12 Scriptures for a Healthy Relationship by Hank Smith

Marriage. Parenting. Neighbors. Friends. Employers. Classmates. Colleagues. Customers.

Everywhere we go, we form a bond with someone somehow. Some connections are quickly created in passing, while others, like marriage, are made to linger longer. Regardless of the status, all relationships are opportunities to grow and develop as our souls become more like our Heavenly Father.

Scriptures for a Healthy Relationship

In his latest Hank Helps miniseries, inspirational podcaster Hank Smith addresses Scriptures for a Healthy Relationship. In this twelve-part series, Hank discusses select verses from the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants that he has found useful in strengthening his own relationships. And, while a lot of the discussion in these episodes revolve around marriage and children, the principles could be applied to any form of relationship in their life that needs a little TLC.

Each episode ranges anywhere from 7-15 minutes long…the PERFECT length for listeners to fit into their already over-scheduled lives.

While these episodes are great to listen to on your own, we highly recommend listening to them with a spouse, parent, adult child, friend, neighbor, or anyone else you might want to improve your relationship with.

These scriptures may look familiar to you; you’ve probably heard most of them before…but you’ll be AMAZED at how Hank Smith takes the familiar verses and sheds so much new insight that can help change your relationships forever!

What Listeners Are Saying

***We created a focus group and let a few people access all of the episodes before they were released. Here are some of their reviews:

  • Renie: “I thoroughly enjoyed all of these episodes. Hank makes it easy to look inward because of his humility and the examples he shares. He explains why the ideas he puts forth will improve relationships both psychologically, spiritually, physically and emotionally with just the right amount of scientific studies and personal experiences. I appreciate Hank’s vulnerability and the sacred things he shares. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to enjoy this mini series.”
  • Denise: “I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to listen to this series! So many things sparked thoughts and impressions that I hadn’t had before. I was familiar with all of the scriptures, but several of them had a new light shined on them, and what a great view! I look forward to the improvements that this can make, not only in my relationships, but also in my life on a personal level.”
  • Holly: “I loved listening to these episodes! I was blown away by how simplistic but profound the thoughts expressed were. I felt extremely uplifted and enjoyed every minute of this series.”
  • Camie: I wish I could have listened to this 20 years ago when I was a young wife/mother. I would recommend this to everyone I know. I gained a lot of great information to help in all aspects of my life including interacting with family, friends, and co-workers. I have had a few relationships that I have been struggling with the last couple of month and this was very helpful, as it helped me look more inward and see how I can work on myself instead of trying to fix them.

Make listening fun with the “12 Scriptures for a Healthy Relationship” bingo card. (Helps you both keep track of the episodes you’ve listened to.)

Print your card here for free.

Ready to Listen?

▶ Scriptures for a Healthy Relationships are an exclusive miniseries housed on the Our Turtle House AppListen to the entire series, beginning here.

Don’t have the Our Turtle House App? No Problem! Get your free 7-day trial here.

The Four Gospels: a new podcast series by Hank Smith

Take your 2023 Come, Follow Me study on an academic “deep dive” into The Four Gospels of the New Testament!

The Four Gospels, a brand-new podcast series by  Dr. Hank Smith, will contain 20+ episodes that will give you a thorough understanding of the background, the history, and the culture of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of who these disciples were at their core and why the texts they’ve written are so powerful for your life today. 

Begin your journey with a brief introduction and “history lesson” of how the bible came to be. In these first two essentials, you’ll develop an awe and understanding of the commitment of the early apostles and a deeper respect for the many who sacrificed to bring you the sacred books we now call the New Testament. 

Once you’ve completed those two initial episodes, you’re ready to dive right in!

Get ahead of your gospel study with these first four episodes, available now:

*Available exclusively on the Our Turtle House app. No app? No problem. Try it free here for 7 days.

“The Savior can convert trials into blessings, and he can give you beauty in place of ashes.” Join Hank Smith as he shares an overview and introduction for this deep dive into Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

“The path to eternal happiness the peace of understanding God’s kingdom.” But what if you can’t even understand God’s plan…because you can’t read? This episode dives into an 
A-to-Z history of the English Bible.

When you understand the world the Savior lived in, you’re going to start having so much more perspective from each chapter you read! Take a look at the history of Israel and the world the Savior lived in.

Isn’t it interesting how individualized the Savior teaches? Learn the history of the book of Mark – one of most individually unique books in the four gospels.

