"How to be a Super Missionary" by Dr. Benjamin Jeppsen

Last month I had the privilege of talking with Dr. Benjamin Jeppsen on our podcast about his experience as a Latter-day Saint geek and especially about his experience writing “How to be a Super Missionary”. I touched on the book’s content during our discussion, but to do the book justice I felt I needed to formally review it. If you want any specific background on Ben and his experience with missionary work, check out our podcast episode. Now for the book itself.

The basic premise of Dr. Jeppsen’s book is simple. It’s an anthology of superhero devotionals or parables, comparing DC and Marvel heroes to success in missionary work. Some of the lessons pull from superhero movies of recent decades, but some pull from the source material in the comics (some both). In the book, he teaches missionary lessons through the lens of Batman, Rogue, Hulk, the Flash, and many more popular heroes.

Like I told Ben on the podcast, one thing I loved about his book was that I didn’t have to read it all in one sitting (which is hard to do with two little kids begging for my attention). Each chapter took me about fifteen minutes to read and most of them were read by the proposed site of the McKinney Texas Temple when I needed a break from work. Even when I didn’t know the specific backstories of Batman or Rogue, he was able to summarize the important bits so that I could still learn what I needed from the analogy to become a better missionary. And actually a sign of how well he wrote them is that he made me want to grab some comics and explore some heroes I’ve never seen/watched before.

I’ve written before about my complicated history with formal missionary work and I addressed that on the podcast as well. The complexities aside, the book lifted me up and taught me lessons about being a “member missionary” in the church. On at least one occasion (the chapter about MCU’s Hulk) I was enlightened about my role as a father. And even though it took me months to read (again, because of kids begging for my attention) the bite-sized nature of the lessons and chapters made that doable in my stage of life. 

If you enjoy our gospel-centered blog posts, you’ll enjoy this book. Whether you lean towards Marvel comics or DC comics (like Ben), you’ll find a story and a lesson for yourself in this book. And as previously stated, these parables are written well enough to make me want to read the comics and see the movies that I’ve never experienced before. So go buy Dr. Jeppsen’s book for a wonderfully geeky Sunday afternoon (here it is on Amazon).

And don't forget to check out my discussion with Ben on the podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Farmer vs. Cowman

Growing up, I recall watching the film version of “Oklahoma” a number of times. I have thought recently about a song from this musical titled, “The Farmer and the Cowman should be Friends.” The application to our day is apparent to me in that it is a song about people from different walks of life learning to get along. Be it different political parties, teams we root for, religions, or ideas about which Star Trek captain is best, there are a lot of opinions to go around. But, to quote the aforementioned song, “that’s no reason why [we] can’t be friends.” 

When I lived in Utah, there was often a letter shared in sacrament meeting around the time that elections were being held that I will paraphrase here: there is good to be found in all political parties. 

I am a sports fan and while I am bummed when the team I root for loses, I can also appreciate the talent of players on the opposing team. 

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I admire the way that Muslims, Jews, Buddists, Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics, and many others worship.

As for which Star Trek captain is best, I think I like them all in their own way. (Perhaps a bit too diplomatic, but I take that as my prerogative in authoring this post)

  My point in writing these thoughts down is to encourage more dialogue and less dismissal. I know there are things I do not agree with others on but that does not mean I have to be disagreeable. I know how much I have been helped and continue to be helped by others. I know that I will continue to need help along my life’s journey. 

I think Joseph Smith summed it up nicely in the following quote from 1843:

“The Saints can testify whether I am willing to lay down my life for my brethren. If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to die for a ‘Mormon.’ I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves.”

I sure do hope this is helpful on some level. I saw an applicable lesson in this song from my childhood and wanted to both share the song and the message I thought could be found in it.

The Best Disney Villain Songs

 

Disney villain songs are some of the most iconic and memorable numbers in animation history. They set the stage for the antagonist’s motives, drip with charisma, and, in many cases, serve as a musical masterclass in manipulation. While songs like Be Prepared from The Lion King embrace full-fledged villainy, most of the best Disney villain songs share a common, insidious trait—they gaslight the protagonist into doubting their own reality.

1. Gaston – Beauty and the Beast

Gaston is the ultimate egotistical buffoon, and his titular song is a hype anthem of self-delusion. In this tavern singalong, his loyal lackey, LeFou, reassures him that he’s the greatest man in town—nay, the world!—as Gaston recovers from the shock of being rejected by Belle. The manipulation here? The entire village is swept into his warped reality, where Belle’s lack of interest is framed as her problem, not his. Instead of self-reflection, Gaston chooses self-aggrandizement, setting the stage for his descent into full-fledged villainy.

