EP 451 – Samuel the Lamanite Was Balthazar. Change My Mind.




This Week in Mormons show

Summary: <br> [dropcap]D[/dropcap]evin Thorpe, the nicest person alive and host of Your Mark on the World with Devin Thorpe, is in the guest seat today. We love you, Devin!<br> <br> Arguably the biggest story this week is <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2019/11/22/byu-idaho-no-longer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BYU-Idaho's decision to stop accepting Medicaid</a>, the government-sponsored health care plan for low-income individuals and families. University policy requires students to have a form of health insurance, and without Medicaid, some students are required to purchase BYU's more expensive health care plan. What is the deal here folks? Update since time of recording: BYU-Idaho has <a href="https://fox13now.com/2019/11/25/byu-idaho-reverses-medicaid-ban" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rescinded the policy</a>.<br> <br> Check out this new Nativity video, The Christ Child. The Church has gone to <a href="https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2019-11-23/the-christ-child-video-five-things-the-nativity-story-168289" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">enormous lengths</a> to make it as historically accurate as possible, and we dare say, it might be the best Nativity video ever produced by anyone ever. Period.<br> <br> <br> <br> Related to that, apparently there is a faith-affirming legend that the Three Wise Men are actually Samuel the Lamanite, Nephi, and Lehi. Yes. This is real. Google it!<br> <br> Mormons love Disney, so it should come as no surprise that Google search traffic over the past year has shown Utah to be, far and away, the <a href="https://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/movies/utah-s-interest-in-disney-tops-all-other-states-google/article_0065b808-a2f3-563a-9ac3-2384971d5aa6.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. state with the most interest in Disney+</a>, the recently released streaming service.<br> <br> Peggy Fletcher Stack has a <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/11/24/polygamy-lives-lds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new article about polygamy</a>, particularly how the practice remains an eternal principle within Mormonism even if it's currently illegal. Moreover, men may be sealed to two women at the same time while all parties are still alive. What does this mean for Latter-day Saint women who are uncomfortable with the practice?<br> <br> Since the October General Conference, we've been <a href="http://www.thisweekinmormons.com/2019/10/episode-444-general-conference-in-space/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">speculating</a> what the upcoming 2020 General Conference "unlike any other" might entail. We got a small peek into that this week when the First Presidency <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/saturday-session-change-april-2020-general-conference" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced</a> that instead of a Women's Meeting or Priesthood Session on Saturday night, there will be a Saturday evening session for everyone age 11 and up, and the letter hints at the proceedings focusing on the Restoration. Who knows if this is a permanent change or not.<br> <br> The Church has been involved in essential charity work of late. In Cambodia, it has been <a href="https://www.deseret.com/2019/11/24/20975627/charitable-giving-making-a-difference-in-cambodia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">improving hospitals</a>, this hot off the heels of announcing an <a href="http://www.thisweekinmormons.com/2019/11/president-nelson-unveils-phnom-penh-cambodia-temple-design/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">amazing-looking temple</a>. In Papua New Guinea, the Church <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-assists-hospital-bed-donation-papua-new-guinea" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">has helped provide beds</a>. In addition, the Church <a href="https://kfdm."></a>