Story Mic

Merry Christmas! We hope you are enjoying this special day with friends and family, savoring those yummy christmas treats. And speaking of sweets, today's story comes from James Littlejohn who tells us about a Christmas treat that he didn't find so sweet. This holiday dish, called Hallaca, originates from Venezuela and James had the displeasure of having to eat hallaca several times during the month of December as he was serving a mission in Venezuela. Fortunately during this time, James experienced a Christmas miracle, which he describes as maybe the greatest christmas present I ever had. What are some of your traditional Christmas treats you are enjoying today? Tell us about it, by sending us your story to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org! And have a Merry Christmas!

If you're like most people, you may feel a bit of the stress that the holidays can bring, with all the preparations that need to be made. In today's episode, Micah Olson tells us his story about feeling a little stressed over an adoption process that his family went through a few years back during the last few months of the year.After feeling inspired to talk to his wife about adoption, Micah's family made a big decision to move halfway across the world in order to add more children to their family. But moving to another country brought on more stress than they had planned for.Micah explains that by new years eve, I literally stayed up to watch the clock turn to a new year, because I was so warn out from the previous year, and I went to bed. And that was my new year's eve that year. As things worked themselves out, as they always do, Micah found himself to be grateful for the challenges that he faced with a good attitude. May we follow Micah's example through the stress that we feel this holiday season.

The best medicine in times of trouble is laughter, according to Nita Wood, who shares her sweet story in this episode. Two related experiences taught Nita this lesson. The first occurred in a small hospital room, where Nita and her entire family received devastating news. Doctors had just discovered an aggressive, incurable tumor in her mother’s brain. “Nobody talked; we all just cried. There wasn’t much we could say. We were all just coming to terms with living without this wonderful mom of ours,” Nita says. Right away, Nita’s dad asked one of the family members to say a prayer. During a pause in the prayer, Nita’s 8-month-old nephew filled his diaper so loudly it echoed through the room. The family opened their eyes and burst into laughter. “We were already crying—now we were laughing and crying,” Nita recalls. In a similarly somber moment, Nita and her five sisters were sitting around the kitchen table on the night before their mother’s funeral. As they made last-minute plans, the youngest began to sob and said, “This is so much harder for me because I was Mom’s favorite.” The eldest protested and declared she was the favorite, as did the other sisters. They began laughing as they told stories that proved their respective points. Nita realized that her mother would have wanted the family to be together and feeling joy, especially in the most difficult times. Now, when she struggles, Nita remembers to find humor somewhere in her day.

The winter season can bring a lot of weddings with it. As winter approaches, we chose a story this week that was told by Sue Simkins, who talks about a unique experience she had with her daughter's wedding.Everything had been planned and prepared for the big day, when a sudden turn of events on the morning of the wedding called for a few unexpected changes. Don't worry though; Sue's daughter was still happily married.As you enjoy this story told by Sue, does it bring to memory any stories that you might like to share with us? We'd love to hear one! Send us a recording of your story to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org!

In this week's episode, Jacques du Plessis tells us of a time when he and a group of friends were having dinner together, and he realized the importance of taking the responsibility to help others, even when it comes to preparing a meal. Listen and learn from Jaques what it means to be good, and this Thanksgiving, maybe find some ways that you can help out to prepare that delicious Thanksgiving feast!

When people say dreams don't come true, tell them about Rudy. That's just what happened when a film appeared in 1993 telling the story of a boy named Rudy, an underdog and a dreamer who just never quit. Since his story became widespread, it has become a positive influence on so many teams and individuals.We were lucky enough to be able to sit down with Rudy and hear his account of how his persistence in publicizing his story has helped underdogs to become winning teams, even when it comes to sports other than football.

Do you remember a time when you were prompted to help someone for no apparent reason? When have you received help from someone that you weren't expecting? On today's episode, Michelle Woodbury tells us her story of how she felt heaven's help through her husband's cousin, Bethany.We'd love to hear your story! Send us a recorded file to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org!

What are some of your halloween costumes you've been most proud of in the past? How about some of your worst? Jimmy tells his story this week of a costume he found that, in his mind, would make him look just like the werewolf he was going for. However, it didn't turn out quite like he imagined. Listen as Jimmy tells the story of how, despite all the werewolf makeup his mom put on him, it just didn't end up being one of his better Halloween costumes.Does Jimmy's Halloween costume remind you of a story you'd like to share? You can do so by sending us an audio file to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org!

Gary Hatch tells us his story of when he lived in Northern Mexico and would help his family with the payroll. Gary was scared because he had the responsibility of holding the gun. Why did he need a gun? Listen to hear more about his story. Do you have a story you want to share? Send your recording to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org.

When you have an opportunity to push yourself, do you give up before you begin? Camden’s story of participating in high school track and discovering the value of a challenge may inspire you to give it your all next time. Camden Bernatz preferred to play basketball and football when he was a teen, but he excelled in track. He went to the state-wide track meet every year in high school, though he never medaled. In his last year of school, he had to decide whether he would continue playing the sports he loved most or put all of his energy into succeeding as a track star. Excited by the challenge to test his talent, Camden chose track. He made a goal to earn a medal before the season was over. At the state meet that year, he earned sixth place—the last of the medal positions. He had accomplished his goal and learned something surprising about himself. “As I sat there at the end of my track meet on the bleachers, I felt relieved. … But I also felt this sadness that this thing that had always been my challenge—kind of my enemy—was gone, and it was something that had pushed me,” he recalls. The confidence and perspective Camden gained as an athlete now guides his hard work in his schooling, his career, and his relationships. How have personal challenges and successes made you a better version of yourself? Do you have a story you want to share? Send your recording to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org.

This week we are joined by Leslee Nelson telling the story of her family leaving Holland to go to America, following the events of World War II. As Leslee's grandfather was living in Australia, her family was originally planning on moving there, but they were encouraged to go to America instead. Listen as Leslee recounts what it was like to sail on what she was told as the stormiest trip, ever. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Send us your recording to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org!

You know how certain smells are inherently tied to specific memories? Today's story features that idea, as Paula talks about the memories she gets from the smell of cinnamon rolls. As a young girl, Paula often visited her grandmother's house, where her grandmother would always be waiting with freshly baked cinnamon rolls. The real mystery to Paula at that age was how the rolls were so fresh the minute they arrived each time. Now the memory of her grandmother's house comes to her mind every time she encounters the smell of cinnamon rolls. What kinds of things trigger your sensory memories? Share your story with us by sending your audio file to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org!

Can you imagine going to live in another country by yourself? Such was the desire of Courtney Connolly's grandmother, and the essence of today's story. Courtney tells about her English grandmother moving to America at a young age, where she became the only doctor in the whole Nevada area. She not only used her efforts healing others, but also lifting those around her through her love of music. From learning about her grandmother, Courtney developed a connection to her, by both finding strength in her grandmother's story, and through sharing a similar affection for an English river that Courtney visited not long ago. What inspiration have you found from your ancestors? Tell us your story by sending your audio file to mormonchannel@ldschurch.org!

What discoveries have you made in your ancestry research? In today's episode, Peggy Lauritsen reveals her amazing overnight encounter, leading to the identification of over 100 lost ancestors in her family tree. Peggy also narrates her experience of following a gut feeling she had to look closely at a death certificate her sister found, resulting in another wonderful discovery. Tell us about your involvement in your family history in the comments below, or send us an email at mormonchannel@ldschurch.org.

Charlotte talks about being embarrassed by her dad and recognizing how important family is.