2. Be Prepared – The Lion King

The exception to the gaslighting trend, Be Prepared is a rare villain song where Scar isn’t trying to manipulate the hero—he’s manipulating his own goons. This song is an outright declaration of treachery, complete with Nazi-inspired imagery and Shakespearean grandeur. Scar is already a lost cause, fully embracing the dark side and plotting his ascension to the throne. There’s no subtle deception here—just a villain reveling in his own genius.

3. Out There / Hellfire – The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo is the king of religious hypocrisy, and his two songs, Out There and Hellfire, perfectly capture his brand of psychological warfare. In Out There, he convinces Quasimodo that the outside world is cruel and that he should be grateful for his prison-like existence. It’s classic gaslighting—twisting concern into control. Later, in Hellfire, Frollo turns that manipulation inward, blaming Esmeralda for his own desires and spiraling into self-righteous villainy. These two songs are a chilling look at how gaslighting isn’t just a tool for villains—it’s a mindset.

4. Mother Knows Best – Tangled

Gothel’s entire method of working is built on gaslighting, and Mother Knows Best is her magnum opus. She weaves a tapestry of fear, mocking Rapunzel’s dreams while pretending it’s all for her own good. Every lyric is designed to make Rapunzel doubt herself and believe that Gothel is her only source of love and protection. This song is so effective that even when Rapunzel starts breaking free, she still struggles with the belief that Gothel might have been right. That’s some top-tier emotional manipulation.

5. Poor Unfortunate Souls – The Little Mermaid

Ursula doesn’t just gaslight Ariel—she cons her. Poor Unfortunate Souls is a masterclass in the art of the villain sales pitch. She frames the deal in a way that makes it sound like Ariel is the one making the right choice, twisting the truth just enough to make giving up her voice seem reasonable. The best part? Ursula presents herself as a benevolent benefactor, acting as though she’s doing Ariel a favor when, in reality, she’s setting her up for failure. By the time Ariel realizes the truth, she’s already too deep in the contract to back out.

6. Dos Oruguitas – Encanto (Wait, what?)

Okay, hear me out. Dos Oruguitas isn’t a traditional villain song, but if you think about it, Abuela is the antagonist of Encanto. The song plays during the most tragic moment in her backstory, painting her actions as understandable, even noble. But let’s be real—she spent years emotionally repressing her family, making Mirabel feel inadequate and convincing everyone that their worth was tied to their magical gifts. Dos Oruguitas gaslights us into sympathizing with her, excusing years of emotional damage because of one moment of loss. See? Villain song.

Conclusion

Disney villain songs are at their best when they don’t just showcase evil but actively manipulate both the protagonist and the audience. Whether it’s Gaston twisting reality, Gothel feigning love, or even Encanto subtly framing Abuela’s past to justify her actions, gaslighting is a powerful storytelling tool. And if you still don’t believe Dos Oruguitas is a villain song—well, maybe you just weren’t paying attention. ;)

Friday Creature Feature - Chikorita

While I was busy at work a couple weeks ago, my little brother was texting me updates from Pokemon Presents. Like many fans, I was surprised to hear that Chikorita would be one of the starters for the next Legends game. I had already planned on spotlighting the little leaf Pokemon for St. Patrick's Day, but with Kalos expecting Chikorita's arrival this post will be even more timely.

Chikorita is one of the starter Pokemon from the Johto region, given to the player by Professor Elm, though in the Hoenn games (and remakes) they can be a gift from Professor Birch. Pokedex entries from the game tell of Chikorita's leaf emitting a sweet fragrance. I imagine it can lull the enemy Pokemon into a false sense of security--or maybe it could help me decompress after work. The leaf can also be used to sense the temperature and the climate. Like other starter Pokemon, Chikorita evolves by simply leveling up, first into Bayleef and later into Meganium.

In the anime, there are two major appearances for Chikorita. Early during the Johto story arc, Ash and his friends met Casey, an avid and annoying baseball fan, who had received her Chikorita from Professor Elm. Casey and her partner later appeared during the Bug Catching Contest, during which it evolved into Bayleef. Later on during the Johto anime and Pokemon Chronicles, Casey appeared again with her Bayleef already evolved into Meganium. I know plenty of fans have issues with Chikorita and I wouldn't be surprised if this first impression alongside Casey didn't help the matter.

