the biggest obstacle has been that the church is racist and I feel like the
more this continues to grow it'll just negate that stigma that the black community has about the church in
general how strong is that
[Music] stigma in this episode I bring back a
couple of my friends from Brothers in the foyer I've gone to lunch with these guys I've had them on the show before
love talking with them be sure to subscribe and hit the bell for notifications and this episode is
brought to you by fathom The Good the homeschooling curriculum that I very heartily support developed by my good
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Fathom theeg good.com and find out more here we go all right welcome to Quick show my name is Greg Matson and I am
your host in this episode we've brought back Isaiah gray and Will Kennedy from the channel Brothers in the foyer
welcome guys thank you for having thank you thank you for having us great to have you back I want to start off asking you about your channel Brothers in the
foyer where are you at with it what is your goal what is your agenda um we
talked about this a while back but it's I'm just trying to get an update on things we we've been uh growing a lot um
you you were a part of that success you know uh inviting us onto your show and uh giving us opportunity to introduce
ourselves and what we do and um we're a group of seven uh Brothers here in Utah
and we're from all over the place and kind of the goal is just to bring people
from the foyer into the chapel uh and and help them get a sense of what you
know black culture is like what the church culture is like and uh we're
we're from all walks of life and all have different backgrounds but uh one thing we have in common is that that
belief in Jesus Christ so yeah we've we've also had the opportunity to collab with many great
influencers you know here in Utah um some being like Elder Tik Tok um we did
um Cody pay and Isaiah bagner from BYU football players so we're we're really
expanding um our content and not in terms of just like Faith which is our
our biggest thing CU we do primarily want people to come closer to Jesus Christ like that's first and foremost
our initiative but um being in the fourer we bring um individuals from
athletes to Tik Tock influencers to Faith influencers on our Channel um to
just share um our experiences with them have them share their experiences with us and how they've been able to end
their way influence others um to come under Christ as well as to have fulfilling lives you know and what they
do so do you guys mostly have do you know your demographics are you mostly
younger uh so we're in like the mid-30s um mid-30s is like our our biggest um
demographic that we get viewers that watch us mid-30 males um we get some
early 40s to mid-50s females um or women that um watch our channel so we actually
just started being a little bit more active on Tik Tok which we wanted to do that to be able to reach out to the
younger generation because we know that's where they are like super active um on Tik Tok so we've been having a lot
more activity around that to try to bring in um more of the youth and let them know we're here and um and gear
something towards them yeah okay what
uh for you guys I mean I've listened to several of your your episodes and you guys are you know very faith- centered
um what why do you what what gives you the initiative to go out and and take your own
testimonies because you obviously have testimonies you've gone through adversity you've overcome the adversity
uh or you're working through the adversity in some cases and and and there's a desire to go out and and share
that with others right I mean what what what what started you off saying okay we want to share this with everybody
else yeah I I think for me uh thinking of who I was uh back in you
know 2010 2011 2012 uh I was the kid out in
the foury year because I felt uncomfortable being in a chapel um and
uh I think that's my biggest motivation is to show people you know
um Mormons or people of the Church of Jesus Christ the latter of saints come
from different walks of life and that's okay um and I think uh you feel you start to feel
comfortable when you get that welcome from someone you know and for me it was
the bishop you know welcoming me me into the fort uh into the chapel and and
asking me to pass the sacrament and participate and so I think that's my biggest motivation is uh just uh
thinking of who I was before I found Christ okay yeah I mean our our life is
a story you know and I have a story to tell because I was in one place you know
before and now I'm in a completely different place and it's all been because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and now we live in a world that is constantly um we're being drilled right
by so by information because of social media and it's a great platform right um
I feel like there's a lot of people out there that need to hear more inspiring
in things because of all of the negative um content that's out there and I feel
like I have a great story to tell um um because of the impact that Jesus has had
in my life because of my membership in the church and so combining that with our uniqueness being seven
African-American males and a fate that isn't known or has a negative history anyways of um blacks in the church or
black individuals in the church we want people to know like hey this is a faith that is all inclusive you can have joy
you can have happiness and at the time at the same time we can tell our distinct stories of how this gospel has
blessed our lives and is continuing to bless our lives and family so we just want I personally want everyone to to
know and be able to feel of the the blessings that I feel from being in this Faith okay do you guys have a uh I mean
being Brothers in the foyer is that also a representation of being blacket in the
church you what I mean definitely okay that's what I figur okay I just wanted you to say it okay that was
definitely okay so you're blacking in the church give me an idea of what it is
uh well let's look at this I mean you guys are in Utah here uh which is very different from what I'm honestly used to
but you've got a let's call it a Mormon Utah culture along with Black Culture
