"Faith in Jesus Christ is the most powerful thing in the world."

Levi talks about how he wasn't planning on serving a mission, but once he made the decision it transformed him, how he has seen that teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ has changed lives, and that Enos has taught Levi how faith in Christ is the basis for every good thing in this life.

Know someone who should be on this podcast? Email Lynzi at [email protected] and we will get them on here.

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

"I just remember saying, 'Thank you, Heavenly Father, for crushing my dream.'"

Salena talks about how her life took a turn she never imagined when she didn't get into the school she had worked for all her life, how her mom's cancer threw her into a new world of spiritual maturity, and that "there is someone who took all of your sins upon Him" and the good people in our church community light her up.

Know someone who should be on this podcast? Email Lynzi at [email protected] and we will get them on here.

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

"'Heavenly Father, we've had her a year. Why would you take her from us?' and I felt the rebuke come, 'Well, would you rather I never sent her at all?' 

Every day we have with our loved ones is a gift."

Dennis talks about how he learned to listen to the Spirit through saying "no" to an adoption opportunity he and his wife wanted so badly, and that finding out their one-year old baby they had prayed for had an aggressive cancer of the kidney, and that his love of the gospel is sparked by the fact that "even the least saint" can know all things, as soon as they are able to bear it."

Find Dennis' new book, "Looking unto Christ in Every Thought: Defeating Fear, Doubt, and Discouragement" here.

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

"There's chariots, there's people on the other side, there're things happening, there are things in the works, and keep doing what you're doing. Keep being faithful. Keep believing in miracles and it will all work out like it's supposed to."

Rachel talks about how she sees that her personal discipleship, her determination to get to the celestial kingdom, takes courage, and that she stands in awe of the simplicity and the complexity of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that she feels a sense of urgency around the gathering of Israel. Rachel relies on 2 Kings 6:15-18 to help inspire her and her loved ones to keep pushing forward even when it seems like everything is against them.

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

Have you ever surprised yourself with your bravery in speaking the Truth? How did COVID change you? How can you strengthen your testimony of temples and covenants?

Hayley talks about her rapid growth and the negativity that came with it on Instagram when she posted a reel about modesty, how COVID and the shut down made her deeply evaluate her faith and testimony, and how much she SERIOUSLY LOVES covenants and the temple.

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

When is the last time you wrestled with your patriarchal blessing? How do you make your family a "forever family?" When has God spoken to your heart that He knows you and is aware of what you need?

Raychelle explains her decision process to go to school instead of serving a formally called mission, she bears her testimony of the plan of salvation and her love of her family, and she describes how she knows God loves her from an answer to prayer after a scary workplace accident.

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

"I want to see Jesus, face to face, and say 'I did the best that I could do with what I knew. And I did it. I did it one hundred percent.'"

What do we do when faced with a faith crisis? Are the youth today able to withstand the world and its pressures? When has God fortified you through the Spirit?

Jenn relates her tales of starting a business and having a faith crisis and learning how to have faith IN the Lord Jesus Christ, watching the Gospel of Jesus Christ change the youth in the church, and how the Spirit never tells her to give up.

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

What happens when you realize you've been wrong about how you've been living the gospel? What are the benefits of having many friends of other faiths? What do you do when you find "tensions" in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Jorge tells us that he believes it takes courage to admit when he was wrong about some of his beliefs in the gospel, how having friends of different faiths has helped him become more comfortable talking about his own faith, and how discovering the inherent contradictions or "tensions" in the gospel excites him. 

"Living the gospel makes me happy. It brings me a lot of joy... Especially when I'm trying to do my best... there's this confidence in knowing that you're on the path that God wants you to be on. There's a certain peace that comes from knowing the Lord's promises will be fulfilled."  

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

How will you have courage to stand up to your friends? When has a dark time turned into a growing experience through Christ? What does family mean to you?

Mercedes describes how it still is absolutely necessary to have courage in living the gospel, even if you are in a Latter-day Saint saturated area, how a family crisis brought her back to the covenant path and to serving a mission, and that family and the community in the church are the things she loves most about the church.

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.

What does it take to bring us back to Christ? When have you had to be forgiven, and how did it feel? When has God made your burdens light?

From facing alcoholism to becoming an active, worthy member again, Luke describes his journey and gives us insight into his life and his "coming to himself" moment. He talks about his love for forgiveness because he knows it so well, and it has now enabled him to become a worthy priesthood holder. He loves that God visits us in our afflictions, and makes our burdens so we "cannot feel them upon our backs."

"Why I Stay" is a faith-based podcast exploring the lives and experiences of members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This podcast is not produced or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved.