Come Back Podcast

The hosts dive deep into their personal faith journeys, illustrating how questioning beliefs can lead to greater conviction. They draw fascinating parallels between faith and combat marksmanship, emphasizing the importance of an open perspective. The discussion shifts to theological differences in views on creation, touching on divine nature and human agency. Navigating sensitive topics like pornography addiction, they highlight the need for open dialogues to foster understanding and healing in communities.

"Something told me to read the New Testament again under these new eyes of coming back to faith. I was prompted to start in the book of Acts because that told me how the early church was laid out. You see that the apostles have authority. You see the apostles laying on their hands to receive the Holy Ghost. You see the apostles baptizing. You even see the apostles go to the temple. While looking around, no other church fit that criteria but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I really started to want to come back to the church because I felt that it was the closest to the Bible." 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 Episode sponsor: Serve Clothing https://serveclothing.com/?gad_source=1

"I think that's actually why New Age is so dangerous, because there's so much about it that are counterfeits of the restored gospel. There's so much about it that feels true and sounds true, you can convince yourself it is true because it's a bunch of truth mixed with lies. It's a counterfeit of part of the restored gospel. I think that's why a lot of LDS women seem to gravitate towards it because it's so similar to what they already know and feel. That's what makes counterfeits so dangerous is that they look like the real thing. Even meditation is not bad, I think the highest form of meditation is prayer. What is prayer if it's not meditating with God? Do you want to spend this 20 minutes meditating with yourself and just opening your mind up to whatever? Or do you want to spend that 20 minutes meditating with God in prayer, which is something you already have? And then there's energy healing, but where does the healing come from? These people don't have the priesthood they're not getting it from Christ. So where is that coming from?" 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 Episode sponsor: Serve Clothing https://serveclothing.com/?gad_source=1

"Before Oliver passes away, he goes out of his way on several occasions to publicly and ardently bear testimony of the restoration of the Book of Mormon. One of the more well -known accounts is a guy named Jacob Gates. He's on his way to his mission and he stops in Richmond to visit Oliver Cowdery. Jacob Gates asks Oliver, 'Is it all true? Can you tell me if it's true?' Oliver Cowdery says, 'Jacob, I want you to remember what I say to you. I am a dying man. What would it profit me to tell you a lie? I know that this Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. My eyes saw, my ears heard, and my understanding was touched. I know that whereof I testified is true. It was no dream, no vain imagination of the mind. It was real.' I think this was recorded two or three months before Oliver passed away. And he says, he doesn't have any reason to lie at this point. In fact, he wants to tell the truth because he knows he's about to meet his maker. And he still bears his testimony on the Book of Mormon." 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 Episode sponsor: Serve Clothing https://serveclothing.com/?gad_source=1

"I go and meet with my branch president. Just the nicest, goofiest, happiest person. I just felt so comfortable. I knew this guy loved me. He's not going to judge me. I went in and I confessed everything. I told him I messed up, but I wanted to go to the temple. I remember he said, 'Nate, you've confessed and you've forsaken. You are forgiven. But what's most important now is you need to forgive yourself.' That was the hardest part. I remember thinking 'God, if you could forgive me, maybe I can forgive myself' because I just felt so bad. I had missed so many opportunities to do good things. I messed up - I messed up really bad. And I didn't love myself. I remember after that meeting just thinking, 'I did it! I let it go, I let it go! I was able to do it with president Donnelly's help!' I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and if He was willing to pay the price to die for me, then I can have the courage to let it go. I can let my ego go and it's all on Him. So when I walked out of that office I remember just feeling like, yes! I felt so free, just so clean and happy and light." 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

Austin, who faced a decade-long faith crisis, shares his journey of doubt and discovery. He argues that belief in a higher power is both rational and reasonable, emphasizing the importance of balancing emotion and intellect in faith. Austin details his creation of the 'Light and Truth Letter,' aiming to provide evidence for the church's truth. He encourages those struggling with faith to explore their doubts while maintaining a relationship with God, promoting a thoughtful dialogue about belief within families and communities.

Jason, a former homeless addict turned rehabilitation program director, shares his remarkable journey of transformation. He recounts an inspiring moment of spiritual revelation that guided him toward rebaptism, symbolizing a fresh start. Jason discusses the pivotal role of family love and community support during his recovery, and the interplay of faith and spiritual heritage in overcoming addiction. His heartfelt reflections on repentance and healing provide insight into the profound challenges and triumphs faced on the road to redemption.

"I kept running into all of these things that for my whole life I had read and experienced something so powerfully. I felt so bad because I had forgotten everything that was in the book. It just made me really sad. I remember thinking back to when I first read the Book of Mormon -- the first time I ever cried while reading it was when Nihor slew Gideon in Alma chapter one. It seems like a silly, stupid thing, but that was a special experience on my bed early in the morning before school. Just learning these stories and the faith of all the people in it is so inspiring. There are verses that you read that are especially for you. When you read them, you just can't deny them. That's what my experience was when I reread it. The Holy Spirit is testified to me on every single page of the truthfulness of the teachings, the prophecies, and the testimony that is in there. There is no way that Joseph Smith could have just written this up." 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

"A lot of people hear my story and they're like, wow, you used heroin? Like what programs did you go through? And with my story, I'm not recommending this to people that have true addictions, but the gospel was my recovery. It really was. I'm not saying to just read your scriptures and you're fine. Seek professional help, go to AA, NA -- there's all these amazing programs. But for me, I didn't do that stuff. I went back to church. I engulfed myself in the gospel. There's a quote by Elder Packer, he says: studying the gospel will change behavior faster than a study of behavior can change behavior. I'm living proof of that. Again, not saying everybody should do that, but that was my recovery. God can change you. I'm a changed person because of God and Jesus Christ and the gospel. And I am so grateful." 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

"As I was going through these years of inactivity and darkness, I was making this list in my phone in my notes app of all these questions and concerns and doubts that I had. It got longer and longer -- it was a long list of things that I was upset about. The first day I went back to church and went to a class, the top question on my list was about patriarchal blessings. I had this question and for hours I had thought about it and tried to come up with an answer and I just didn't. It didn't make sense to me, and it was upsetting to me. In that first class this girl spoke about patriarchal blessings, within 10 minutes she had bore her testimony and explained it in a way that I'd never thought of. It was just this clear, simple answer for me. So I crossed that question off, and it continued that way. Every week I went to church there was another question crossed off. To me, that was just this huge testament that God knew me and He knew my concerns. He was waiting for my effort. It was like, you give me effort, I'll give you answers. I'll give you clarity, and it has continued that way." 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