Return Missionary Next Chapters

In this episode of Return Missionary: Next Chapters, Sid welcomes longtime friend Curt Carmack for a conversation about faith, leadership, family, and the lasting lessons of missionary service.

Curt shares how growing up across the United States and Latin America shaped his perspective, how his mission in Argentina taught him to lead with compassion, and how a demanding legal career on Wall Street challenged his priorities. From unexpected unemployment to serving with his wife as mission leaders in Panama, Curt reflects on the experiences that strengthened his faith and reminded him what matters most.

Key Topics

• Growing Up Across Cultures: How childhood experiences in the U.S., Mexico, and Guatemala shaped his worldview.
• Lessons from Argentina: Learning to see people for who they can become rather than judging their past.
• Leading with Compassion: Recognizing that even Church leaders are imperfect and that humility and forgiveness matter.
• Career and Family: How a demanding Wall Street career and a memorable moment with his daughter changed his priorities.
• Faith Through Adversity: How unemployment strengthened his family’s reliance on the Lord.
• Mission Leadership in Panama: The unexpected call and lessons learned serving alongside his wife.
• Life After the Mission: Adjusting to a new chapter and finding purpose beyond missionary service.
• Advice for Returned Missionaries: Staying optimistic, studying the scriptures, and acting in faith even when spiritual feelings seem distant.

Curt’s story is a reminder that lasting faith isn’t built on perfect circumstances, but through everyday choices to trust God, love others, and keep moving forward.

In this episode, Jeff Birk joins Sid for a conversation filled with humor, faith, and life lessons. From serving together as missionaries in Barcelona to building a career in stand-up comedy and sales training, Jeff shares how his experiences shaped his relationships, career, and perspective on life. He also reflects on finding love later in life, staying true to his faith, and learning to trust the Lord’s timing rather than comparing his journey to others.

In this episode, Jeff shares:

- Lessons from his mission in Barcelona, including learning to love others without judgment and finding strength through faith.

- How serving with 18 companions taught him patience, adaptability, and the importance of building relationships.

- The lasting value of meaningful friendships, spiritual reflection, and journaling.

- How he discovered stand-up comedy and built a successful career using humor, storytelling, and genuine connections.

- His transition from comedy to corporate sales training and the lessons he learned along the way.

- The importance of networking with sincerity and building relationships without expecting something in return.

- His experience of remaining faithful while single, marrying at 40, and eventually adopting a daughter.

- Why comparison can rob us of joy and how trusting God’s timing brings greater peace and perspective.

Jeff’s story is a reminder that life rarely follows the timeline we imagine, but faith, humor, and meaningful relationships can help us find joy in every chapter.

Miya reflects on how growing up in Nevada, Shanghai, Washington, and Taiwan shaped her faith and appreciation for different cultures. She shares how playing college volleyball, serving a mission in Hawaii, and adjusting to life afterward helped her develop greater confidence and find direction.

The conversation explores her decision to serve a mission, her experiences teaching in Mandarin, and the importance of treating others with kindness and respect. Miya also opens up about the challenges of returning home, stepping away from competitive volleyball, navigating dating and relationships, and learning to move forward with faith and patience.

• Growing up in different cultures and attending an international Christian school
• Exploring questions about faith, grace, and Church beliefs
• Playing college volleyball and eventually deciding to serve a mission
• Serving in Hawaii and teaching in Mandarin
• Adjusting to life after the mission and stepping away from competitive volleyball
• Navigating dating, loneliness, and building self-confidence
• Finding purpose, trusting God’s timing, and embracing new chapters in life
• Advice for returned missionaries and anyone facing life’s transitions

This conversation follows Davis Smith’s path from a childhood shaped by family, Latin America and the restored gospel, to entrepreneurship, to serving as mission leader, and writing The Next Ten Years. The episode connects missionary life to the real decisions young adults face after they come home, especially purpose, finances, work, and faith.

