How do we reconcile our expectations with God’s unfolding plan? In this episode, Professor Derek Sainsbury explores the remarkable life of Nancy Naomi Tracy–a woman whose unwavering faith and bold defense of religious liberty and temple service helped shape the early Latter-day Saint experience. Through persecution, political exile, and personal loss, Nancy remained devoted to the gospel. Professor Sainsbury draws from her writings and activism to reveal how she navigated the tension between personal hopes and divine direction, offering a compelling lens into the cost of conviction and the legacy of spiritual resilience. 

Publications:

• “‘We Have Not Been Allowed to Worship as We Please’: Nancy Naomi Tracy and the Denial of Latter-day Saint Religious Liberty,” in Religious Liberty and Latter-day Saints: Historical and Global Perspectives (Religious Studies Center, 2023)
• Joseph Smith as a Visionary: Heavenly Manifestations in the Latter Days (Religious Studies Center, 2025)
• "Befriending the Constitutional Law of the Land" in Doctrine and Coveants Insights: Capstone of Doctrinal Understanding (Religious Studies Center, 2025)
• Storming the Nation: The Unknown Contributions of Joseph Smith’s Political Missionaries (Religious Studies Center, 2020)
• “‘For the General Good of Mankind’: Why Joseph Smith’s Presidential Campaign Matters,” Religious Educator, 21.3 (2020)

 Click here to learn more about Derek Sainsbury