Why We Stay Podcast

In this episode of the Why We Stay Podcast, hosts Kalyx and Hannah explore the themes of faith, vulnerability, and the complexities of church life. Hannah shares her personal journey of faith, including the impact of her family's struggles and her experiences navigating church alone. The conversation delves into the nature of God, the concept of eternal families, and the importance of love and communication in overcoming life's challenges. Listeners are invited to reflect on their own journeys and find strength in their faith amidst trials. This is Why She Stays.

In this episode of the Why We Stay podcast, Kalyx welcomes new co-host Hannah, who opens up about her personal faith journey and struggles. The discussion then shifts to Wakana’s compelling conversion story, exploring her spiritual transformation, the power of prayer, and a profound dream in which she encounters Jesus Christ. Throughout the conversation, the episode highlights the importance of community, friendship, and the shared experiences that shape faith. Wakana candidly reflects on her challenges, from seeking family acceptance to the joy of baptism and the unwavering support of friends. Her story underscores the strength found in faith, the resilience to overcome obstacles, and the joy of embracing the gospel. This heartfelt discussion encourages listeners to approach their own spiritual journeys with openness and courage. This is Why Wakana Stays.

In this episode of the Why We Stay Podcast, host Kalyx welcomes Allie Bills, a fellow podcast host and aspiring musician, who shares her journey of faith, personal struggles, and the importance of community in nurturing one's beliefs. Allie discusses her new podcast, Continued Conversion, which focuses on the experiences of believers in maintaining their faith amidst life's challenges. The conversation delves into Allie's personal battles with self-esteem and eating disorders, her transformative mission experience, and the profound impact of her grandmother's wisdom during her final days. The episode emphasizes the significance of understanding the Atonement of Jesus Christ and invites listeners to explore their own faith journeys.

Lexi shares her journey of addiction and recovery within the context of her faith. She discusses her early experiences in the Church, her struggles with various addictions, and the support she received from loved ones and priesthood leaders. Lexi emphasizes the importance of living a recovery lifestyle and finding healing through the Atonement. She also highlights the significance of the temple in her life and the love she feels there. Despite setbacks, Lexi remains committed to her faith and continues to fight for sobriety and spiritual growth. In this conversation, Lexi shares her journey of overcoming addiction and finding healing through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She discusses the challenges she faced, the role of religion in her recovery, and the importance of vulnerability. Lexi also highlights the Addiction Recovery Program offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the impact it has had on her healing process. The conversation emphasizes the power of prayer and developing a personal relationship with Heavenly Father. This is Why She Stays.

Lexi shares her journey of addiction and recovery within the context of her faith. She discusses her early experiences in the Church, her struggles with various addictions, and the support she received from loved ones and priesthood leaders. Lexi emphasizes the importance of living a recovery lifestyle and finding healing through the Atonement. She also highlights the significance of the temple in her life and the love she feels there. Despite setbacks, Lexi remains committed to her faith and continues to fight for sobriety and spiritual growth. In this conversation, Lexi shares her journey of overcoming addiction and finding healing through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She discusses the challenges she faced, the role of religion in her recovery, and the importance of vulnerability. Lexi also highlights the Addiction Recovery Program offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the impact it has had on her healing process. The conversation emphasizes the power of prayer and developing a personal relationship with Heavenly Father. This is Why She Stays.

In this conversation, Kalyx Bell and David Snell explore David's journey in creating Latter-day Saint content, the evolution of Saints Unscripted into Keystone, and the complexities of faith and belief. They discuss the process of spiritual growth, cognitive dissonance, and the importance of focusing on one's relationship with Christ amidst the challenges of church history and doctrine. David shares insights on navigating faith, embracing ambiguity, and the significance of personal experiences in shaping belief. The conversation concludes with an invitation for listeners to slow down and reflect on their own faith journeys. This is Why He Stays.

