Wednesday, August 6
Abstract
In this talk, Scott Gordon shares the remarkable journey of FAIR—from its formation in 1997 as a grassroots online response to criticism of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through pivotal events such as the Sandra Tanner lawsuit, increased media engagement during Mitt Romney’s presidential run, and multiple rebrandings. He highlights FAIR’s expanding global reach, its role in providing faithful, informed answers, and its ongoing mission in the digital age, concluding with an invitation to support FAIR’s efforts.
Bio
Scott Gordon serves as President of FAIR (Faithful Answers, Informed Response) which can be found online at www.fairlatterdaysaints.org. FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping members deal with issues raised by critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has an MBA and a BA from Brigham Young University. He is currently an instructor of business at Shasta College in Redding, California and teaches business classes online at BYUI. Scott has held many positions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints including serving as a bishop, ward mission leader, seminary teacher, and member of the elder’s quorum presidency. He is married, has five children and 14 grandchildren.
Aaron Sherinian
Fluent in Our Faith: Identifying and Communicating Evidence of the Glad Tidings of the Gospel in Our Life
Abstract
In this keynote address, Aaron will explore what it means to be “fluent” in communicating about our faith. Remarks will draw from his personal experience as both a professional communicator and person of faith. He will outline some of the challenges and opportunities that can help a follower of Jesus Christ in a communications environment that can be fraught with fear or even intimidation. By exploring examples of the Savior and teachings from modern-day Church leaders, Aaron will pose questions about what it means to be more comfortable and courageous in identifying examples and evidence of the Glad Tidings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the world and in our everyday life. His hope is that these remarks will help people see, feel and share the reality of the goodness in our lives – even in the face of competing voices, confusing media or contentious conversations.
Bio
Aaron Sherinian is the Managing Director of the Church Communication Department for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, leading a global team in implementing the Church’s communication strategies. His career is marked by experience at the intersection of international issues, faith-based organizations, and civil society.
He previously served as Senior Vice President for Global Reach at Deseret Management Corporation, CEO of the Radiant Foundation, and Vice President for Global Communications Transformation at Philip Morris International, where he spearheaded the company’s efforts toward a smoke-free future. Aaron also held roles as Global Communications Director for the Aga Khan Development Network and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the United Nations Foundation, where his team helped launch the Giving Tuesday movement.
Earlier in his career, he was Managing Director of Public Affairs for the Millennium Challenge Corporation and oversaw communications for U.S. Government programs totaling over $5 billion. He served a decade as a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. Department of State, with assignments worldwide.
Aaron holds degrees from the Johns Hopkins University (School of Advanced International Studies – SAIS) and Brigham Young University. He is fluent in multiple languages and was a volunteer missionary in Milan, Italy, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After living abroad for many years, Aaron and his wife Emily, their four children, and their dog now call Salt Lake City, Utah their home.
He loves food and travel, Motown and bossa nova.
Thursday, August 7
Ashly Stone & Don Bradley
Live Recording of the Come Back Podcast
Abstract
Donald Patrick Bradley, Sr. (“Don”) is an author, historian, aspiring disciple, and father. Don (B.A., History, Brigham Young University; M.A., History Utah State University) researches Joseph Smith and the beginnings of the Restoration. He has worked with the earliest Joseph Smith sources as part of the Joseph Smith Papers Project. He was the primary researcher for Brian C. Hales’s Joseph Smith’s Polygamy series. He has published on Joseph Smith’s polygamy, the First Vision, the translation of the Book of Mormon, the earliest Latter-day Saint understandings of the New Jerusalem, Joseph Smith’s skeleton and photographic image, and Joseph Smith’s “grand fundamental principles of Mormonism.” Don won the Mormon History Association’s 2021 Best Article award with his co-author Mark Ashurst McGee for their article “Joseph Smith and the Mistranslation of the Kinderhook Plates.” His first book is The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon’s Missing Stories (Greg Kofford Books, 2019). After losing his faith earlier in his adult life, Don was led back to faith through his research and God’s love. He is the infinitely proud father of Nicholas Bradley and the late Donnie Bradley.
