Come Back Podcast

"The church is alive, it is a living gospel. The way to know the difference between a live houseplant and a fake houseplant is that the real one has brown spots and dead leaves. There's going to be imperfections in anything that is alive and growing and living. It's just a fact of life. We are all human and make mistakes. The church is a living organism." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia

"Getting endowed was the most special day in my life. I had never felt so whole inside as a person, without needing someone else's approval. I myself did this, and I am ok with being who I am. I have God with me all the time now, and there is nothing else that you really need. That feeling alone was worth anything." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia

"In my patriarchal blessing I was told that my health wasn't going to be an issue, that I was going to be strong and have the strength necessary to serve a mission. There were some great promises about me being able to bear my testimony in another part of the world. The spirit was so strong during that blessing and I knew what the patriarch was saying was coming from my Heavenly Father. That blessing gave me the strength and courage to keep going." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia

"One day in sacrament meeting I was worked up about some doctrinal question and the frustration of still not feeling I could get answers to prayer very well. They had announced the closing hymn was "How Firm A Foundation" which is precious to me, I had memorized all 7 verses. As soon as that was announced I had a question in my mind "Heavenly Father, I am believing and I am going, but what do I believe?" I felt the Lord bring into my memory "fear not I am with thee for be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give the aid." With that came the gift of peace right in that moment." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia

"I was playing football with my boys and my oldest said "Dad, I really want to go back to church. I miss it." And I asked "Why do you miss it?" And he says "I miss the feeling I had there." Then the other boys chimed in and said they really wanted to go back to Scouts. Then we all hugged and had that moment and they just said "Dad can you take us back to church?" And it just floored me, so I took them the next week." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia

Jared Halverson, an associate professor of ancient scripture at BYU and host of the Unshaken YouTube channel, dives deep into The Book of Mormon and discipleship. He discusses the importance of diverse perspectives, especially from the LGBTQ community and ex-Latter-day Saints. The conversation highlights the transformative power of faith crises, the nuances of scriptural interpretation, and the essential balance of love and law in fostering inclusivity within religious contexts. Halverson passionately emphasizes understanding as a key to unity in Christ.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content that may be triggering or offensive to some audiences. Parental discretion is advised.  "I had never really completely lost my testimony. It was always back there, I would always say I didn't want it. I didn't want my testimony, it was so inconvenient. It frustrated me so bad that I couldn't shake it! I wanted to be able to do this and that and not feel guilty or like I was doing something wrong. It just wouldn't go away! But thank goodness that it didn't, The Savior was not going to give up on me." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia

"I was at a friend's house and on my way to a church activity and I had my scriptures. My friend asked me "What are those?" And I said it's my Bible, Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants. These are our sacred books in my faith. And he goes "What's the Book of Mormon?" I started to describe what we believe about the Book of Mormon. I specifically said, we believe that some ancient Israelites left Israel and migrated to the Americas. As I was talking with him about this, I got my witness and felt like my whole body was on fire." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia

"We all have the ability to impact one another's life. Life is full of making human connections, interacting with people, and helping one another. We all have trials and different experiences, but at the end of the day, we are here to love one another. We are here to lighten each others burdens. And when we see past ourselves that is when I think our Heavenly Parents are the happiest." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia

"I don't like things that are casual about freedom and I don't like things that are casual about the testimony of the gospel. It is real and it is true. There's no doubt in my mind." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia