Tag: turtle talk

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5 Quotes on How To Trust In the Lord

We’ve all seen trust falls.

You know, the ones where people close their eyes and fold their arms, then fall backwards believing that someone is waiting there to catch them?

It takes a huge amount of courage to put your trust in someone you cannot see. It takes an even greater amount of courage to put your trust in someone you cannot see after your previous “trust fall” didn’t turn out the way that you hoped it would.

Trust in the Lord

In his latest full-length talk, “Trust in the Lord,” motivational speaker John Bytheway addresses the 2022 youth theme for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Recorded in March 2022, John creates a parable to remind us that life is not quite the “instant vending machine” we hope it might be. All too often, we find ourselves putting something into life and expecting an immediate return or a blessing. 

That’s not how the Lord intended life to be.

Instead, life is more like a “wait-and-see vending machine”…where we put in the work, the obedience, the faith and the hope, then trust that God’s promised blessings will come in the time He knows will be best for us.

Lean Not Unto Thine Own Understanding

As humans, we like to try to figure things out on our own. We like to try to make sense of things that might not make any earthly sense at all. Like Job and Joseph Smith and so many others before us, we are answer-driven. We seek for understanding for things that we simply cannot explain.

It can be difficult to wait for the Lord to give us answers, knowing that sometimes the answers might take time and some might not come at all. It takes a whole lot of courage to actively choose to “trust fall” into our Heavenly Father and His plan for us when we cannot physically see when promised blessings will eventually come out of the proverbial “vending machine”.

It’s times like these that we might find peace in the following quotes:

  • “God is more interested in our growth than in our comfort.”
  • “Can you trust God enough to say: I know you love me. How can I grow? What can I learn from this? Is there a way that I can help others who are going through something similar?”
  • “I don’t think that God causes all suffering, but He never wastes it.” (quoting Steven J. Lund)
  • “Trust in the Lord’s love for you.”
  • “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

▶ Watch or listen to John Bytheway’s full Turtle Talk here: Trust in the Lord.

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.
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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.
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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.
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Spiritual Beings in a Human Experience

Have you ever felt inadequate? Have you ever felt VERY inadequate? Do you feel like to be something great, you have to be something that someone else already is?

Welcome to the human experience…

…an experience where we are blinded to our true selves…

…and spend our entire existence trying to remember who (and whose) we really are.

We forget that we are, in all actuality, supreme spiritual beings; breathtaking beings; beautiful, capable, talented beings. Each one of us is a spiritual being living in a human existence where our potential beyond any earthly measure.

And, yet, we spend all of our time comparing ourselves to all the other beings we see. We compare talents. We compare houses. We compare handwriting and typing speeds. We compare grades. We compare bodies and voices and hair colors and educational degrees.

We compare everything.

And when we get caught up in this trap of comparison, we become insecure with who we really are.

Surprisingly enough, pretty much everyone is insecure about pretty much all the same things.

 

Loosely translated, this means that the same insecurities that you are struggling with are the same ones most of the universe is struggling with. And what is at the top of most every human’s struggle list? Inadequacy.

We think we’re not enough.

  • Because we don’t sing like so-and-so, we are not enough.
  • Because we don’t get that promotion, we are not enough.
  • Because we don’t fit into that size of jeans, we are not enough.
  • Because we don’t get perfect grades, we are not enough.

Our list of inadequacies starts at a young age and goes on and on and on and yet, nearly everyone you come across has the exact same feelings of inadequacy. So what can we do to escape the trap of comparison?

In his new teen-centered Turtle Talk, Spiritual Beings in a Human Experience, Dr. Matt Townsend shares multiple comical stories about how he came to understand that his struggles were not his identity…and neither were his mistakes.

Your entire family will literally LOL as Dr. Townsend recounts how embracing the nickname “loin boy” and purchasing a snorkel from a world-famous swimmer have influenced the person he is today.

After his health forced him to walk away from his radio career, Dr. Townsend felt a little bit lost. “I had to figure out who I was,” he said. “I lost my identity and gained a new one.”

What was the new identity? It can be summed up in the following quote by Boyd K. Packer:

You are a spiritual being in a human experience.

You were already pretty amazing when you came to earth. What more can you possibly do on this earth that is going to WOW your Heavenly Father!?!

Nothing. He already knows that you are enough for Him.

So shouldn’t you see yourself as enough for you?

Listen to Spiritual Beings in a Human Experience by Dr. Matt Townsend exclusively on the Our Turtle House App. Don’t have the app? Get a FREE 7-day TRIAL here and begin listening today.

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.
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What Is a “Turtle Talk” & Why Do I Want Tickets?

Remember when you’d drive to the local bookstore just to purchase inspirational talks on CD? Yeah. It’s pretty much like that…in digital form.

Turtle Talks are, in a nutshell, entertaining full-length talks. They’re pretty much a fan favorite. Honestly, they’re consistently top our “most watched videos” on the Our Turtle House App.

They’re also a bit of a fun production from start to finish.

First, the talks are recorded in front of live audiences at our Turtle Talk Events. Listeners are enthralled by the experience of  watching their favorite motivational speakers on stage. Hank Smith, John Bytheway, and Meg Johnson record multiple Turtle Talks each year. In addition, they share the stage with incredible guest speakers at each event. These guests are chosen because they all with uplifting messages to share. At the event, we laugh, we cry, we inspire. Plus, we have loads of fun! Click here to purchase tickets for 2022 Turtle Talk Events.

 Next, comes the editing process. We edit the Turtle Talks into both audio and video. This makes it so you, as members, have the format that fits your lifestyle the very best. Some members like to listen while they work. Others like to watch them together as a family on a quiet Sunday afternoon. We happen to think that any time is Turtle Talk time!

In the final step, our team chooses a talk of the month. Designers create a cover for the talk and then we release it exclusively on the Our Turtle House App. Each new Turtle Talk is then housed on the app forever, along with dozens of other talks that you can stream at any given time!

Check out a few of our most recent Turtle Talk releases, all carefully hand-selected to keep your family entertained and inspired!

Ready for 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.