We discuss how family culture, gratitude, and service shaped Davis’s worldview, and how those same principles later guided his work at Cotopaxi and in mission leadership. He also shares a practical framework for the decade after a mission, including a simple approach to saving, long-term planning, and finding meaningful work.

Key topics

• Davis explains how growing up in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Ecuador shaped his empathy, faith, and comfort with different cultures.
• He shares how his parents built a gospel-centered home, with scripture study every morning at 5:45 a.m., and how that foundation stayed with all eight siblings.
• He talks about serving in Bolivia and how President Nelson’s instruction to stay in contact with converts became a lifelong responsibility for him.
• Davis describes the moment he realized purpose mattered more than status or income, especially when he felt lost after returning home from his mission.
• He tells the origin story of Cotopaxi and how the idea, name, slogan, and colorful brand identity came together in a 36-hour burst of inspiration.
• He explains why Cotopaxi was built around impact, with profits supporting poverty alleviation rather than treating giving as an afterthought.
• He opens up about the call to serve as mission leaders in Brazil, what made it hard, and why love for the missionaries mattered most.
• He outlines the core idea behind The Next Ten Years: the twenties are a consequential decade for education, career, marriage, family, spirituality, and money.
• He gives the 10-20-70 framework for finances: 10% to God, 20% saved, and 70% for living expenses.
• He encourages return missionaries to find a partner with shared values, take action, and solve real problems instead of just chasing dreams.

This conversation follows Dr. Jim Siebert from his adoption story and missionary service in New Zealand to the personal upheaval he faced at home and the way he rebuilt his life with counseling, education, and faith. It matters because Jim offers a clear framework for handling hardship without losing your testimony, your direction, or your sense of self.We also hear how he and Debbie Siebert made difficult family and career decisions, built a family life around education and service, and used his work as a meteorologist to help people make life and death decisions during major storms, and how to apply this to our own personal storms.

Key topics

• In this episode, Dr. Jim Siebert explains what it was like to learn he was adopted at age eight and how that shaped his search for identity.
• He shares the pain of not knowing his biological family history, despite DNA testing, court efforts, and years of family history work.
• He talks about growing up in a church family, serving a mission in the New Zealand Auckland Mission, and why that experience stayed with him for more than 40 years.
• Jim describes how his mission became much harder when his parents divorced and his father’s abuse and manipulation came into focus.
• He explains the difference between a person’s behavior and a person’s relationship with God, calling it a form of risk management to separate the two.
• He recounts how counseling helped him process trauma, anger, trust issues, and the need to break generational patterns before passing them to his children.
• He tells the story of choosing education, shifting from an Air Force pilot path into broadcast journalism and meteorology, then continuing all the way through a PhD.
• He highlights Debbie Siebert’s decision to step away from a major opera career so they could prioritize family, and how their partnership shaped every major decision.
• He reflects on the pressure of being chief meteorologist in Houston during major storms and Hurricane Harvey, where sacrifice and purpose meant everything. 

Sid talks with Chris Enger about growing up in a large family, being shaped by a devoted mother, and learning early how to rely on the Savior through family hardship. The conversation moves from his mission in the Texas McAllen Mission to the power of small promptings, strong friendships, and meaningful Church callings. Chris also shares why Primary, institute, and daily repentance have been foundational to his discipleship and leadership.

Key Topics:

• Chris shares what it was like growing up with four brothers and a twin, including the closeness and chaos, and how those relationships shaped him.
• He talks about his mother as the spiritual anchor of their home, especially during his parents’ separation and divorce.
• Chris explains how his mission in the Texas McAllen Mission taught him to “share the gospel with honey and not vinegar,” and how he learned to keep hope alive for his father.
• He describes the role of ward members, home teachers, bishops, and Young Men leaders who became a surrogate family and helped him stay connected to the gospel.
• We discuss why strong male friendships matter, especially for returned missionaries and adult men who need support, counsel, and brotherhood.
• Chris shares the story of meeting his wife, Mitzi, how their on-and-off dating eventually led to marriage, and why he considers her his perfect match.
• He explains why Church callings matter less as titles and more as opportunities to serve and point people to Jesus Christ.
• Chris gives a strong defense of Primary as a spiritually powerful calling, describing his experience as a chorister as one of the most joyful and formative experiences of his life.
• He talks about institute and pathways as ways college-age and adult members can stay anchored in the gospel while building friendships and finding direction.
• He closes with a powerful testimony of daily, joyous repentance, describing repentance as freedom from guilt and a path to joy rather than punishment.

