| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from Lancashire recently marked a significant milestone by sharing the Church’s rich history in the United Kingdom through his podcast.
Ben Hancock, 26, hosts the popular faith podcast For All The Saints, which recently celebrated its 100th consecutive weekly episode.
Ben, a senior podcast producer by profession, explained his approach to the occasion:
“Most podcasts celebrate these milestones with a Q&A with the host or with behind-the-scenes insights, but the podcast’s goal has never been to boost my personal profile. With that in mind, I wanted to share our local Church history in a special way.”
With permission from the Assheton family—who have owned Downham village in Lancashire for centuries—Ben arranged to record the episode inside St Leonard’s Chapel, the village’s active Anglican church. He was joined by local historian Peter Fagg, who shared inspiring accounts of miracles and conversions connected to the early Latter-day Saint presence in the area.
Reflecting on the experience, Ben said:
“Apostles and Prophets have been to these villages and said they had never felt before what they felt here, and that it was sacred ground. To think of what happened here—the people lining the streets to see the missionaries, children forming prayer circles, and singing hymns as they walked—it’s almost overwhelming. To share these stories in the place where they happened was such a sacred experience.”
The villages of Downham and Chatburn hold a unique place in Church history. They were the site of remarkable miracles during Elder Heber C. Kimball’s mission in 1837 and are also connected to President Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. While visiting Downham, President Holland received revelation regarding the location of the Preston England Temple while praying beside an ancient sycamore tree in the village.
The 100th episode concludes with sweeping drone footage of Downham, accompanied by Ben’s reflection on the lasting legacy of these early converts:
“Around 1870, half of the Utah population were British Saints who had emigrated. I’ve already had so many comments from descendants of these pioneers who didn’t know the stories that occurred in this area. I feel so proud of what we’ve created and so grateful for the opportunity to turn people’s hearts to their ancestors and to help them feel immersed in the beautiful places where these things happened."