When you were little, what did you love most? For Kennady Parkinson, it was a family pet. His name was Todd, and he was the best chicken on earth, declares Kennady. As a chick, Todd was kept in the garage with the other baby chickens. One night, Todd fell out of the cage and got lost in the garage, where he was at risk of being hunted by two dogs and of freezing in the night. As a little girl, I was just mortified, because he was my pet. I loved that thing, Kennady asserts. Kennady searched for Todd, but had to give up in order to sleep. Being unable to do anything else that night, Kennady says, I just remember praying my heart out that my mom would find this chicken, or that it at least wouldn't die in the night. Good news awaited Kennady the next morning. She discovered that her mom had found Todd and had kept him safe. Her humble prayers had been heard and answered. Does Kennady’s story remind you of own of your own? Tell us about it in the comments, or send us an email at mormonchannel@ldschurch.org.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” the Savior declared. Jenn’s grandpa was a machine gun operator for the U.S. Marine Corps when he met the young man who would save his life. Her grandpa called him Kurt, and he had joined illegally—he wasn’t yet 18. Kurt had a difficult time keeping up with the other men in training exercises and the group would be punished as a result. They disliked him for it. However, Kurt had at least one friend in Jenn’s grandpa, with whom he developed a brother-like bond. In the midst of a tense battle that lasted days, Jenn’s grandpa and his squad took a moment to rest and eat. Sitting in a circle, the squad members suddenly heard the whine of a grenade at their feet. Without hesitation, Kurt covered the grenade with his body. He was mortally wounded, but none of his squad members were killed. “Grandpa held Kurt in his arms,” Jenn explains. “As Kurt was dying, he looked and Grandpa and he said, ‘Do you think they’ll accept me now?’” Jenn and her family consider themselves indebted to the Kurt for their own lives. Out of respect for his sacrifice, in recent years the family searched for any information on Kurt’s history. They discovered that he was the youngest son in a Swedish immigrant family. They also discovered that his real name was Oscar. “Oscar is our hero, and we are so grateful that we were able to find the man and the family who saved our family. It really is a hero’s story,” says Jenn.

Eryn grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as her parents were both converts to the Church. When she was a little girl, Eryn was more wiggly than most children. You see primary children, and they had nothing on me, Eryn describes. In her childlike innocence, Eryn believed that everybody agreed with her. One particular Sunday, designated as Fast Sunday, when church members were fasting, Eryn was sitting with her ward in a prolonged sacrament meeting due to the lengthy talks given by the speakers that day. But when the meeting finally seemed to be coming to a close, it seemed that one member wasn't ready for it to finish. As Eryn puts it, He got up to say the closing prayer, and it went on for quite a while. And it went on, and it went on. With tired ears and empty stomachs, the other ward members started to become restless, when little Eryn decided she had enough. She stood up and shouted at the member to finish the prayer. Beyond the silence and amusement that ensued, Eryn explains with a laugh just what she learned that day: You do not talk in sacrament meeting. It is not a callback. Can you remember a time in your childhood like Eryn's? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Life is full of choices. We enjoy the rewards of our good decisions and we usually learn from our mistakes. Fernando Camilo shares a story about one of the biggest mistakes he made as a young boy and what it taught him. When he was 10 years old, Fernando lived in an industrial area of Brasilia, Brazil. His family lived above his dad’s printing company. A few buildings down, there sat an abandoned warehouse. It was kind of like the spot where we always looked at it and went, 'I wonder what's inside,’ you know, ‘I wonder what's in there,’ Fernando describes. Curiosity got the best of Fernando and his friends. They broke into the warehouse and found a large car racing track. Excited to play with it, the friends stole the track. After a few days, I started feeling pretty guilty. I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, we just stole! This is absurd! Why did we do this?'” Fernando recalls. Needing to make things right, Fernando confessed the theft to his dad, who made him return the track to the warehouse. Fernando learned a valuable lesson the hard way. What are the most valuable lessons you learned as a child or teenager? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Traditions provide us with opportunities to reconnect and remember, especially as time passes and our families grow up. Because her grandmother’s memory is fading in Alzheimer’s disease, Allison Kimball realizes one of her favorite family traditions could be lost unless she carries it on. Since she was a child, Allison has loved making tortillas at her grandmother’s kitchen table. She decided to make a recording of one of those experiences for her children to watch in the future. While she recorded, Allison reflected on the reasons she treasured that time with her grandmother. “I thought about… the sound of the rolling pin hitting the counter and the smell of the tortillas on the stove and the memories and the stories of faith and resilience that now are my stories, and my responsibility to pass to my family. What are your family traditions like, and which of them are you excited to keep alive for your future children and grandchildren? Leave a comment below.

