Anchored

Temple marriage. Unexpected illness. Faith during suffering. Marriage trials. Caregiving. Depression. Enduring through hardship. Jesus Christ in the middle of broken expectations. This deeply emotional LDS conversation explores what happens when the life you prayed for slowly slips beyond your control—and what remains when everything else is shaken.

She remembers believing life would unfold a certain way.

She was young. Hopeful. Certain love would be enough.

And for a while, it almost felt like it was.

Then came the thing neither of them saw coming.

What followed were years filled with questions no one could neatly answer. Quiet disappointments. Long nights. Pressure that slowly changed the atmosphere inside their home. The kind of suffering that doesn’t arrive all at once—but settles in little by little until you barely recognize yourself anymore.

At one point, she stopped asking how to fix everything.

Instead, she asked a different question.

And somehow, that changed the direction of the story.

This episode of Anchored is not about a perfect marriage or an instant miracle. It’s about what happens when faith becomes less about appearances and more about Jesus Christ Himself. About discovering that testimonies rooted in people can crack under pressure—but testimonies rooted in the Savior can hold through almost anything.

Some miracles arrive all at once.

Others unfold slowly… quietly… over years.

Show Notes: 

cosettesnarr.com  Cosette has written a book called Sacred Reconciliation that can be downloaded for free at that site.

Pornography addiction. Shame. Worthiness struggles. Delayed missions. Unanswered prayers. Can Jesus Christ redeem what feels broken? One Latter-day Saint’s journey begins with a question many quietly carry: Why Jesus?

He grew up in a home full of faith—good parents, prayer, service, and the kind of foundation people spend a lifetime trying to build. Answers seemed to come for little things. Lost toys. Lost wallets. Small moments that felt like heaven paying attention.

But beneath it all, a quieter question lingered.

Why did everyone else seem to know Jesus in a way he didn't?

Others spoke of Christ with certainty—with conviction that reached into their bones. He listened. Waited. Searched. Years passed. Still nothing.

Then came hidden shame. A battle no one saw. The exhausting cycle of trying harder, falling harder, and wondering if God had finally grown tired of beginning again.

And somewhere between unanswered prayers, delayed dreams, and a burden too heavy to carry up a hill alone, something unexpected happened.

Because sometimes the thing keeping us from Christ isn't weakness.

Sometimes it's believing He stopped coming after us.

And sometimes the story you think is ending... is only where His ministry begins.

Chapters:

00:00 Why Do We Need Jesus Christ? A Lifelong Question
 00:42 Meet Talmage Thayne: Family, Faith, and Missionary Roots
 03:53 Finding Lost Toys and Building a Testimony of Prayer
 04:51 Struggling to Understand the Role of Jesus Christ
 05:43 Early Exposure to Pornography and the Weight of Shame
 07:12 An Aaronic Priesthood Camp That Changed Everything
 09:13 Carrying the Sandbag: A Powerful Lesson About the Atonement
 11:00 The Moment I Finally Understood Why We Need Jesus
 12:30 Relapse, Addiction, and Learning to Rely on Christ
 15:45 Stop Focusing on Sin and Start Focusing on the Savior
 17:32 Journaling, Prayer, and Receiving Personal Revelation
 18:44 Zeezrom's Story and the Healing Power of Grace
 23:21 Feeling Unworthy at Church and Finding Hope Again
 26:31 Returning to the Temple After Years Away
 28:22 Loving Missionaries Who Come Home Early
 31:23 The Return Missionary Podcast and Continuing Your Ministry
 35:10 How God Uses Our Struggles to Bless Others
 38:31 What My Relationship with Jesus Christ Looks Like Today
 42:24 Turning Back to God Changed My Future Marriage
 44:49 Temple Covenants, Eternal Families, and Lasting Joy
 46:03 Having Faith When God's Answers Don't Make Sense
 48:39 Why I Choose to Stay in The Church of Jesus Christ 

LDS conversion story, faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, returning to church, overcoming sin, personal revelation, feeling God’s love, judgment and grace, finding the strait path. 

He always believed.

Even when he wasn’t living like it.

Growing up in a home shaped by divorce, change, and shifting foundations, faith was there—but so was distance. He knew what was right. He just wasn’t sure he was ready to live it.