how do you pull those together I mean because you're you've got obviously DNA and cultural roots that go along both of
those lines yeah this is strug is that part of is that part of
the message it is it it really is um cuz Mormon culture or or church culture in
general I feel like over the years have been um what's the word I'm just
um it's the word I can use it's it's like ingrained right I feel like there's
there a certain way people feel like in the church you have to do things and I come from a place where you can follow
the lord and still be your individual distinct self but Church culture a lot
of times does not allow you to do that because of the ingrain over the years and so for us it's just like we want
people to know like bring your distinctive uniqueness and still enjoy the blessings of the Gospel at the same
time and not feel like you have to do something a certain way you have to look a certain way
um in the church and as a member but no you can live the gospel you can worship
in your own unique distinct way um and still receive the same blessings like
there there's not just one way you have to do things because of just what's expected out of church culture love the
way you said that I I'm not going to take too much away from it but uh that's that's that was my perspective I grew up
in the church um and I always thought that I had to look a certain way or
dress a certain way or act a certain way because of that church culture and then
serving a mission I realized that you know what like the spirit still works through me regardless of how I look
regardless of how I dress um as long as I'm worthy and I'm prepared you know to
teach or whatever it was that I was doing at the time um I could still be a disciple of Christ and I I love that I
love that about the gospel about the Church of Jesus Christ the latter of saints is that it's for everybody it's
not for certain culture it's not for certain you know demographic of people it's for everybody God wants all of his
children to return back to to live with them so I I love that about our church yeah and I do want to add we we as a
group we're we're very aware that there are traditional differences right that don't quite align with church standards
or what the Lord expects of us um and those are things that we're being highly aware such as we know there's certain
cultures that have certain Traditions that don't quite align with the word of wisdom or maybe um you know like the law
of chassity right but and we do take those into consideration so we like to keep our uniqueness but yet align our
morals and standards with what the Lord you know with expect of us even though we have cultural differences so it's
kind of interesting because you know we're trying to build Zion right we're trying to get to to one heart and one
mind mind but we're all very different and it seems like that's the way it's supposed to be to me I mean I know that
you have to start off maybe with one group of people maybe it doesn't work if you just start off with a bunch of
different people you know it didn't work real well for Paul in the New Testament you know it it's
like it's like marriage right I mean you marriage you got a man and a woman and man are we different yeah you know what
I mean and and it's like and yet we're that's like the primary unit of of of a
relationship that we're supposed to build yeah you know so it's like we're supposed to have those bridges it seems
to me right we're supposed to have those differences and still in some way keep
our uniqueness and and yet still become one does that make sense it does I I mean
that's a major part of growth um and that's why personally I feel like a lot
of people that come here from outside like come to Utah from outside of
um like where they're from they find it hard to adjust I've come across um many
individuals within our sphere of friends that we have that have found it hard to adjust here because of outside
perception and how they should be because they come from a place that's different you know and that's that that
bridging that Gap that you mentioned right is being able to let other people that are from here that have done things
a certain way or have seen things look a certain way like like hey there are differences outside of Utah you know um
and to just be able to um accept you know accept and and build and Foster
that Unity even though someone may sound look or or do something differently from
the way you're used to I agree I think we we see that example in the temple
when we go to the temple we're all dressed in white we're all different colors different shapes sizes all come
from different walks of life but we we're there in one to worship Our Savior
to take upon us his name our Co the covenants that we make in there and I think that's a perfect example of how we
should be in our Wards and our stake or outside of the temple is having that one
and and looking at each other as equals instead of oh you're from over there you know but yeah I think uh yeah that's
that's that's the goal you know we're we're we're all trying to get to Zion and that's go it's going to take a lot
of work like a marriage yeah yeah a lot of work yeah but is worth it right it is
it it's worth it it is yeah so I think I brought this up last time we talked but but this is something that always sticks
out to me so much and and and is appropriate and pertinent to our our discussion here so I have some friends
in South Africa that are that are black and they are unbelievable women just
amazing latterday Saint women right and you know the church in South Africa
started in white South Africa M right and so it's and then it spread and now
it's like 80% black South Africa wow in in in in in the church and uh so one of
the things I asked them I said they were one of them was a she was a return missionary a recent return missionary
and she had gone to Jamaica and so she's black South African in Black Jamaica
right and so she's walking around and she's handing out uh
pamphlets with all white family of course white Jesus and white families
and white everything she's like it's like this is weird this is weird right but what she what was really interesting