Chikorita's other major appearance was when Ash caught his own. Not too long after meeting Casey and her partner, Ash and his friends encountered another Chikorita. Stubborn as she was, Chikorita tried to fight Ash's Charizard, who couldn't be bothered with her. After Ash saved her from Team Rocket, Chikorita started to calm down the stubbornness and was caught by the would-be Pokemon Master. Her stubbornness persisted and manifested at times as jealousy for Ash's closeness with Pikachu. At first she tried to fight for Ash's affection, but she later chilled out the jealousy... though the aggressive affection persisted even after she evolved into Bayleef. She stayed a staple of Ash's team through the end of the Johto League. With how attached she was to Ash, I can't imagine she liked staying behind at Professor Oak's lab with only sporadic appearances as Ash traveled from region to region.

Now the question: Why do people hate Chikorita so much? I've heard the argument that she's the worst choice in Gold/Silver/Crystal based on the gym types, but so was Charmander and he's popular. Maybe it's her obsession and jealousy when it comes to Ash, but I feel like many haters never watched the anime consistently. My daughter loves Chikorita though, so she's okay in my book. Maybe she'll get some love with Pokemon Legends Z-A. At the very least, it's hinted that she'll get a mega evolution. So I think we can look forward to a Kalosian Meganinum and/or Mega Meganium. 

In the meantime, I need to get saving for a Switch 2 so I can play the game.

LDS Geeks Podcast #37: Crossover Popping on the Apricot Tree

I've wanted some sort of collaboration with "Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree" pretty much ever since Michael joined them to discuss Arrival. This month Carl from their podcast joined me for ours to discuss how it all came to be. Enjoy!

--Spencer

Fourth Doctor Revisited: "The Brain of Morbius"

Working my way through the Fourth Doctor still, but I slowed myself down rewatching/preparing for Captain America, Daredevil Born Again, and Thunderbolts. Marvel projects aside, I did have some thoughts about the Doctor and Sarah Jane's adventure in "The Brain of Morbius". I thought to write about the Sisterhood of Karn or about Morbius. Final decision: All of the above.

First let's talk about the Sisterhood of Karn. Before I ever watched this story, I encountered the Sisterhood when the mini-episode "The Night of the Doctor" brought the Eighth Doctor full circle before the 50th Anniversary. It was a short visit, but the Doctor's banter with the sisters proved a point. The Sisterhood of Karn fought in this story for the perpetuation of their immortality and they dabbled in Time Lord science (maybe they were involved with Tecteun's experiments on the Timeless Child?) but what is life without an end? Even from a religious perspective, living forever without a greater purpose.... well, go read "Tuck Everlasting". Despite the Fourth Doctor's feelings about the Sisterhood, he was happy to keep their eternal flame glowing. To be fair, they saved Sarah Jane from being blinded forever. 

Next on my notes: Morbius. He and Solon certainly played the role of a Dr. Frankenstein and his monster. However, I'd love to get more about Morbius. TJ and I have talked a few times about how we need more variety with our rival Time Lords. This story came after a few years after the death of Roger Delgado (the first actor to play the Master), so I'm not sure Doctor Who knew what to do about the Doctor's rival. While the Master returned in "The Deadly Assassin" we could have easily gotten more from Morbius. It would've been earlier in his timeline, but still. With Morbius, the Monk, the War Chief, and other renegade Time Lords, I can't help but reiterate the point of giving us a variety. But that's enough ranting for now.

My third and final note for this story: the Doctor's previous faces. During the mental battle between Morbius and the Doctor, a number of faces appeared as incarnations of the Time Lord before the First Doctor. It's a perfect example of how continuity is fluid in Doctor Who and it's constantly evolving and expanding. For decades, these faces were seemingly disregarded, but the Thirteenth Doctor later learned that other faces existed before she was the First Doctor. So while the Timeless Child is a subject of controversy, I maintain that the constantly "regenerating" continuity of Doctor Who is what's kept the series alive for over sixty years now. We may never get more information on these past lives, erased from the Doctor's memory, but it's all part of the ongoing wibbly-wobbly story.

That's enough about Morbius, but I'm sure I'll have more to say about renegade Time Lords at a later date (I always seem to have more). In the meantime, I need to figure out a good way to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of modern Doctor Who. Allons-y!

Pokemon Go Unova Tour

(Guest post by Tyler)

This last weekend was the Unova Tour in Pokemon Go. As normal, there were multiple in person events leading up to it. For the event this last weekend, our raid group had planned to meet on campus when the event began. The night before, a few of us went to grab snacks for the event. While shopping, I got invited to a raid in South Korea and since I had a few remote passes, I joined. From my first raid of the event, I got a perfect IV Kyurem. A great start.