Why Are We Called “Our Turtle House”?

You know us by our app.

Perhaps you’ve attended one of our live events.

It’s even possible that you’ve heard a bunch of our special guests say the name “Our Turtle House” on their social media platforms.

But, what does that even mean? Better yet, where in the world did that name even come from!?! 

The “Back” Story

The story stems back to 2004 when one of our founders, Meg Johnson was hiking in Southern Utah on a red rock trail near what is called Turtle Rock. She began exploring the boulders along the trail, leaping from one to the next to the next.

As she leapt to the last red boulder in her view, she discovered that there actually wasn’t a boulder there to catch her after all!  Instead, she had just leapt off a 40-foot cliff.

Meg landed on her hands and knees, the impact of the fall breaking both femurs, both wrists and 3 bones in her neck. She was life-flighted to Salt Lake City where Meg was pronounced a quadriplegic (paralyzed from the chest down without the use of her hands).

The road to recovery was long and difficult; Meg was often plagued with discouragement, but never defeat. Throughout it all, Meg made a conscious effort to focus solely on optimism and gratitude. She wanted to turn what most people would consider a “devastating accident” into a sacred spiritual experience.

The App Is Born

Ten years after the accident, Meg wanted to do something fun and inspirational to celebrate. She had been doing a lot of motivational speaking and thought it would be fun to do something for an audience. She contacted fellow inspirational speakers Hank Smith and John Bytheway and together they presented a “When Life Gets Hard” Conference.

Then they did another.

And another.

Audiences loved the conferences so much that Meg, Hank, and John decided it would be fun to create a way that audiences all over the world could access these talks, so the idea of forming a membership site evolved. The site would need to be:

  • All-inclusive
  • Family-friendly
  • Both fun AND inspirational
  • Filled with a wide variety of content
  • Something even the youth would enjoy
  • And, finally, easily accessible.

Once they had a vision in they built that site, which then turned into an app: Our Turtle House…a family-friendly app filled with gospel-centered fun!

The “House” Tour

Filled with thousands of hours of exclusive podcasts, talks, firesides, and devotionals, The Our Turtle House App is home to unlimited entertainment from Hank, Meg, and John as well as hundreds of popular guest speakers like Al Carraway, John Hilton III, Jody Moore, Anthony Sweat and more. 

The Our Turtle House App also has loads of resources for your weekly “Come, Follow Me” gospel studies. Download or print weekly lesson plans and stream podcasts centered around the “Come, Follow Me” curriculum from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Plus, watch or listen to over a dozen new releases each week.

Here’s what you’ll get with a full Our Turtle House App membership:

  • TURTLE TALKS: Remember talks on CDs? Yeah they’re like that. We’re home to dozens of hilarious full-length talks filmed in front of a live studio audience.
  • COME, FOLLOW ME LESSON PLANS: Lessons designed with your family in mind. Conveniently customized for families, teens, and children alike.
  • BYTHEWAY PODCAST: Join John Bytheway as he gives additional insight into this week’s “Come, Follow Me” curriculum the “Bytheway” way. 
  • DIGITAL FIRESIDES: Weekly firesides from a panel of special guests. Originally airs every Sunday night at 6pm MT.
  • HANK HELPS PODCAST: A powerful Q&A podcast where Hank Smith gives in-depth answers to questions submitted by listeners.
  • DOING GOOD PODCAST: Stories of people who change the world every day in their own way. Host Carmen Rasmusen Herbert interviews guests from across the United States that are doing good things with their lives. 
  • MEG’S TRIAL TIPS: Quadriplegic Meg Johnson is no stranger to trying times. Still, she’s discovered hundreds of tips to help her get through life with an optimistic attitude and now she wants to share them with you.
  • ARMOR UP: DAILY DEVOTIONALS: Start your day the Armor Up way with short morning devotionals geared towards teens and young adults! 
  • MARK MY WORDS: Read or listen to weekly short inspirational stories written and narrated by Mark Williams.
  • SCRIPTURE POWER: The entire household will love learning scripture stories and learning to implement their modern-day applications.
  • FOLLOW HIM PODCAST: Quickly becoming one of the most popular LDS-based podcasts, Hank and John host guests who specialize in different aspects of church history and scriptural curriculum. 
  • TEACHING HELPS: A Vlog miniseries by Hank Smith to help the teacher/instructor in all of us with classroom management skills.
  • HAPPINESS 101 COURSE: Your six-week course to a happier life!
  • PLUS…members get exclusive ticket discounts to all our live events!
  • And more coming soon!!!

