Matthew Struggled with Same-Sex Attraction, was Excommunicated, then Found Freedom in Jesus Christ
“ When I rooted my identity in the Lord like I never have before, I realized that I am not the carnal desires of my body… “Therefore, crucify the lusts of the flesh and walk in the spirit.” (Gal 5:5). As I’ve done that, I have come to realize full-heartedly, I am not my sexuality.. in the scriptures it says freedom comes where the spirit of the Lord is, and freedom comes when sin is no longer your master. I have experienced freedom from same-sex attraction. It doesn’t mean that God came and removed the thorn in my side, but it means that when I walk in His Spirit, I can stand immovable and unwavering in the face of temptation as Jesus did.” – Follow Matthew on socials: @mattrichardson.official on Instagram – 00:00 Paralyzed By Blackmail 06:35 Teen Years And Inner Turmoil 14:33 Identity Shattered 18:43 Mission Highs And Dark Relapse 26:50 Divorce and Dark Spiral 32:25 Rock Bottom to Scripture Routine 38:49 Deliverance and New Life 46:05 Baptism Miracle – Tickets to the Come Back to Christ Event: www.comebackpodcast.org Mike’s Auto Shack https://mikesautoshack.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ – If you have a story to share please submit here: https://comebackpodcast.org/submissions/ – For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com – Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
Kristin removed her records- then Jesus led her back through miracles and angels from the other side
“‘I’m done doing these things alone. I’m ready to submit to your will. I’m gonna let go of all my beliefs, all the things I think I know. I’m gonna let go of all of that, and I just want You to guide me forward.’ I told Him, ‘I don’t know if this church is true, but it’s where I feel comfortable. So just show me. Be with me. Show me, let me know I’m going the right direction.’” 00:00 Kristin’s Personal Struggles 06:04 Struggles with Faith and Church Attendance 12:14 Turning to Alcohol and Personal Challenges 19:22 Husband Coming Out and Personal Downfall 37:04 Struggles with a Controlling Partner 43:42 A Lifeline and a Prayer 56:22 Finding Love and Sharing the Journey Memor Jewelry code COMEBACK for 10% off https://memorjewelry.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ If you have a story to share please contact ashly.comebackpodcast@gmail.com For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
Jared Halverson on consecrating your faith crisis..”Jesus takes brokenness and turns it into beauty”
Recorded at our Fall Come Back to Christ Event in Provo, UT. “I’m grateful for all that Jesus does with our brokenness. He doesn’t believe in creation ex nihilo, creation out of nothing. We don’t believe in it. Jesus doesn’t do it that way. He takes stuff and if you have stuff then you have something to offer. If you have brokenness, if you have doubt, if you have concern, if you have questions, if you have sin, if you have struggle, if you have sorrow, if you have broken hearts and contrite spirits or even broken covenants, whatever you’ve got, it’s stuff. It’s matter. And if you will consecrate to God your crisis, he can create something beautiful.” 00:00 Mama Bear Moment 01:53 The Prodigal Party 03:25 Personal Prodigal Stories 13:12 The Role of a Judge 18:58 Gospel Tangents and Celestial Slingshots 32:05 The Fortunate Fall 35:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Memor Jewelry code COMEBACK for 10% offhttps://memorjewelry.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% offhttps://serveclothing.com/Mike’s Auto Shackhttps://mikesautoshack.com/ If you have a story to share please contact ashly.comebackpodcast@gmail.com For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
Leland’s journey: How Jesus Christ helped a gay man find a place in His restored church
“God has been miraculous. And the best thing that ever happened is I learned that I love Jesus Christ. I love what he does for us. I know he is real and I know that he loves me, which I never knew that before. I was just going through those experiences to have to tell the story here, and there’s just so much more about being a gay man and navigating through the church.” Come Back Team Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Cara Reed Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell Episode sponsor: Serve Clothing https://serveclothing.com/?gad_source=1
Paula was the only black member of her family, after her first boyfriend she realized she was gay. How she has battled and overcome her trials
