Return Missionary Next Chapters

Return Missionary Next Chapters

By Sid Bassett

Return Missionary (RM) Next Chapters is a podcast sharing inspiring, honest stories of life after the mission. Through candid, vulnerable, and deeply human conversations with returned missionaries

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Best of Return Missionary Next Chapters

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

  1. Number 1: Dr. Ray Price - Harvard to Mongolia: Changing the 2nd World Through Faith and Enhanced Medical Care

    In this conversation, Dr. Ray Price shares the experiences that shaped his life, from growing up in a military and church-centered family to serving a mission in Thailand and building a career in surgery and global health. He reflects on faith, grief, decision-making, and the recurring pattern of feeling prompted to serve where the need is greatest. We discuss how his testimony developed, why he chose medicine, how Thailand changed his view of service, and why he has spent so much of his career helping expand surgical care in places like Mongolia and Cambodia. He also offers direct advice for return missionaries trying to figure out what comes next. Key topics:How being raised in an Air Force and church-active family shaped his values, discipline, and sense of duty.He describes a formative conversion experience in seminary, when a teacher challenged him to seek his own testimony of the Book of Mormon rather than rely on anyone else’s.He talks about being called to Thailand, arriving in Bangkok with no real understanding of the country, and learning to love the Thai people through rural service.He recounts a powerful incident in Bangkok where he helped carry an injured woman to the hospital, an experience that stayed with him and deepened his sense of responsibility to strangers.He reflects on his medical training and the unexpected role of the September 11 attacks in confirming his desire to spend his skills on global humanitarian work.He explains how family tragedies, including the death of a son and the disability and later death of a daughter, shaped his faith and his understanding of mortality.He shares how a series of personal promptings led him into international surgical work in Mongolia, where he helped expand laparoscopic surgery across the country.He describes how that work later expanded into Cambodia and how prayer, partnerships, and persistence helped move projects forward despite limited resources.He offers advice to returning missionaries: keep the Lord close, read the Book of Mormon daily, seek answers through prayer, and find purpose by reaching out to help others.He closes with a reflection on grief and eternal hope, sharing how belief in the plan of salvation helps him and his family face loss.

    47min
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  2. Number 2: Katie Schrecengost - War, Death, & Healing: Finding Joy after Life Shattering Loss

    This conversation follows Katie’s path from growing up in the Midwest and serving a mission in Ukraine to becoming an English teacher, losing loved ones, and navigating a major health scare. It matters because she speaks candidly about grief, singleness, spiritual resilience, and how daily habits become a lifeline when life does not go as planned. We discuss Katie’s upbringing, her mission in Ukraine and sudden evacuation, the losses she carried as a teacher and sister, and the perspective that helped her rebuild hope. Her story is deeply personal, but the lessons are widely useful for anyone trying to endure hard chapters with faith and steadiness. Key topicsKatie shares what it was like growing up just north of Chicago in a small church community, where religious diversity made faith feel normal rather than isolating.In this episode, she explains how early morning seminary in Midwest winters prepared her for the cold and discipline of mission life.We discuss how the age change for sister missionaries opened the door for her to serve in the Ukraine Donetsk Mission while she was in college.Katie describes the slow build of unrest in Ukraine, the abrupt evacuation in April 2014, and the devastating moment of seeing tanks heading into Donetsk as her mission train left.She talks about being reassigned to Arizona for the final four months of her mission and how structure, service, and a caring mission president helped her recover.Katie shares how returning to Ukraine later, this time to help Ukrainian refugees in Prague, became a healing experience and a way to give back.We discuss why she did not want to be a teacher at first, how English tutoring changed her mind, and why she eventually committed to teaching at Maple Mountain High School.Katie reflects on losing four students in about two years, including one death by suicide, and how she learned to model grief honestly without burdening her students.She opens up about losing her sister, describing it as if “half of your body” had been amputated, and how that loss pushed her to rely more fully on Jesus Christ.Katie explains her health crisis, including a tumor on her uterus, the months of uncertainty, and the spiritual answer she received in the temple that changed how she understood joy, motherhood, and her own worth.

