Come Back Podcast

"There were a lot of small steps along the way, and then one day I had a revelation. A voice came to my head, it was my first spiritual experience in 15 years and it said: "your family needs you, it's time for you to go back to the church." And I just said who are you? But I knew what I heard and I knew what had happened and it was a faith filled journey from there. I had to ret...

"A faith journey is a long conversation. One of the things that gave me great comfort when I came back to the church was reading the story of Abraham. The father of the three western religions would sometimes go decades between spiritual manifestations. If Abraham is going decades between spiritual manifestations, you might go decades too and that's ok. Remember that it is a long process,...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content that may be triggering or offensive to some audiences. Parental discretion is advised. "I was able to bring suppressed memories to the surface, deal with it as an adult, go back and forgive my mom and forgive myself. That was when real healing began. If you are holding a grudge against someone -- no matter how bad it was -- number one y...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content that may be triggering or offensive to some audiences. Parental discretion is advised. "Coming back has really given me insight on where I want to be and who I want to be. Navigating my life through some of these changes is going to take some time. I can always hit my knees in prayer, it doesn't matter where I am, I find myself pray...

"Besides my family leaving me, my life couldn't get any worse. I had hit rock bottom. I met with my bishop and stake president -- in my mind I had strayed too far from the path. I just couldn't see myself becoming the person that I once was. The missionary I was, bearing testimony of Jesus, bringing people to Jesus, and being worthy to exercise the priesthood. It just seemed too dista...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content that may be triggering or offensive to some audiences. Parental discretion is advised. "There is a song by David Archuleta called Glorious and he talks about how we all have times in our life where we feel aimless and we can't see where we belong and we can't see where we fit. That life is this beautiful symphony we all have par...

"I may be crazy, but I'm not crazy because I joined the church, it is one of the few good decisions that I have made in my life. I have investigated everything I can find about the church. I've read every negative publication that is noteworthy, I've listened to people share their exit stories. The only reason that I am here is because it is true, The reason I know it is true is b...

"Remember all those miracles and the steps you had to take that you made it through to get where you are now? The same God who called me to Spain, called me home. My Heavenly Father knows me so much and so personally, He knew I wanted to go to Spain. He knew I needed to meet the people that I met. He has shown again and again throughout my life the truth that I am His daughter and that He kno...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content that may be triggering or offensive to some audiences. Parental discretion is advised. "I still remember the very day that I was with my family again for the first time when my wife decided that was ok. We went to Hogle Zoo in the dead of winter in January. It was one of the most beautiful memories I have ever had. I can still picture i...

"100% I have not lived the principles of this church, but I do my best where I stand now to lift where I stand. Even if the principles of this church weren't true I'm better off by observing the law of tithing, I'm better off by bettering my health, I'm better off by attending church, and I'm better off by doing things that benefit others like be kind, be human, and be res...

"I had this amazing experience where I looked at this little stone that said "here is where Joseph Smith was born." I had the most peaceful, beautiful experience where I could feel God's love for Joseph Smith, just the love that he was a child of God and that God loved him. That was such a balm to my soul. Then I was able to go back throughout the years and build back this extre...

"After chemo so much of what I thought was my identity was gone. I needed to know who I was. I feel like there is so much power in knowing where we came from and why we are here on earth and where we are going in the next life. It means so much to me." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor:...

"Everything became so muddled and I became so confused. Had it not been for the experiences I had I could not have lasted, I would not have made it. Because I knew God exists. I had taken those things out of the box and looked at them and said yes I know He is there, I know He loves me. That is one for sure I could put on display on my shelf." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host...

"I had been serving in a private chapel for 13 years and when I came back into the ward and sat there and felt the Spirit of the body of Christ in that ward I just started sobbing, I couldn't stop crying. It felt like I was immersed in an ocean of love and light because the body of Christ is so alive in Mormonism and in sacrament meeting." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host...

"Loving people that are different from us is what it's about. We are not here to perfect anyone else. We are here to become perfected in Christ and learn of Him, and feel His love, and one of the best ways that I have felt His love and continue to feel His love is by loving other people." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Ros...

Hey there! This episode is going to be a bit different than what you are used to. Ashly explains the exciting things that we have coming for season 2! We have been working really hard on some new things and will be taking a short break. In the meantime head over to our Instagram page and check out the giveaway that we are doing this week. It ends Wednesday, September 6th 2023 and is a chance to wi...

"Actively go out of your way to show your LGBTQ children that you love them, be patient with them whether they have told you about their life 10 years ago or 5 minutes ago, it is because they want you on their path. You're better off loving them and listening to them." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager:...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content that may be triggering or offensive to some audiences. Parental discretion is advised.  "I am so grateful for the fact that I have a family that cared enough about me to keep in contact with me even though I didn't keep in contact with them. And the people in my life that could see I was struggling and still made the effort to be a...

"I have felt the atonement take a burden off of my shoulders and literally remove it. It is a weight I didn't even realize I had been carrying. It was a freedom and a light in my life that I had lived so long without. When you have a moment or experience like that and when you walk in darkness and then come into the light, there is no going back." Come Back Team: Director, Founder &a...

"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...

"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...

"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...

"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." 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

"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." Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone P...

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." Come Back Team: Director, Founder &am...