▶ Don’t have the Our Turtle House App? No Problem! Get your free 7-day trial here.

Audrey Baugh spent 15 years of her professional career as an inspirational singer/songwriter and motivational speaker. Now, she happily dedicates her time writing, designing, networking, and managing the marketing content of the Our Turtle House App! Audrey is a wife, a mom, and an avid dog owner who just wants to create pretty things, inspire people, love unconditionally, and eat yummy food.

The “Magical” Answer: Overcoming My Discouragement & Doubt

My name is Audrey. I am a creator, a singer, and a performer. I am the Our Turtle House Sales Manager/blog writer…and I have lived most of my life battling severe anxiety and fear. 

This post is written very carefully because the blog is not about me–it’s about Our Turtle House.

Plus, I know that blog writers are typically heard and not seen and I intend to keep it that way.

But sometimes our prayers are answered by other people’s experiences and it’s often through someone else’s vulnerability that we find comfort in our own, so I’d like to tell you a story of how my unspoken prayer of discouragement and doubt was answered…by a magician.

My Story

Throughout my childhood, I experienced some severe trauma that resulted in anxieties and fears that have accompanied me into adulthood. I’ve done a pretty good job managing them, for the most part, but occasionally they rear their heads and I have to really concentrate at keeping them at bay.

For the past four years, I’ve been living at the pinnacle of my own personal “Liberty Jail“, my individual place of extreme pain, loss, heartache, and suffering. This isn’t the platform to share any of the gritty details; the details won’t contribute to this particular blog post at all, so I won’t. What I can tell you, though, is that life has been utter chaos.

For someone whose unwritten (but often spoken) motto is “Messes are stresses”, additional chaos has been a real struggle.  Stress levels were astronomical. The harder I tried, the harder things got; and the harder things got, the more my childhood trauma resurfaced. Fear, anxiety, and defeat became my constant companions as I tried to juggle life’s new demands. After a severe case of adrenal fatigue settled it, discouragement suddenly made its way into my circle as well.

Life was out of my control. It was too hard.

I was suddenly hit with an unhealthy dose of low self-esteem and an even lower self-worth. I questioned everything I ever knew to be true about the love of God and the Savior’s power to make all things right. As I began to doubt, I began to fear God; as I began to fear God, I began to fear prayer. I was caught up in a cycle that I didn’t know how to break.

Mesmerized By Deception

One of my favorite parts of my job is to emcee at the Turtle Talk Live Events. I love to be on stage, interacting behind-the-scenes with all of our audience members, and getting to know the motivational speakers who deliver powerful inspirational messages. It’s kind of a dream job, really.

In October 2021, I was at the peak of my chaos. I emcee’d at an event where Brad Barton was one of the keynote speakers. As a magician, he mesmerized the audience with magic tricks that he tied into important gospel principles. As his routine went on, Brad began unveiling the 3 techniques of a magician:

  • Sleight of hand: Tricks of psychological manipulation, timing, story, and natural choreography.
  • Misdirection: Tricks with a purpose of getting the audience’s eyes off of looking at the main thing and looking at something else instead.
  • Mental Conditioning: Tricks that get your mental momentum going in one direction while the magic happens someplace else. These are also known as the most powerful tricks of a magician. 

All magic tricks can fit into one technique or a combination of them; and all are designed to mesmerize their audience by deception. To accomplish this, the magician creates a powerfully deceptive illusion to delight and confuse the audience: it looks real, it sounds real, it almost even feels real. Yet, in the end, after you’ve seen a really good magic show, you are left with nothing but questions, confusion, and wonder. 

Brad then asked, “Can you see where this is heading? Can you see how this is going to tie into a powerful spiritual fireside?”

As I began to feel the Spirit, that feeling triggered my anxiety, spun me into doubt and fear set in. I emceed my way through yet another anxiety attack.

The Devil’s Techniques

Brad’s Turtle Talk message revolved around unveiling Satan’s most powerful illusions: Discouragement. Doubt. Confusion. Hopelessness. Rage. Anxiety. Fear. His mission statement can actually be found in 2 Nephi 2:18 where it reads:

“and because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind.”

He wasn’t satisfied with a few of us. He doesn’t even want most of us. He wants us all and THAT is the devil’s mission statement.