    48min
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  3. Number 3: Erika Newcomb - Navigating Mental Health, Faith Crises, and Divine Promptings: A Powerful Lesson on Trusting Him

    Show Overview In this episode, Erika shares a deeply personal story of growing up in upstate New York, navigating family change, and wrestling with mental health struggles through her teen years and into college. What makes this conversation matter is not just the hard seasons she faced, but how she slowly rebuilt trust in herself, in others, and in God. We follow Erika’s path from church disconnection and resentment to a surprising return to faith, a mission experience, and a new calling toward helping kids through school psychology. It is a story about grief, agency, healing, and learning to take life one small step at a time. Key Topics -Growing up in a close-knit Latter-day Saint family near Rochester, New York, with strong church involvement, animals at home, and early morning seminary shaping her life. -A major turning point in seventh grade when Erika's parents share that her older sister is gay, triggering confusion, grief, anger, and later resentment toward the church and its teachings. -Feeling like an outsider in middle school, where losing confidence and struggling to make friends fed into deeper emotional struggles. -Receiving a diagnosis of an eating disorder and anxiety in eighth grade, followed by inpatient treatment while trying to keep up with school. -Deepening mental health struggles after close church friends moved away, leading to residential treatment in Denver. -Stopping prayer and church attendance, eventually coming to view the church culture as harmful around perfectionism and rigid expectations. -How COVID-19 and online college deepened her isolation, and how mountain biking became an important coping outlet to keep her grounded. -An unexpected relationship with Nate and his family, who show patience, authenticity, and steady love while she is openly critical of the church. -Returning to church to support Nate’s family, which leads to a powerful spiritual experience that changes her perspective on her faith journey. -Deciding to serve a mission after receiving a patriarchal blessing, feeling pulled toward service while rebuilding her faith. -Reflecting on her mission as a space where her lived experiences allowed her to listen well and understand others navigating fear, grief, and uncertainty. -Her transition after returning home, moving away from Rochester, and choosing a new direction in school psychology to support children who feel unseen. Timestamps (00:00) Pre-interview setup, family stories, and privacy boundaries (02:15) Upstate New York childhood, early church life, and family dynamics (05:00) Sister’s coming out in middle school and shifting perceptions of faith (08:20) Early mental health struggles, eating disorder diagnosis, and treatment (11:45) Deepening isolation, residential care in Denver, and distance from the church (14:30) COVID, online college, and finding grounding through mountain biking (17:10) Meeting Nate's family, unexpected support, and reconsidering faith (20:05) Returning to church and experiencing a pivotal spiritual moment (23:00) The decision to serve a mission and navigating the approval process (25:45) Serving as a steady listener and helping others through shared trials (28:30) Post-mission transitions, choosing school psychology, and moving forward (31:10) Practical wisdom for navigating depression: taking life one hour at a time

    34min
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  4. Number 4: Ellie Johnson - From Influencer to Missionary: Dropping Your Nets for Christ, and Picking Them Up Again With Christ

    Episode Summary In this episode we sit down with Ellie Johnson—creator and host of The Guide Podcast—to talk about faith, timing, and what happens when you step away from your own plans to follow a prompting. Growing up in Texas as one of five daughters, Ellie was hyper-aware of representing her faith. Although she initially swore she would never serve a mission, a persistent prompting at age 15 eventually led her to serve in the Hawaii Laie Mission. Ellie opens up about the tough decision to pause a rapidly growing podcast that had already reached over a million downloads worldwide to focus entirely on full-time missionary service. We dive into her time serving at the Laie Hawaii Temple Visitors' Center, the profound perspective shifts she gained about connection and storytelling, and the honest reality of transitioning back to everyday life at BYU. If you’re navigating a post-mission transition, trying to hear divine direction amidst the noise, or waiting on your next "green light," Ellie’s grounded wisdom will leave you inspired and encouraged. Key Messages & Takeaways Promptings Take Time to Unfold: A spiritual nudge received at age 15 became the foundation for a life-changing mission call four years later. Surrendering Your Own Platform: Laying down a successful project to focus on spiritual growth often opens the door to deeper purpose and transformation. Reframing Inadequacy: Moving from the mindset of "I can't do this" to "God can" shifts how we face daunting assignments. Finding Christ in the Everyday: God isn't only found in the temple or on a mission; He speaks in stoplights, ordinary classes, daily drives, and quiet waiting periods. Navigating the Post-Mission Shift: Returning home and finding your footing in college, dating, or a career is rarely a straight line—patience with God's timing is essential when you feel stuck between chapters. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in Texas: How an upbringing among horses, five sisters, and being a visible representation of her faith shaped Ellie's storytelling. The Mission Decision: Moving from "I'm never serving a mission" to accepting a call to the Hawaii Laie Mission Visitor Center. Pausing The Guide Podcast: What it felt like to walk away from a platform with over a million downloads to serve the Lord full-time. Transformative Encounters in Hawaii: Specific experiences at the Visitors' Center that reshaped her understanding of the Savior, His church, and authentic connection. The BYU Transition & Post-Mission Life: Honest reflections on the highs, lows, and social adjustments during her first years back home. Trusting God's Timing: Practical ways Ellie includes Jesus Christ in her day-to-day decisions today compared to before her mission. Advice for Returned Missionaries: Words of encouragement for anyone currently struggling to figure out where they fit in after a major life chapter. About the Guest Ellie Johnson is the creator and host of The Guide Podcast, an inspiring show that has surpassed one million downloads and reached listeners worldwide. She is currently studying American Studies at Brigham Young University. Through her platform and story, Ellie blends authentic faith, relatable humor, and grounded wisdom to help others stay connected to Jesus Christ in everyday life.

