Let Them Ask of God - Our Questions and the Restoration: One on One with Jared Halverson 

Jared thank you for all your work. Ya know I left the church for 15 years but never denied it. Now I’m back! Christ scooped me out of a dark abyss.

Best teacher I’ve ever had! We need more teachers like him!

Like you I have had millions of questions. I didn’t doubt the restoration but the gospel is like a big puzzle. You put a piece here and another over there. Some pieces fit together and others don’t look like they belong until you get closer with the fitting questions and answers. I have spent thirty years researching other faiths and why they believe the way they do. As you said we don’t have all the truth available and other beliefs help me better understand what we have. Most all other beliefs teach things of value or good. All things good are from God. I have also spent hours online having discussions with critics of the church. They get offended when you call them anti. I have strengthened my testimony because it made me study to get answers. When I read some of the LDS apologists answers many times they were not good enough for me. So I did ,ore research and found my own answers. They may not be good enough for some but they are for me. I can honestly say that I have researched every anti Mormon information that is out there. My wife would always say why do you enjoy hitting your head on that wall. I would tell her that most likely those are openly against the restoration will not change but I do it for those who are lurking that I will never know that a seed was planted. Anyway I have subscribed and look forward to more.

I am a Sunday school teacher and a Seminary teacher as well and thank you for this from the bottom of my heart😊

I have no words to adequately express my gratitude to Jared and his Unshaken videos. I’ve been diligently studying the gospel since my conversion 50 years ago, yet he gleans from the very same scriptures I’ve studied, so much additional depth and meaning. Humble thanks for the work you are engaged in. It is bringing me closer to my goal of becoming a Zion person.

You are liberal and powerful in a liberal way. Power to understand the Christ teachings, living them and share them. Power to love people with any questions. I am proud of you, more important I believe humbly and sincerely that God is proud of you . i am so happy to have a brother like you. You are, for me , another prove of the truth of the only living Christ Church.THANK YOU

If you don't have questions - you are not seeking. Thank you for your lessons!

Jared, I’ve been watching your unshaken videos throughout the pandemic and am so grateful for the insights through the Spirit I receive to keep me anchored in Hope,Faith and Charity. Many times watching your videos I wish I could ask you how to manage my situation. My husband took his name of the records of the Church several years ago, two of my teenage children have since left. I honestly feel I would have a heartfelt “open and honest”( what my husband says he wants) conversation with him, but in the beginning of his trial of faith and questions, I was hopeful that in talking with me, leaders and family, and desperately praying for God’s help, he would overcome. He didn’t. Then I think I was wanting to not believe it could get worse. It did! 😞It’s gotten to a point that he is angry, defensive, mocking, and accusatory towards me expecting the burden of proof to be on me. I tried to “prove” for a short time in our conversation, but that escalated into argument. I quickly realized it’s not my burden to prove anything to anyone. That it led to argument, which led to the Spirit leaving. I would LOVE to have sincere and honest conversations, but he has been in a “this is what I’ve discovered(on the internet and podcasts😢)nefarious with the Church-“prove me wrong “ state of mind. I don’t engage. I Tell him I love him, but this is something we can’t talk about respectfully yet. I tell him we can focus on what we do have in common. I guess what I’m trying to understand is how to do this very difficult balance of showing compassion and understanding, but also maintaining a boundary that doesn’t allow unkindness and disrespect for my heartfelt beliefs. Most videos I watch talk about supporting and loving the questions of those having a trial of their faith. Listening and being inclusive and not marginalizing them. Yes, of course! I think to myself, but...what about my side of the story?? My world unexpectedly got turned upside down. For years I was devastated and in my quiet heart was hidden anguish and sorrow so painful I wanted to die. Fortunately that forced me to my lowest where the Savior personally reached me and has tutored me with His comforting and rescuing Mercy and strengthened and enabled me with His Powerful Grace. I did try and still do,to be patient and supportive(though I disagree with his view) but when it comes to Gospel, He is angry, patronizing and sure his perspective is correct, mine naive. All I know to do is patiently wait upon the Lord and do what He asks. There’s so much I’d love to ask for greater understanding, but mostly I guess what I feel is missing from these types of “help in faith crisis videos/books” is guidance and understanding for the spouse who is suddenly put in this situation. It is a traumatic and horrifying reality to have that breathless, punched in the gut, constant ache in the heart, wrenching feeling. Ultimately I know it’s utter reliance on my Savior’s At-one-ment that has held me together, I just often feel when I hear advice on how to deal with “questions”, that it is so much deeper than “be understanding” and that those who have been heartbroken by a spouse choosing to leave, know it’s not so easy to handle no matter how humble and understanding we want to be. I’d just love to hear insights from those on the choosing Faith side of Faith “crisis” .

