Today we sit down with Ferma Howard, San Carlos Apache by birth and a beloved pillar of the Gila River Indian Community for the last 50 years. As a child, Ferma left home at age eight through the LDS Indian Student Placement Program. Her journey wasn't easy. Early foster homes meant long chore lists and loneliness, but she found her voice, her faith, and eventually a true family who helped her thrive.

You'll hear how a coyote-howled proposal under a mesquite tree led to a Salt Lake Temple marriage, how she and her husband Dean Howard built a life in Sacaton, adopted their first son before welcoming more children, and opened their home to nieces and nephews who needed love and stability.

Ferma became Relief Society president at age 20, served in nearly every calling, and watched the Santan Branch grow through triumphs and trials—including a church fire. Her perspective on youth, tradition, and fellowship is tender, practical, and deeply rooted: Be there for your relatives, create the right traditions, and prayer is our guide.

Stay tuned for a conversation full of heart—stories of resilience, community, and quiet leadership. Ferma’s life is a mission of love, and you're about to hear why her branch, and everyone who meets her, feels at home.