Melissa Inouye: Creating Joyful Faith in the Real World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kah5irFC74 We're release this special interview this week to celebrate the rich, joyful, and unique life of Melissa Inouye. With charming enthusiasm and humor,...
Kristine: Personal Faith Crisis Survivor Who Is Now Thriving
After being raised in an orthodox home where questions about faith were not encouraged, Kristine had to learn to revise her belief-system when she received an unexpected and unorthodox answer to a prayer. Kristine had grown up in a world with black and white thinking and had to learn to overcome her certainty in order to start to see nuances in her life and in her belief system. She talks about how her husband’s willingness to try and and understand her helped her survive her faith crisis, especially when other loved ones reacted with fear and criticism.
Ben: Openly Gay and Openly Faithful
Ben shares his captivating story about his experience of being an openly gay, active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Through his experience of coming out to his family, he learned the value of astonishing value of unconditional love as his family allowed him to make his own choices without judgement. Ben also learned to wrestle with uncertainty as he weighed his options and ultimately decided to remain active in the Church. He offers unique counsel for gay members, family members, and for ward members.
Emily: Being Divorced in a Family-Centered Church
Cynthia: Women’s History and Creative Tension
https://youtu.be/CEw71HD-we8Studying Women’s History in graduate school caused Cynthia to question aspects of the church for the first time, making her feel tension and anger. She didn’t want to...
Brian: The Life-Saving Miracle that Brought Me Back to God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7penkf1mn-cBrian grew up in Liverpool, England in a poor family that was converted to the Church when young Brian met tall, American missionaries and invited his new...
Bruce Hafen : My Story of How I Found My Own Testimony
Elder Bruce Hafen is co-author of Faith is Not Blind and is an emeritus General Authority for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this interview, Elder Hafen details the role of questioning in distinguishing between Gospel belief and knowledge in his own life. He shares his own experience with doubt and with his own questions as he learned to develop his testimony, and offers a refreshing look at how we all need to work to develop our beliefs.
Jenae Nelson: From Homeless to Finding My Home with God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQAssjRbQu4Conversion is not just a faith moment. It is the process that comes after the conversion story. As an agnostic and homeless sixteen-year-old, Jenae decided...
Linnette: My Reconversion and LGBTQ Identity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HzReu_oqMk For years, Linnette felt that she had to choose between her faith and her sexual identity. But eventually she found a way to strengthen her...
Janae : Discovering That You Can Believe, and Then Doubt, and Then Choose to Stay
Kate Barker: How My Questions Strengthen My Faith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz6xSB77kG8 You never “arrive” at a testimony. You’re constantly building it. It’s not a present-wrapped box. It’s a house you're building, and you...
Christian: A Modern Prodigal Son–A Story of Redemption and Reconversion
Christian shares his remarkable story about leaving the Gospel at a young age and what prompted his return to the Church years later. He speaks openly about what led him away from the Church and then shares the incredible story of what led him to return to his family and to the Church and to then choose a life of complete spiritual devotion.
Sarah: Women’s Studies: Finding Women’s Value
Beth Barker: Chastity and Choosing to Learn from Our Mistakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Owtmrr1Sfk Like many teenagers, Beth rolled her eyes at the way the Law of Chastity was taught in her home and at Church, She just didn't understand why...
Emily: Being Divorced in a Family-Centered Church
Fiona Givens: My Personal Crucible of Doubt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFlz6VB0N9Y Fiona Givens is a scholar, an author, a wife, a mother, and grandmother. And her faith is anything but blind. In this vulnerable interview, Fiona...
Erica: How a Questioner Learned that She Belongs and Can Thrive in the Church
Since she was little, Erica has always appreciated the value of asking sincere religious questions. Unfortunately, she has experienced a variety of responses to her questions, some of which made her feel like perhaps she didn’t belong in the church. Erica shares how her relationships with others have been both challenged and ultimately strengthened as she has learned how to use the process of seeking answers to her questions to develop her relationship with her Heavenly Parents.
Leo: My Reconversion from Atheist to Believer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9lLsOs-13Q Leo’s testimony was shattered when he discovered some details he hadn’t known about Church History. Learn about how he rebuilt his testimony with...