Timestamps

00:00 — A warm introduction and Chris’s family background

02:03 — A saintly mother and faith during family struggle

03:17 — How the brothers stayed close through divorce

04:35 — Surrogate family in the ward and home teaching

07:04 — Lessons from neighbors, bishops, and priesthood influence

09:06 — Mission lesson: “honey and not vinegar”

10:20 — Christ in suffering, divorce, and the Atonement

11:33 — Seeing youth the way God sees them

13:11 — “I will not be disappointed in you”

16:02 — Why men need a circle of good friends

19:27 — Meeting Mitzi and knowing early he had found his wife

22:41 — Why callings point us to Christ

23:33 — Falling into Primary and learning to love it

26:27 — Primary chorister, music, and pure joy

30:14 — Why every calling matters, even the quiet ones

35:15 — Primary versus bishopric and why both matter

38:10 — Institute, LDSA, and staying involved at college

41:36 — Listening to small promptings over time

45:00 — Daily, joyous repentance and the freedom it brings

Notable Quotes

“Share the gospel with honey and not vinegar.”

“I will not be disappointed in you.”

“If you listen to the Spirit, He will train you, He will guide you.”

In this episode, Brian and Rebecca Dunn share their journey from childhood faith to marriage, family life, and eventually serving as mission leaders in the Republic of the Congo. Their story centers on how discipleship is shaped by family responsibility, surrendering personal plans, and learning to rely on the Lord in difficult seasons.This conversation is especially useful for anyone serving a mission, preparing to serve, or navigating a major life transition. Brian and Rebecca both speak candidly about loneliness, adaptation, covenant commitment, and the lasting value of mission habits after the mission ends.

Key topics

• Rebecca explains that she was born in California, adopted, and raised in Utah, and says adoption shaped her gratitude and identity.
• Brian describes growing up in Murray, Utah, in a home shaped by a politically active but not fully active father and a deeply faithful mother.
• Rebecca shares how her mother, Betty Sims, modeled kindness, service, and Christlike discipleship, including serving twice on the Young Women General Board.
• Brian and Rebecca explain why they were delayed in serving a mission at first, because they were caring for aging parents.
• Brian recounts his young mission to France, including his desire to serve there, his limited French preparation, and his 18-month call being extended to 21 months.
• Brian says his mission taught him to study the Book of Mormon deeply, commit fully, and live by faith and hard work rather than personal preference.
• The couple describes how they met on a blind date that nearly did not happen, then moved quickly from a second date to engagement and marriage.
• They tell the story of receiving their mission call to the Republic of the Congo and reacting with shock, especially because they expected French-speaking Europe rather than central Africa.
• Brian explains the intense realities of their mission, including branch growth, lack of normal missionary support structures, and the need to build training systems in the field.
• Rebecca and Brian both describe the emotional and physical difficulty of the assignment, including loneliness, language barriers, and the strain of being so far from home.
• Brian shares the turning point when he realized, in prayer, that it was the Lord’s mission, not his own business plan to manage.
• They discuss infield representatives, area presidencies, and how vital outside support was for their emotional and spiritual endurance.
• The couple reflects on the deep love they developed for their missionaries, comparing it to parental love and describing how reunion moments pointed them toward the joy of eternity.

••They close with counsel to returned missionaries: do not put mission learning on a shelf, stay grounded in Jesus Christ, make the next right choice, and remain productive.