is you know they have a temple there in Johannesburg and and um I think there
yeah no in uh it's not Johannesburg it's the other one with a D I can't remember the name of the city but it's um she
said you know we when we used to go to the temple we'd go in and the pictures were still of white you know it's most
because like you have like new a lot of new testament stuff right but then when you had families and other things it was white families and white individuals and
that were modern right and and one they went in and they changed them all and
and so they had you know black families and black individuals and and and whatnot on the paintings and everywhere else and and then also the New Testament
stuff right and she's like it was incredible it was like I walked through and it was like it was totally different
I felt totally different walking through there instead of being
in the foyer yeah yeah right it's like okay this is this is different does that make
sense yeah yeah no it's it's beautiful to see how the church is beginning to um
incorporate I feel what what I feel personally is um realistic expectations
of representation um even of the Savior I mean I'm noticing a lot more um
artistic um presentations of the Savior where he looks Middle Eastern you know they're
giving him more of those Middle Eastern features and I don't know I for me it's
not personally like a like a race thing or Superior it's just like for me it's
just more of just like portraying something accurate you know um it doesn't really bother me to just to see
Caucasian um families or a white jesus um but to know that we can portray
something accurate and give people a proper representation of what you know the Savior or the apostles may have
looked like um and to see black angels cuz you know like that's that's awesome like it just it just feels good you yeah
most definitely we we always joke about this on our podcast yeah cuz most of them come from backgrounds where like I
come from a Baptist background so I grew up seeing Jesus with the
dread it was like ripped but um yeah it didn't it didn't
phase me I mean I think you know knowing who Jesus is that that's what's important but definitely representation
is also important as well so yeah one of the things uh these sisters said also was really interesting
too she said I said I said uh I asked I asked him I
said so is this a white church and you know they're like yes it's a white church right and and I said
well is it a white church in South Africa they said yeah it's a white church in South Africa and then she said I said how many what's the percentage of
black members of the churches she goes it's about 80% I said how is a white church but
that's still kind of the perception and that makes sense right it makes sense it's like yeah that's because obviously the the representation more broadly is
very white right but uh but she's she's like yeah it's uh I still feel like I'm in a white church in South Africa yeah
and when I served in Jamaica I mean I got called white man walking and I'm in Jamaica I mean not as dark as some of
y'all but some Jamaicans that are brown and brown cuz there's you know like Indian as well and Jamaicans and it's
like how am I white man but they're they refer to me as white man because of the church I belong to like they see our
leaders are Caucasian white men so they just refer so it wasn't your appearance correct okay okay so how did you feel
about that honestly it threw me for a loop I was just like dang that's the
first ever I have ever been especially by another person of color you
know yeah so I mean I took it and ran with it you know and um I was able to share with them the ultimate message
right of the gospel and um it made it all worth it you know just being able to be there to do that yeah so you know
that's funny uh so what let's talk a little bit about the about especially
let's just talk primarily us here and the growth of uh the church with African-Americans in the church do you
see uh in your young lives still do you do you see an arc of time where where we
have progressed quite a bit it seems like we have you know but do you see that in in the growth of of bringing in
more African-Americans into the church are you oh go ahead go ahead I was just going to say um most recently I
personally have um I mentioned were're getting more active on Tik Tok right and so um just being on Tik Tok and seeing
that wow there's other brothers out here like that are active like preaching the
gospel oh yeah um and like are very passionate about it has allowed me to see okay the the gospel is reaching the
black community in ways that prior to I hadn't seen before cuz now not only are
you seeing it but you're you're able to see the passion and the faith behind it because of social media that the
African-American Community is bringing to with the gospel um and I don't know
why I had to see it through Tik Tok I guess again I it's younger people or
just the the um you know the platform people like being on Tik Tok and they're
more freely spoken but um I haven't seen it on Instagram as much outside of what
the church puts out there through like Book of Mormon where we're seeing I can see more people of um uh color
demographic um but in Tik Tok I can definitely see where it's reaching the community and they're being very
outspoken you know about the gospel and and helping others understand um the message behind it yeah I would I would
agree as well I I I didn't really see it until we started doing this and you know
people inboxing us that joined the church
uh and uh just seeing other you know man
of of color um all across the world talk about the Church uh in a positive light
is is truly amazing it's it's empowering and so um I think we'll we'll continue
to see it U especially 10 years we'll see an increase of African-American members
here in in America just because of the Gospel the truth of it and the and the
message that we bring the the talking about the family unit that's so important right now and the times that
we're going through and and everybody needs uh a a family you know during
these hard times and so I think you know the the principles that we teach and that you find in the gospel are
