Hidden True Crime - Did Hostility Toward the LDS Faith Motivate the Michigan Shooting? | Who was Thomas Jacob Sanford?

Episode Date: September 30, 2025

On Sunday morning, a quiet Michigan chapel became the scene of horror. A man crashed his truck into an LDS church, opened fire with an assault-style rifle, and set the building ablaze—leaving multiple worshippers dead and others wounded. Now investigators say explosives were found, and new details are emerging about the suspect’s background, his military past, and his disturbing comments about the church in the days leading up to the attack. In this episode, we walk through the timeline, the investigation, and the community left shattered. About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lately, I've been trying to be more intentional about what I wear, intentional about everything, just choosing pieces that feel effortless, still put together, timeless, but also not overthinking it every morning. It's why I keep going back to quince. Their pieces just make getting dressed easier and I feel so classy. I feel elevated. The fits are flattering. The fabric is really high quality. Everything is wearable day to day. I actually got this really, really, beautiful yellow V-neck midi dress from them, and I paired it with some Italian leather sandals. It's one of those outfits that just works. It feels polished but still comfortable. It's exactly what I've been looking for. What surprises me, though, is the quality for the price. Quince uses

premium materials like European linen, organic cotton, but they cut out the middleman. So everything is priced way lower than you'd expect. Refresh. your every day with luxury you can actually use. Head to quince.com slash hidden true crime for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's quince, quince, q-u-in-c-com slash hidden true crime for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com slash hidden true crime. Most people don't realize how much their personal information is being bought and sold every day. Data brokers are making billions, pulling details about you from public records and the internet, and then packaging and selling it, usually without your consent. That's how your

information lands in the hands of scammers, spammers, even stalkers. It's why you get endless robocalls and why ads seem to follow you everywhere. That's where ORA comes in. ORA actively removes your data from broker's sites and keeps it off. They also instantly alert you if your information shows up in a breach or on the dark web. But ORA goes beyond data protection. With one app, you get a VPN, Antivirus, password manager, spam call protection, dark web monitoring, and even up to $5 million in identity theft insurance, all backed by 24-7 U.S.-based fraud support.

Other companies might sell just credit monitoring, or just a VPN. ORA gives you all of it, together, at the same price competitors charge for just one service. Start your free trial today atora.com slash remove. Protect yourself now atora.com slash remove. I'm Lauren Matthias.

This is hidden true crime. On Sunday morning, tragedy struck at a place that was meant to be a refuge from the world's violence, a chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blank Township, Michigan, became the scene of yet another mass shooting, and we have everything you need to know. We hear about shootings like this far too often in America, but it feels especially devastating when they happen inside houses of worship spaces that are supposed to be sacred, places where people gather to pray, to heal, and to feel safe. And I'm going to get personal.

An Lias Chapel is where I was every Sunday morning growing up as I was taught about God and Christ. This story is personal to me. A church is meant to be holy, a sanctuary from the world, a place of safety, a place that I felt safe in while growing up. But what unfolded here was an act of evil. And in this episode, we'll walk you through everything we know so far. Who the suspected shooter is and what authorities are saying about him, how the attack unfolded, and the possible motives being investigated in this still developing case. This is not an easy story, but it is an important one.

So let's begin with the timeline. Grand Blank sits just south of Flint, Michigan, the city well known for its water crisis in 2015. Grand Blank is a suburb of Flint, a quiet Midwestern suburb dotted with tree-line streets, modest churches, and small parks. It's the kind of community where Sunday mornings usually mean families heading to worship or breakfast. The pace is slower there than in nearby Flint, and on most days, it feels safe, familiar, and unshaken by the kind of violence that makes national headlines. Sunday, September 28th, hundreds of people ranging from infants to Elton,

elderly widows were inside the Grand Blink LDS Chapel. It was the usual time for service 10 a.m. and many were absorbed in worship, prayer, and hymns. Church here always began with the whole congregation meeting together in the chapel before separating by age for Sunday school. And they had just finished partaking of sacrament or communion, which is bread and water, blessed in remembrance of Christ and passed to each member of this close-knit congregation, a congregation also known as a ward. The people in this ward were neighbors and friends who served one another and visited one another during the week beyond just Sunday service. The building, one that many would recognize as a traditional LDS-style chapel, sat near residential areas and even a Jehovah's Witness Church not far from homes and quiet streets.

At approximately 10.25 a.m., the first 911 calls began to flood in, reporting a disturbance at the church. Within just seconds, police received notice of an incident. The suspect driving a four-door pickup truck rammed the vehicle through the front entrance of the church. The truck was said to bear two American flags in the bed, an image that would later stand out in many news reports. When this is initially assumed it was an accident, some even went to assist thinking that the vehicle had simply crashed into the building by mistake and they were there, they were going to help. But then the shooting began. The driver exited the truck and using what authority described as an assault-style rifle, opened fire into the sanctuary, into the place that was once a haven.

But now the sound was sudden, shocking and undeniable. Amid the chaos, the suspect allegedly set parts of the building on fire. Flames and thick smoke rose from the church visible even from a distance, and the fire raged for hours, hours. some worshippers still feared to be stuck inside. Officials believe that the blaze was deliberately ignited, possibly with accelerants. Emergency services reacted swiftly. The first officers arrived on the scene within about 30 seconds of the initial call, 30 seconds,

and two officers, one from the Department of Natural Resources, and another from the Grand Blank Township Force pursued the suspect, engaging him in a gunfight in the church's parking lot. By approximately 1033 a.m., just eight minutes after the attack began, the suspect was shot and killed. And inside the chapel, chaos and horror ensued. Some worshippers barricaded themselves. Others tried to rush towards exits, and many froze in fear. Broken glass, debris, and smoke made getting out even more difficult. Some victims in Sunday dresses and suits and ties lay wounded.

Others were caught in the flames or rubble as the fire consumed parts of the building. And by midday, firefighters managed to extinguish most of the blaze, but not before significant damage had occurred. Portions of the building partially collapsed. Streets around the church were cordoned off. Investigators began the grim work of sifting through debris, tracking, shot, fired and searching for evidence. Meanwhile, hospitals in the region treated the wounded. Initial official reports said eight individuals had been injured and two were killed. By evening, it became clear that the toll was even higher. Some news outlets reported four dead,

including two found later in the burned rubble and eight wounded. Among the injured, seven were in stable condition while one remained in critical condition. I'm going to step out of the way. I'm sure you've heard by now there was a mass shooting at the church of the Latter-day Saints in Grand Blank Township. Ten people were shot. One is dead. The shooter also shot and killed by police. What you're looking at right now is a map of where that church is. Again, in the Grand Blank Township area. There were people inside of the church when all of this happened. The suspect rammed his vehicle through the front doors of the church, got out, and then started shooting. You're not looking at video from the scene here.

Again, 10 people were shot, one was shot and killed. Two or three others are in critical condition. On top of the shooting, though, this suspect, a 40-year-old from Burton also started a fire inside of the church. And unfortunately, we got an update from the Grand Blake Township Police Chief. He said they are expecting to find more victims of the shooting and or of the fire once the investigators can get into areas of the church that they originally couldn't get into because that fire was ongoing. Evening, local state and federal agencies had converged on Grand Blank and the FBI dispatched more than 100 agents to assist in the investigation coordinating with ATF, state police, bomb squads, and local law enforcement. Search warrants were executed on the suspect's home in Burton, Michigan.

Bomb squads were deployed and evidence collection began. In one development, investigators reportedly discovered improvised explosive devices, IEDs, in the state. In the Uniteds, in the state, and the evidence. In the, the suspect's vehicle and possibly on church property. So bomb squads carefully rendered the devices safe while investigators processed the scene. By Monday afternoon, authorities announced that everyone has now been accounted for. Law enforcement say there are five deaths in total and eight injured. The suspect is counted as one of those five deaths. The suspect from yesterday has been arrested by law enforcement in the past. And the five debt does that include the suspect?

The five debt includes a suspect. Can you give any details on what those five arrests were? Burglary in OWI. Police maintain that there is no ongoing threat to the wider public at this time. They believe the attack was carried out by a single individual acting alone. But the investigation is still very much in its early stages. Many questions remain unanswered about planning, motive, communication, ideology and expectation.

At this time, as the scene is being cleared, the community stands in shock and mourning, grappling with the knowledge that a space once held sacred was violated so horrifically and senselessly. A space where the front of the buildings is visitors welcome. It has been violated horrifically. And so now that we've gone through how the violence unfolded, let's next step into understanding who authorities believe committed this atrocity. His name,

Thomas Jacob Sanford, age 40 of Burton, Michigan, a town just eight miles north of Grand Blank, known by acquaintances as Jake. His background is a mixture of military service, family challenges, and what neighbors say was a largely quiet life until now. Jake graduated from Goodrich High School in 2003, almost immediately after he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps serving from roughly 2004 to 2008. And during his time in service, he was deployed to Okinawa, Japan, and later to Fallujah Iraq. According to earlier news reports, his military record was described as stellar. He earned marks on the rifle range, took on the role of sergeant, and performed motor, transport, or record driver duties in combat zones.

