Justin Barton interviews recently returned missionary Lauren Zobell of Mesa, Arizona, who served an English-speaking mission in the Texas Houston Mission from September 23, 2024 to March 10, 2026. Lauren shares how struggles with self-image, anxiety, loneliness, and a painful breakup led her to take “simple” spiritual habits seriously, gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon (especially Alma the Younger), and accept repeated promptings to serve after encouragement from her bishop. She describes lessons from President and Sister McMullen about relying on the Savior’s Atonement, learning to love others through rejection, and strengthening ward members when teaching was slow. Lauren recounts trusting God’s timing in transfers, the challenge of maintaining missionary habits after returning home, the power of temple service, deepened testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restoration, and a conversion story of Don and Joe culminating in their sealing shortly before Don’s death.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:30 Meet Lauren Zobell

01:48 Mission Call Details

02:26 Choosing To Serve

04:44 Book Of Mormon Spark

06:26 Breakup To Belief

09:12 Prompting To Go

10:42 Leaders Who Lifted

12:40 Mission President Theme

15:03 Hanging By A Thread

17:24 Power Of Prayer

19:50 Gods Better Solutions

21:54 God’s Timing Revealed

23:29 Coming Home Is Hard

25:32 Building New Routines

26:32 Temple Work Power

28:03 Restoration Testimony Grows

30:11 Messy Resume and Anxiety

32:50 Grace Through Rejection

36:57 Don and Joe Conversion

41:38 Who God Made Me

43:13 Can You Feel Now

46:35 Gospel Testimony Closing