essential uh for the livelihood of America and and countries around us um
but especially the the family unit so yeah
uh you know I think about that uh and I feel
like once you know with efforts like with what you guys are doing and and others that are out there um doing the
same thing I feel like it there there's this cultural bubble in a sense a black
cultural bubble African-American bubble that is being pierced in a way right and
if there can just be some positive examples and change I it
seems to me that there could be a real I I I mean a real Floodgate you
know open up yeah in that way it's like okay this is cuz there is a timing kind
of for certain things and and I feel that I feel that it's the it seems to me more like there's a time right now
where there could be real success with a church in the African-American
Community oh I agree 100% um going just going back to um the mentioning of the
influence that we're seeing on Tik Tok through it um the gentleman that I reached out to
that I noticed I'm like man he had he had a decent he has a decent following and he does this live every day at the
same time literally just proving verba him by the scriptures to
his audience how this African-American brother um how the Church of Jesus
Christ is the the true church here on the earth how is the gospel inviting others to learn about it when I jumped
on his live right away he was like oh brother's in the foury year my dad told me about y'all so like I was just like
like wow like right away so and he's over in Atlanta and it was like nice to see like
we're reaching and able to see other people that are in our community know
about us and like you mentioned it's just that The Floodgate right it's like the more content that I feel is putting
out there from people of color in the church is just going to um create that
that reaction that we would love in for the black community for people to know like Hey we're here this is a place that
is all inclusive and we can benefit from all the blessings that you know we were
weren't able to enjoy before prior to you know um on the band in the priesthood and and that that part of the
history of the church yeah yeah I agree I I'm I'm not going to
say but I I think it's uh I think it's important you know uh not only for uh
African-American members white members um to prepare ourselves and to be ready
for those interactions and and to see each other as equals because the world
is preaching a different Doctrine you know and and so if we can stick to the
doctrine that God has given us that we're all Sons and Daughters of God I think we'll be we'll be okay we'll be
great um but if we start to mix you know the worldly Doctrine with with what God
has given us that's where we we have problems so um but I think uh what the
church is doing and the doctrine that's preached um that that's it that's the
that's the solution to most of the problems that we're facing yeah yeah cu the biggest obstacle has been that the
church is racist and I feel like the more this continues to grow it'll just negate negate that stigma that um the
black community has about the church in general so I was going to ask that how strong is that so among non-members you
know and how strong is that stigma that's I mean in my experience that's
been the biggest hindrance for a lot of people um in the black community is oh
well and and that's the thing like for most individuals that I've come in touch with they don't even know most and
foremost like what the priesthood is like what it all entails outside of the church but all they see is that we
weren't able to have it and so we The Church Must Be racist and that's that's
been a huge hindrance but now that there's more coming into the fold that are in the black
community um now maybe they there's some eyebrows been raised like oh well maybe
this is something that I can possibly check out maybe it's not all so bad so that's kind of what I mean about just
kind of breaking that barrier that's been a huge if not the primary obstacle for for for people um of color in
regards to the church yeah and and to add to that just even more resources you
know now we have social media to spread the word at a rapid rate you know like
we had a episode with Paul reef and he wrote a book he he's wrote two or three
books about you know the priesthood band and and the culture and the history of that time period And I think having that
knowledge has empowered me as an active member to be even more you know uh aware
of uh of of the PRI ofand and our history and and to know those things
because those are really the only things that are stopping people's misunderstanding about it or or people's
uh false narrativ you know that that they think every white man or every white man or every white member is
racist and and that's not true that's not that's not true you can't say that about every single person I think we did
have a dark history but look at where we are now you know that's that's what's important Where Have We Came where where
are we going and where did we come from um and I think if we focus on where we
are now and and use the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to combat some of
those things and and learn a little bit about our history we'll we'll be okay
and I think uh that's that's that's what we're trying to do with our podcast is is show some of the black uh black um uh
Community uh leaders and individuals out there that hey like the church is not
racist and and that you know you could still be a part of this you could still embrace your community and and still be
a black person in America um there's there's really not too much difference
but yeah yeah do you you talk about the past and and and where we are today and
looking today at today and there we really are kind of at a a very
interesting point again where I just I do think we're kind of pre Floodgate possibility right now and do you then
see that and do you feel almost like you have a responsibility or even a calling
to be doing what you're doing at this point yes um when we when
we first started it was like this for me it was like another missionary effort it
was like I'm not serving a mission but this can touch a lot of people's lives you know especially in our in the black