Bio
Ashly Stone is the founder and host of The Come Back Podcast, a platform dedicated to sharing inspiring stories of individuals who have returned to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For over three years, Ashly has been amplifying voices of faith, redemption, and personal transformation, creating a safe and uplifting space for people navigating their own spiritual journeys.
She is also the co-founder of a software company in the addiction recovery space, where she merges her entrepreneurial spirit with her deep commitment to helping others heal and rebuild. Ashly is passionate about empowering people to come back from life’s hardest moments—whether that’s addiction, loss, or faith transitions.
Ashly lives in St. George, Utah with her husband, Jesse Stone—who also has a powerful comeback story and is in recovery—and their three amazing kids. Together, Ashly and Jesse serve as 12-step missionaries, walking alongside others in their journey of recovery and spiritual renewal.
Driven by compassion, lived experience, and faith, Ashly continues to be a voice of hope for those seeking light after darkness.
Abstract
Some women are concerned that the Church treats women as inferiors because they aren’t ordained and don’t hold certain leadership positions. However, gender equality is part of our theology and doctrine, and the Church’s organization reflects this. My presentation analyzes the assumptions behind these concerns and draws on statistics, personal experiences, and doctrine to reframe church positions as responsibilties rather than sources of power, and show how men’s responsibilities in the Church make the world more equitable and just for women.
● Key Takeaways: My presentation seeks to help members respond compassionately to concerns about gender equality in the church by drawing on a broadened framework.
● Keywords: gender equality, women’s equality, patriarchy
Bio
Meagan Kohler is a Latter-day Saint convert who studied philosophy, French and Latin at BYU. She writes about faith and culture at the Deseret News and lives in Utah with her husband and four sons.
Randy Austin & Kerri Nielsen
Protecting Children—The Crucial Role of Church Clergy and the Abuse Help Line
Abstract
Bio
Randy Austin chairs Kirton McConkie’s First Amendment and Religious Organizations practice group. He serves as lead outside controversy-and-crisis counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He specializes in litigation, crisis management, and internal investigations, particularly involving child protection and abuse prevention, and has managed lawsuits in most states of the United States and in several foreign countries. He is recognized as one of Utah’s Legal Elite for Litigation and is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He served as a judicial clerk to the late Charles Wiggins on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and advised on the litigation strategy that led to the Church’s recent Ninth Circuit en banc victory in Huntsman v. Corporation of the President.
Kerri Nielsen is a licensed clinical social worker and has worked in the mental health field for more than 25 years, first in community mental health settings followed by employment with Family Services for the past 15 years. She currently provides direction and guidance to leaders who contact the abuse helpline about how they can best assist victims and others impacted by abuse.
Kerri and her husband have five children and love being grandparents. In her free time, you will find her spending time with her family or making a quilt.
Abstract
To overcome the damage we sustain in this fallen world, we must develop an actual relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ. With his help and guidance, we can survive unthinkable heartbreaks and emerge stronger.
I will discuss how my relationship with Christ helped me endure and eventually benefit from some of the toughest moments in my life, including my divorce. I will also speak to how that same relationship enabled me to build a career as a #1 New York Times bestselling author. My session will emphasize the difference between active participation in the Church and developing a personal relationship with the Savior. I will defend the Church, while also delving into our individual responsibility to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord. My message will draw from personal tragedies, insights, and blessings, coupled with themes and ideas from the standard works. I will be as transparent as I can about how my relationship with Christ works, and how he has shown up for me in my hours of need.
Takeaways:
My goal is to provide hope and empowerment to those struggling with the pains and disappointments of this life. I will share examples that have proven to me the Lord is real and personally interested in our healing and our welfare.
Keywords: personal revelation, divorce, pain, hope, coming to Christ
Bio
Brandon Mull is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven, Dragonwatch, Beyonders, Five Kingdoms, and Candy Shop War series. He lives in a happy little valley with his wife Erlyn and their blended family of eleven kids.