Do you ever find it so hard to avoid sweets that you have to sneak them in when nobody's looking? Well, if you've got a sweet tooth like Adam Mellema, you might relate to his story. For him, Adam was not allowed sweets anytime other than when he had finished everything on his plate. But because of his insane sweet tooth, that wasn't satisfactory. Says Adam, [It] was a constant, and so when mom and dad would take their naps on Sunday afternoons, I would slink to the kitchen to help myself to something sweet. As he would do this, he realized that he could get caught pretty easily had he eaten cookies out of the cookie jar, or portions of the banana snack cake. So he came up with a different plan. I knew that if I helped myself to a partially opened bag of semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels, then obviously that would go very well, because nobody would know until, you know, two or three months from now when they were needed for a recipe, so at least I was buying myself some time, he explains. And so that's what he did, taking handfuls of morsels and hiding them on the floor next to the table with plants on it, so nobody could see them. But his strategy didn't last long, due to the close proximity of the plants. As he was enjoying morsel after morsel, he describes the scene: I reached down between the wall and the table, and instead of putting a chocolate chip semi-sweet morsel into my mouth, there was a dirt clod crunching in my teeth. The mistake shocked him into realizing that it wasn't worth sneaking the sweets, especially when God was watching. Tell us about your own sweet tooth in the comments below!

How has your family shaped your life? In this episode of Story Mic, Jenn Crookston shares the story of a business that brought several generations of her family together in ways she’ll never forget. Jenn was young when her grandparents opened a Mexican restaurant called El Burrito. It was while selling the food at county fairs that Jenn grew close to her aunts and uncles. We looked up to them like people do their big brothers and big sisters. We thought it was really cool that we got to go travel with them and do the same things that they were doing throughout the summer, Jenn recalls. Though Jenn’s grandparents no longer participate, they’ve passed the joy and responsibility of selling food at the fair to their posterity. Even Jenn’s children take part in the tradition. I don't think that [my grandparents] knew when they were starting these fairs... that it would continue on until their great grandchildren were coming to the fairs and continuing to work at them, says Jenn. Does your family have unique traditions or reunions like Jenn’s? Tell us about them in the comments below.

Appearances aren’t everything. Kristen Jones tells a story about an interaction that taught her to look past the physical attributes of others. I think a lot of times we have more in common with people than we realize, and it's a natural human tendency to look at somebody and generalize by what we see, she says. One day while Kristen was at work, a young girl came in. The girl had always worn long sleeves, and Kristen knew they were covering up the beautiful tattoos on her arms. Kristen inquired about her tattoos. A convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the girl talked about hiding her tattoos from those of her faith. As Kristen listened to her friend, she wondered what her friend’s first impression had been of her. Kristen imagined the girl might have seen her as a perfect suburban mother, which was far from her reality. Kristen and her friend agreed, Everybody has a past. ... Some of us wear it on the outside, some of us wear it on the inside, but our experiences are etched in all of us. Does Kristen’s story remind you of one of your own? Tell us about it in the comments below.

For Spencer Belnap, living in his brother’s shadow taught him the skills he needed to make an impact of his own. Spencer and his family moved to Moscow, Russia, while he and his older brother were in high school. His brother had been known as “Baby Belnap” in their previous school, due to the popularity of their eldest brother. With a fresh start ahead of him, Spencer’s brother decided to make a name for himself in Russia. He joined school clubs, became a leader in his class, and made friends with everyone. Spencer realized it was his turn to feel stuck in his brother’s shadow—but not for long. He observed his brother and learned to influence others for good, too. “[I live so that] even though maybe people won’t remember me that much—or maybe even at all—if they do, they remember me in a positive way, as being outgoing and helpful,” Spencer says. What’s the best life lesson you’ve learned from your siblings? Leave a comment.