This conversation follows Jason’s journey from growing up in Brigham City, Utah, through the loss of his mother at age 3, a difficult mission experience, and the long process of rebuilding with faith and self-understanding. It also traces how a childhood love of Thomas the Tank Engine eventually turned into a creative and professional path, including work with Mattel and a growing YouTube audience.

Jason speaks openly about anxiety, depression, coming home early from his mission, and the importance of meeting people with patience instead of judgment. Along the way, Sid and Jason discuss family, service, networking, and how unexpected detours can still lead to meaningful outcomes.

Key topics

• Jason shares what it was like growing up in Brigham City, Utah, in a multigenerational family with deep church roots.
• He talks about the loss of his mother when he was 3 years old, and how his extended family helped fill in the missing support.
• Jason describes tender moments that keep his mother present in his life, including naming his daughter Kim after her.
• He explains how high school, seminary, and a serious search for truth prepared him for missionary service.
• Jason recounts how anxiety and depression surfaced during his mission to Jacksonville, Florida, and why he came home early.
• He describes the challenge of returning home to judgment and misunderstanding from some members of his community.
• Jason shares how one seminary teacher, Jim Peterson, offered kindness without lowering standards, helping him see a path forward.
• He explains what a service mission was like for him and how it opened his eyes to new possibilities beyond the traditional missionary model.
• We discuss how his early love of Thomas the Tank Engine became the foundation for a major creative outlet and eventually a business opportunity.
• Jason shares how his YouTube channel grew from a childhood hobby into a large audience, including work connected to Mattel.
• He reflects on balancing creative work, school, and professional growth, including early marketing experience at BYU.
• He closes with advice on staying flexible, trusting in the Lord, and treating every person as someone who matters.

Timestamps

(00:00) Setting up the conversation and welcoming Jason

(00:14) Growing up in Brigham City, Utah

(00:45) Family roots and the Brigham City Temple experience

(02:35) Losing his mother at age 3

(04:55) Signs, dreams, and naming his daughter after his mother

(06:55) His father’s resilience through repeated loss

(07:44) Wrestling with the idea of a mission in high school

(09:08) Studying faith, the Book of Mormon, and building a testimony

(11:56) Leaving for Jacksonville, Florida, and the first signs of trouble

(12:39) Anxiety, depression, and coming home early

(14:11) The shock of returning home and facing judgment

(16:47) Sid reflects on the experience and asks about getting help

(17:59) How Jason talked to mission leaders and asked for support

(20:13) Why bottling it up could have made things much worse

(21:31) Why the experience mattered in the long run

(23:51) How to support missionaries who come home early

(24:05) The best example Jason saw: kindness without judgment

(26:00) Learning what a service mission could really be

(27:30) Shoutout to seminary teachers and Jim Peterson

(29:47) What it means to meet people where they are

(31:53) Transitioning to Jason’s creative work with Thomas the Tank Engine

(33:28) What Thomas the Tank Engine is and why it lasts

(35:27) From childhood passion to content creation

(39:13) Early YouTube growth and connecting with the Thomas community

(40:49) Mattel reaches out and Jason begins working on official content

(41:59) Applying marketing lessons from BYU to his own channel

(42:45) Scaling the channel to 200,000 subscribers

(44:47) Advice for people facing unexpected detours

(46:56) How to network well and treat everyone as important

(48:30) Closing thoughts and final thanks

Camila shares how a childhood in a Catholic family, years of unanswered spiritual questions, and a chance encounter with missionaries led her to the Book of Mormon, baptism, and eventually a full-time mission. This conversation traces the moments that shaped her faith, her decision to serve, and the lessons she carried home from the field.We discuss the role of family, patience, prayer, and personal revelation in finding direction when life feels uncertain. Camila also reflects on learning English quickly, serving in the Hawaii Laie Mission, and what she wants other young women and return missionaries to remember.