So he didn’t.

Years passed in that space—somewhere between belief and behavior. Close enough to recognize the truth… but far enough to keep doing things his own way.

Until one moment changed everything.

It wasn’t loud.

 It wasn’t forced.

 It wasn’t what he expected.

Just a look.

A moment where he felt something he hadn’t felt before—no judgment, no condemnation… just clarity. And something deeper than that.

Something that saw him for who he was—and who he could become.

And suddenly, the life he was living didn’t feel the same anymore.

This episode is about what happens when belief finally catches up to action. When grace interrupts your path. And when Jesus Christ meets you—not where you should be—but exactly where you are.

Because sometimes the turning point isn’t dramatic.

Sometimes it’s quiet.

But it changes everything.

Chapters:

0:00 Understanding the Straight and Narrow Path
 7:21 Does Jesus Christ Judge Us?
 9:14 Knowing How the Savior Sees You
 16:43 Agency, Family, and Faith in Hard Times
 20:32 How Prayer Brings Divine Help
 23:13 Learning to Hear the Holy Ghost
 28:42 2 Nephi 33 and the Straight Path
 30:15 Christ Walks the Path With Us
 36:21 Overcoming Shame Through Jesus Christ
 43:13 Never Give Up on Repentance
 47:18 Temple Covenants and Divine Power
 49:07 Commandments as a Path to Joy
 51:31 Why Stay in the LDS Church?
 53:12 Happiness vs. Joy in the Gospel
 55:39 How Trials Strengthen Testimony

She had done everything right.

Raised in faith. Surrounded by goodness. Living a life that looked steady, strong—even enviable from the outside.

But then came a moment that didn’t fit the pattern.

A prayer. A decision. A “yes”… followed by a “no.”

And suddenly, everything unraveled.

What do you do when the answer you receive from God contradicts the life you thought you were building? When peace only comes after letting go of something you once believed was right?

In this deeply personal story, she walks through the quiet wrestle of learning how God speaks—not just in answers, but in timing, in loss, in unexpected turns, and in the spaces where certainty feels just out of reach.

From a broken engagement…
 to a faith refined through real questions…
 to discovering Jesus Christ not just as doctrine—but as someone she could actually know—

this is a story about what happens when faith stops being inherited… and becomes chosen.

And about how sometimes, the “no” you never wanted…
 is the very thing that opens the door you were meant to walk through.

0:00 — From Knowing the Gospel to Knowing Jesus Christ

3:02 — Born in the Covenant & Learning the Gift to Believe

4:02 — “How Do I Stay?” in the Church of Jesus Christ

5:42 — A 12-Year-Old Testimony Seed

8:03 — Watching a Faithful Mother Fight Through a Faith Crisis

10:42 — Learning to Accept God’s “No” Answers

12:18 — When Prayer Changed an Engagement

13:33 — Peace After Heartbreak & Trusting God’s Plan

16:28 — The Book of Mormon Changed Everything

18:47 — Starting the Book of Mormon Over After President Hinckley’s Invitation

20:09 — Building Holy Habits Through Imperfect Effort

22:10 — From Doing the Gospel to Knowing Jesus Christ

23:37 — No Longer Afraid to Be in the Savior’s Presence

27:05 — Letting Go of Control & Trusting Grace

35:47 — God Is Still in Charge When Life Hurts

37:50 — Why God’s “No” Opens Better Doors

44:48 — The Temple Changed Me Slowly

51:42 — Living Spirit-Led Without Overthinking Revelation

54:43 — Why I Choose to Stay in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

56:26 — Loving Others Instead of Trying to Fix Them

Addiction, conversion story, troubled childhood, faith, healing through Jesus Christ, LDS testimony, mission, temple marriage, overcoming shame.

Steve learned early how to survive.

He learned which doors not to open, which streets to avoid, and how to become whoever people expected him to be. By high school, he was already living a life that felt almost impossible to escape.

Then a girl invited him to church.

What started as curiosity slowly became something far more dangerous to the life he had always known.

A road trip. A testimony meeting. A question he could not stop thinking about.