“For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good..and thus the devil cheateth their souls and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:20-21)

Satan’s techniques have been carefully honed over thousands of years and have found their way into the hearts of many, using the same techniques as a magician. Here are a few Brad’s talk helped me identify in my own life:

  • Sleight of hand: Ironically, Satan glides very naturally, often unnoticed, in and out of my life when I am at my lowest. Whispers of doubt, discouragement, and fear often appear during the most pivotal points of my life’s story.
  • Misdirection: I made a mental list of things in my life that are taking my eyes off the main thing. I could identify ways I was wasting my time, habits I had developed, thought-processes I had allowed to evolve. All had distracted me from focusing on the Savior and on my true purpose here on earth.
  • Mental conditioning: I was surprised at how many behaviors I could rationalize as being “no big deal”. Little by little, I began to mix up the real with the fake. It all started with a thought and, before long, my anxiety and fear began to take me so far down the “what if” road of the future that I failed to recognize the miracles of today.

These are only just a few examples that appeared in my life. I’m certain that Satan knows us so well that there are numberless, individualized traps that we could all potentially fall into.

And what are you left with in the end? Nada.

(Well, actually you’re left with questions, confusion, and even more wonder, but really those boil down to “nada.”)

The Savior’s Techniques

Now, compare what we just learned about the Devil’s techniques to the ones that our Savior uses.

Because the Godhead is so united, the Savior’s mission statement can easily be summed up by the same that God has proclaimed:

“For behold, this is my work and my glory–to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”  (Moses 1:39)

And what “techniques” does the Savior use to influence us? Certainly not the same as a magician. His techniques all stem from a higher, holier place. In studying Brad’s talk, here are a few that I identified in my own life:

  • Love: Everything the Savior does has always been centered around His love for me. Everything. “Greater man hath no love than this...” (John 15:13)
  • Free agency: Because of his belief in free agency, the Savior will never manipulate, deceive, or force me into making any decisions. Instead, He’s there help us as we choose our own path. He even sacrificed His own life hoping that we will ultimately choose to return to live with Him and Our Heavenly Parents again someday. He gave us everything, but still He leaves the choice up to us.
  • Peace: A lot of the fears and anxieties I struggle with stem from a fear of “the unknown,” both in the past and in the future. Though I may still have unanswered questions, Christ is not going to leave me in a spirit of confusion and wonder. There’s a reason that the Savior is called “The Prince of Peace.” When Christ is present, peace is found. 

No. The techniques of the Savior are not magical, manipulative tricks that leave us feeling empty and confused. Instead, the techniques He uses are designed to leave us filled with  hope, comfort, and mercy.

The Magical Answer

The Our Turtle House editing team was inspired when they gave Brad’s talk the title, “Don’t Get Tricked: Magic, Lies, & Revealing the Loving Grace of God”.  

I’ve pondered this talk several times over the months and I believe I have found my own personal answer to all the prayers I couldn’t/wouldn’t/didn’t pray. For me, the magical answer was to develop a firm and unwavering testimony of the power of Satan in my life. I needed to fully comprehend that he does exist, that he is a powerful being, and that he knows me every bit as much as the Savior does.

In fact, he knows me so well that he custom-designed a strategy of small, subtle tactics just for me; tricks targeted at the weaknesses he knew I had; distractions that he knew would keep me from my main focus in life.

These ploys looked real, sounded real and felt very real, yet, in the end, they left me with nothing more than questions, confusions, and wonder.

In fact, I began to know this so intensely that I even wrote my testimony about it:

Now, please don’t get me wrong.

I am not “magically cured”. I still have fears and anxieties that stem from my own personal experiences.

In fact, I rely heavily on the beauty of modern medicine and professional therapy/counseling to help me navigate the journey of healing, and encourage you to do the same when needed.

I recognize the complications of clinical depression and anxieties and understand that this is not everybody’s story. It is only my own. I don’t claim to even pretend to have all the answers for everyone.

I also understand that we all have our own individual struggles and that my struggles probably aren’t your struggles and vice versa. 

However, my understanding of Satan and God and Jesus Christ and their roles has increased substantially because of this talk. I’ve been able to more easily recognize the everyday techniques Satan uses to trick his way into my life. I’ve also discovered ways that I can hold him at bay.

I would encourage you all to take just 47 minutes out of your day to watch Brad’s talk with your entire family. Perhaps you, too, can contrast the techniques that Satan uses in your own life with the techniques the Savior offers to counteract them. 

