About Donna Max:

For the first seventeen years of her life Donna was raised in a small rural community in Iowa, and then her family moved to Colorado where she worked full time and took college classes at night at the University of Colorado. This gave her the opportunity to work in many different fields. She was able to gain experience working for an insurance company, a large legal firm, and a public relations firm prior to leaving Denver to marry John Max.

After their marriage they spent a short time in Dayton, Ohio until they were relocated by his corporation to Grand Rapids, Michigan where she managed a temporary employment agency. A year and a half later they were again relocated to Detroit, Michigan, and she worked in the home office of a large retail clothing firm for the Vice President of Marketing, Sales, & Collections. Two years later they were again transferred and moved to Alexandria, Virginia where she worked in the admissions office of a private Catholic girl's school for three years.

It was at this time that the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints found her and her husband, John, and they were baptized into the Church and relocated to Provo, Utah to further their education. Donna was able to obtain a position in the Communications Department at Brigham Young University during the day and continued to attend evening classes. Her husband John also worked for BYU and went to school full time.

At this point they began adopting nine children and Donna volunteered to work with LDS Social Services in handling their Special Needs Adoption Seminars, and she and her husband began to take in quite a number of foster children. Later she obtained her real estate license from UVSC and also worked with her husband at their various businesses in real estate, title, and property management.

They were and are very active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John has been in five Bishoprics, and they both work in the temple. Donna held leadership positions in the various ward and stake auxiliaries, and later taught the Gospel Doctrine class for about 8 years. There was a writer in their ward, Keith Terry, who heard her teach and asked that she accompany him on his weekly inspirational radio show. Later he had to do some research for his new book which required traveling, and he left the show with her. After much prayer and great anticipation, she approached her various local Priesthood leaders and they approved her giving a Gospel Doctrine lesson live over the air each week as long as it was privately funded. It was simply to be an added opportunity for those who could not attend their regular Gospel Doctrine classes to keep up with their scripture study. Since the shows were and are "live," she says they have some imperfections and prays fervently that "everyone will be able to make allowances" for her.

Donna adds, “I am most grateful for the Holy Spirit in guiding me in researching, editing, writing, and presenting these lessons and President Gordon B. Hinckley’s support of the program as an ‘individual’ missionary effort. And thus after nearly 20 years, to my amazement, it continues. I did my very best to stick to the authorized materials of the Church and the wonderful writings of inspired men in the Church. When and if I ever deviated I did my best to remember to give my references. But I am only human and to err is very human. I can only pray that the Holy Spirit which attended me, and hopefully attended these lessons, has enhanced my efforts so that the gospel message comes through loud and clear, rather than any mistakes I may have made. Please remember that there are 209 ‘live’ recordings and so they are not perfect. I do take full responsibility for my research, writings, and the way I have put them together.”

There have been so many immediate requests for Donna’s lessons, that it was felt urgency was of more value than editing out pauses or coughs. Please if there are any problems with the recordings. We believe you will enjoy these lessons as much as Donna's live audience and that you will obtain a deeper understanding of gospel principles.