can overcome all negative emotions and motives. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://w…

What is a Reviver? I try to answer that question in this episode. Life stories--how we think about them, reflect on them, and share them--are central to the process of becoming a Reviver. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website:…

The way we talk to each, what we say and how we say it affects our relationships more than we might realize. Here in Tahiti I'm dealing with two languages that are not native to me, so the lessons I'm learning are more apparent than when I'm speaking only English. In this episode, I give both positive and negative experiences with language that aff…

Sometimes worry can overcome us. In this episode, I share some of the feelings I've had during our first month as senior missionaries in Tahiti. We can always fall back on the sayings in all languages: "It's no problem, you can do it!" __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more …

I talk in this episode about the Tahitian greeting: Ia ora na! It literally means "that you might live!" or "Life to you!" I believe that's what we need to do every day--give one another a little more life. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks…

We sometimes think of the next life as a sacred existence--a time when we will be free from all the challenges of mortality. But mortality itself can be viewed as sacred because it is simply a slice of our eternal journey. In this episode, I share four examples from our mission here in Tahiti that show how mortality is sacred. _____________________…

The Prophet Joseph Smith penned an amazing prophecy in 1842 as he wrote the Wentworth Letter. In this episode, I share some excerpts from that letter showing how the Prophet described the history of the Church to that point that led to what we now call "The Standard of Truth." __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please con…

The Articles of Faith are such clear statements of our beliefs in the Church of Jesus Christ. In this episode, I take a look at the 9th Article of Faith and show how it is key to knowing how strong our attachment relationship is to God. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more…

A new year. A new season. Who knows exactly what this season will be? Today I wish you a Happy New Year! In this episode, I talk about time as an ally or an enemy, and how love is the one thing that transcends time. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books …

Here's another Christmas song arranged and performed by M. Diego Gonzalez. I feel very blessed to have his music on my podcast. He has recently created an album with the same title as this podcast "Filled with His Love." You can access the album and other music by Diego by clicking on the following link: M. Diego Gonzalez - Filled with His Love, Vo…

Here's another Christmas song arranged and performed by M. Diego Gonzalez. I feel very blessed to have his music on my podcast. He has recently created an album with the same title as this podcast "Filled with His Love." You can access the album and other music by Diego by clicking on the following link: M. Diego Gonzalez - Filled with His Love, Vo…

Is there anyone in your life you have a hard time loving? In this episode, I recount the story of my dad and his unlikely friendship with those who could have been considered enemies. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: htt…

M. Diego Gonzalez plays his new arrangement of "I Saw Three Ships." A great way to kick off the Christmas season. I hope you enjoy it! I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day in the morning And what was in those ships all three On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day? And wh…

In some miraculous way, relationships can often survive the pain of war. This is a day to reflect on WW II and hopefully, help us find ways never to experience a war like that again. I offer excerpts from my Dad's letters to my Mom when he was in the battle of Okinawa. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me:…

We talk a lot about the relationship between fear and faith, but in this episode, I will discuss how perfect love can eliminate fear. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www.russelltosguthorpe.com/ Want to order a b…

This episode is my own expression of gratitude for the blessings I've received throughout my life. I hope you will think of all that you are grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving!! __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www…

I discuss the data from people who live the longest on earth--people who live in the "Blue Zones." What can we learn from these people that will help us avoid disease and premature death? __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website:…

I discuss Warren Buffet's three secrets of success as stated in a recent article in the magazine Inc. I also show how his advice parallels that of President Nelson. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www.russelltos…

I've taken excerpts from an interview Sheri Dew did with Bronco Mendenhall and his wife. A great interview. And I've emphasised how Bronco learned that relationships are the most important thing in life. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? G…

Paul uses the term "brother beloved" in his epistle to Philemon. I love this phrase. This describes how we look at each other as children of God--not just brothers and sisters, but brothers and sisters beloved. I share some experiences in this episode about my first mission to Tahiti and our recent call as a couple to serve there again. ___________…

What is ageism? How does it affect us as we grow older? In this episode, I talk about motivational intelligence and its influence as a means of achieving our purpose in life. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www.…

In this episode, I talk about the 7th chapter of 2nd Nephi where he quotes Isaiah chapter 50. I explain how important it is to "set our face like flint" to be firm in the faith and never turn away from the Lord. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and …

In this episode, I share some of my own thoughts about a number of talks given in general conference with the hope that you will want to record some of your thoughts about talks that were especially meaningful to you. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my book…

When we walk in the Spirit, we act out of love--the fruit of the Spirit. The more we can feel God's love and share that love with others in whatever way we are able, the more we will be walking in the Spirit. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and tal…

Being unafraid to ask is so important, but we must make sure that our motives are pure and that we are asking what God wants us to ask. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www.russelltosguthorpe.com/ Want to order a…

We all have gifts--certain types of potential that are inborn. And as we develop those gifts, they become talents. When we use those talents to bless others, we grow closer to God and to each other. So, let's develop our gifts and share our talents as much as possible. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me:…

This is just a brief message to say that I will be releasing episodes every Thursday now so that I will have time to complete a book I've been working on. It's also a message to say "Thanks for listening!" __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks?…

Each of us needs to know how essential we are--how important our life is on earth. Paul helps us see that whatever our background is, our gender, our talents--we are part of one body, and each of us is essential to the functioning of that body. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com W…

Disagreements can strain relationships, but if we follow President Nelson's six suggestions, we can disagree and strengthen our relationships at the same time. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www.russelltosgutho…

Therapists often give advice to their clients in short phrases or sentences. Here are 15 such sentences that appeared in an article recently. I hope at least one sentence is helpful to you. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my websit…

What is collective faith, and how can we nurture it? How can we develop unity, eliminate contention, and become peacemakers? __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www.russelltosguthorpe.com/ Want to order a book? Just…

Paul counsels us not to seek the wisdom of the world. What did he mean, and how do put his counsel into practice? __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www.russelltosguthorpe.com/ Want to order a book? Just go to Amaz…

A new study shows how social rigidity and cognitive rigidity correlate with each other. And this has implications for relationships whether in marriage, with our children, with friends, or with God. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to …

Spiritual experiences are not inventions of our minds. They are encounters with the Divine. And the more we learn to follow the will of God, the more He will strengthen and uplift us--the more inspiration and revelation we will experience. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want m…

Why don't we accept God's grace so freely given every day of our life? I wish we could open ourselves to his strengthening power more often. I wish we could experience everyday grace. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: htt…

We want leaders to possess a lot of qualities. We want them to be decisive, motivational, bright, and hard-working. But t one trait stands out as the most important trait for a leader. I discuss that trait in this episode. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my…

Some people talk their way out of the Church by using simple logic. But spiritual knowledge is not based on logic and reason. It is based on witnesses and the Holy Ghost. In this episode, I share the testimonies of some who we sustain as prophets, seers, and revelators. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me…

The early apostles experienced constant persecution. Most of them were assassinated for their preaching. We don't have that kind of persecution today, but we do experience difficult moments defending the Church. We need to know that any challenges we have are worth the pain because we know what we believe and know that the Lord will help us endure …

I discuss one study showing that high fat-high sugar diets hurt our memory and another study that shows how we can increase memory in a very easy way. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.com Want more info about my books and talks? Go to my website: https://www.russelltosguthorpe.com/ …

Lorenzo Snow taught that "as man is God once was, and as God is man may be. This wonderful doctrine of the Restoration is often overlooked or misunderstood. In this episode, I draw upon Andrew Skinner's book "To Become Like God" as I explain the power of this doctrine in our lives. __________________________ Do you have questions or comments? Pleas…