LDS Podcast "Latter-Day Lights" - Inspirational LDS Stories

When our story veers off-script, how do we find a faith-filled purpose that transcends our expectations? Born with half a heart, 20-year-old musician Elder Logan Castleton entered his mission knowing his path would look different than most. Having undergone countless heart surgeries and struggles throughout his life, he was thrilled to be called as a proselyting missionary in Chicago.  However, wh...

How do we stay on the covenant path when life takes an unexpected turn? Full-time family therapy student & 3-year divorcee Grayson McAllister shares his inspiring journey of navigating life as a single father after a painful divorce. Beginning with his once sought-after ideal of the perfect family, Grayson takes us through the realities of marriage and the unexpected challenges that tested his...

How can the darkest moments of our lives prepare us to light the way for others? Coaches Jesse and Rene’e La Montagne Dunn share their inspiring journey of transforming lives within the incarcerated community. Their own daughter’s incarceration became a pivotal moment for them, awakening a profound calling to address the pain and challenges faced by those society often overlooks. Through their non...

Have you ever wondered how to find joy in the midst of chronic pain? In this episode of Latter-day Lights, Crista Thomas shares her incredible journey of faith, resilience, and hope. From battling an undiagnosed chronic illness as a child to enduring a terrible car accident that miraculously brought unexpected healing, Crista reveals how her trust in Christ has carried her through unimaginable tri...

What visions unfold when we’re face-to-face with mortality? Hawaiian native and thriving NDE survivor Goldie Tautuiaki shares her extraordinary journey from being a vibrant college freshman with dreams of serving a mission, to confronting a life-threatening heart condition that caused her to flatline and be brought back to life three times in a matter of minutes. In this episode, Goldie opens up a...

What transformative growth lies on the other side of heartbreak? Author and BYU Peer-Mentor Supervisor Anjilee Ferguson shares her soul-stirring journey through the complexities of dating, marriage, and blindsided breakups, revealing how these experiences have profoundly shaped her self-awareness - and, most importantly - her faith. From struggling to find love post-divorce, to navigating the soci...

 How do you find hope in the midst of unimaginable loss? In this episode, we sit down with Sunshine Harston, a mother of three who faced the heartbreaking loss of her husband to cancer. Sunshine’s story is one of incredible faith, where even in the darkest moments, she found grace, strength, and unexpected blessings. Join us as Sunshine shares how she turned her deepest heartache into a testimony...

What if you had the power to better understand your emotions? From an inexplicable fear of intimacy, mother, wife, and "Missionary of the Mind" Cali Coates received a calling to tap into the transformative power of hypnotherapy. This journey not only allowed her to uncover the root of all her traumas, but also enabled her to positively influence her subconscious thoughts, fostering deep...

What happens when faith and perseverance meet extraordinary generosity? Former missionary and devoted #LatterDayLights fan Larry McCally reflects on how his unwavering faith and trust in the still, small voice of the Lord have guided him through numerous trials. Faced with the pivotal choice between serving a mission or joining the Air Force, Larry couldn’t have imagined that this decision would s...

When face to face with your greatest fear, will you listen to God’s “yes”? From a life-altering near-death experience as a young boy, artist and leatherworker Derek Tucker shares how this profound moment planted the seeds of his faith, completely oblivious to the impact it would have on the rest of his life. Though it would take years before he fully embraced the Gospel, Derek recounts teenhood an...

Can miracles find their way to the most wounded hearts? Mother, wife, and soon-to-be author, Nicole Gustad, entered the world with a hole in her heart. Baffling doctors with her condition, this turned out to be the first chapter of a story woven with trials. From surviving open-heart surgery as a baby, to walking through life with clubbed feet, to bearing the unimaginable loss of her infant daught...

We often talk about navigating life's storms with faith and resilience, but what if that's your actual job? Jake Jacobsen, a seasoned Bering Sea crab Captain, recounts harrowing tales of survival, miraculous interventions, and spiritual insights that have carried him through incredibly dangerous waters and unimaginable hardships. His wife PJ, with grace and strength, describes how she fo...