In this episode, Collin Tibbitts shares his journey of reflection and growth in his faith. He discusses the challenges he faced and how he found inspiration in the stories of others. Collin emphasizes the importance of being intentional in our relationship with God and seeking personal experiences with Him. He encourages listeners to take care of themselves physically, mentally, and spiritually, and to make time for stillness and reflection. Collin also highlights the power of keeping a record of spiritual experiences and testifying of God's love. He concludes by inviting listeners to live intentionally and seek God in their lives. This is Why He Stays.

Amy discusses her experience with Women on the Stand, a movement to have women in leadership positions on the stand during church conferences. She explains the importance of women's voices being heard and represented in all aspects of the church. Amy shares her personal testimony and belief in the doctrine of continuous revelation and the need for change in the church's organizational structure. She encourages both men and women to actively participate in creating a culture of partnership and equality within the church. This is Why She Stays.

Summary Brothaz in the Foyer is a podcast created by a group of black men who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They share their experiences as black members of the LDS church in Utah and aim to create a space where black men can gather and discuss their faith. The podcast is inspired and supported by the Lord, and the members of the group have seen positive reinforcement and impact on individuals through their discussions. Their diverse backgrounds and cultures contribute to their ability to reach and connect with a wide range of people. In this conversation, 2 of 7 hosts of their podcast, William Kennedy and Isiah Gray share their personal experiences and perspectives as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They discuss their journeys of faith, the challenges they faced, and the importance of cultural diversity within the Church. They emphasize the need for individuals to come to know their personal identity and develop a strong relationship with their Savior. They also address the messy history of the Church and the importance of acknowledging past injustices. Overall, they encourage listeners to seek God, embrace their unique gifts and talents, and work towards unity in the family of God. This is Why They Stay.

Jayden Laursen shares his journey of leaving and returning to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He talks about his experience serving on church Seminary Council and the difficulty of leaving that calling. Jayden reflects on his life before coming back to the Church and the negative influences he had. He emphasizes the importance of repentance and finding true happiness in Christ. Jayden also discusses the challenges of being the only one in his family living the gospel standards and the support he has found in his ward family and stake presidency. Jayden Laursen shares his experience with anxiety, depression, and finding comfort in Jesus Christ. He talks about feeling the pressure to always be happy and strong in his faith, but realizing that it's okay to struggle with mental health. He emphasizes the importance of having a support system and reaching out for help. Jayden also discusses the need to be vulnerable and open about our struggles, as it can inspire and uplift others. He encourages listeners to be intentional in their actions, aligning them with Christ's teachings, and to serve and love others as He would. This is Why He Stays.

Jayden Laursen shares his journey of leaving and returning to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He talks about his experience serving on church Seminary Council and the difficulty of leaving that calling. Jayden reflects on his life before coming back to the Church and the negative influences he had. He emphasizes the importance of repentance and finding true happiness in Christ. Jayden also discusses the challenges of being the only one in his family living the gospel standards and the support he has found in his ward family and stake presidency. Jayden Laursen shares his experience with anxiety, depression, and finding comfort in Jesus Christ. He talks about feeling the pressure to always be happy and strong in his faith, but realizing that it's okay to struggle with mental health. He emphasizes the importance of having a support system and reaching out for help. Jayden also discusses the need to be vulnerable and open about our struggles, as it can inspire and uplift others. He encourages listeners to be intentional in their actions, aligning them with Christ's teachings, and to serve and love others as He would. This is Why He Stays.

