Come Back Podcast

"I still don't know why stuff has happened the way that it has happened. But that feeling I had when I walked out of that meeting with my bishop - it wasn't just like 'yeah maybe I will go back I haven't felt the spirit in a while.' No, I was both feet in going to Deseret Book to buy garments. It all came flooding back. Whatever he wanted me to do I was in."

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 I get on my knees and say, "God I'm all in, but I cannot not drink a beer again or give 10% of my money and wear garments if I don't know. I promise I will help bring people to you and be all in but I have got to know. A few weeks later I was having a hard time again and I walked into the bathroom and saw the Book of Mormon sitting there. As soon as I see it I have this thought very clear and very strong "the answers to all the problems in your life are in that book." It was super powerful and hit me hard, My feelings of sadness went away and I could tell that was God talking to me - that was personal revelation."

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

"Even though I was by myself going to church, looking back on it, I don't even remember being alone. I didn't feel alone during this entire process of turning back to Him; I wasn't feeling alone anymore and I wasn't scared to go by myself. I got my recommend back and I went to the temple by myself and I never felt alone. I ended up being the happiest I had ever been. I was so excited to have that light come back within me. I just wanted to scream from the rooftops: 'I feel changed, I feel whole!'"

"I will never forget my kids being dressed in all white and being brought to us at the altar. It will always be one of the most amazing moments of my life because I knew we were going to be together forever."

"Statistically everything was against us at that point. I knew that I would never leave the church because of the spiritual experiences that I had. I had no doubt in my mind I could never give up Christ, the Church, and Heavenly Father and all my knowledge and testimony. I can't give it up, I can't give Joseph Smith up."

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content that may be triggering or offensive to some audiences. Parental discretion is advised. 

"These miracles that I have had in my life will never lead me astray from the church again. I cannot deny these things and it is because of the strength and relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father."

"There are going to be things that we don't know, whether it has to do with policies or church history, we may. never have the answers. But that doesn't mean we need to throw away the things that we do know."

"They sang this song called 'Jesus Comes to Fight For Me' and when I heard that song it was the first time I had felt the spirit in ten years. It was very emotional for me. I had not felt the spirit for a really long time and had been through many trials and tribulations. I was lost and to feel that again was rewarding and it meant there was something out there, that being sober was going to be ok, and that eventually everything would be ok."

"I ran track so I would go on long runs out in the country by myself. On one run I had stopped to walk for a little bit and I could feel God's presence. I just knew God was trying to say something to me. I felt that He knew me and that He loved me, and that He had a plan for me. There were going to be some scary things that He was going to ask me to do, but I just had to face my fears and if I did I would find out that He was bigger than anything I was afraid of."

"For the first time in my life I decided to humble myself and say a sincere prayer. I just wanted to know God, are you there? What can I do, what do I need to do? Immediately after saying that I heard a voice "you need to go back on your mission." All of the feelings of anger, frustration, and confusion that I had felt from many past years were gone. I will never forget how at peace I felt and how close to God I felt at that moment. That experience has been the bedrock for everything I have done since in the church because I know that was real."