community and context is everything you know um will mentioned having Dr Paul re
on to talk about the history of the church and for me and I know for others
it was um just great to hear and to be able to get the context of what was
going on in that time and how certain decisions were made and that's the knowledge and education I feel that um
not only do you know black members but white members you know need to hear that
the history in the 1800s us is completely different from two 2024 Us
and how we see and perceive things and um I feel like from this point going on
our calling I I'll take cuz it's seven of us so I won't speak for all seven of us but um yeah personally this is just
another um appendage to Bringing others unto Christ and being able to um use
someone like myself hopefully the Lord will use me to be able to touch hearts of that maybe the general authorities
can't reach you know and that's that's perspective we've received from representatives of the Church of why
what we're doing is so unique because they have acknowledged look there's certain people and cultures that we
can't reach that you guys can and so what you guys are doing are great and so
keep going so so hopefully that's what we can do yeah I definitely feel that I I like
to compare it to um just my personal spiritual witness of how important it is
for me to take my family names to the temple and just the the feeling and and
the peace and the joy that I receive every time I take a name to the temple and and do their work and and and giving
them the opportunity to receive the priesthood ordinances and and and all the gifts and and blessings that our
father in Heaven has for them and that's that's the way I look at this I look at it like a missionary opportunity as well
and uh I feel very honored and and privileged to be able to do this um and
share my testimony with with other other people out there that may be struggling or even on the fence about
it the uh you talk about being able to get to the black community is this the
best way to do it is it going to be social media because the church has a very difficult time getting there I mean I'll talk about the NAACP here in a
minute but it's the church has a tough time getting to the black
community I feel it's a combination of social media and literally us getting in
there like um whether it be um doing firesides or finding ways to be more
servable and being more personable um because that's what again makes us unique um like I like the way Andrew
he's Andrew is one of our brothers on our on our podcast but he made a comment like general conference is like it's
General it's a general message for all people to apply in their specific
situations whereas now you have these appendages other groups right under now
we're able to expound on that General message but make it more um individualized and um customized right I
guess the word customizable to to the group of people that we're serving and that's what we're able to do we're able
to go in and be able to be a lot more relatable you know to the black community than you know um president
Nelson or someone who hasn't had the experiences that we have or or know
about the red Kool-Aid you know or you know just to be able to to relate on
that Common Ground so um continuing to put our message out through social media
um and actually physically getting out um and U fellowshipping with with our
brothers and sisters in the community I feel will will go a long way yeah yeah I
think those are those are the biggest things that we can do especially just being around other you know
African-American families and individuals and and showing them hey it's it's normal there's nothing weird
going on in the church you know there's no blood sacrifices there's no you know
any of that you know I think uh just uh you know being in those those
spaces you know and that's that's something that we try to do like Isaiah just added me to a group here with a
bunch of black individuals that are you know young professionals and I think that's another great way to you know be
around people that are not a part of the church that can get a real life experience of you know what an active me
member is and who and how they live their life so so we talked about the two different cultures Utah Mormon culture
and and Black Culture how do you guys navigate that
and and what are some of the struggles there you know I I always be me I can't
say I've I've struggled um
because I have always I've been an adapter I feel like for I don't know how
long now like there there's like this Instinct in me that when I go into a
place or I'm in a certain sphere I just I feel comfortable in my own skin and
I'm not saying everyone doesn't have that but some people they they care a lot about what other people think about
them you know and I I don't have that like I'm I'm always going to be me um no
matter what and so being able to um feel and feel comfortable and adapt to to the
church culture and standards have um I can't I just I can't speak on it much
you know in terms of a struggle because um I've always held um my my personal
standard as an individual and then the Lord's standard um since I've received
the gospel to the best of my ability you know and um my uniqueness um is is who I
am it's a part of what um what I bring you know to the rooms that I walk
into and um and it's helped me like I've grown if if it was something where I
feel like I haven't had any growth or I've had maybe setbacks then I like okay well maybe I do need to Pivot a little
bit more and and um adjust to the way these people are doing it but everything
that I've done and the way I've moved have always been it's been a a growth so you don't you don't feel like you're on
two different skis and they're they're pulling apart sometimes I don't but I see it okay and and like I see it and um
My Hope Is that um because you mentioned we're we're striving to be a Zion people um
and to be of one heart and one mind so it's my constant hope and prayer that
when I do see it individuals that are feeling like there's too much of a
distinction that cuz it's so fundamental I feel like that's one of the most fundamental things that we learn in the