I love your open minded view being accepting to others thoughts and ideas. I had a Sunday school teacher who saved my bacon, when she taught me to listen with all my heart to my friends ideas before making comments. Because I carefully took her advise sixty years later they are still my best friends. One Lutheran, one United.

Really good. Thank you for your efforts to share this message with us.

Jared, I want you to know how grateful I am for the knowledge you impart to me each week. I joined the church in 1968 and have been an active member ever since. I had many questions growing up and was a secretary for a minister who could not give me the answers I needed. The gospel gives us so much hope and helps us realize who we truly are and our relationship to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I have friends who are not members and wish they would have questions about their beliefs. Glad you got to experience living in Tennessee. I live in Tennessee 1 1/2 hours south of Nashville. A great place to live and grow up.

Thank You! Hope Has Returned Because aTruth Does Matter

Brother Halverson, I now have a deeper understanding of my experience with you as I have shared my insights about the Gospel of John. In past experiences of asking BYU faculty I have been abraided, and so asking and sharing have been guarded. However, my experience with you has been the opposite, and after listening to this presentation, I understand you better. My courage in asking came from my friends, the Goodnights, who shared their experience they had about you.

Thank you Jared

Thank you for these recordings. I have just started reading the Book of Mormon again as this is what I read every day before any other scriptures and we only found your you tube recordings with D& C THANK YOU

Jared this is gold. Thank you for your work. I am so blessed to know and work with you. I love that you are making these and I hope that you continue. Questions do not have to be quarantined! Love this.

O wow! I was just listening to D&C 121, but and I heard the reference you're talking about, about the arm turning the mighty river unsuccessfully. You're a great teacher. I've listened to this video 5 times lol

Thank you

Tell your daughter thank you for creating these shorts, I send to my friends who are struggling with a lack of faith, due to their fear of being single moms, young windows & devorced members & no members

You sir are an instrument in God's hand for good. Thank you.

This was information I needed to better understand my son. Thank you.

Thank you for this video! I am surprised by how few comments have appeared for this video. I will admit I have questions about what you do and how but not sure how to ask them in the comment section. Maybe others feel the same way. My questions include how you do this? Why do people come to you? How can more of us be like this? How do people know they can come to people like you that will help them in their trials of faith? We all need to be more like you as it would take a large army to fill this need. I imagine that you exemplify and convey humility, compassion, knowledge and wisdom and that while you have confidence in your beliefs people still see you as approachable (except maybe your mother in law at the time) and non judgmental, able to provide answers. There are many that I think have the answers but they come across as things are just black and white, so to speak. And yet I would assume that there are questions you can't answer or that resolve peoples concerns. And I would imagine that there are answers to questions that do not satisfy those struggling. How do we help? I imagine that there are many in our own wards that are seeking for people like you? How do we convey that we are there for those that have a trial of faith? Sorry as I said so many questions and not sure how to ask them.

Thanks for sharing this great message! 😃

Awesome and straight forward as ever, thank you for doing this.

Thank you so much for these words. May Heavenly Father bless you abundantly.

This is wonderful. As we engage in conversation during this time of uncertainty, I shared this with our RS sisters circle source thru the church’s new app. We literally just started using it. I thought this would be very appropriate to help us engage in conversation. Thank you! 💕

Wonderful

amazing

One of my questions is ""Why didn't God instruct Joseph to meet on a Saturday instead of on the Sunday?" I have my own theory - yet I am not as educated as you are and I would like to know how to speak about this - wisely and informed as I can be about it? I await your answer with patience as I have been pondering it for a very long time. Thank you. And I have enjoyed your Unshaken sessions very much. I am going to do the whole Book of Mormon year along with the Doctrine and Covenants as well. Now that the likelihood of steady church going is on question, I can fill my time wisely learning from the learned here.

Such a great message thanks so much! I think we are losing people who are going to our adversaries to get the answers to their questions. Keep these coming.

My question Why for four decades was I taught that Joseph Smith did not engage in magic with peep stones and looking into a hat 🎩 to translate the BOM only to learn that he did and that the leaders of the church had a peep stone in their possession?

I agree with you. You’re so concise and easy to understand. I enjoy your Unshaken RU-vid channel. Are you related to Taylor Halverson from Mormon Central?