From those early accounts, it seems Jake had a sense of duty and purpose in his military years. And in social media posts, his mother, his mother celebrates his service, publishing photos of him in uniform and expressing pride in him being a veteran, as most mothers would. After his service, Sanford transitioned into civilian life, he eventually married around 2016 from what we can tell to a woman from his high school named Tella. and they raised a son named Brantley. Their son was born with congenital hyper-insulinism. It's a rare disorder where the pancreas secretes too much insulin,

and it can lead to dangerous neurological complications. The family battled diagnosis in searches for care. In fact, they travel to Texas to access medical centers capable of treating the condition, working with Cook Children's Hospital's Endocrine Program. In interviews from past years, Jake himself described the health journey as difficult, saying their family had chased miracles as they tried to manage his son's condition.

In terms of work, Jake was reported to have held a position at a Coca-Cola facility, though the specifics of that job remain unclear. Neighbors and classmates have also come forward. One high school friend from Davidson, Michigan, said he had lasting Jake at a local gym just weeks before the shooting and that nothing seemed off. He described him as normal, friendly, and familiar. Others spoke of his past as a hunter, deer, turkey, geese, and recalled him growing up as a country kid. Another piece of Jake's past emerges from a time in Utah, Utah, which is the center of the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and around 2010, he rented a room in Utah from a woman named Sandra Winter. She remembers him as unassuming and quiet, working odd jobs like landscaping or snow removal, and even doing creative sculpture with sheetrock. She said that she could not imagine a day like today saying that she would never in a million years have thought he would do something like this. From Jake's father, there are more glimpses of pride. In past statements about his military service,

his father said, Jake was a homegrown kid who missed family went away and that after serving he planned to return to his hometown. A local news article noted that Jake was registered to vote. vote at an address on Atherton Road in Burton, and he has been at that address since 2017, according to voter registration. And in the immediate aftermath of the attack, investigators searched Jake's home, bomb squad units, SWAT teams, and robotics were used to inspect for devices, booby traps, or evidence linking him

to wider plans or collaborators. The existence of explosive devices in his vehicle has already been revealed, but authorities are also scrutinizing his digital life. And what does that mean? Phone records, messages, social media, and the devices themselves. It's very tragic, and that's not what our community is. I'm confident that we're going to overcome this, as Graham Blink always overcomes these type of incidents.

And I'd also like to acknowledge the heroism of not only the first responders, but the people who were inside that church at the time. They were shielding the children who were also present within the church, moving them to safety. Just hundreds of people just practicing their faith. Just extreme courage, brave, and that's the type of community that we are. Law enforcement, again, we were on scene within 30. seconds from that original 911 call. Within eight minutes, that suspect was neutralized in the back parking lot of the church by a DNR officer and a Grambling Township officer. So where we're at right

now, we're working tirelessly. We're working all night on this particular incident. I know that you guys have questions, and it's not only this community, but it's nationwide. I can confirm at this time that the FBI is now leading the investigation and is investigating this as an act of targeted violence. FBI crisis response teams, such as our evidence response teams, SWAT, special agent bomb technicians, victim specialists were deployed to the scene. We also have special agents who are continuing to conduct interviews and intelligence and professional staff personnel providing research and analysis. I would like to thank them for their work on this case.

We ask that members of the public share any information that would assist us in this investigation, and we encourage them to please report to the FBI at 1-800 call FBI or tips.fbi.gov. Any piece of information could be crucial. We ask that you keep the victims of this tragedy, their families, and the entire community in your prayers. Thank you. Most people don't realize how much their personal information is being bought and sold every day. Data brokers are making billions, pulling details about you from public records and the Internet, and then packaging and selling it, usually without your consent.