Janiece: How Becoming a Historian Helped Me Cope With Difficult Church History
David P : A Historian’s Look at Church History
Marcus : A Stanford Professor Uses Both Faith and Reason
Tyler: A Stanford Oncologist Shares About the Evolution of His Faith
An Oncologist and Professor at The Stanford Cancer Center, Tyler discusses how understanding the complicated reality of a life of faith, including dealing with church history, is similar to...
Terryl Givens Part II: The Importance of the Contemplative Life
Janae : Discovering That You Can Believe, and Then Doubt, and Then Choose to Stay
Janna: Your Faith Doesn’t Have to Stay the Same–Healthy Faith Is Growing Faith
Jenna had always assumed that once she had faith, it would basically remain the same as it always had. It wasn’t until her sister chose to leave the Church that Janna had to reevaluate her definition of what faith is. Janna beautifully describes how she learned that healthy faith grows, matures, and progresses as we do.
Loretta (Zimbabwe) : A Convert’s Struggle to Understand the Priesthood Ban
As a Zimbabwean convert Loretta relates how two encounters have built, challenged, and sustained her faith in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. The first experience was as a waitress in a...
Eric: A Mixed-Faith Home, Divorced Parents, and Loss : Choosing a Faithful Narrative
Leif Mattsson (Sweden): Research Helped Me Nurture My Faith and Nurture Others
For Leif Mattsson, building the kingdom has meant not only appreciating his heritage of faith and walking three miles to church when he was a child, but also finding out for himself that what his...
Bill: An Attorney’s Insights About the Burden of Proof and Weighing Evidence
As a trial lawyer, Bill has a unique perspective about using the concept of the burden of proof when doing religious research. Drawing on their years of legal experience, Elder Hafen and Bill discuss how to weigh evidence and listen to both sides as a juror might in a court case. Bill also shares how his battle with cancer expanded the strength of revelatory evidence in his life.
Dan Ellsworth: Surviving a Faith Crisis and Learning About Redemption
Dan Ellsworth says his faith crisis made him feel like “a bomb went off.” In this episode, Dan’s shares the personal details and painful realities that accompanied his own crisis of faith. He then describes how he eventually found personal redemption that helped him not only survive the crisis but emerge from it a stronger, more spiritually settled person. Dan also offers seasoned advice that will help both those experiencing a faith crisis and those who have loved ones struggling with deep doubts.
Tori: Coping with Racism in the Church: “Ye Are All One in Christ”
As a biracial member of the church, unfortunately Tori has had to deal with ignorant questions and racist comments from other members of the church. With complete honesty Tori shares how painful these interactions have been, but she also shares how she has learned to be forgiving and patient because she wants to help others understand how it feels to be marginalized. Her willingness to share both her sacred and her challenging experiences will inspire you to be more open-minded, more loving, and to remember, as Tori quotes Paul as saying, “[Y]e are all one in Christ” (Galatians 3:28).
Geoff: A Convert’s Balance of Faith and Analysis
Connie: Learning to Have Charity for Our Gay Daughter: Ricks Family Part II
Terryl Givens Part One: My Personal Story of Continually Restructured Testimony
In a rare, personal interview about his childhood and teenage years, Terryl Givens recounts how his family encountered the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and what originally attracted him to the faith when he was a teenager. He also shares a personal account of how writing By the Hand of Mormon both challenged and sustained his faith.
Marie Hafen: Creating a Family Culture that Nurtures Complex Faith
Sister Hafen is the co-author of Faith Is Not Blind and was on the Young Women General Board. As the mother of seven children, she found ways to create a comfortable environment for her children to develop their own faith in a safe space. She discusses how she tried to nurture and teach her children in a home where they could learn how to deal with complexity and feel free to openly discuss their beliefs and doubts.
Emily G : Coping with Pornography Addiction
Jessica: A Mother’s Story: Learning to Love My Life Even When I Hated It
Stan: Learning to Love a Gay Daughter with Charity and Understanding: Ricks Family Part I
This extraordinary three-part podcast series shares the real story of parents who learned how to love their gay daughter unconditionally. They share both the painful and healing parts of their journey and give us a glimpse into how they manage to cling to both their faith and their daughter. Both Connie and Stan’s stories can be shared with those searching for the most effective ways to show love to their LGBTQ children
Lauren: Being Gay and Being Raised in the Church—A Story of Hope: Ricks Family Part III
Seth (England) : A Bishop’s Faith Crisis Helped Him Develop Stronger, More Empathetic Faith
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Ryan : A Scientist’s Perspective on How Faith and Study Don’t Have to Be at Odds
Ryan shares the journey his faith took as he became a scientist. He describes how he finds hope in belief rather than in knowledge. Further Reading in Faith Is Not Blind: “There are some natural...
