Today my Dad interviews me! I'm so glad I got to finish up this episode before I begin my service as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so grateful for everyone who has listened to the podcast, and who has sent me kind inspiring messages along the way. Thank you so much for listening! And I hope you enjoy.
Today I interview Ellie Johnson! Ellie recently got home from her mission in La'ie, Hawaii serving in the temple visitor center. Ellie shares that her testimony began with incredible examples and spiritual experiences with her parents and her sisters. She shares the troubles that she faced trying to keep the spirit in her life while she felt that there were opposing examples and influences around her. She explains the struggles that she encountered aligning her will with God's, and how she ultimatley received a beautiful witness of the truth of the gospel on her mission. I hope you enjoy!
Today I interview Parker Horn. He shares how his parent's constant example and devotion to the church and its youth programs helped him to develop a love and respect for the gospel. However, he felt that his testimony of the church was mostly passive with little opposition until he left home for college, and started to explore more of his questions about the church. His questions only helped his testimony to begin to progress and that desire to know and understand would help his faith journey when he was serving a mission in Ecuador. Parker talks about his confusion and frustrations with his mission that eventually helped him to see with an 'eye of faith' and develop a deep personal connection with his Heavenly Father. I loved this episode and I hope you do too!!
Today I interview David Ashton. This interview is full of engaging metaphors and idioms that begin to explain the full excentric personality of Brother Ashton. He talks about his strong upbringing in the church and how his parents set up an incredible foundation for him to build off. He speaks of learning about the healing power of the atonement and about key moments in his teenage years where he felt the spirit testify to him of the truthfulness of the gospel. I have been thinking about this episode ever since recording it, it truly was so exciting to be a part of. I hope you enjoy!
Today I interview Claire Hall. Claire explains how she was the youngest of a big family and that her two older siblings chose to take rather different paths in life as it pertains to the gospel. These examples cause Claire to question what she truly believed, and those questions led her to incredible encounters with the Holy Ghost and miraculous experiences. Claire gives incredible advice to listeners and is an incredible guest on this podcast!
Today I interview Reagan Lapicola a math education student at BYU and one of my closest friends. Reagan's testimony started with a deep love for her family and a desire for them to be together forever. She comments on her rocky understanding of the scriptures and how she didn't find community with the youth in her ward. Nonetheless, Reagan testifies boldly of Christ's atoning power, that he is always waiting for you to reach out to Him and ask for His help. Reagan shares her testimony of priesthood authority, of keeping the sabbath day holy, and of the salvific nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Today I interview Sky Barkley a chemical engineering student at BYU and a good friend. Sky's childhood was filled with a desire to connect with a higher power and to understand her spirituality, which took her to many different churches and denominations. She was then introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through her future stepdad and began a difficult journey to gain a testimony. Through the guidance of the spirit and through fervent study of the scriptures she came to the decision that the church was true and wanted to enter into the waters of baptism. Since then, Sky has been steadily working to continue to build her testimony and be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.
Today I interview Kerry Muhlestein a professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU, Director of the BYU Egyptian Excavation Project, and my Old Testament Professor. Kerry talks about how he feels like he's had a testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints his whole life. He discusses how his parents were a great example to him, and how their fervent discipleship paved the way for Kerry to discover his own love for the scriptures. Kerry talks about his hardships reconciling his academic research and faith and advises listeners on his best strategies to use revelation to gain further understanding. I love this episode and I hope you enjoy!
Today I interview Emily Taylor! A Ph.D. student studying political and religious differences in families. When Emily was younger, she had to take the initiative to begin growing her testimony in a home where the gospel was often a source of contention. She eventually developed a profound testimony of God the Father through a family she met in France. Still, she struggled to gain a personal testimony of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us. This changed when Emily went to study abroad in Jerusalem and later served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Emily tells some beautiful stories about her conversion and shares insightful advice about gaining a testimony piece by piece. I hope you enjoy!
Today I interviewed Jonathan Brinley, an instructor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University and my New Testament teacher! Brinley explains that his testimony was shaped by religious speakers and educators that he crossed paths with because of his father's occupation as a religious educator. He describes how he would feel the spirit and a yearning to come closer to Christ through their words. Jonathan's testimony was further strengthened when he moved to Dallas Texas because of his father's calling as a Mission President. Jonathan's testimony was challenged when he encountered other faiths, but he remained faithful to the eternal truths he had grown up with. Brinley shares his experience serving a mission, finding an eternal companion, and sharing general advice about the spirit and testimonies. I hope you enjoy this episode!!