Watch or listen to Brad Barton’s full Turtle Talk here: Don’t Get Tricked: Magic, Lies, & Revealing the Loving Grace of God

Don’t have the Our Turtle House App? No Problem! Get your free 7-day trial here.

Audrey Baugh spent 15 years of her professional career as an inspirational singer/songwriter and motivational speaker. Now, she happily dedicates her time writing, designing, networking, and managing the marketing content of the Our Turtle House App! Audrey is a wife, a mom, and an avid dog owner who just wants to create pretty things, inspire people, love unconditionally, and eat yummy food.

12 Scriptures for a Healthy Relationship by Hank Smith

Marriage. Parenting. Neighbors. Friends. Employers. Classmates. Colleagues. Customers.

Everywhere we go, we form a bond with someone somehow. Some connections are quickly created in passing, while others, like marriage, are made to linger longer. Regardless of the status, all relationships are opportunities to grow and develop as our souls become more like our Heavenly Father.

Scriptures for a Healthy Relationship

In his latest Hank Helps miniseries, inspirational podcaster Hank Smith addresses Scriptures for a Healthy Relationship. In this twelve-part series, Hank discusses select verses from the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants that he has found useful in strengthening his own relationships. And, while a lot of the discussion in these episodes revolve around marriage and children, the principles could be applied to any form of relationship in their life that needs a little TLC.

Each episode ranges anywhere from 7-15 minutes long…the PERFECT length for listeners to fit into their already over-scheduled lives.

While these episodes are great to listen to on your own, we highly recommend listening to them with a spouse, parent, adult child, friend, neighbor, or anyone else you might want to improve your relationship with.

These scriptures may look familiar to you; you’ve probably heard most of them before…but you’ll be AMAZED at how Hank Smith takes the familiar verses and sheds so much new insight that can help change your relationships forever!

What Listeners Are Saying

***We created a focus group and let a few people access all of the episodes before they were released. Here are some of their reviews:

  • Renie: “I thoroughly enjoyed all of these episodes. Hank makes it easy to look inward because of his humility and the examples he shares. He explains why the ideas he puts forth will improve relationships both psychologically, spiritually, physically and emotionally with just the right amount of scientific studies and personal experiences. I appreciate Hank’s vulnerability and the sacred things he shares. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to enjoy this mini series.”
  • Denise: “I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to listen to this series! So many things sparked thoughts and impressions that I hadn’t had before. I was familiar with all of the scriptures, but several of them had a new light shined on them, and what a great view! I look forward to the improvements that this can make, not only in my relationships, but also in my life on a personal level.”
  • Holly: “I loved listening to these episodes! I was blown away by how simplistic but profound the thoughts expressed were. I felt extremely uplifted and enjoyed every minute of this series.”
  • Camie: I wish I could have listened to this 20 years ago when I was a young wife/mother. I would recommend this to everyone I know. I gained a lot of great information to help in all aspects of my life including interacting with family, friends, and co-workers. I have had a few relationships that I have been struggling with the last couple of month and this was very helpful, as it helped me look more inward and see how I can work on myself instead of trying to fix them.
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Ready to Listen?

▶ Scriptures for a Healthy Relationships are an exclusive miniseries housed on the Our Turtle House AppListen to the entire series, beginning here.

Don’t have the Our Turtle House App? No Problem! Get your free 7-day trial here.

8 Full-Length Talks for You & Your Teen

Depression. Happiness. Anxiety. Joy. Confidence. Comparison. Guilt. Hope. Distraction. Focus.  Trust. Fear. Unity. Division. Danger. Safety.

And all of these every day before 10am.

Most of us wake up every morning and begin our day by diving into the endless world of news and social media. We “connect” with whatever is on our current feed, but doing so forces us to experience a vast roller coaster of emotions within a short amount of time. This process cycles over and over again as we mindlessly scroll through the reports of other people’s lives. 

Our adult brains are typically developed enough to be entertained for a bit, filter the junk, and move on.

But what about your teenagers?

Despite what they may think, their brains still have a few years to grow.

They’re probably overwhelmed with the yo-yo affect that the typical, everyday life now brings and just need a noninvasive connection to truth.

The Our Turtle House App can help you with that.

We’ve selected eight fun and inspirational full-length Turtle Talks that will help you help your teens stay rooted in truth.Watch or listen to some of the best motivational speakers in the industry as they address some of the difficult challenges you and your teen are facing.