Brayden shares his journey from growing up in an active LDS family to serving a mission in South Carolina. During his mission, his parents began questioning their faith, which caused Brayden to doubt his beliefs. However, he found strength in his mission experiences and the power of prayer. Brayden's testimony was strengthened by the miracles he witnessed and the guidance he received while serving. Upon returning home, he faced the challenge of transitioning back to regular life and navigating the differences between mission and church cultures. This is Why He Stays

Brayden McLaughlin shares his story of growing up in an active LDS family and his decision to serve a mission in South Carolina. During his mission, his parents went through a faith crisis and left the Church, which caused Brayden to question his own beliefs. Despite the challenges, he found strength in his mission experiences and the power of prayer. He shares stories of finding people to teach and feeling the Spirit guide his words. Brayden's testimony was strengthened through these experiences and he continues to rely on them when facing doubts. This is Why He Stays

Amy’s episode touches on her family’s journey and test of faith with managing and coping with her father’s challenge with addiction. It can be incredibly challenging to be around circumstances that have inevitable negative consequences and just negative feelings towards someone you love and care about. There’s a lot of decisions to be made in scenarios like Amy’s. Amy shares her childhood journey into adulthood that was guided by her resilient mother which evidently portrayed in this episode, set up Amy with the confidence and foundation of faith in Christ, despite the circumstances, to choose to lean on Christ during this season of her life. While these circumstances are subjective to every family, perspective is key in all aspects of faith challenges. This episode highlights the importance that we are not defined by our pasts or our mistakes but by the intents of our hearts. We CAN heal from our traumas all because of faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement.

As someone who’s been everywhere else but church, Sariah shares her story of experiencing intense circumstances as a result of her own choices and the choices of others. Having dealt with judgmental church leaders and family members, personal vices, being placed in situations with no control, and wanted to do anything but what was expected, she shares her story of conversion, growth, and Why She Chose to return and to stay in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 9 years ago. Her story comes full circle. Listen now!

Jennifer, like many of us really thrive off of finding and establishing deep connections in our communities. Specifically, in our church congregations. However, even though the gospel of Jesus Christ will always be the same no matter where you go, congregations in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are not the same wherever you go. This made it easy for many and as mentioned in this episode, for Jennifer, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to possibly opt out of church attendance, question their relationship with the gospel, etc…However, Jennifer shares that its okay to evaluate your intention behind how you live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because at the end of the day, your faith journey is truly between you and God. We must work together as congregations in our church to serve one another like Christ did. Become truly, the family of God and become one as God has asked us to be. This is Why She Stays.

Founder and owner of Salt & Hart, making the gospel and gospel learning simple and simply approachable through a minimalistic style of product. A recent passion project sourced from gospel truth, is focusing on your identity as a child of God and sourcing your worth from things of the infinite. Beth shares her struggles as a business owner, mother, and now service missionary, and the duty she feels called to fulfill as she tries to create more light in a darkened world. This is Why She Stays.

In this episode of the Why We Stay Podcast, host Kalyx welcomes Allie Bills, a fellow podcast host and aspiring musician, who shares her journey of faith, personal struggles, and the importance of community in nurturing one's beliefs. Allie discusses her new podcast, Continued Conversion, which focuses on the experiences of believers in maintaining their faith amidst life's challenges. The conversation delves into Allie's personal battles with self-esteem and eating disorders, her transformative mission experience, and the profound impact of her grandmother's wisdom during her final days. The episode emphasizes the significance of understanding the Atonement of Jesus Christ and invites listeners to explore their own faith journeys.

“I left Idaho to move to Utah to leave and escape the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!” An eager Tyler wanting to do anything and everything to get away from a church he and especially a culture he no longer found belonging in. After a number of years and attempts to steer away from any religion, going as far as removing his records from the church, God’s call to Tyler was both subtle and clear invitations to return to the fold. This inspired him to be more intentional and find what his true ‘Why’ is as a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A ‘Why’ that is founded upon a renewed and refined perspective on pure faith in Jesus Christ despite the inevitable judgements he knew he’d receive and did receive in his efforts to do so. This is Why He Stays.

Author, podcast host, husband, and former avid bowler, Nathan has a huge passion for helping others. Sometimes as Latter Day Saints, we feel stuck and not knowing how to navigate our faith journey. Nathan’s journey is evidence of that. But through his experiences, he has slowly been able to answer that question through prayerful reliance on God. You simply just have to start somewhere. This is Why He Stays.