Key topics

• In this episode, Camila describes growing up in Colombia in a Catholic family and learning about Jesus Christ through tradition rather than a personal relationship.
• She shares how, at 13, questions about Heavenly Father, identity, and purpose pushed her to look for deeper answers.
• Camila explains the moment missionaries knocked on her door, gave her a Book of Mormon, and unintentionally began a spiritual turning point in her life.
• She talks about reading the Book of Mormon without fully understanding it at first, then becoming more curious as she kept returning to it.
• Her aunt later revealed that her mother had once been baptized and had considered serving a mission, which helped Camila see her own story in a new light.
• Camila recounts how her mother, sister, and eventually her whole household joined her in exploring the restored gospel, creating a small but close-knit branch experience.
• She shares the moment she prayed to know whether baptism was right, felt a warm confirmation, and was baptized at 14 despite being sick that day.
• Camila explains how that baptism became a physical and spiritual witness to her that God can heal both the soul and the body.
• She describes feeling called to serve a mission at 19, then facing delays from COVID-19, family responsibilities, and uncertainty about leaving her mother and younger brother.
• Camila shares how rereading her patriarchal blessing helped her recognize that serving a mission was still the right step for her.
• She reflects on the sacrifices her mother and aunt made so she could leave, including childcare and family support, so she could enter the MTC and serve.
• Camila talks about being called to the Hawaii Laie Mission, adjusting to a new language and culture, and learning to trust the Spirit when her English was still developing.
• She explains that her mission strengthened her testimony daily, especially through early wake-ups, language barriers, companionships, and moments of discouragement.
• Camila reflects on returning home after her mission, adjusting to a slower pace, and figuring out her next educational and spiritual steps.
• She offers advice to young women seeking answers and to return missionaries trying to navigate what comes next: keep praying, keep studying, and trust that answers come in God’s time.

This conversation explores Judge Smith’s upbringing in Southern California and Nevada, his mission experience, his path into law and the bench, and the lessons he learned from decades as a judge and bishop. It also covers the role of faith, leadership, and the Word of Wisdom in shaping his decisions, plus the couple mission he later served with his wife, Lynn.We discuss Judge Smith’s personal history, the influence of his mother’s mission, the realities of judicial decision-making, and what he would tell a returned missionary who wants to finish strong. His reflections are practical, spiritual, and deeply personal.

Key topics

• In this episode, Judge Smith shares how growing up in La Mirada and later northern Nevada shaped his love for the outdoors, the beach, and a simpler lifestyle.
• He describes the turbulence of the 1960s, including the Vietnam era, social upheaval, and how church life created a stabilizing “bubble” for many Latter-day Saints.
• Judge Smith explains the outsized influence of his mother, a returned missionary whose experiences in the Southern States Mission left a lasting impression on him and his children.
• He talks about why serving a mission was never a question for him, including early opportunities to work with missionaries in Reno as a teenager.
• He highlights two major mission takeaways: the importance of inspired leadership and the need to adapt with sincere love to different people.
• He reflects on returning home from his mission and being back at BYU within days through the Block Plan, making the transition surprisingly smooth.
• He shares how Perry Mason and other legal dramas sparked his decision to become a lawyer at a very young age.
• Judge Smith walks through the long California judicial appointment process, including the personal data questionnaire, multiple evaluations, and the final interview that led to his appointment.
• He explains how the Word of Wisdom became one of his biggest judicial lessons, especially after seeing how often substance abuse was tied to DUI, domestic violence, and divorce cases.
• He discusses relationships from the bench, especially how fragile marriages can be and how adoption cases revealed both the legal and eternal power of family.
• He distinguishes between judging conduct and judging a person, explaining how he tried to leave personal biases outside the courtroom while still praying for wisdom.
• He shares how his approach to judging changed over time, especially after realizing that judges are not there to solve every problem, but to apply the law faithfully.
• He recounts how he and Lynn eventually served a senior mission together in La Serena, Chile, after their work and family obligations finally allowed it.
• He closes with advice for returned missionaries and future seniors: finish with confidence that you did your best, represented Christ well, and kept the end in mind.