church is to love thy neighbor like love your neighbor treat others how you would want to be treated but yet it's the
thing we struggle with so much like why is the prophet having to talk about rooting out racism like that should be
of again that's to the world but it's to the church as well like why are we struggling with that it's like such a
fundamental thing of loving one another and um so that's again yeah it's just a
a constant prayer you know that I have that we can get better at that as a people and as members in the church I
agree I think yeah I I definitely struggle with it growing up in Indianapolis and then moving here to
Holiday Utah 100% white I think we were the only black family there um but you
know I I experienced a lot of I wouldn't say traumatic experiences but just a lot
of eye openening experiences where I was like what were you in a mostly black area where were in Indianapolis okay so
that is a big so it was it was opposite and uh coming here uh it it I never
questioned the church uh it was more so just what what are these people thinking
you know like what's going on but um I think one way I was able to overcome
that was what Isaiah said is finding who I was really and that was through
studying the Plan of Salvation I'm a Child of God you know and this is my purpose on Earth and I think as we
develop that testimony of who we are all this other stuff is second you know my
culture is second it's it's never I'm black but my culture is not above who I
am as a Son of God if that makes sense um it's like President Nelson's I call it the identity hierarchy right where
it's like child of God child of the Covenant uh disciple Christ and then everything else is right down below that
right yeah I think as we understand that especially uh some of our black members
we we'll be okay we'll be we'll we'll be able to navigate those situations and
realize that we're all humans we're still struggling we all have things that we need to work on and improve but I
think it is like racism and and things like that those are fundamental things
that if we are truly living the gospel we wouldn't have that anger or that hate
or that anim animosity in our hearts towards our brothers and sisters if we
truly believe that we are our brothers and sisters yeah yeah I think a big key is to to act and not be acted upon with
with us you know anyways it's cuz yeah I mean we I've had experiences where I could have reacted a certain way because
of something ignorantly that was said or done but I always view those um now
anyways I view those as opportunities to to learn or to be or to teach that
person and to if you say something ignorant like okay what caused this
person to say this you know I'm not going to be acted upon I'm not going to you know react in an ignorant way but
I'm going to like genuinely ask this person maybe something I can say or a question I can ask them of why they
would say something like that or or act that way it'll click cuz sometimes we
can be very reactionary you know and sometimes people say things out of ignorance or sometimes it's said
deliberately um but we won't know unless we are are seeking to to act and not
right away be acted upon in in the instance yeah that's a real strength to be able to step outside of the situation
right like you're stepping outside of that and not taking it personally which is hard to do yeah right it's like but
but uh you know I think of like I do a lot of interfaith work and it's the same kind of thing because you'll talk with one person and they're like they're cool
with everything and they're getting along with you and everything's great and then you talk to another one and and
the same denomination and they're like you know you Mormons are all part of a cult and you know and it's and they're
you're going to hell and you know everything else and it's like so it's very individual right but it's uh it's
the same thing you know step outside of it and because I'll do it I mean I get I get these comments all the time on
YouTube right you guys probably get some comments and it's like I'm a fighter naturally want to fight come on man you
know but it's like it never works especially online you know and so it's
it's like uh so it's like you know Greg just steep back a little bit it's an
ignorant statement by this person and yeah where can you go from there oh for sure yeah yeah I'm trying to F who which
which which apostle was the one that cut off the the Roman soldier ear
was that Paul oh that was Peter Peter yeah Peter that's that's exactly right
I'm man yeah that's what the gospel does to you you know you realize you know
like in order to have the spirit you you have to have a certain you know tone and
a way of thinking and and so the spirit helps you to maintain yourself yeah I
think a big part of that though is is awareness right you got to have an awareness and that's what you guys are
doing right it's like and yes it's primarily to the black community but it's not just to the black community
right I mean it's it's like there's an awareness that can be brought to everybody and and and it's like oh okay
yeah it's we are all children of God we are all let's let's how do you and
intellectually of course we all know that you know but it's like to have the spirit and to live by
that Spirit you you you do need to have an awareness I think of things and and
uh so I love that you guys do that um so I know that uh the church has made some
inroads in the inner cities with the NAACP and what they've done in their um
first of all they've befriended those at the NAACP but what they've done is they took their self-reliance
program and brought it to the NAACP who then in their offices in the cities
would then start teaching it and using it with uh with uh you know primarily
African-American individuals and so uh what they found out though was that it
wasn't it wasn't uh targeted enough to the problems of
the inner city and so they had to change some things even even the level of poverty was different um your fathers
were in the home you there were things that you had to change that that helped um that are
helping them and I know that they're having really good success with this but the NAACP took the self Alliance program