That's how your information lands in the hands of scammers, spammers, even stalkers. It's why you get endless robocalls and why ads seem to follow you everywhere. That's where ORA comes in. ORA actively removes your data from broker sites and keeps it off. They also instantly alert you if your information shows up in a breach, on the dark web. But ORA goes beyond data protection. With one app, you get a VPN, antivirus, password manager, spam call protection, dark web monitoring, and even up to $5 million in identity theft insurance, all backed by 24-7 U.S.-based fraud support. Other companies might sell just

credit monitoring, or just a VPN. ORA gives you all of it, together, at the same price competitors charge for just one service. Start your free trial today at ORA.com slash remove. Protect yourself now at aura.com slash remove. Remove. Most people don't realize how much their personal information is being bought and sold every day. Data brokers are making billions, pulling details about you from public records and the internet, and then packaging and selling it, usually without your consent. That's how your information lands in the hands of scammers, spammers, even stalkers. It's why you get endless robocalls, and why ads seem to follow you everywhere. That's where ORA comes in. ORA actively removes your

data from broker sites and keeps it off. They also instantly alert you if your information shows up in a breach, or on the dark web. But ORA goes beyond data protection. With one app, you get a VPN, antivirus, password manager, spam call protection, dark web monitoring, and even up to $5 million in identity theft insurance, all backed by 24-7 U.S.-based fraud support. Other companies might sell just credit monitoring, or just a VPN. ORA gives you all of it, together, at the same price competitors charge for just one service. Start your free trial today at ORA.com slash remove. Protect yourself now at aura.com slash remove. It seems that Thomas Jacob Sanford is a man with a complex past, military service, family

responsibility, medical hardships, friends and acquaintances who say he seemed ordinary. But between what we know and what we don't lies the heart of an investigation that will take time and we will be following it in real time. Because so far, the public record reveals no clear motive. We have no known manifesto, no express political ideology, no claim of grievance, at least none that has surfaced yet. We're waiting. So investigators will have to comb every possible lead. And until then, there has, of course, been some public speculation that we can discuss right here, right now. Unfortunately, this tragedy isn't the only heartbreak that the LDS community is facing right now. On Saturday, the 27th of September, shortly after 10 p.m.

just hours before the violence in Grand Blank. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lost its longtime prophet and president, Russell M. Nelson. He passed away in Salt Lake City at the incredible age of 101 years old. That alone would be newsworthy. But for members of the faith, it's almost unimaginable. President Nelson has been a constant presence in their lives for decades. And those worshiping at the Grand Blank LDS Chapel were also in mourning,

as news of President Nelson's passing had only been announced hours earlier. And if you're not familiar with him, Russell M. Nelson, who was a heart surgeon, was first called as an apostle back in 1984. In January of 2018, he became the president and prophet of the church. And he didn't just keep the lights on. He was a reformer. In his very first general conference, as president of the LDS church, he started rolling out changes designed to refocus. everything on Jesus Christ, from how local congregations are organized to the way members minister to one another. Under his watch, temple construction went into overdrive with dozens of new houses of worship

announced across the globe. And whether you agreed with every change or did not, as change is always certainly controversial, his era will be remembered as one of global ministry and deep institutional shifts. He was loved by many and respected even by people who did not share his faith. And that's why his passing has hit so hard. Also because it's happening alongside the other shocking events we've been reporting on. There's been a lot of speculation out there. Some people online are even asking if the recent mass shooting and fire could somehow be connected to President Nelson's death or to the leadership transition now underway.

Because as of right now, there's no evidence, though, of any connection. But you can see why people are talking. Now, here's how leadership changes work in the LDS tree. When a president dies, the first presidency, that's the president and his two counselors, it automatically dissolves. Those two counselors go back to being regular apostles. And the apostles as a group then meet and following a tradition that goes back to the 1800s, they sustained the most senior apostle as the new president and prophet. Seniority here doesn't mean age.

It means how long someone has served as an apostle. And that man then chooses his two counselors. and the second most senior apostle becomes president of the quorum of the 12. It's a process designed to be orderly and in an attempt to avoid the kind of leadership fights that split other religious movements. But right now, the most senior apostle is Dallin H. Oaks. He's been President Nelson's first counselor and the president of the quorum of the 12th since 2018.

The church has already announced that the formal sustaining vote will happen after President Nelson's funeral, but unless something very unusual happens, Oaks will be the next LDS prophet. He's got quite the resume outside of the church too. Former president of Brigham Young University, the church-owned university, former Utah Supreme Court Justice. In other words, a man used to power and responsibility. He's also been a figure who has drawn criticism.

During the 1970s, when he was at the helm of BYU, the university ran a covert program aimed at identifying and disciplining gay students. Undercover agents took down license plate numbers at gay bars and cross referenced them with student records at BYU. There were even reports of dorm searches without warrants. Oakes later acknowledged some of what went on, but the details that have emerged in recent years have been painful for many, especially given the church's ongoing struggle over LGBT right issues and religious freedom.

