Tag: church of jesus christ

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It’s An OTH App Easter “Egg” Hunt!

Egg-citing for your
whole family!

Get the family together and take them on a virtual Easter Egg hunt with the Our Turtle House App! They’ll LOVE the surprise that discovering each “egg” will bring and you’ll love that each episode has an inspirational message within it.

Part of the fun will be watching to see which motivational speaker will appear on the screen: will it be Hank Smith? John Bytheway? Meg Johnson? or maybe it will be one of our popular Our Turtle House guest speakers? Scan the QR code to find out!

How to play along:

We’ve created a map of 12 Christ-centered episodes (“eggs”) that are hidden throughout the Our Turtle House App and it’s time for you to scramble to find them.

Just follow these simple instructions:

1. Right-click to save and print a copy of the Our Turtle House Easter Egg Map.
2. Scan the QR code to reveal the episode.
3. Watch/listen to the message.
4. Repeat until you’ve completed the hunt!

Don’t have the Our Turtle House App? Download your 7-day FREE TRIAL here! 

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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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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.”

our-turtle-house-hank-helps-podcast-hank-smith-quote

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.
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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.
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Do You Suffer From F.E.A.R.?

What kind of F.E.A.R. do you wrestle with?

Are you more of a TRADITIONAL F.E.A.R. kind of person? You know, the kind where you have a thought that appears to be real but turns into a lot of thoughts that ultimately take over your mind, causing you to think things that are untrue. Someone who experiences TRADITIONAL F.E.A.R. is a person who imagines the worst case scenario.

Laman and Lemuel were TRADITIONAL F.E.A.R.-ers. They went from zero to “we’re all gonna die” in nothing flat. They were so caught up in the “what ifs” that they refused to progress.

Maybe you’re more of the TREADMILL F.E.A.R. type. These are people who keep doing whatever they’re doing because they’re so filled with fear of what might happen if they stop. They don’t repent…which means they don’t change. They just keep running through habitual motions, but never make any progress toward Heavenly Father.

What exactly is F.E.A.R.?

Better yet, why do we hold on to it? According to motivational speaker Kevin Clayson:

F.E.A.R. is a lie, a deception, a tool of suppression.

And Satan knows it.

Is it any wonder that the scriptures are filled with references encouraging us to “fear not”? Angels declared it to the shepherds. Isaiah preached it to his people. Jesus commanded it of His disciples.

How to we combat F.E.A.R.?

Last Sunday we hosted an Our Turtle House Digital Fireside about choosing faith over fear. During the presentation, we heard three powerful stories from three powerful speakers (Leslie Householder, Kevin Clayson, and Ann Ferguson) teaching us how we, too, can overcome F.E.A.R. in difficult times.

The magic cure:

FAITH

Faith that is fueled and sustained by righteous action. Productive action. Hard-working action with the intent of progressive motion.

Faith in the unknown. Faith in the future. Faith in the Savior and His promises to us.

F.E.A.R. can confound us. But when we choose to overcome fear with faith, miracles will happen.

And isn’t it about time for a miracle in your life?

Have a great week,

Our Turtle House

Listen to the entire fireside on YouTube or with a FREE 7-day TRIAL of the Our Turtle House App.

Ann Ferguson | Joyful Heart Mentoring
Kevin Clayson | www.kevinclayson.org
Leslie Householder | www.rarefaith.org
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.
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Our Turtle House Guest Speakers

Al Carraway. Charlie Bird. Jody Moore. Chad Hymas. Brooke Romney. Anthony Sweat. Emily Belle Freeman. John Hilton III. Ganel-Lyn Condie. Dennis Schleicher. 

Just to name a few.

In the past, Our Turtle House App members have been blessed to hear from hundreds of guest speakers throughout the years. Whether doing short 2-5 minute Armor Up: Daily Devotionals or presenting inspirational messages on our Sunday evening Digital Firesides, our guests deliver powerful personal experiences, leaving audiences entertained and inspired.

We anticipate that 2022 will be every bit as amazing.

Turn on your push notifications and watch your emails to discover which guest speakers to watch for…and when! You’ll find them on:

  • Armor Up: Daily Devotionals
  • Doing Good Podcast with Carmen Rasmusen Herbert
  • Digital Firesides with host Mark Williams
  • PLUS…dozens more on upcoming Turtle Talk releases!

Have a speaker you’d like to hear from? Drop our booking department an email at turtle.link/share.

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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!

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“Thaw-some” Winter Pricing on Yearly Memberships

New year. New you.

Create your own happiness.

Be present with what matters most.

Whatever your mantra, resolution, or “focus words” for 2022 happen to be, the Our Turtle House App is here to help.

Filled with thousands of hours of fun and inspirational podcasts, talks, firesides, and devotionals, the Our Turtle House App is centered around helping you and your family become your very best selves possible.

You’ll love watching and listening to over a dozen new inspirational episodes every week by some of the most popular motivational speakers in the industry: Hank Smith, Meg Johnson, and John Bytheway…plus, some of their very favorite guest speakers! All are fun, inspirational, and all are wholesome entertainment.

It easy to learn together, study together, and, most of all, to grow together when you can find answers to gospel topics all from the palm of your hand!

Too busy to plan a Come, Follow Me lesson? We’ve got your back! Download our Come, Follow Me Lesson Plans or quickly throw our latest Follow Him Podcast over your bluetooth speaker, then relax and enjoy your gospel study together!

Maybe you’re more into podcasts while you work…or work out… Perfect! Stream  Hank Helps, ByTheWay, and Doing Good with Carmen Rasmusen Herbert. 

Got youth? Grab a bowl of popcorn because they’ll LOVE watching our full-length Turtle Talks and Digital Firesides on a relaxing Sunday evening.

We’ve also got:

  • Meg’s Trial Tips (finding peace through life’s challenges)
  • Mark My Words (narrated stories)
  • Scripture Power (scripture stories with modern-day applications)
  • Teaching Helps (tips to enhance your teaching experience)
  • Plus…you’ll get exclusive member pricing to all Our Turtle House events
  • And more!

So, you can see that we really do have what you need to help you reach your goal this year.

For a limited time only, save 20% off your annual membership. But hurry! Offer ends 2/28/2022.