Soon Steve found himself caught between two worlds: one pulling him backward and one quietly asking him to believe he was meant for something more.

This is a story about the life Steve almost lived… and the God who would not stop reaching for him.

Listen to this powerful episode of Anchored.

0:00 — From Addiction to Anchored Faith 
2:02 — Joining the Church Changed Everything 
3:14 — Growing Up in Addiction and Chaos 
8:54 — Feeling Accepted by Latter-day Saints 
10:38 — Church History Sparked His Testimony 
13:39 — Baptism and Leaving the Old Life 
15:36 — Rick’s College Helped Him Escape Addiction 
18:55 — A Mission Call Funded by Faith 
21:18 — Building a Covenant-Centered Family 
27:53 — Seeing God’s Hand Through His Life 
34:45 — Healing Father Wounds Through Heavenly Father 
37:29 — Learning Christ’s Grace Applied to Him 
43:19 — Walking Daily With Jesus Christ 
45:24 — Ministering to Inmates Through Christ’s Love 
51:06 — Why He Chooses to Stay 

LDS conversion story, faith in Jesus Christ, healing from trauma, family brokenness, personal revelation, God’s timing, finding hope after loss, anchored in Christ. 

She kept the number.

It wasn’t written anywhere obvious. She didn’t talk about it.
 But it was etched somewhere deeper—carried quietly through the years, too important to lose and too complicated to face.

Some stories don’t end when they break.

Some stories wait.

At five years old, everything changed. The kind of change that doesn’t come with explanations—only fragments. A family split. A life rearranged. Questions that followed her longer than she expected.

And yet… something else followed too.

Small moments. Unexpected people. A feeling she couldn’t quite name—but couldn’t ignore. The kind that shows up before you understand it.

Before you’re ready for it.

Years later, standing on the edge of a decision she had avoided for most of her life, she finally did the one thing she had always wondered about.

She made the call.

What followed wasn’t what she imagined.

But sometimes the story you’re trying to finish… isn’t the one God is writing.

This episode lives in the space between what we hope for and what actually unfolds—and the quiet, unmistakable way Jesus Christ meets us there.

Some stories resolve.

Others anchor.

This one does both.

0:00 — A childhood moment sparks a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ 
0:38 — Introduction to Don Norton and her connection to Rare Faith
1:15 — A traumatic childhood: divorce, kidnapping, and separation from her mother
3:45 — Seeds of faith planted through small moments and church influence
5:23 — Searching for her mother and rebuilding a relationship 
9:20 — Marriage, healing, and building a Christ-centered family life
11:00 — Discovering purpose through learning, health coaching, and EFT
12:16 — A defining moment: feeling the Savior’s love at her mother’s funeral
14:50 — Staying anchored to Christ through struggle, prayer, and church
18:48 — The power of forgiveness and receiving divine help to forgive
21:39 — A faith crisis and finding clarity through scripture (Romans 16)
25:29 — Joy in Christ: understanding “best days and worst days”
30:32 — Trusting God through real-life miracles and answered prayers
36:20 — God prepares the way: learning to trust His timing
37:31 — Practical tools to reconnect with God in hard moments
40:17 — A 40-year prayer answered: surrendering control and trusting God
46:22 — How to build trust with God through small, consistent experiences
49:02 — Why she stays: knowing Christ’s love through lived experience
49:31 — Christ as our “surety” and anchor through the Atonement

Do you ever wonder if God will actually keep His promises—especially when your life feels like it’s falling apart? When nothing looks the way you thought it would, and you’re left asking, “Is He still working in me?”

In this deeply personal episode, we explore what it means to trust in the promises of God during your hardest days. Drawing on real-life experiences of overwhelming family trials, discouragement, and feeling like you’ve failed your calling, this conversation speaks directly to anyone who has questioned their worth or purpose in the middle of pain.

If you’ve ever felt like stepping away meant you disappointed God… or wondered if He can still use you when you feel broken, exhausted, or unseen—this message is for you.

Through the lens of faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a deep belief in Jesus Christ, we uncover a powerful truth: God often fulfills His promises not in grand, visible ways—but in quiet, simple moments that change everything.

You are not disqualified. You are not forgotten. And God is still using you—right where you are.

