Saints Unscripted

As you know, we LOVE conversion stories and this one is no exception! Tatiana shares her story of beginning to study about different religions, having a conviction that there was something more after this life. She started learning from the Islam religion and found hope. She still felt like there could be more but knew the 'more' she was seeking could not be from the LDS Church (otherwise known as the Mormon Church). Mormons were crazy!! She even read parts of the Book of Mormon and just knew it couldn't be true. It took lots of attending church services, seeking information online, and studying it out in her heart to find answers to some of her deepest questions.

Matthew was raised as a fundamentalist Baptist. His parents were raised in different religions, though his mom took him to church most Sundays while he was growing up. Matthew knew about the church in his teenage years but it wasn’t until he was 17 that he started to seriously consider the LDS Church.   Matthew was baptized into the Baptist church but he didn’t have a great understanding of Christ — repentance, change, and strength. He found himself in a state of depression. He felt lonely and miserable. He had a spiritual experience that led him to research more into his faith journey. He started learning more and more about the church and felt a connection with them

We have been BIG fans of Ashly's podcast and Instagram account, Come Back Podcast. We were thrilled when she agreed to come and share her story on Saints Unscripted! Ashly talks about her life being raised in the LDS Church (otherwise known as the Church of Jesus Christ) but finding excitement in other places, leading her to leave the church. She got into drugs and alcohol at an early age and was quickly addicted to heavy drugs. She knew something had to change but doubted her ability to change. She started the reptenace process and felt an overwhelming feeling of joy. Her story is one you don't want to miss! She has now dedicated her time to hearing and sharing the stories of others who have left the church and have returned.

We are so grateful to hear from Stewart today on Saints Unscripted. Stewart shares his mission experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When Stewart left to college, he went inactive for nearly 2 years but then decided he wanted to return to the LDS Church and serve a mission. After being in the MTC and serving for 2 transfers, he felt that he wasn't ready to fully serve. He went home for about 18 months before returning again for almost a week, after which he came home for 10 months. Stewart went back on his mission and served for the entire 24 months of his mission. His story is REMARKABLE!! And his conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ is spectacular. Don't miss this episode!!

We are so grateful to hear from David Dollahite, a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a marriage and family expert, and one of the most fun people we've had on the show!   David shares his conversion story with us today and it's nothing short of miraculous. David talks about growing up in a Catholic community and being raised in the Episcopalian church. While he was active as a child, his activity waned and he attend church infrequently, though he was always surrounded by people of many faiths. David says that his mom received a Book of Mormon from her friend. Shortly after he saw the book, he was prompted to start reading the book. He began feeling the spirit and couldn't put the Book of Mormon down. The trajectory of his life was about to change significantly! Watch the episode to see what happened :)

Today we're going back to the basics! How does one communicate with God? How do members of the Church of Jesus Christ pray? Is prayer necessary? Does God answer every prayer? Do I need to pray in a specific way?   There is a lot that can be said about prayer and this episode is just about the fundamentals. If you haven't prayed before or haven't prayed in awhile, we encourage you to start praying! You have access to God at all times and can communicate with Him whenever you need

Dan Jones was born in Wales, came to the St Louis area, and was a riverboat captain. He started reading anti-Mormon stories in the local newspaper. Dan couldn’t believe that stories shared in the newspaper could actually be true so when he met members of the Church, he heard the gospel message and was quickly baptized. He starts becoming close friends with Joseph Smith, so much so that he is with Joseph the night before the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. Joseph gives Dan his last prophecy— and you’ll have to watch this video to learn what that prophecy was!

We dare you to watch this video and not think Jarryd is the coolest person you've ever known (or at least in the top 5) :) We had so much fun hearing Jarryd's conversion story and we know you will too! Jarryd shares his experience growing up interested in spiritual things but having a hard time having his questions fully answered by a variety of religions. It wasn't until Jarryd made the move from South Africa to England that his connection to the Church of Jesus Christ (otherwise known as the LDS Church) became something that would change the course of his life. Jarryd talks about his not-so-easy path to gaining a testimony and what he does to this day to maintain and build his testimony of the Savior. Jarryd, we love you! Thanks for sharing your story with us!!

We have NEVER had an interview like this one!!   Brian Payne is a champlain and talks about his journey to chaplaincy. He didn't originally intend to be a champain but quickly realized that it was the path he was supposed to take. Upon realization, he also discovered how much time it would take to become a chaplain. He talks about the difficulties of the job and the confirmation he has felt in his job.   If you know little about chaplaincy, you are not alone! Before Brian came to Saints Unscripted, we were pretty clueless on the topic of chaplains. But after hearing about the work that Brian does, we are so grateful for chaplains! The job seems to be incredibly rewarding and equally difficult.

We are so grateful to hear from Michael Manzur today as he shares his story of being completely healed through Jesus Christ. Michael is from Colombia and is a single father of three children. He loves the temple and has dedicated himself to going to as many temples as possible and sharing his exploration with the wold on his TikTok account.   Michael has overcome some incredibly difficult personal issues including homelessness, dropping out of high school, and being a teenage father and husband. Throughout his life, he has always been dedicated to Jesus Christ and has found healing through the power of Jesus Christ and His atonement, despite the opposition that has constantly been present in his life. He talks about how life hasn't been easy and he's made mistakes but his constant effort and choosing the temple has been empowering for him. Thank you so much for joining us, Michael!!