Spencer Cox is currently serving as Utah's Lieutenant Governor and running for Governor of Utah. He served as a bishop while also serving as the mayor of the town of Fairview, Utah, and currently has a calling as Primary music leader. In this interview, Kurt and Spencer discuss serving in those positions and why serving in the community matters.
Highlights
04:30 Deciding to run for office; creating the RV they are using to visit cities across Utah
08:20 Where his spark of interest in politics came from
11:20 Served as a bishop while also serving as mayor of Fairview
13:45 The most challenging part of doing both
16:15 Delegating to his auxiliary leaders and choosing to focus on the youth
20:10 Putting away the list of tasks as bishop; listening for what you need to hear and not just what others are saying
27:45 Serving as Primary music leader while serving as Lt. Governor
33:30 Ben Sasse’s books, Them: Why We Hate Each Other--and How to Heal, and The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance
40:00 How the concepts in these books changed his outlook on service
44:30 Obedience out of duty is exhausting and obedience from love is energizing
47:30 The Fairview dance hall, the community, and the Payson salmon supper
51:00 Why should a leader choose to serve in politics?
55:15 How serving in the Church trains leaders
Links
Cox & Friends podcast
Twitter: @SpencerJCox
LDS Primary Choristers Facebook group
Books mentioned:
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Them: Why We Hate Each Other--and How to Heal, by Senator Ben Sasse
The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance, by Senator Ben Sasse
Bowling Alone, by Robert B. Putnam