And then there's his teachings about how members should relate to leaders. Oaks has often said that criticism of church leaders, even if it's true, should be avoided. He presents it as a matter of unity and sustaining the Lord's anointed. Critics of that stance see it creates a culture where accountability is almost impossible. If you can't publicly point out wrongdoing without being accused of spiritual disloyalty, how do you ever correct problems? It's a real catch-22. He's outlined five steps for dealing with disagreements,

overlooking it, reserving judgment, going to the leader private, going to a superior or praying about it. But when you look at those options closely, the first two are basically do nothing. And the others don't really work in a hierarchy that doesn't allow appeals. You're left feeling like your only choice is silent. And that tension between reverence for leaders

and the need for transparency is front and center right now. As the church prepares to bury a beloved prophet and likely sustain a new one, members and outsiders alike are asking hard questions. Will the next president continue Russell Nelson's pace of change? Will the church open itself more to constructive criticism? Or will loyalty to leadership remain the overriding principle? Whatever happens, this is a pivotal moment for those that are LDS members.

And for some, the timing of this horrific tragedy seems too coincidental. But honestly, whether any of these factors, the timing with President Nelson's passing, the LDS Church or the broader religious community played a role in Sanford's decision really depends on one key question. Did he have any personal connection to or grievances with the church at all? And right now, there's no clear evidence suggesting that he did. Observers have noted that he drove past dozens of other churches in the area that same day. So why target that one?

Why that chapel? Was it symbolic? Or was it just chance? It's entirely possible that Sanford did not have a specific target in mind at all. Maybe he simply picked a location that seemed logistically convenient, a place with a lot of cars, a lot of potential impact, a location where he could do maximum damage without thinking too much about the congregation itself. Sometimes these choices are less about ideology and more about opportunity. And another important angle we have to consider is mental health. Many people

who have served in the military carry invisible scars, PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other trauma-related conditions. For some, these challenges can build over time, especially if they are not given the support and treatment that they need. Post-traumatic stress isn't just about flashbacks or nightmares. It can manifest as impulsive behavior, anger, paranoia, or difficulty distinguishing risk. In some tragic cases, unrelated mental health issues can lead to violent actions, even when the person affected has no specific target in mind beyond their own emotional turmoil. It is also worth noting that mental health struggles don't exist in a vacuum. They can intersect with other stressors, financial pressure, relationship issues, and personal crisis, creating a tipping point. And while this

doesn't ever excuse violent behavior, it can help explain why a person might commit an act that seems senseless to the outside world. Understanding these potential factors is crucial, because in cases like this, the line between intent and circumstance is often blurred. So when we try to piece together why Sanford chose this particular church, we're left with a mix of unanswered questions. Was it random, opportunistic, symbolic, or was it the tragic result of untreated trauma and mental health struggles reaching a breaking point? At this stage, all we can do is examine the possibilities because each one tells us something important about how complex these situations can be. Another potential motive that people have been discussing is the idea of retaliation.

Investigators and online sleuths have already looked into Sanford's political affiliations, and it appears he is Republican, conservative, patriotic, which is reinforced by the flags displayed on his truck. That detail has led some to speculate about whether his actions could be connected to broader political tensions. And that brings us to another recent, shocking event. the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk. For context, Charlie Kirk was a well-known conservative commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, an organization that promotes conservative values on college campuses and in youth politics.

He has a massive platform, still, even after death, and his work has made him a prominent polarizing figure in national politics. Tragically, Kirk was attacked and killed recently, and the suspect, Tyler Robinson reportedly has a Mormon upbringing being raised in the St. George, Southern Utah area, in an LDS family. And given these circumstances, some people online are speculating that Sanford's actions could be some kind of eye-for-and-eye retaliation. In other words, they wonder if Sanford's attack on the LDS Church might somehow be connected to Robinson's killing of Kirk, maybe as a misguided attempt at revenge or symbolic justice. Of course, at this point, this is all speculation.

But when you look at the timing and the political overtones, it's easy to see why people are raising questions about potential motives beyond random violence. On Monday, today, new details have emerged suggesting that Sanford's actions may not have been random at all, but instead rooted in a long, simmering resentment towards the LDS Church. Burton City Council candidate Chris Johns says that when he canvassed Sanford's neighborhood on September 22nd, just days before the shooting, he ended up talking to Sanford for nearly 20 minutes. Johns remembers Samford while and he remembers him as unusually warm and chatty for a stranger on the doorstep. John said, quote, he was outgoing, polite, extremely friendly. He even shook my hand and thanked me for stopping by, end quote. They spoke about their children.