“When I was in Young Women’s, one of the themes was… ‘I’m a daughter of Heavenly Father who loves us and we love Him.’ You always say those things but I never really thought about what it really meant. And then I really thought about it one time, like, I’m a daughter of Heavenly Father. Which means if I have inherited things from my earthly parents, I must have inherited things from my heavenly parents. That means I have a divine potential. We all have divine potential! Which means that we can do things that we cannot even imagine. There are people doing things around us that we never thought possible until somebody does it. Just the knowledge that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and Mother and that they really love me. They know me. They know everything about me. They know more about me than I know. Knowing that gives me so much strength. So now every day I use this as an affirmation. I say to myself, I’m a daughter of heavenly parents. I have divine potential. I have the power to overcome everything. I have Christlike love inside of me. I receive this love from others and I give this love to other people. Doing this makes me strong, it helps me keep the commandments.” Link to Paula’s eBook: https://www.lulu.com/shop/paula-andriessen-and-debbie-drennan-bennett-and-heidi-gassman-yates-and-griffins/the-power-to-overcome-everything-ebook/ebook/product-w4vzkzv.html?page=1&pageSize=4 https://www.plantwhys.com/comeback 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
At a young age Julio struggled to reconcile being gay and an active member of the LDS church. After living an alternative lifestyle, he turns to Christ and his heart is transformed.
“Jesus’s first miracle was to transform water into wine. It was almost a foreshadowing of what He can do. He can transform things, He can transform people. I feel like that’s what He’s done with my life. Not about being gay — it’s never been just about that. But going from pride and not knowing, to knowing good from evil and becoming perhaps a little bit more humble than I was back then. I just love the teachings of the church around family. Without that, I would not have even tried to have a family.” – Julio’s Voice(s) of Hope video: https://youtu.be/i7gfejDrdn8?si=MPfYluHfW1c3DNPw NorthStar Conference Conference ACT IN DOCTRINE by Elder Bednar: https://youtu.be/69y9KbnEO-w?si=QwVAzgy4H-yZ_A9Q Conference talk: ”A Return to Virtue” by Elaine S. Dalton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N06uAxRJngc ”Wrong Roads” story by Elder Holland: https://youtu.be/yNQC-_srxH8?si=uR8oi0biX80tglyf – 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
Andrew left the church after feelings of rejection by fellow members. Through the Spirit of Christ he was drawn back.
“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: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia
Hannah gradually went inactive as a young adult. After experiencing many hardships, she found herself being fellowshipped back by her friends and family.
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 part of my life. I am eternally grateful for them because I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have those people in my life that made an effort.” 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
Bekah’s experience with family falling away, girls camp, and intimate moments that helped guide her back to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
“Be open to other people’s opinions. I used to think ‘This church is either true or it is not.’ I never thought there could be any gray area. The way I saw everything was so black and white, but that is something I have learned is to be open to other possibilities. Don’t just cut everything off because one thing doesn’t make sense.” — Recommended: Book: When It Doesn’t Make Sense, by John Bytheway __ 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
Jared Halverson discusses difficult questions on the Book of Mormon and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ – January Book Club
“If I intend to make a difference in this dispensation, it’s gathering together in one all things in Christ. And I need the understanding of my LGBT brothers and sisters. I need the understanding of ex Latter-day Saints, because they can show us our blind spots in ways no one else can. I need the experiences and perspectives of everyone, until we form one great whole of truth. Until we can say to our Parents in Heaven, ‘We are all coming home.’ And that to me is what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about.” — Recommended: -Jared’s YouTube channel and podcast: “Unshaken” -For positive interfaith dialogue, YouTube channel by Pastor Jeff: “Hello Saints” -Ahmad Corbitt’s perspectives on racial issues within church history and the Book of Mormon — 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