Because of a class I was teaching, I showed up an hour late but still had plenty of time for raids. We spent the day raiding and in between we did some trades. The event gave us 6 special trades (special trades include: legendary Pokemon, shiny Pokemon or a form that the other player had not caught before). From the trades, I got another perfect IV Kyurem. The reaction the group had was hilarious from the disbelief. Between the two days of the event, we did around 50 raids. 

Something new that they did during the event was a reward point system. Leading up to the event you would get points for each egg hatched, Pokemon caught and Legendary Pokemon caught. During the event itself, points were doubled and unrestricted. There were two sides to the system, a free one and a $15 premium. Rewards in the free version included: encounters with various Pokemon (ex:Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Pawniard, Sandile), candy for Legendary Pokemon, premium items (ex: lures, incense, star piece, lucky egg), regular items (ex: Pokeballs), stardust and fusion energy. The premium pass included more encounters of the Pokemon, increased regular items (5 vs 25 balls), and many more premium items, but most importantly it came with two unique rewards. The first was an encounter with Victini, a Mythical Pokemon that had been released once before in a special research. The other is a new item: the Lucky Trinket. The Lucky Trinket is a limited use item that automatically makes you and another trainer Lucky Friends.

Being Lucky Friends means that the next time you trade with that trainer, the traded Pokemon are guaranteed to be Lucky. This means that you are guaranteed 12 IVs in each stat and it takes half the stardust to power up. It’s pretty typical to use these guaranteed results to trade Legendary Pokemon and Shiny Pokemon. 

Overall the event went very well. There was a positive reception all around to the points and reward system with many of us hoping to see it return for larger events such as this again. 

The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu: A Fantasy That Breaks the Mold

I met Wesley Chu at Dragonsteel Nexus Con and decided to read his book after hearing his elevator pitch. Robin Hobb, who wanted to check on him during the convention, further solidified my decision. With her recommendation and my interest in the story, I couldn't say no.

Wesley Chu’s The Art of Prophecy is a fresh and thrilling take on the classic “chosen one” trope, delivering a story that turns expectations upside down. In most fantasy epics, the prophesied hero is destined to save the world, but what if that hero is… completely unprepared? That’s exactly what happens to Jian, a boy raised to believe he will defeat the immortal warlord threatening the kingdom—until a legendary warrior informs him that he’s nowhere near ready. What follows is an action-packed and deeply character-driven journey of growth, mentorship, and shattered expectations.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its diverse and well-balanced cast. Chu masterfully blends a variety of perspectives, from battle-hardened veterans to young warriors, crafting a narrative where both men and women, old and young, play crucial roles. This balance makes for a dynamic and engaging read, rather than the usual lone hero narrative. Additionally, the worldbuilding is heavily inspired by Chinese martial arts epics, creating a setting that feels vibrant and immersive.

If you’re a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, you’ll love the blend of fast-paced action and heartfelt character development in The Art of Prophecy. The fight scenes are cinematic and fluid, and the magic system is skillfully woven into the martial arts traditions of the world. The language is relatively clean, making it accessible to a broad audience while still carrying weight in its themes of destiny, resilience, and self-discovery.

For fantasy readers tired of the same old "chosen one vs. dark overlord" formula, this book offers a refreshing alternative. The Art of Prophecy is an exhilarating read that proves fate isn’t set in stone—and sometimes, heroes must forge their own paths.

Pokemon Nicknames: Bluey (Gen V-IX)

My daughter and I are slowly working out way through Pokemon Journeys on Netflix (while also enjoying the free episodes on YouTube). I'm quickly realizing how incomplete my Pokemon nickname posts will be once I familiarize myself with Pokemon from Galar and Paldea. But until such time, I'm going to round off my Bluey-themed nicknames with this post. Enjoy!

Click here to see the Gen I nicknames and the Gen II-IV nicknames.

Pidove as Malcolm

Sewaddle as Leaficus

Zorua as Cheeky Fox

Froakie as Frog Dog

Clawitzer as Magic Claw

Furfrou as Judo (or Wendy)

Dartrix as Chattermax

Mudsdale as Buttermilk

Rillaboom as Ooh Ooh

Dachsbun as Long Dog

LDS Geeks Podcast #36: Interview with a Super Missionary

I had the pleasure of reading "How to be a Super Missionary" by Dr Benjamin Jeppsen and I can't recommend it enough. I had Ben on the podcast to discuss geekiness and missionary work. 

--Spencer