Episode 55

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Published on:

17th Mar 2025

COURAGE & THE POT OF GOLD

HAPPY St. Patricks day! So, are you wearing green? Do you wonder who is St. Patrick anyway? Did you know he was captured as a young man and sold into slavery? Join me on the creative spiritual journey podcast where I will ask a soul searching question, "what fear ye?"

We might even discover what the pot of gold is at the end of the rainbow.

Transcript
Yeti X:

Welcome friends to the creative, spiritual journey podcast.

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Sunny Bonanni from the

motherland of South Africa.

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It's here that my husband and I are

serving a mission for the church of

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Jesus Christ of latter day saints.

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My name is Judy Cooley, along

with my sister-in-law Ghia Cooley.

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We are your host.

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But we'd rather you consider us more

like your hiking buddies together.

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We'll step out the front door and onto the

path that leads through the wilderness.

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Beyond the horizon to

stand on mountain tops.

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We'll share what's in our

hearts, our love for the savior

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and his beautiful creations.

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As well as the joys and the lessons

were discovering along the way.

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So will you rise up, shake off

the dust, pick up your packs

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and join us on the trail.

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Today is day 440.

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Yay.

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I have been numbering the

nd,:

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When we embarked on this

mission to go and gather Israel.

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And it's been quite the

adventure of highs and lows.

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Today is also March 17th, 2025.

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St.

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Patrick's day.

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So hopefully you're wearing

green, so you don't get pinched.

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Maybe you're wearing a three

leaf Clover called the Shamrock.

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Maybe you're one of the lucky

ones to get, to attend a parade.

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Or search for leprechauns.

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I know my son and his wife.

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Do some pretty funny things.

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With the leprechaun.

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And his shenanigans in the house

and blame it on the leprechaun.

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It's quite funny.

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I have one friend who

fixes an all green meal.

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For her family.

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Family.

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And my mom used to fix

corn, beef and cabbage.

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I don't know about you, but

I love corn beef and cabbage.

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So who is St.

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Patrick?

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And what is this day all about?

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I invite you to do a Google search.

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Because I am just going to give you

a quick cliff note version of who

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he is and what I think is the pot

of gold at the end of the rainbow.

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So.

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St.

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Patrick's story takes place

way back in the fifth century.

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When the world to me was still wild.

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He was born actually in

England, two Roman parents.

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So he's not very Irish.

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He is best known for bringing

Christianity to a pagan nation of Ireland.

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This, I found fascinating that as a young

man, he was captured by Irish pirates.

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And front taken from his

home and family and enslaved.

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was an animal herder.

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For six years and he actually experienced

starvation and being abused and beaten.

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So he had quite the challenge

as a young man growing up.

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It was there that he said he heard.

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The word of God.

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And he finally escaped and returned to.

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His family.

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Where.

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he grew up to be a man of the

cloth in the Roman Catholic church.

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And here's where he was so courageous.

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He returned to Ireland.

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He felt drawn to return back to

Ireland where he was the slave.

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In hopes to bringing knowledge

of Jesus Christ to them.

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To me, this is courageous.

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Humility.

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Here's his words.

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This is while he's a missionary end.

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Ireland.

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For daily, I expect to be murdered.

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Or be trade.

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Or reduced to slavery.

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If the occasion arises.

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But I fear nothing because

of the promise of heaven.

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For, I have cast.

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Test myself into the hands of the.

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Almighty God who reigns everywhere.

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As the prophet says, cast your burden

on the Lord and he will sustain you.

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Isn't that wonderful.

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I as a missionary am never expect to

be murdered or betrayed on a daily.

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Occasion.

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So this man had courage.

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So today in your

celebrations of the Irish.

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Of St.

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Patrick's reflect back on him

and his courageous humility.

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And how you can integrate a little bit

of luck of the Irish into your life.

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And with that thought, I want

to share with you something the

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spirit has been nudging me to do.

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and that is to begin each episode

asking you a question of the soul.

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What.

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Our soul searching questions.

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The first time I heard this

phrase, I was in the MTC.

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In the preach, my gospel.

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That the book of Mormon answers,

soul searching questions.

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And then in teaching and

sharing the gospel ask.

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Open-ended questions.

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Not yes and no questions.

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Questions that cause us

to reflect and ponder.

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And I'm, I wasn't used to that

this has taken some practice.

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And also just.

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Just our last zone conference are.

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Mission president.

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president macaque asked us to.

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Look in the scriptures.

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For the questions Jesus asked.

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And take them and apply

them when we teach others.

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So when he said that the first

question that popped up, but my

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mind is found in Matthew eight.

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So in Matthew eight, we have the apostles.

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On a ship with the savior.