    46min
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  5. Number 5: David Sturt - It is About Great Work: A Former Mission President Explains how Greatness Starts With Ordinary People Doing One Thing Well

    David Sturt shares his life shaped by faith, hard work, and unexpected turns, from childhood in Cape Town to mission service in Texas and Kenya, and throughout his leadership at O.C. Tanner. Along the way, he explains how his book The Great Work grew out of research on thousands of award-winning employees and the simple habits that help ordinary people do extraordinary things. We discuss how early experiences in nature, mission culture, marriage, leadership, and career uncertainty all connect to one central idea - the value of showing up faithfully and making a difference where you are. Key topicsDavid shares his childhood in Cape Town, South Africa, including farm visits, river fishing, strict school discipline, and learning to respect wildlife like baboons.He explains how growing up around missionaries shaped his desire to serve a mission and why it never felt like a burden.He describes being called to Texas unexpectedly and how his mission president’s question, “How’s your faith?” became a defining theme of his mission.He talks about returning home exhausted, recovering, and channeling mission habits into school and career preparation.He reflects on studying at BYU and earning an MBA, even though he once thought he would never go there.He tells the story of meeting Stacy, realizing quickly that she had a kind of “light,” and building a relationship through conversation, friendship, and shared values.He explains what O.C. Tanner actually does, focusing on employee appreciation, recognition, and research-backed ways organizations honor great work.He walks through the origin of The Great Work, including the data set of 10,000 award write-ups, 250 interviews, and the search for patterns in how people make meaningful contributions.He shares one standout example from the research: Marty, the engineer who helped invent the cell phone by asking better questions and challenging the original assignment.He describes his mission call to Kenya Nairobi, the intensity of leadership there, and the miracles, risks, and growth that came with supervising a large and rapidly expanding mission.Timestamps (00:00) Pre-show setup and correcting the guest bio (00:56) Introduction to David and his early life in Cape Town (01:24) Growing up around farms, rivers, fishing, and strict schooling (03:08) How to safely handle baboons in South Africa (04:03) Solitary outdoor time, dogs, and formative childhood memories (05:46) Why David always planned to serve a mission (07:25) Family conversion, gratitude, and gospel-centered home life (08:12) A father still playing golf at 98 (08:54) Surprised to be called to Texas instead of another international assignment (09:23) Why Texas became the perfect mission field (10:23) The mission president’s question: “How’s your faith?” (12:52) Recovering from mission intensity and resetting at home (13:45) Mission discipline turning into seriousness about education (15:59) Work ethic from mission life carrying into his career (17:23) Going to BYU after once expecting never to (18:34) Meeting Stacy and the unexpected first date (20:47) Recognizing character, purity, and spiritual alignment in Stacy (24:08) Marriage as partnership, flexibility, and shared effort (27:50) What O.C. Tanner does and why people confuse it with jewelry (31:18) The origin of The Great Work and the research question behind it (33:39) Coding 10,000 award write-ups and finding patterns in extraordinary work (35:36) Interviewing Marty, inventor of the cell phone (38:16) Why everyone can make a difference in ordinary work (39:53) Bringing leadership and recognition ideas into mission leadership (41:41) Giving missionaries the book only at the end of their service (43:38) The unexpected call to serve as a mission president in Kenya Nairobi (45:05) Arriving in Kenya during elections, riots, and rapid church growth (45:29) The scale of the mission and why it eventually had to be split (46:15) Feeling overwhelmed and learning to rely on the Lord (47:59) A life-threatening riot situation and the rescue of missionaries by motorcycle (48:45) Advice for returning missionaries and anyone facing a major life transition (51:01) Why you should follow your interests, pray, and take life step by step

    54min
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How many episodes does Return Missionary Next Chapters have?

The podcast currently has 46 episodes available.