Jeff: How a Harvard Graduate Found His Testimony in a Primary Classroom
As he has traveled the world, Jeff has had the opportunity to meet many people and ask many questions. Jeff talks about how he grapples with questions and doubts and strives to maintain his faith...
Jordan (England): Recovery After My Faith Crisis
Kevin: How Being Lost Helped Me Become Found
Derek: How A Philosophy Professor Appreciates the Beauty of Church Doctrine
Lauren W: Learning from Doubt and Finding Happiness on the Other Side
Jason : How Galileo and the Scientific Method Saved My Testimony
Natalie: Forgiving My Husband and Repairing My Family–Using the Atonement for Both Healing and Charity
Mark (England) : How My Terminal Illness Helped Me Develop a Sustainable Faith
Heidi: Learning to See My Doubts as A Way to Grow
Casey : A Convert and Single Mom of Twins Learns to Stop Feeling Judged in Order to See That Everyone Deserves the Blessings of the Gospel
Erika: An Assault Victim’s Difficult and Inspiring Journey of Faith
Katrin: (Sweden) Choosing to Stay in the Church as I Watched My Family and Friends Leave
As a member of the Church in Sweden, Katrin has had to make a deliberate choice to remain active in the Church as she has watched many of her family and friends choose to leave. As easy as it would...
Elle (England): Pregnancy, Grief, and Loss–A Mother’s Story
Melissa: Being Single Helped Me Appreciate My Value As a Woman
Melissa talks about redefining her testimony and learning to not only accept but celebrate her voice as a single woman. She also talks about the power she finds in female voices.
Ben W: How My Faith Crisis Made Me a Stronger, More Introspective Person
Samuel Hoglund (Sweden): Searching for Knowledge Saved My Shaken Faith
As a third-generation member of the Church in Sweden, Samuel enjoyed an idyllic childhood and adolescence full of faith. But when his brother and parents decided to leave the Church, it was “like...
Rachael: Managing Clinical Depression and Anxiety with Hope
Emily Jordan: Using the Atonement for the Pain of Miscarriage
Becca: How a Lawyer and Mother Balances the Life of the Heart and the Life of the Mind
Scott: Coping with a Father’s Alcoholism
Sara W: How Simple Faith Helped with the Complexity of a Son’s Cancer Diagnosis
Nita: How Getting my Phd Helped Me Articulate and Defend My Faith
Kevin C: A Musician’s Experience with the Loss of a Child to Cancer
Zac (England): After Years Away from the Church, the Book of Mormon Caused My Reconversion
Cherie: My Doubts Taught Me to Sing The Song of Redeeming Love
Allyson : How Choosing to Leave the Church Led to My Reconversion
Allyson decided to leave the Church after her mission and her experience caused her to choose to come to back to the Church with her whole heart. She discovered that she was the one who needed to...
Sam & Stephanie Part I: What Coming Home Early from a Mission Taught Me
Sam & Stephanie Part II: Revising the Way I Saw My Son’s Early Return from His Mission
Felix (Sweden): The Difficulty and Loneliness of Health Challenges in a Church Community
This is the first in a series of interviews with Swedish Saints. Look for more to come. A member of the church in Sweden who has endured difficulties because of ulcerative colitis, Felix says that...
Letitia (England): I Left the Church for 20 Years, Then I Experienced Reconversion
David L: A Seminary Teacher’s Experience with Doubt
He (China): Why I Completely Changed My Life to Join the Church
Alex: Separating Church Culture from Church Doctrine Helped Me Love Who I Was
Michael A (Germany): When Faith Has to Become a Choice
Kellie: How Grandma Camilla Kimball Taught Me About The Shelf of Faith
Jessica H: Loving Family Members Who Leave
Curtis: Finding the Church for Myself–How All of Us Are Converts
Logan: Continuing to Develop Faith After My Parents’ Divorce
Per Herrey (Sweden): Why I’ve Decided to Stay in the Church
A well-known Swedish singer, Per Herrey is often asked why he chooses to be a faithful member of the Church. Per shares his candid and thoughtful answers to this question with both good humor and a...
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