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And I'm sure it's been a long day

because the Savior's actually asleep.

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When a big storm rises so big.

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That they fear.

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They are in peril that their lives.

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Are in danger.

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And this is, this is from the

scriptures, Matthew eight.

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First 24.

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When they entered into a ship,

his disciples followed him.

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And behold there rose a great Tempest

in the sea in so much that the ship was

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covered with the waves, but he was asleep.

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And his disciples came to him in

a, woke him saying, Lord, save us.

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We perish.

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And he said into them.

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Why are you fearful?

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Oh, ye of little faith.

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Okay.

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Then he arose and he rebuked

the winds and the sea.

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And there was a great calm.

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Haven't you been fearful?

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I know that's a silly question

because I think we're all wired.

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To detect.

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Dangerous.

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We naturally feel fear.

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Of.

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Of danger.

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And the unknown.

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This fear is actually a

useful tool to survive.

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And it's a good thing to

know and recognize tigers.

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And when we need to run from

them, Here in South Africa.

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We haven't dared go off the beaten

trail in the mountains, hiking because

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of our fear of black mambas and green

mambas and puff adders and cobras.

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So Sometimes fear's a good thing.

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let me ask you.

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How would you answer the

Messiah when he asks.

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You have little faith.

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Why are you so afraid?

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I recently had an experience

in my morning, studies reading

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a passage and scriptures.

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And all of a sudden this wave of fear

came up and I thought to pray asking.

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Why do I fear?

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This, why do I feel such fear,

heavenly father reading this and

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how can I instead have faith?

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Let me ask you to think of a

time when you were fearful.

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When it would have been

more helpful to be faithful.

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And you've had the savior.

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Calm the storm tossed sees for you.

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Yeti X-5: You can see how.

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Asking questions.

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Soul searching questions opens

up your mind and your heart.

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To reflection.

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To remembering experiences

Teaching you how to become better.

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Questions.

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Are important.

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Not only for the savior

to ask us, but us to ask.

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Our father in heaven That is how.

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This whole gospel was restored.

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With questions.

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Yeti X: Our first grandson.

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Loved to ask questions.

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He was in that curious stage

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Y.

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Y how, how, why.

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Why this, how that.

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And sometimes it got a little bit,

ah, Just because you wanted to reply.

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But I think asking good questions.

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We learn.

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It's part of our progress,

just like a little child.

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Asking questions.

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I think that's why the

savior asked questions.

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So we would search.

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Elder.

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Ted.

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Our Callister said a good

question is like an alarm clock.

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It awakens us out of our mental doldrums

and jumpstarts our mental engines.

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Don't you love that?

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It's an alarm clock to awaken our senses.

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So I got curious, just how

many questions did Jesus ask?

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According to John Hill,

the third and Brad Wilcox.

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They wrote a book titled.

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52 life changing questions.

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the questions in the book of Mormon.

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And it says that in the book of

Mormon, there are 543 questions.

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Jesus Christ Ash, 35 of those questions.

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And then according to Zach is.

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Zehnder.

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Hope I said your name, Zack.

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Right.

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Um, he is from the red letter living.

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I think he might be a pastor.

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But he wrote an article

called 305 questions.

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Jesus asked.

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Apparently he asked how many

questions did Jesus ask?

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And the new Testament.

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I found out there's 300 or five.

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Well, Guinea.

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And I often talk about how we

can own improve this podcast.

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And have it be more of an

experiential conversation where

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together we can become better.

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By experimenting upon the words of Christ.

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And become a Dewar.

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Not just a listener.

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So if you've listened to this podcast

for a while, you've noticed that Ghia and

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I speak a lot about meditative prayer.

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And contemplation and pondering.

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And this is because.

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We can testify in no of the

blessings of peace and strength

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that is brought into our lives.

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So, of course we want to share it

with you, our friends, the listeners.

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This is why I'm going to be including

in this episode, a guided meditation

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upon the soul searching question.

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Jesus asked, why are you so fearful?

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What fear ye.

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So, if you're interested, you

can just queue up the next

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episode at your convenience.

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And if meditation is just

not quite your cup of tea.

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You can just skip it and move on.

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I love that we are all blessed with this

wonderful gift to choose for ourselves.

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So why meditation?

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And pondering upon a question.

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I heard this recently on one heart,

one mind podcast with Thomas McConkie.

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And if any of you know him, he

is like the LDS meditation guru.

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He quoted Howard Truman.

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And I'd love to read this to you.

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Quote, the experience of

prayer can be nurtured.

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And cultivated.

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It can create a climate in which

a man's life moves and functions.

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Indeed.

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It may become a very way of

living for the individual.

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It is ever possible

that the time may come.