from the church and tweaked it specifically for the inner city is there
anything you know just taking that as a subset there um how do we get there because the
gospel is always the answer for for everyone how do we get into that inner
city to help change hearts and Minds yeah I I I think about my family who
grew up in a a three-bedroom house uh it was six kids kids uh my mom was a single
parent at the time my dad and my mom divorced um and I think about us and I
think and grew up in the inner city um I wouldn't say drug infested neighborhood
but neighborhood was on the verge of you know turning and uh I've seen how you know the gospel and
how individual members um
have helped in different ways uh and I think first I think we need to see each
other as Sons and Daughters of God right um and and not let the
circumstances uh defer us or or uh make us think like oh they we'll just leave
them you know we'll keep we'll keep moving um but for me and my family it
was the missionaries knocking on the door you know and we it was weird because my mom was like I had never seen
white white missionaries or anybody come to the door um in that neighborhood in
that neighborhood you know and so I think we can't allow our fears or our perceptions of others stop us from
reaching out you know and uh we've been tremendously blessed and that was back in 1997 it's
2024 um but I think that's the number one thing is to not let our fears our stereotypes stop us from reaching out to
these individuals um because you never know who they may be you know 10 or 15
years from now um and I think that's the biggest thing uh just connecting the
dots we we all have something in common uh we just have to figure out what that is and um that's one thing I love about
the gospel and and and the message that you know we we preaches it's it's for all and um Jesus Christ invites us to
come in you know regardless of what we look like or how how we may be living at
that time um but yeah that's just That's my kind of my my thought or take on it
yeah and I love it and um if we can find a way
to um get the church's teachings of the family in the black community that would
change the society I feel like tenfold um um
there's a very um low level of thinking in the black community in terms of family and how we should treat each
other the Eternal nature of family um the responsibility that the father you
know has in the home um I believe all seven of us were raised in homes with
single mothers yeah um in our group and so that's a Telltale sign
of you know what's lacking in general and and in the black communities and
inner cities is um lack of um family um
unity and just descriptive of the importance of family right um we're
taught that the family is the most in single most important unit in the society you know in church and inner
city there's mostly broken homes father's not around um so we need to
find a way that just perpet excuse me it just perpetuates it is yeah it's easy to
see what you see growing up and just say that's the way it is this is who I am
this is where I'm from this is yeah this is how it goes and we'll hit on that in
terms of like circumstances right like we have to stop allowing that to be a
norm because it's not normal you know but we've over just like you mentioned perpetuated and over the years we've
allowed it to become normal and in a sense as well as cre like this
victimhood mentality that we have you know that I don't know where it came from or
or why we still hold on to it but like we have to get rid of it and I feel like a lot of the the teachings the
principles um and doctrines that the gospel offers if we're able to get that
and help our brothers and sisters in the inner cities see that and like and learn about
it that is going to that I mean that alone will will make all the difference
for sure yeah I think uh you you already said it but education and and when we
think of Education we always think of formal education but I think I really believe this I I believe knowledge is
power and I I think if we can relay those principles in a way to some of
these um black individuals and families they'll naturally gravitate
towards that I know I know my family did and and many other families that I personally know naturally gravitated
towards it because they realized that they were lacking in some of those areas especially the family unit you know and
that that was that's big in in the Black Culture you know family is is everything
and so I think talking about those principles uh you know along with Jesus
Christ and and all the gospel principles really but the family unit uh that's that's that's big big issue that will
resolve a bunch of issues yeah it's great that they were able to that we
were able to get in there through self-reliance because that's needed as well like we need to learn like not to
rely on welfare programs and back when I was growing up food stamps and all that you know um so that's great that's a
great start for like temporal needs and and and teaching um individuals how to
uh be self-governed but we have to go a little deeper I feel to um as far as
next steps to be able to to say all right now this is how um we ought to treat one another um and this is how the
the the man needs to be in the home and his importance I don't know um I'm a I'm a
black father I see how important it is cuz I didn't have a father growing up I would hope the next man would would see
like well I didn't have a father maybe I need to be here for my kids right or maybe they don't they selfish needs um
why a man wouldn't be there for his children um but not not to say all
families are like that in the inner city but it's it's very um it's a very dominant position you know right now so
definitely our teachings on the family will go a long way yeah uh lastly
looking at this what where do we go from here I mean we've talked about social media um you talked about victimhood I
think that there is you know I think maybe there's two different ways to look at this I think you've got you've got the black community within the black
community so you got are going out and you're talking to Black individuals they could be members of the church or non-members of the church and and
