In 1969, 14 members of the University of Wyoming football team were unfairly dismissed for asking to participate in a peaceful racial protest in a game against Brigham Young University. A half-century later on Sept. 24, 2022, two members of the group, now known as the “Black 14”, ceremoniously lit the Y on the mountain above BYU’s Cougar Stadium. At their side was Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, a General Authority Seventy and former BYU quarterback. Elder Nielsen joins this episode of The Church News podcast to talk about how the Church has partnered with the Black 14 to heal that community rift while feeding the hungry, his newest assignment as president of the Church’s Africa West Area, and how examples of Christ-like leadership continue to shape his life today. He is joined by fellow BYU alumni Sister Sheri Dew, executive vice president of Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency, as guest host. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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