What happens when a love of board games becomes an opportunity to build meaningful relationships? This week on LTN Pulse, Luke and Michael welcome Isaac Villa from Gaming with Sidekicks to talk about his journey through the board gaming hobby, his experience joining Love Thy Nerd on mission at Gen Con, and how gathering around a table can create opportunities for genuine connection.

Michael welcomes Bill Ivie, Love Thy Nerd’s new Director of IRL Events, to talk about the communities that brought him to LTN and what he hopes to build next. They get into Dungeon Crawler Carl, the shows Bill keeps up with, and the board games he’s playing, including The Game Makers. Bill also shares how Meepleathon, local game nights, and a Christian board game retreat shaped his approach to hospitality and serving people through nerd culture.

Luke and Michael welcome Daniel Cobin back to LTN Pulse—this time as Love Thy Nerd’s new Associate Director of Missions! Daniel shares what his new role looks like, from recruiting volunteers and preparing convention teams to teaching games and building relationships with publishers. The crew also recaps an unforgettable board game cabin weekend, including Slay the Spire, Sidereal Confluence, Ascending Empires, Last Light, Wolf Street, and plenty of late-night gaming chaos. Plus, Daniel and Luke look ahead to Essen Spiel, Daniel previews Game Conjunction in Louisville, and the conversation explores how Love Thy Nerd uses conventions, games, and genuine relationships to love and serve nerds.