Moderated by Jennifer Roach Lees
Panel Discussion with the Women of Ward Radio: The Role of Women in Defending the Church
Abstract
Coming soon
Bio
This panel discussion will be moderated by Jennifer Roach Lees.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is best known for her research into how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints handles cases of sexual abuse. She has spoken at the annual FAIR conference on this topic, as well as on the dynamics involved in Bishops interviewing teenagers alone. Jennifer is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
Michael R. Ash
A Mesoamerican Urim and Thummim
Abstract
Michael argues the Interpreters were likely modeled after the divining stones used by Mesoamerican shamans. Early Latter-day Saints called them “spectacles,” a term reflecting their form—two stones linked together—which also echoes the Mesoamerican concept of duality. Like sacred divining stones, they were symbolically
“bundled” in Moroni’s stone box until Joseph “unsealed” them through translation.
Overview:
- Joseph Smith likely reinterpreted the Interpreters as “spectacles” because of their shape, and as a Urim and Thummim based on his Old Testament view of how God communicates.
- In contrast, Ash argues that the Interpreter stones should be understood through the
Mesoamerican culture that likely influenced them. - For Joseph, Nephite prophets, and Mesoamerican shamans alike, such stones were tools to “unseal” divine communication, receive sacred visitations, and mark the beginning of new eras of spiritual authority.
Attendees will gain a clearer sense of what the Nephite Interpreters looked like, how
they may have functioned for both Mesoamerican shamans and Joseph Smith, and how they played a role in restoring the Covenant People.
Bio
Michael R. Ash, a member of FAIR for more than twenty years, has been featured in nearly 90 podcasts and 30 videos. In more than two decades of writing LDS-themed material, and as a former weekly columnist for Mormon Times (owned by the Deseret News), his works include over 160 on-line articles, as well as articles in periodicals such as the Ensign, Sunstone, Neal A. Maxwell Institute’s FARMS Review, and Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.
Matthew Christiansen
Cherishing the “Dark Nights of the Soul”: Re-framing Unfortunate Faith Crises into
Essential Faith Journeys
Abstract
Peaks and Valleys, Sunshine and Storms, Faith and Fear, Courage and Cowardice, Success and Failure, Hope and Despair, Clarity and Confusion: our faith journey is the ultimate hero’s journey, and by divine design entails extreme contrast to bring about our intended growth and transformation.
Have you ever prayed aloud: “O God, where art thou?”, or cried out: “Why hast thou
forsaken me?” While not comparing our circumstances to the extremity faced by the prophet Joseph in Liberty Jail, or the infinite anguish Christ suffered on the cross, our trials can lead us into periods of darkness in which God feels distant and silent. How can we make sense of these experiences with darkness and allow them to transform us into beings of light?
This presentation is designed to re-calibrate spiritual expectations into healthy alignment with the realities of mortality. Audience members should experience a significant paradigm shift that brings new perspective and understanding to their journey of faith. Additionally, we will introduce and discuss a detailed framework for this journey of faith. This framework will hopefully be an insightful and valuable tool.
Bio
In a masterful revelation known as “the Olive Leaf… the Lord’s message of peace to us”, the Savior declared: “I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you” (D&C 88:77–78; emphasis added). Brother Matt Christiansen has spent the last twenty-five years in pursuit of this lofty ideal. First as a missionary rubbing shoulders with Gypsy kings and mob bosses in Romania, then as an MTC instructor successfully wooing the gorgeous Italian teacher as his now wife of more than two decades, and currently as a longtime Seminary and Institute teacher just trying to get Millennials and Gen Z to look up from their phones long enough to let that mustard seed of truth have a chance to take root. Matt’s interests include listening to eclectic music, playing guitar badly, rooting for his beloved Dodgers, and tolerating his dismal Utah Jazz and BYU sports teams. He has a deep respect and appreciation for FAIR, and is honored with the opportunity to be part of this conference.
Josh Coates
Plate Math: A Combinatorial Approach to Modeling All Possible Golden Plates
Abstract
Historical reports containing information about the properties of the golden plates provide upper and lower bounds for calculating possible configurations of their size, weight, and material composition, as well as the possible properties of reformed Egyptian. This study employs a two-part process to analyze these configurations. First, it examines the physical properties of the plates, generating over 4 billion possible combinations. Second, it analyzes the nature of the writing on the plates, assuming the translated English text of the Book of Mormon is directly representative of the reformed Egyptian engravings. This process involves calculating and filtering combinations based on historical accounts, physical constraints, and linguistic considerations. The study demonstrates that while most configurations are unworkable, nearly one million configurations remain both physically possible and consistent with the documentary record. Key findings suggest the plates likely had less than 20% gold content, weighed more than 54 lb., contained between 187 and 259 plates, and had dimensions slightly smaller than, but within 10% of, Joseph Smith’s description. The writing on the plates likely averaged less than 5 mm square, with each character representing at least three English characters, similar to Egyptian Demotic. Although there are inherent limitations in historical analysis of this kind, this mathematical approach provides a novel perspective on the physical reality of the plates.