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When a man carries such

an atmosphere around him.

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And gifts.

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Uh, quality to all that he

does and communicates it spirit

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to all who crossed his path.

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This was the most remarkable

impact of the life of the master

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upon those whom he encountered.

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It was this, that still

the raging of the madman.

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That called little children

to him that made sinners know

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that their sins are forgiven.

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His whole countenance glowed

with that glory of the father.

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And the secret.

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A great while before day, he withdrew

to a solitary place and prayed.

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As was his custom.

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That's found in mark

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One verse 35.

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At even the sun had set.

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And they brought onto him

all that were diseased.

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And then that were possessed with devils.

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And the city was gathered

together at the door.

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So a lot of people.

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Endless line of people

lined up to be healed.

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Many that were sick of diverse.

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Diseases.

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And cast out many devils and suffered.

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Not that devil is to speak because

they knew him in the morning,

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rising up a great while before day.

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He went out and departed into a

solitary place and there prayed.

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This is how important it was for him.

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I'm sure he was exhausted.

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But in order to be refueled.

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Recharged.

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He rising up a great while before day.

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He went out and departed into a

solitary place and there prayed.

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Meditative prayer

rejuvenated the savior soul.

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I know it can.

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Do the same for us.

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Christ wouldn't just ask questions

and leave us there in the dust.

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Pondering.

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our fears.

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And stead.

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If we search those words in the

scriptures, we find answers.

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There are so many times.

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God and his angels, tell us fear.

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Not.

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Yeti X-6: for example.

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Yeti X: Like in Luke two.

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The night the savior was born.

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The angel said.

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Fear not.

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For behold, I bring you tidings of

great joy, which shall be to all

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people and in Luke eight, while he

yet spake, there came from one, a

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ruler of the synagogue's house St.

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NTM.

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My daughter is dead trouble, not

the master, but when Jesus heard

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it, he answered saying fear, not.

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Believe only, and she will be made whole.

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I love that in modern scriptures

and doctrine covenants.

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There's a lot about lifting

up our heads and be glad.

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Fear not little flock.

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The kingdom is yours until I

come behold, I come quickly.

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Doctrine covenants 50 41.

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If you're not little

children for you are mine.

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And I have overcome the

world and you are them.

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That my father has given me.

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And none of them that my father

had given me shall be lost.

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Wow.

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Now, if that doesn't calm

your fears, I don't know.

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What does.

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And in doctrine, covenants 98, 1

rarely AC, and to you, my friends

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fear not let your hearts be comforted.

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And rejoice.

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I love that word.

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Rejoice evermore and an everything.

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Give thanks.

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And then of course him.

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Number 85, a favorite of the saints here.

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I swear, you have to sing

it at almost every meeting.

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How from F foundation

verse three, Fear not.

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I am with the OB not dismayed for I

am by God and will still give the aid.

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All strengthen the help

thee and cause the to stand.

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Upheld by my righteous.

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Oh, nip attent panned.

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So fair enough, my friends, he

calms the stormy seas, so he

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can calm your trouble, heart.

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And I know you're wondering what is the

pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?

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for me.

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And I think Saint Patrick would agree.

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That the treasure is knowing the love.

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And the courage.

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Of the savior Jesus Christ.

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Would you agree?

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And how I wish.

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I could imitate an Irish

accent to finish this off.

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There's an Irish blessing That says.

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Wishing you a pot of gold and

all the joy your heart can hold.

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or mid.

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Maybe we should say, let the shenanigans.

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Negan's begin.

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Thanks.

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My friend.

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friend.

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for walking with me.

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If you've enjoyed our time

together, please leave us a review.

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And one of those thumbs.

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Is up and then share us with.

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A friend.

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Ghia.

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And I have a goal of reaching

over a hundred followers.

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On the creative, spiritual journey.

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Thank.

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You.

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For.

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Being here we.

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Love you.

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and I will see you.

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on the trail.

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About the Podcast

Creative Spiritual Journey
one small, deliberate step at a time
We are all on a journey—a journey home to our heavenly parents. Any experienced traveler knows there are days you laugh and days you cry.

We aren’t here to tell you how to live—we are here to share how we live—how we survive, thrive, and even find joy!

The journey gets messy with rainstorms and sleepless flights but the hard times—the miserable times—those make the best stories.

And the vistas, the sunsets, the little birds outside the window—those are the reminders that God is in the details, he is aware of us, he has trod the path before.

The Creative Spiritual Journey Podcast is hosted by Judy and Ghia Cooley—two sisters in their wisdom years—who love the savior and are dedicated to making this journey one small, deliberate step at a time.

Join us!

About your host

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Ghia Cooley