Your teen will love the humor and you will love the Spirit.

Listen to all of the talks now on the Our Turtle House App. Don’t have the app? No worries! Download a FREE 7-day TRIAL here.

Here they are in no particular order:

Feeling frustrated with life? Trying to find out who you REALLY are? Laugh and learn with Dr. Matt Townsend as he shows you how to unlock your mind and body and experience the power that comes from being "at one" with God.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, life just doesn't go the way you want (or expect) it to! What do you do when life gets you down? Join Hank Smith as he talks about different ways you can face life's most frustrating setbacks with faith.
How do you deal with the "gap" that exists between where you are today and where you want to be? Join Ganel-Lyn Condie as she shares her inspirational perspective on how Christ can help us safely bridge the gaps in our lives.
When Peter saw Christ walking on water, he wanted to walk on water, too–and he did...until he stopped focusing on the Savior. Join John Bytheway as he shares how keeping your focus on Christ will, not only strengthen your faith, but will also help you weather any storm you have to face.
Do you understand how POWERFUL gratitude can be in your life? It's so much more than just being "thankful" for things! Join Kevin Clayson as he shares how you can use the power of gratitude in your life to change your future and shift the trajectory of your eternity.
There are plenty of things to be afraid of in this life: spiders, heights, public speaking...So how do you build the type of confidence that not only helps you face your fears, but also helps you feel more confident and sure of yourself? Join Eric D. Richards as he teaches you the spiritual strength to take on any challenge.
Parents may frustrate you sometimes and you may even find them annoying sometimes (especially if you're a teenager.) Join Hank Smith for this hilarious Turtle Talk where he teaches us about the many ways your parents are here to help you succeed as a Child of God.
Heavenly help is on the way! Laugh and learn with Meg Johnson as she takes us on a "stroll" down the halls of the temple and shows us how to unlock the doors of angelic assistance.
Audrey Baugh spent 15 years of her professional career as an inspirational singer/songwriter and motivational speaker. Now, she happily dedicates her time writing, designing, networking, and managing the marketing content of the Our Turtle House App! Audrey is a wife, a mom, and an avid dog owner who just wants to create pretty things, inspire people, love unconditionally, and eat yummy food.

The Healing Power of Humor

Children laugh over 300 times a day on average. Adults, on the other hand, only laugh an average of 15 times daily. At what point did we, as a society, forget how important it is have laughter be our companion?

When we laugh, we release endorphins that are scientifically proven to help heal, not only our mind and spirit, but also many aspects of our physical body.

Research proves that humor:

  1. Reduces pain.
  2. Helps human beings cope with stress.
  3. Reduces anxiety.
  4. Relieves tension.
  5. Burns calories.
  6. Improves the immune system.
  7. Protects the heart.
  8. Lowers the blood pressure.
  9. Heals injuries.
  10. Clears the mind.

If those payoffs aren’t enough to tempt you to laugh a little bit more, the social aspects of laughter are immeasurable. Humor is known to create relationships and establish social bonds.

People who laugh together have better quality relationships with each other. Humor and laughter connect the souls which is why, in a recent Hank Helps Podcast episode, Hank Smith stated, “The act of laughing is a social phenomenon.”

Let us help you with that.

Out of the thousands of episodes on the Our Turtle House App, every single one is built around fun and inspiration. Our Sunday evening Digital Firesides are filled with banter and candid humor sure bring a smile. The lighthearted Mark My Words: Inspirational Stories are sure to make you chuckle. Even the Follow Him Podcast has a tagline that says “We love to learn. We love to laugh. We love to learn and laugh with you.”

With you. Those are the key words. Not at you, not behind you, not in front of you…but with you. Even (and especially) during the dark and lonely times of your life.

“You can laugh through the difficult times. It’s okay to give yourself permission to do that and give others around you permission to do it,” podcaster Carmen Herbert said on her latest Doing Good Podcast episode.  Carmen interviewed fellow podcaster/comedian Lisa Valentine Clark, who lost her husband to A.L.S. just eighteen months short months ago. In a time where Lisa could have fallen into a routine of sadness, she instead chose to use humor to buoy up herself and her five children as they embraced an unpredictable future.

I try to think less of my ego and this life, now, and more of my connection with other people and I think that feels like more doable, more connective, more fun, more rewarding, more satisfying.” -Lisa Valentine Clark

With all these scientifically proven evidences,  is it any wonder, then, that even our prophets have encouraged us to smile, to laugh, and to enjoy life as it is?