Bio
Josh Coates is the full-time Executive Director of the B. H. Roberts Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit that is dedicated to education and research related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Previously Josh was the founder and/or CEO of several tech companies related to data storage and education technology. He also restored old military vehicles, built combat robots and is an amateur astronomer, welder and machinist. Coates was educated in Computer Science at Berkeley and served a mission in Boston. Josh is married and has two children.
Friday, August 8
Brad Witbeck
The Path of The Peacemaker
Abstract
We’ll focus on how to defend the faith without multiplying contention, how to disarm and deescalate difficult conversations, and how to love your neighbor even when they’re being an idiot online.
For decades, we’ve been taught to avoid talking about religion or politics, and it seems to have only made things worse. I’ll be drawing from my skills as a comedian and my experience as “the Reasonable One” on Ward Radio to discuss how to prioritize peace without compromising truth.
My talk will arm you with skills you need to become a defender of the faith in the way Christ was, by walking the path he walked—Not the path of the pushover, the path of the panderer, or the path of the punisher, but the path of the Peacemaker.
Bio
Brad Whitbeck is a writer, speaker, and media producer focused on Latter-day Saint apologetics and faith-building content. He has contributed to multiple organizations, including FAIR, the BH Roberts Foundation (Mormonr), and Ward Radio, where he helps create engaging, accessible responses to common questions and criticisms about the Church. Known for his creative storytelling and use of humor and digital media, Brad brings a fresh, faithful voice to conversations around belief, doubt, and discipleship.
Zachary Wright
The Case for Positive Contention
Abstract
Are Latter-day Saints commanded to avoid any kind of conflict with people who don’t share their values? Don’t the scriptures say that “Contention is of the devil”? In this talk, I address the various ways that “contention” is described in the scriptures and in general conference talks, including the ways that “contention” is spoken of positively. I use the hermeneutical tools of exegesis and contextual analysis to examine these talks and scriptures, and explain why their use of terms like “contend” and “contention” doesn’t mean that we should avoid any kind of disagreement at all. Then, I explore the various ways we are counseled by leaders on how to positively “contend” without violating what LDS scriptures and leaders teach on contention. In short, this talk shows that Latter-day Saints don’t need to avoid any kind of disagreement and conflict. As long as members of the church engage in a kind of “positive contention”, we are able to share the gospel and defend truth without being afraid of violating our call to be peacemakers.
Bio
Zachary Wright was born in American Fork, UT. He served his mission speaking Spanish in North Carolina and the Dominican Republic. He currently attends BYU studying psychology, but loves writing, and studying LDS theology and history. His biggest desire is to help other people bring them closer to each other, and ultimately bring people closer to God.
Al Carraway
Abstract
In her deeply personal and faith-anchored message, Al Carraway explores how to make Jesus Christ tangible in our daily lives. With her characteristic humor, honesty, and storytelling, she weaves together scriptural encounters—the leper, the woman at the well, the woman with the issue of blood, the adulterous woman, and Peter walking on water—to show that the Savior meets us in our brokenness, grief, and striving.
Carraway emphasizes that our impossibilities are not a struggle for Jesus and that His compassion, not condemnation, is what heals. She reminds us that He comes to us in our “Saturdays”—those seasons of waiting, weariness, and darkness—and sits with us there until our “Sundays” come.
From the washing of Judas’s feet to the grief of Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection, Al testifies that Christ’s love is intimate, individual, and inexhaustible. “It’s always been about getting you back and giving you everything,” she declares.
Closing with an invitation to claim divine identity—“I am loved. I am deserving. I am His.”—Carraway urges every listener to see each small effort, each step of faith, as the miracle itself.