Have you ever felt like you’ve strayed too far from God to ever come back? In this episode of Latter-Day Lights, Tonya Wirfs shares her personal story of walking away from the Church with her family, and how, through God’s grace, she found her way back. After years of feeling disconnected from the gospel, Tonya experienced a spiritual awakening that reignited her faith and testimony. Join us as To...

Sometimes, life’s toughest challenges can lead us to our most profound discoveries. In this episode of Latter-day Lights, Alan Smith shares how the heartbreaking loss of his infant son set him on a journey of self-discovery through the Spirit. He explains how looking through our "context lenses"—the stories and beliefs that shape our perspective—can help us see life more clearly and find...

In this episode, Tracy shares some incredible stories of the challenges, trials, blessings, and joys she's experienced throughout her life, along with some valuable life lessons she's learned along the way. From struggling with self-worth and seeking forgiveness, to becoming a divorced single mother at 19 and serving her own special mission, to building a career as a professional horse j...

Can you imagine losing your husband when you're only 22 years old? In this weeks episode, Sheri Ramirez shares her heartbreaking story of young love, and the tragic loss of her first husband to a rare kidney disease. She also opens up and shares her struggle with emotional infidelity in the midst of trying to cope with the overwhelming challenges and trials of life. Fortunately, through her f...

In this episode, Morgan Dastrup shares his story of how God loves us unconditionally and is always there for us, even when we make mistakes or things don't go as planned in our lives. As Morgan opens up about his journey, he takes us through some of the highs and lows of his life—from educational challenges, to serving a mission, to online dating, and the painful impact of addiction. His raw...

How do we help our youth struggling with mental heath? In this episode, Dr. Kyle Jones openly shares his 20-year journey through the challenges of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and how the power of faith has helped him through it. This episode breaks down the stigma surrounding mental illness within religious communities and emphasizes the importance of a comprehensiv...

When Vinney was 25 he died in a Dairy Queen bathroom. His original episode was so incredible that we invited him back for a in-depth Q&A session to answer some of the pressing questions about his Near-Death Experience that our viewers have had since being on the show. This episode explores how Vinney's NDE has impacted his career path, and the emotional, spiritual, and financial challenge...

What does it take to raise a blended family in the church? Donna Morris shares her incredible journey of becoming a step-mother to 6 children at age 23, and navigating the unique challenges of trying to raise a blended family in the gospel. Now a mother of 9 and a grandmother of 8, she reflects on some of the many experiences, difficulties, trials, and blessings that have helped to strengthen her...

What if education could be the key to breaking the cycle of generational poverty? Join us as we welcome back Emily Hemmert for her third appearance, sharing remarkable updates on the Marcovia Project - a nonprofit initiative that has transformed the lives of 122 students in Honduras. From the crucial role of the church's Self-Reliance Program to the power of small business loans, Emily discus...

In this episode, Angel Coates shares the heartbreaking loss of losing her husband to a tragic car accident, and how her and her family were able to lean on their knowledge of the gospel and the promise of eternal families to give them peace. Angel also shares how, through this difficult experience she's been able to provide additional comfort and hope to others who are also struggling with va...

Have you ever been on the run for your life?  In this episode, April Giaugue shares her gripping story of marrying a husband with Schizophrenia, and living for years in a difficult and dangerous world that constantly blurred the lines between reality and fantasy. With the church as her north star, she held on to her faith during the darkest times of her life, realizing that Heavenly Father was pla...

In this episode, Grant Johnson, a psychology student from Southern Virginia University, opens up about his battle with video game addiction and how it affected the world around him, including his mood, motivation, relationships, and even his view of reality. Fortunately, Grant was able to find ways to overcome his addiction, serve a mission, and get married. He is now on a new mission to teach oth...

From a young age growing up in a Catholic home, Fred had strong desires to become a priest, but several years into his studies he realized that he had a lot more questions than answers. Fortunately, through a series of inspired events, Fred was able to find the answers he was looking for in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and has been a faithful member ever since. As a professiona...