Listen to all these episodes and more on the Our Turtle House App.
Don’t have the app? Download a FREE 7-DAY TRIAL here.

Audrey Baugh spent 15 years of her professional career as an inspirational singer/songwriter and motivational speaker. Now, she happily dedicates her time writing, designing, networking, and managing the marketing content of the Our Turtle House App! Audrey is a wife, a mom, and an avid dog owner who just wants to create pretty things, inspire people, love unconditionally, and eat yummy food.

3 Ways to Boost Your “Come, Follow Me” Studies

The Old Testament is filled with powerful stories containing powerful messages to help us in our latter-day lives. Abraham. Moses. Noah. Isaac. Lot. Rebekah. Yet, because it was written thousands of years ago, interpreting its ancient customs and cultures and hidden messages can feel almost overwhelming…and the thought of teaching those to our families can make it even more so!

Luckily, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has created fantastic Come, Follow Me: Old Testament curriculum for families and individuals around the world. Designed with personalized lessons, this curriculum is a tool to draw families closer together through their scripture studies. Each lesson touches on powerful scriptural insight, allowing us to explore the meanings as a family.

But what if you want a little more?

We’ve got your back.

The Our Turtle House App Team has created, not one, not two, but THREE different weekly resources to help you boost your Come, Follow Me: Old Testament studies. All are created with the intent of helping you get a little bit (or a whole lot) more out of your scriptures.

Lesson Plans

First of all, check out our Come, Follow Me Lesson Plans. These weekly lessons are designed with YOUR family in mind. Filled with ready-made activities and QR codes, these easy-to-follow lesson plans will make your Family Home Evenings a cinch! Print them off or use them on your cell phone/tablet…our lesson plans are beautiful either way. With Family Lessons, Teen Lessons, and Children’s Lessons, you can use any or all to fit your family’s needs.

Follow Him Podcast

Secondly: who doesn’t LOVE Hank Smith and John Bytheway!?! After only a year, the Follow Him Podcast has quickly gained momentum in the LDS podcast industry. Hundreds of thousands of listeners have collectively learned and laughed with hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway as they interview jaw-dropping specialists, all of which bring exciting history and culture into the Come, Follow Me gospel study. Each week, two episodes (and sometimes three) are released with in-depth insight that puts the curriculum in a whole new light. You can watch/listen to Follow Him Podcast on both the Our Turtle House App as well as on our YouTube channel

ByTheway Podcast

And, finally: Can’t quite get enough? The ByTheWay Podcast offers even MORE insight to the chapters of Come, Follow Me. Recorded by, you guessed it, John Bytheway, the ByTheway Podcast dives a little deeper into aspects of the curriculum that aren’t even touched on in the Follow Him Podcast. This podcast is sure to enhance your gospel study.

Don’t have the Our Turtle House app? Download a FREE 7-DAY TRIAL here!

Audrey Baugh spent 15 years of her professional career as an inspirational singer/songwriter and motivational speaker. Now, she happily dedicates her time writing, designing, networking, and managing the marketing content of the Our Turtle House App! Audrey is a wife, a mom, and an avid dog owner who just wants to create pretty things, inspire people, love unconditionally, and eat yummy food.

Follow Him Podcast: Old Testament

“We love to learn. We love to laugh. We love to learn and laugh with you.”

After only a year, the Follow Him Podcast has quickly gained momentum in the LDS podcast industry. Hundreds of thousands of listeners collectively learned and laughed with hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway in 2021 as they  interviewed incredible guests who bring history and culture into their Come, Follow Me: Doctrine & Covenants gospel study.

Now, back by popular demand, the Follow Him Podcast will continue into the Come, Follow Me: Old Testament throughout 2022.

Starting the year off on the best foot possible, the guest line-up has already been astounding! Listeners around the world have been inspired by the educational depths the guests have taken them through and they’re all seeing the Pearl of Great Price and Old Testament from a whole new perspective.

“So excited for this year’s study! Thanks for a great start!”-Anon

“Thank you for the follow him podcast. It really helps me with my come follow me studies.” – Charles

“I am humbled to learn so much from these discussions. I can keep focused on the Lord, learn, and be stretched. Thank you!!” -Julia

Ready to listen?

You can watch/listen to Follow Him Podcast on both the Our Turtle House App as well as on our YouTube channel

Don’t have the app? Download a FREE 7-DAY TRIAL here!