Oct 29, 2025
In this heartfelt episode of Streaking the Scriptures, Jeffery Downs welcomes a very special guest—his son, Elder Bowen Downs, who enters the Missionary Training Center (MTC) the next day to begin his full-time missionary service in the Gilbert, Arizona Mission. Together, father and son study Doctrine and Covenants Section 124, exploring the Lord’s message about raising up the “weak things of the world to thrash the nations.”
Elder Downs shares his testimony, insights from Alma 9, and personal missionary experiences—inviting others to church and interviewing a convert. They discuss how the Lord uses humble instruments to accomplish His divine purposes, and what it means to rely on the Spirit in teaching, speaking, and serving.
This intimate conversation between a father and his missionary son beautifully captures the essence of faith, humility, and the power of consistent spiritual practice.
00:00 – A Special Guest Enters the
Studio
Jeffery introduces Elder Bowen Downs, who begins MTC training the
next day. The two discuss his call to the Gilbert, Arizona Mission
and experiences in the home MTC.
02:00 – Mission Preparation and Alma
9
Elder Downs shares scriptures he’s studied, including
Alma 9—a missionary
story about repentance and inviting others to baptism. He recounts
a class challenge to bring a friend to church and interview a
convert.
04:40 – Section 124: Weak Things of the
World
Father and son begin reading Doctrine and Covenants 124, discovering how the Lord
uses the weak to manifest His wisdom and strength.
06:45 – Why the Lord Chooses the
Weak
Elder Downs explains that sending the weak shows God’s strength and
faithfulness. They connect this to Ether 12:6 and 1
Corinthians 1:27, exploring how the Lord confounds the mighty
through humble servants.
09:10 – Learning to Speak Through the
Spirit
Elder Downs describes overcoming his quiet nature through practice
and Preach My Gospel
training, memorizing key points of the Restoration and Plan of
Salvation lessons.
13:35 – God’s Pattern of Using the
Humble
The discussion moves to Doctrine and Covenants 35:13—how the Lord calls upon
the weak and unlearned to “thrash the nations.” Jeffery explains
the biblical meaning of threshing—separating wheat from chaff—as a
metaphor for spiritual refinement.
19:20 – Fighting with the Spirit, Not the
Fists
Drawing on Elder Downs’s background in karate, Jeffery likens
physical fighting to spiritual strength—fighting “manfully” for God
with mind, mouth, and heart rather than hands.
21:50 – The Temple and the Cornerstone of
Zion
They discuss serving in the temple and the peace found within,
relating it to the Lord’s call to build up Zion and polish its
cornerstone with refinement “after the similitude of a palace.”
26:30 – Being Led by the
Spirit
Elder Downs shares how prayer brings direction, just as Nephi was
“led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand” what to do. He reflects
on listening to promptings as a missionary.
28:30 – Faith Over Fear: Preparing to Leave
Home
Jeffery asks if he’s nervous to leave. Elder Downs replies with
confidence and peace, knowing that through the Lord he can do all
things.
30:55 – A Missionary’s
Testimony
Elder Downs bears testimony of missionary work, prayer, the temple,
and the Prophet Joseph Smith, expressing that the Lord is his “best
friend” and constant companion.
32:45 – A Father’s Pride and Closing
Witness
Jeffery concludes with gratitude for his son’s faith and shares his
own testimony of the gospel, the scriptures, and the divine mission
of missionaries throughout the world.
In this special episode, Streaking the Scriptures becomes more than study—it becomes a legacy of faith between father and son. Elder Downs reminds us that even the weak and unlearned can do mighty things through the Spirit of God. His courage to step forward as a missionary shows what daily spiritual consistency can build—a faith strong enough to serve anywhere in the world.