Chapters
0:00 Wondering if God keeps His promises
0:14 When everything feels like it’s falling apart
0:33 Family crisis and overwhelming responsibility
1:04 Asking to be released from a calling
1:29 Feeling like a failure—and what God did instead
1:52 Beauty for ashes: how God used the pain
2:18 Can God use me when I’m discouraged?
2:40 The unexpected moment that changed everything
3:04 Testifying in small, sacred ways
3:20 How God really uses us daily

What happens when Jesus Christ invites you to do something that feels completely beyond your capacity? As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we often talk about faith, trust, and following promptings—but what about the moments when we feel like we’re sinking?

In this powerful episode, we explore a message inspired by Tamara W. Runia and the story of Peter the Apostle stepping out onto the water. What if the Savior’s invitation was never meant to leave you alone—but to show you that He is already there with you?

Through personal experiences of doubt, coaching struggles, and life-changing decisions, this episode reveals a deeply comforting truth: Jesus Christ is not waiting on the shore—He is in the water with you. When you feel inadequate, overwhelmed, or unsure, that is often the exact moment He is closest.

If you’ve ever questioned your abilities, wrestled with fear, or wondered how to trust God more fully, this message will help you shift your focus—from yourself to seeing others as He sees them. Because the miracle isn’t just what He does… it’s who He is in your life.

Chapters
0:00 The Lord’s Invitations Feel Big
0:14 When You Feel Unequal to the Task
0:30 He’s Already In the Water
0:53 The Image of Christ Lifting Us
1:17 When I Thought I Failed
1:40 Reaching Up Through Prayer
2:00 A Surprising Answer
2:18 Shifting Focus: It’s Not About Me
2:36 Seeing Others As Christ Sees
3:05 A Difficult Invitation to Move
3:33 What God Did With Our Yes
4:08 He Is With You Right Now
4:17 Notice, Journal, and Share

What if your strongest testimony of Jesus Christ wasn’t built in your best moments—but in your hardest ones? In this powerful episode of Anchor Points, we explore a deeply personal and relatable truth taught by Emily Belle Freeman: testimony is not formed in perfection—it’s built day after day through both the best days and the worst days.

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seeking deeper faith, this conversation will help you see your trials differently. Through real-life experiences—temple moments, spiritual confirmations, family struggles, and unexpected challenges—you’ll recognize how God shows up in every part of your story. Even in the moments that feel confusing, painful, or overwhelming, He is there.

If you’ve ever wondered why life feels both beautiful and hard at the same time… if you’re trying to understand how to strengthen your testimony through opposition… or if you’re simply longing to feel closer to Jesus Christ—this episode will meet you right where you are.

Because the truth is: your worst days may actually be the very moments God uses to draw you closer to Him.

Chapters 
00:00 – Testimony Built Over Time
00:22 – Best Days vs. Worst Days
00:52 – A Sacred Temple Experience
01:37 – Seeing God in Your Story
01:59 – Peter’s Best and Worst Moments
02:29 – Why We Build a Testimony
02:53 – Testifying of God Daily
03:41 – When Hard Days Draw You Closer
04:17 – What a “Blessing” Really Means

Faith journey. Conversion story. Joseph Smith. Book of Mormon. Finding truth. One man’s search for answers led him from a Christian home in Texas to a life forever changed by Jesus Christ.

Jimmie Jones grew up in Dallas with football in one hand and a baseball in the other. He believed in Jesus, but faith was mostly something reserved for Easter, Mother’s Day, and the occasional Sunday.

Then a high school girlfriend handed him a copy of the Book of Mormon.

The relationship ended, but the questions did not.

Years later, after college, baseball scholarships, financial setbacks, and a series of unexpected friendships, Jimmie found himself surrounded by people who quietly lived something different. They answered his questions, invited him in, and stayed up late talking about Joseph Smith, priesthood, and the Restoration.

What started as curiosity slowly became something more.

As Jimmie learned, he also began to change. The gospel stopped feeling like an idea and started becoming a way of life. What followed was baptism, missionary service, and a foundation of faith that would shape everything after it.

This is a moving story about how God keeps working on our hearts, often through ordinary people, long conversations, and questions we cannot quite let go of.