that's probably primarily what is needed right but there's also I think a reach
somehow from a a large gap between a very white church
and and the black community which to me has to go beyond just uh a missionary
work there has to be a cultural
uh conflation there you know bringing together of sorts where it's there is a
reaching out right it's like okay if I feel victimized in as being black in
America how do I still reach out and get out of that to a very white church right
and then as as a white individual how do I reach out to something that I have never probably been around yeah right
how how do I get beyond that because that bridge as we started talking earlier I think is is what has to happen
MH wow there so I always think of when it comes
to making decisions um and being a certain way is a spiritual work there
has to be like self evaluation of where
and why I want to um view a particular person a certain
way um I've heard it said in this way before we can become a Zion Society we have to become Zion individuals first
like Zion have to be built within oursel and in order for someone coming out of the black
community to see our faith and see it's been predominantly white there's been
this they first and foremost are going to have to say all right I'm not going to look at the the secular or temporal
um view of what's going on but God is going to be first and foremost like I'm
going to live and um do what's required because of
what he's asked and then as you put your faith in the Savior and in their father
in Heaven and their plan for you all of the other obstacles will will
start to align like you'll get that light like will mentioned knowledge is power right and
so that's the way I see it personally on both sides not just for black people and white people but I feel like on both
sides both sides have to be able to put their faith and trust in God first and
allow all the the bricks that just aren't quite aligning with how they View and their perception of another person
that's different um to let the Lord soften their heart and and iron out
those feelings of of prejudice or or discontent that they may have yeah I agree I think that uh
there's a there's a lot of work to be done um I think you know lenses uh
something I learned in Communications in college was just the perceptions you know of each other that we see and from
my personal experience in the black community you know we I I don't have this perspective anymore because I've
had to change it you know but most black people think like oh oh white man uh evil you know um and so it's
like we have to change that perspective you know we have to become spiritually
converted to our Savior as we do that the color of our skin won't even
matter anymore you know we we would still participate in those cultural
experiences events and and and things like that but our skin color won't hold us back anymore and I think that's what
what what's happening is we're allowing you know being black to to hold us back
and our mindset is that victim mentality and it's a it's a hard mindset like I
have cousins back home that I talk to on a regular basis you know um that are
different walks of life like I have a cousin serving uh 40 years to life right now and I I regularly send him emails
and I'm I'm trying to help him change his mindset you know and it's hard it's
tough it takes years um but it can be done through the Savior Jesus Christ and
I think that's the the beauty of the plan so most definitely like we we like to make things complex and for some
people like I know I completely understand all people aren't built the same and for some it may take more of a
um institutionalized method to get them to that point to where they can finally
see something a certain way it may not just be easy as cracking open the scriptures or praying like it is for
some people um but it is a One-Stop shop it's a One-Stop fix I feel like when
it's geared and focused on the savior in terms of our mentality um but some
people have grown and they've grown in uh grown up a certain way and it's just so hard you know for them to to get out
of a certain mindset because they've seen something for so long so it takes a little more than just um prayer maybe
they need a good friend like Wills B his cousin or maybe they need a more um
secular um knowledge or or training um you know but for me it's it's just been
easy like just focus on a savior you know um but again and I completely
understand I am empathetic for people where it takes a little more than than just um you know Focus cuz a lot of time
that's we're in the world if it was that easy then it wouldn't be you know a trial it wouldn't be a test if it were
that easy you well it wouldn't require the love necessary right I mean that's the why I usually look at that it's like you know love is kind of is cost and
effort and sacrifice that's it's you know we in our modern Western Minds we we think of love as like this feeling
and and sure it is but but really love is effort and and sacrifice
and stretching yourself and burying each other's burdens and um and that's what
it requires I will say finishing off really appreciate you guys and um I
think that uh in your position you know I grew up also with divorced parents and
early on and and I was stigmatized a little bit back in the day when there was no divorced people in the church
right hardly at all and and uh and but it also gave me a strength yeah it's
like I have to kind of fend for myself here sometimes you know that where where my dad wasn't in the home all day every
day you know and and uh and helped me man had helped me when I went on my
mission it was I know it was a massive strength for me and I kind of feel that way right now in the black community there's kind of
that there is a strength I think that comes from that
identity of being marginalized and yet kind of blossoming in a in a sense right
now you know and and so really appreciate you guys and what you're doing the channel is Brothers in the
foyer make sure you go check it out we'll put that in the description box will and Isaiah thanks so much for your
time really appreciate it oh thank you thank you man