What do we do when we don’t agree with the answers. Or that the answers are unsatisfactory. Or where the answers are coming from. For example we have prophets and apostles… why then is there such a thing as FAIRMORMON why do those apologists have a job. Their silence on major issues is being filled by unofficial voices. The BoA is arguably the biggest issue the church has. It may not be a shelf breaker for all, it certainly does have spot on the nameplate of the gateway to uncomfortable church history all too often previously unknown. So here’s my question or two. Where’s the very specific loving message of reassurance and love from the prophet of my questions, concerns and doubt- NOT to me as an audience but to my spouse. Can we be real. The more I hear the church beat the drum of covenants the more of a wedge I feel being driven into my family. Truth is there are answers to many of the questions and they’re not good. Most of these answers are real breakers for a lot of people. The church could be working better at helping repair save and prevent marriage and family break up by teaching the still believing member your not believing family are still good people. Where is that message. Signed - a victim of lazy learner - doubt your doubts - covenant breaker rhetoric.

Hi I love the scriptures because they do answers the questions. I remember President Hinckley saying that we need to have a 2 minute testimony because sometimes that is all the time we have to share it. So over the years with the Holy Ghost help I have a strong but small testimony I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints because Jesus can not lie, He always keeps his promises (prophesies) and He is the same yesterday ,today and for ever. I can back up everything I believe with Scriptures. Here is an example. (Rev. 14:6) Jesus promised that he would send an Angel with the everlasting Gospel to the earth. So who is this Angel and who did he go to. The angel Moroni and he went to Joseph Smith. No other Christian denomination has ever claimed such a thing. Jesus kept his promise. Again Jesus promise to sent Elijah before Jesus comes again who did he go to, Joseph Smith, no Christian denomination has claimed the ether. Jesus kept his promises.

So what specifically are the ten toughest questions you get from church members?

What is the earliest complete manuscript for the book of James????

How do you hear him? I usually feel that God is there when I pray. I get these feelings in my person not of me. But I have sort of limited Him to Yes or no questions based on a sort of confirmation. I try not to give Him questions that I have not studied out in mind, but my binary way of needing to know something is a bit limiting. Also in my marriage I brought my husband to my church, our church, but we are both still converts. He is the spiritual head if the family yet he constantly relies on me for spiritual guidance. He has graves disease and his energy levels are extremely limited so I ,who constantly delves into the scripture and seek out answers, feel like I am the one who dies that job. I wonder if that's okay or is God preparing me for the time when I am going to be without my sweetheart who has some difficult health issues. It's hard to get guidance with this steep learning curve. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you and God bless you. p.s. My Catholic upbringing, even now, will not allow my to use pronouns when referring to God without the capitalization H out of respect and worshipful acknowledgement.

Can anyone help me with 4 or 5 S's he spoke of about anti religious rhetoric? He mentioned them in either a D&C or OT video and I can't find them! I only remember sensationalized.

How do you help those struggling with the history of blacks and the priesthood?

Does Jared Halverson have a podcast or more content? This is so good I would love to hear more of him!

Do you have a public address/email a person can write to?

So who wrote James 1:5 ???

How. many. wives.

hello. I am a lds member for life. I love you and your channel. I know how to pray and ask of knowledge, i know that personal revelation is real and allowed. I have received the revelation that i lived a mortal life before this current mortal life. So now that i know reincarnation is true and real as Christ is true and real. My question is how can church leaders say i am not or i am wrong? that is very presumptuous and leaning on there own understanding. if reincarnation was false it would be taught as false by Christ he would have warned us of reincarnation but not one ounce of scripture suggests you can not be born again, on the contrary it sheds light into the possibility. Anyways I can guarantee if as you read this you get a strange feeling of disagreement and if in your head you right away say NO, then you are not seeking an answer correctly, you are just casting opinion caused by worldly thoughts. anyways.

Poking fun at incongruity in religious comparisons is not funny in fact it is distracting and knowing who the audience is… it’s misleading. “I’ve been a priest since 16.” It is insulting demeaning to the other religion and misleading to Mormons BECAUSE IT DOESN’T MEAN THE SAME THING. Full stop. Tribal jargon you only recognize it if you’re in the circle. P. S. Joseph excommunicated people that questioned him. He went to jail because people questioned him. Nauvoo expositor ring a bell. Destroyed a printing press for printing questions. So really it’s not the questions. It’s the answers.

Amazing all this talk about questions and not a single question answered???? 🫤

Of my many journeys through the Book of Mormon this has been my sweetest. Thank you.