Today I talk with Amaya. Amaya is a student at BYU hoping to be in the nursing program. She talks about her experience growing up in a protective household that didn't let her have very much freedom. During COVID, Amaya's family became especially religious and she felt like that religion was forced on her and she could not ask questions about it. Eventually, Amaya moved out and into a home where there were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day-Saints. She began attending church meetings, meeting with the missionaries, and eventually decided to get baptized. Amaya began to attend BYU but found the community a surprising change from what she had known at home, and she had some very difficult trials while in her first semester at BYU. Amaya talks about the guilt involved with trials inflicted on you by another person, and talks about her experience trying to feel close to God after and during those trials. Amaya's testimony is so beautiful and I hope you all enjoy this episode.
Today I interview Harrison Moore. Harrison grew up in Dallas, Texas, and had a strong testimony when he was a child because of his church environment and his parents' strong testimony. However, as Harrison grew older, he found himself doubting the gospel more and feeling like he was letting Heavenly Father down. He tells about this period of his life where he would try to be better but felt like he would always mess up and fail. When Harrison went to BYU he started to hang out with friends who encouraged him to grow closer to Heavenly Father and ponder serving a mission. His faith and testimony grew as he worked towards being a missionary. Harrison served his mission amid COVID and talks about the struggles of returning home midway through serving. Harrison also details his experience with grief as he deals with the trial of a recent death of a friend. Harrison has incredible faith and hope, and I encourage you all to listen to his advice and his story!
Today I interview Max Craft, also known as Elder Craft, because he is currently 20 months into his mission for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pocatello Idaho! Max's testimony began with an unquestioning belief in what his parent taught him and eventually grew when he made faithful friends that encouraged his spiritual growth. After COVID, Max began to slip into depression, and it was soon after this time that he began to question how God could have put him through such a painful trial. Max explains how through his support system and his desire to have a testimony he was able to develop a personal testimony of the Book of Mormon and foster the desire to serve a mission. Max gives powerful advice for how to listen to the whisperings of the spirit and bares fervent testimony of Jesus Christ.
Today I interview Kaitlyn Murry, a student at UVU studying public health and working at an autism clinic to help young children better their social skills and quality of life. Kaitlyn talks about how the foundation of her testimony was built on the example of her parents and close family who set an incredible standard for her to strive to achieve throughout her youth. She was able to keep these commitments to achieve a righteous life because of her incredible support group of church friends who helped her grow spiritually in a safe environment. Although this was helpful to her at the time, Kaitlyn realized that she needed to gain a personal testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that when she was in environments that weren't as spiritually encouraging, she could still maintain her standards. Kaitlyn served a mission in Gilbert Arizona and she details her experience preparing for, serving, and coming home from this mission. Kaitlyn's rhetoric and attitude toward the gospel is so inspiring! I hope you enjoy!
"Journal or record your spiritual experiences and surround yourself with peers who will uplift you" is Logan Shulz's advice for gaining a testimony. Logan recently graduated high school in Maine and is leaving on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Stockholm Sweden in July. Logan explains how his parents instilled in him a desire to "discover for himself" the truths of the gospel instead of forcing mandatory church attendance on him. This motivation to gain testimony helped him seek out spiritual experiences and a true love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Logan talks about "flipping the gratitude switch", finding a place of synergy in contention, and the miracles of journaling. His faith and dedication to the Lord's will is truly inspiring!
Today I interview John Hilton iii, a religious education professor at BYU and the author of various books and teaching courses. John talks about his experience gaining a testimony as a child was largely motivated by his desire to read and fully understand scripture. John explains how during one special EFY as a 15-year-old, John felt that the Holy Ghost had "written on his heart" that the things he was testifying of were true. That feeling of the Holy Ghost has followed him throughout his life and motivated him to make good life decisions like serving a mission in Denver, Colorado for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, choosing to be a seminary teacher, and establishing fence laws for himself surrounding dating. John's vast understanding of gospel literature helps him to give some incredible advice in this episode about feeling close to God, preparing to serve a mission, and gaining a testimony. I hope you enjoy!
https://johnhiltoniii.com/
Check out his website!
Today I interview Jasmin Felton. The moment I met Jasmin her lust for life and love of God was strikingly apparent. In this episode, she shares how she had a rough childhood, but God was with her every step of the way. She stumbled upon the Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through fervent prayer and potent faith. Eventually, Jasmin chose to get baptized and has since served as a genuine disciple, spreading God's light and love. Jasmin describes a testimony as "what you have to show for the trials you've been through." She shares other powerful pieces of advice like how to feel closer to God and how to overcome some of the controversial issues of the church. I hope you enjoy!
Fashion decided to live her life on the covenant path and follow the gospel of Jesus Christ one night after a conversation with a friend. She had grown up in a Latter-day Saint household but soon her family shifted priorities and she was left to choose her own path. After her parents divorced and she moved to California, she found herself feeling a cognitive dissonance, because she believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but was not living according to its counsel. It was then that she decided to turn her life around for herself and her future family.
Fashion has incredible advice for anyone who is struggling to gain a testimony. I love her and I love this episode.