Bio
Al Carraway is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a multi-award-winning international speaker with over 14 years of experience, having spoken in more than 11 countries.
She is also a #1 best-selling, multi-award-winning author of over eight published titles, including Finding Yourself in the New Testament, Wildly Optimistic, My Dear Little One, More Than the Tattooed Mormon, and others.
Carraway has a deep love for Church history and, for the past five years, has led Church history tours two to three times per year. Her passion is sharing the message that happiness is real—and it comes from Jesus. That He’s real, He’s tangible, and He can be found and loved even in the hard, the unwanted, and the unexpected.
Originally from New York, she now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and their three children.
Abstract
This presentation will focus on how I have dealt with moments—and extended
time periods—of spiritual silence. Using examples from my life, experiences of family
members, episodes in Joseph Smith’s life, and teachings from the scriptures and
modern-day prophets and apostles, I will discuss several things that have helped me
navigate these moments. These include understanding that God sometimes leaves
decisions up to us, revelation takes work, we sometimes have to wait for answers from
the Lord, support from family and friends can help, we don’t need to be perfect to have
the Holy Ghost with us, Jesus Christ supports us even when we don’t feel Him near,
and God answers us in ways that make sense to us. I hope that those hearing my
presentation who are either struggling with getting answers to prayers or have loved
ones who are will gain insights that will help them in their own spiritual journey. I also
hope they will feel God’s love for them and His willingness to answer their prayers.
Keywords: revelation, faith crisis, Joseph Smith, Holy Ghost
Bio
Matthew C. Godfrey is a senior historian in the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He holds a PhD in American and public history from Washington State University. Matt previously served as managing historian of the Joseph Smith Papers and was the lead historian on three volumes of the Documents series. He has authored or coedited several books, including God Knows You: Getting Real About Spiritual Challenges (Deseret Book, 2025) and Know Brother Joseph: New Perspectives on Joseph Smith’s Life and Character (Deseret Book, 2019). He is a regular presenter at BYU Education Week and has appeared on podcasts such as Follow Him, All In, the Church News Podcast, and Religion in the American Experience. Matt is married to Carrie Huber and has four wonderful children. He loves reading, sports, and 80s alternative music.
Barbara Morgan Gardner
Lived Experience of Latter-day Saint (Mormon) Women
Abstract
In this talk, Barbara Morgan Gardner examines why many Latter-day Saint women are leaving the Church—and why many others are staying with deep conviction.
Drawing from historical examples, international pioneer stories, personal family experiences, and recent Pew Research data, she highlights the spiritual strength of covenant-keeping women across generations. She contrasts the rising cultural “zeitgeist” shaping millennial beliefs with the teachings and covenants of the restored gospel, noting how modern ideologies often conflict directly with temple principles, unity, sacrifice, and divine authority.
Gardner emphasizes that women who remain faithful overwhelmingly do so because of their personal testimonies of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of His Church. She calls attention to President Nelson’s invitation for all women to study Doctrine and Covenants 84, to understand priesthood power, the patriarchal order, and the divine knowledge available through covenants.
She warns of societal “golden calves,” the influence of social media, and the growing difficulty young women face navigating conflicting worldviews.
The talk concludes with prophetic counsel from modern Relief Society leaders and President Nelson, emphasizing the need for women who can detect deception, articulate truth with confidence and charity, and raise a sin-resistant generation. Gardner issues a plea for covenant-keeping women to step forward, speak out, and reflect the light, joy, and strength that will draw others to Christ in the last days.
Bio
Barbara Morgan Gardner is an associate professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and foundation, a PhD in instructional psychology, and did postdoctoral work at Harvard University. She recently served as institute director in Boston, serving more than 100 universities and colleges in the area. She is married to Dustin Gardner, and enjoys family, learning, teaching, traveling, people, outdoor recreation, and life.
Moderated by Barbara Morgan Gardner
Panel Discussion: Lived Experience of Latter-day Saint (Mormon) Women
Abstract
This candid and deeply personal panel, moderated by Barbara Morgan Gardner, brings together four influential Latter-day Saint women—Shima Baradaran Baughman, Brigitte C. Madrian, Jenet Jacob Erickson, and Sarah Jane Weaver—to explore what it truly means to be a woman of faith in the restored Church of Jesus Christ.
Drawing on global experiences, temple service, academic research, family life, and personal revelation, each panelist testifies of doctrines and principles that empower women: agency, accountability, covenants, eternal identity, the temple, and the Savior’s ministering example.
The discussion highlights both capital-L leadership (formal roles) and small-l leadership—the quiet but transformative ministering that shapes individuals, families, and communities. The panelists share stories from around the world—from disaster-stricken Fiji to refugee centers in Europe—demonstrating how covenant-keeping women enact Christlike service with profound influence. They address questions of equality, voice, and partnership, emphasizing unity between men and women in fulfilling God’s work.
The conversation culminates in a shared witness of Jesus Christ, affirming that the power is God’s, available equally to His daughters and sons, and that the temple is the place where women discover, receive, and magnify that power. The panel testifies that this truly is a “woman’s church” and that the Savior remains the sure foundation for every Latter-day Saint woman navigating modern challenges.
Bio
Shima Baradaran Baughman
Woodruff J. Deem Professor of Law, Brigham Young University
Shima Baradaran Baughman is the Woodruff J. Deem Professor of Law at BYU and a Distinguished Fellow at the Wheatley Institute. A nationally recognized scholar on bail, prosecutors, and policing, she is among the most cited faculty in her field. Her research—featured by outlets such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and The Economist—currently focuses on forgiveness, prosecutorial discretion, and the role of religious institutions in criminal justice reform.
Professor Baughman’s work appears in top law reviews, and her books include The Bail Book (Cambridge University Press) and leading casebooks such as Criminal Law: Case Studies and Controversies. Before academia, she served as a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Malawi, worked as a justice advisor for international development organizations, and litigated at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York. A refugee from Iran, she is the mother of five and enjoys yoga, pickleball, and hiking.
Jenet Jacob Erickson
Associate Professor of Religious Education, Brigham Young University
Jenet Jacob Erickson is an Associate Professor of Religious Education at BYU and a Family Fellow specializing in maternal and child well-being. Her research on family systems and early childhood development has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Slate, and on the Today Show.
She has authored more than 20 academic publications, presented internationally, and previously served as a Social Science Research Fellow for the Heritage Foundation. Dr. Erickson holds BS and MA degrees from BYU and a PhD in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota. She is also a columnist on family issues for the Deseret News National Edition and enjoys life with her husband and their two young children.
Brigitte C. Madrian
Dean & Marriott Distinguished Professor, Marriott School of Business, BYU
Brigitte C. Madrian is the Dean and Marriott Distinguished Professor at BYU’s Marriott School of Business, with appointments in Finance and the Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics. An internationally influential behavioral economist, her research on household saving and retirement behavior has shaped modern pension reform and employer-sponsored retirement plans in the United States and abroad.
Prior to BYU, Dr. Madrian served on the faculties of Harvard, the Wharton School, the University of Chicago, and MIT. She is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and has received multiple prestigious awards, including the Skandia Research Prize and three TIAA Paul A. Samuelson Awards. She holds MA and PhD degrees in economics from MIT and a BA from BYU.
Sarah Jane Weaver
Editor, Deseret News
Sarah Jane Weaver is the Editor of the Deseret News, becoming the first woman to lead Utah’s longest-running news organization. Over her 29-year career with the Church News, she has reported from more than 40 countries—covering refugee crises, temple dedications, ministry tours, and global humanitarian work. Her reporting has highlighted both human suffering and human resilience, from war-torn Iraq to disaster-stricken Japan, and includes interviews with senior leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Weaver began her journalism career at BYU, where she served as editor of The Daily Universe. Her path has been marked by persistence, compassion, and deep faith, traits reflected in the many experiences documented in BYU Magazine’s profile of her . A strong advocate for truth and light in journalism, she balances her demanding work with devoted service in the Church and family life with her husband and three daughters.
Benjamin C. Peterson
Why Doctrinal Purity Matters—and How to Avoid Doctrinal Drift
Abstract
Why Doctrinal Purity Matters—and How to Avoid Doctrinal Drift
In a world of shifting values and increasing confusion, how can we ensure that the
gospel we teach remains pure and powerful? This presentation will explore the vital role
of doctrinal purity in preserving the integrity and saving power of the restored gospel of
Jesus Christ.
This session addresses two central questions: Why does doctrinal purity matter, and
how can we avoid doctrinal drift? Drawing on the scriptures, prophetic teachings, and
historical examples, the presentation will highlight spiritual consequences of doctrinal
compromise.
Participants will have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of why doctrinal
purity is essential to salvation, learn more about the Savior’s model of teaching truth,
and understand how to apply actionable safeguards in teaching, writing, and personal
study of the gospel.
Bio
Daniel C. Peterson
Brigham Young and Slavery
Abstract
We cannot hide the fact that Brigham Young said some things about race that make us
wince in the twenty-first century. In fact, to make matters worse, as territorial governor of Deseret he presided in 1852 over the enactment of a law that actually legalized
slavery.
Or did he? Very recent scholarship has carefully examined that law and has overturned much of what I, at least, had assumed about it. (Part of our modern problem is our simplistic and uninformed understanding of how labor and employment were categorized in antebellum America.)
I propose to share some of the results of this recent scholarship that, I believe, greatly reduce (if they do not altogether eliminate) the challenges posed to contemporary Latter-day Saints by Brigham Young’s racial attitudes—and that have furnished weapons to critics of the Church.
The scholarship to which I refer wasn’t created with apologetic intent, but I will turn it in that direction. I will cite not only the conclusions of the scholars, with whom I believe my own conclusions will be consistent, but statements of Brigham Young and others who were directly involved in the discussions of race, slavery, and servitude that threatened
to divide the Church and its settlements in the Great Basin West prior to Abraham
Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which rendered some of the relevant issues moot.
For me, this new scholarship has been deeply helpful, and I think that some of its
results need to reach a general audience.
Key words: Brigham Young, race, slavery, servitude
Bio
Daniel C. Peterson is the president of the Interpreter Foundation, which publishes the online periodical Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, produces books, convenes conferences, and sponsors a weekly radio program: https://interpreterfoundation.org. He and his wife were the executive producers of the 2021 theatrical film Witnesses and have served in the same capacity for its 2022 docudrama sequel, Undaunted: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon.
A native of southern California who earned his doctorate at UCLA after study at BYU, in Jerusalem, and in Cairo, he retired on 1 July 2021 as a professor of Islamic studies and Arabic at Brigham Young University, where he had taught since 1985.
Formerly director of research and chairman of the board of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), now BYU’s Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, he is also a former president of the Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology and is currently a member of the board of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy.
Dr. Peterson served in the Switzerland Zürich Mission (1972-1974), and, for approximately eight years, on the Gospel Doctrine writing committee for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also presided for a time as the bishop of a singles ward adjacent to Utah Valley University.
He is married to the former Deborah Stephens, of Lakewood, Colorado, and they have three sons and three granddaughters.
Speakers
Aaron Sherinian, Keynote speaker; Meagan Kohler, Al Fox Carraway, Brandon Mull, Women of Ward Radio, Zach Wright, Matt Christiansen, Josh Coates, Brad Whitbeck, Mike Ash, Matthew Godfrey, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Panel: Moderated by Gardner, Benjamin C. Peterson, Dan Peterson, Jennifer Roach (moderator)
Topics
Topics will include: Live podcast recording, Female equality in the Church, Personal experience with Church History sites, Inspirational/motivational presentation, The role of women in defending the Church, Apologetics: balancing facts and kindness, Faith crisis, The Gold Plates, Apologetics for young people, A Mesoamerican Urim and Thummim, How to keep standards in an unsupportive industry, Spiritual challenges – “God Knows You”, Lived experience of Mormon women, Avoiding doctrinal drift and ensuring doctrinal purity, Apologetics.
John Taylor Award
Each year, FAIR awards the John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award to a volunteer who made meritorious contributions to FAIR’s mission and outstanding personal efforts in helping defend The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The 2025 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award will be announced on August 8 at the FAIR Conference.
Location
2025 FAIR Conference Location: The Show Barn at Thanksgiving Point
2975 Thanksgiving Wy, Lehi, UT 84043