John's daughter has special needs, and Sanford volunteered that his own son has a serious health condition. He also quizzed Johns on his views about guns, and Johns replied that he supported the Second Amendment. He noted that Sanford spoke quickly, sharing about his time in Iraq and his struggles with drug addiction when he returned home. Johns also recalled Sanford telling him about moving to Utah,

again, the center of the LDS Church in Utah. He told them about moving to Utah at one point to plow snow and that he had a relationship with a woman there whose family was Mormon. And then John says that from there, the conversation took a very sharp turn. Sanford began asking about the LDS faith, what John's thought of it, what the church teaches about Jesus

and how the book of Mormon compares to the Bible. The more Sanford asked, the more pointed his confidence, became until he bluntly declared that the church was the quote antichrist. At the time, John says Sanford's remarks struck him as very much standard anti-LDS rhetoric, standard talking points that you would find on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, rather than a sign of imminent violence. He said there was no mention of anything right or left, blue or red, and that it never delved into politics or current events. But when John later saw images on

television of police surrounding Sanford's home, he immediately recognized the home and the man. He said, quote, there are certain things you don't forget. This is not a forgettable guy, and quote. John says he called state police and spoke to the FBI to share what he knew. And taken together, these details suggest that Sanford's alleged attack may have been fueled, at least in part, by a personal and ideological hostility toward the LDS Church and his members, a resentment possibly shaped by his own time living in Utah and a relationship with a woman from a Mormon family, rather than by a purely random or political motive. We may not know yet why this happened.

But what's undeniable is that these tragedies are becoming all too common in our country. It's alarming when places we trust, grocery stores, or schools, even churches no longer feel safe. The places that are supposed to feel safe are now no longer safe. And behind these stories are real people, real families, real communities left grappling with fear and grief. And while we cannot ignore that reality, we can choose to look out for one another, to support each other, and to insist on a world where safety and peace are not just hopes,

but expectations. I mentioned at the beginning of this episode that I grew up attending an LDS chapel. Mine was a historic building nestled in the heart of Salt Lake City. And at the front of the chapel was a large stained glass window depicting Christ knocking on a door, the kind of door without a doorknop, symbolizing that he waits to be invited in. And in that sacred space with me, week after week, among our local congregations sat President Russell M. Nelson. I was just a little girl, but I knew I was worshiping alongside someone truly special, an apostle, a leader, and a man who cared deeply, not only for our small,

tight-knit neighborhood congregation that he was a member of, but for people across the world. He left an imprint on me, and I would like to finish with part of the speech that he gave that has resonated with me in the past and resonates with me now, as we can. continue to face so much violence week after week, day after day. President Nelson's words are a powerful reminder to set our differences aside. Even now, decades later, I find myself wondering if the contaminated scalpel that landed in my arm was any more toxic than the venomous contention that infects our civic dialogue and too many personal relationships today. civility and decency seem to have disappeared during this era of polarization and passionate disagreements.

Vulgarity, false-finding, and evil-speaking of others are all too common. Too many pundits, politicians, entertainers, and other influencers throw insults, I am greatly concerned that so many people seem to believe that it is completely acceptable to condemn, malign, and vilify anyone who does not agree with them. Many seem eager to damage another's reputation with pathetic and pithy barbs. anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions. Regrettably, we sometimes see contentious behavior even within our own ranks. We hear of those who belittle their spouses and children. Of those who use angry outbursts to control

others, and of those who punish family members with a silent treatment. We hear of youth and children who bully and of employees who defame their colleagues. My dear brothers and sisters, this should not be. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with with others, especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people. Most people don't realize how much their personal information is being bought and sold every day.

Data brokers are making billions, pulling details about you from public records and the internet, and then packaging and selling it, usually without your consent. That's how your information lands in the hands of scammers, spammers, even stalkers. It's why you get endless robocalls and why ads seem to follow you everywhere. That's where ORA comes in. ORA actively removes your data from broker's sites and keeps it off. They also instantly alert you if your information shows up in a breach or on the dark web. But ORA goes beyond data protection.

With one app, you get a VPN, antivirus, password manager, spam call protection, dark web monitoring, and even up to $5 million in identity theft insurance. all backed by 24-7 U.S.-based fraud support. Other companies might sell just credit monitoring or just a VPN. ORA gives you all of it, together, at the same price competitors charge for just one service. Start your free trial today at ORA.com slash remove. Protect yourself now atora.com slash remove.