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

When trials get steep and hope runs thin, what keeps you hanging on to faith?

This Sunday, our 5-part “Faith to Stay” miniseries reaches its finale with a candid round-table discussion on “Enduring to the End.” Latter-Day Lights hosts Scott Brandley and Alisha Coakley welcome viral missionary Carter Ellis, and faith-forged father Jon Coakley—to unpack why staying aboard the gospel “ship” matters more than ever.

From Carter’s galvaniz...

When you discover ancient artifacts and petroglyphs near Nauvoo Illinois that support the Book of Mormon, do you keep it to yourself or share it?

Episode 4 of our 5-part miniseries “Faith to Stay” unearths several ancient artifacts & petroglyphs—a vivid chapter in Latter-Day Lights host & founder Scott Brandley’s new book on standing firm through spiritual storms.

This week, the Brandley family—Scott, and ...

When guilt feels heavier than hope, can forgiveness still rewrite our story?

Episode 3 of our 5-part miniseries "Faith to Stay" tackles “Repentance & Forgiveness”—a burning topic in Latter-Day Lights host & founder Scott Brandley’s new book about navigating life’s fiercest spiritual storms. How are repentance and forgiveness interconnected, and how do we walk through them to achieve lasting peace?

How do you keep your faith when questions feel louder than answers?

This Sunday, episode 2 of our 5-part “Faith to Stay” miniseries dives into the idea of “Primary vs. Secondary Questions”—a core principle from Latter-Day Lights host and founder Scott Brandley’s new book on weathering spiritual storms.

Joined by returning guests—near-death survivor, Jerry Paskett, and Catholic-turned-Latter-day Saint, Dr. Fred Dod...

How do you keep your faith strong in the world we live in today?

This Sunday, we kickoff a special 5-part miniseries called “Faith to Stay”, that discusses topics from Latter-Day Light's host and founder, Scott Brandley’s latest book on “strengthening faith during the storms of life.”

In episode 1, past guests Sheri Ramirez, Shane Baldwin, and Dusty Smith return to the show to share their eye-opening insights...

What if the darkest parts of your past were the very things God used to lead you home?

On today’s episode of Latter-day Lights, we meet Becky Sheffer—a woman whose childhood was marked by addiction, neglect, trauma, and instability. But through it all, small miracles began to appear—moments that quietly pointed her toward something greater.

From squatting in abandoned homes and riding across the country in a broke...

How does a parent stand back up when every corner of home echoes with grief?

For EMT, educator, and loving mother Larissa Dagley, tragedy began at her teen son Cody’s shooting incident—a moment that left Cody drowning in relentless nightmares and bullying for the remainder of his life. Overwhelmed by guilt and depression, Cody took his own life almost 2 years later, plunging Larissa into a darkness so crushing, she feared ...

When a father's greatest nightmare strikes his family not once but twice, can Heaven still find a way to spark hope?

Idaho rancher, husband, and devoted father Eldon Buchanan returns to Latter-day Lights to share the sacred tender mercies that steadied him after losing his son to suicide: Feeling the invisible strength of his son hoisting boulders for his memorial, a climb up Mount Borah where the Northern Lights felt...

What if the worst day of your life was actually part of a divine plan to save someone else?

In this powerful episode of Latter-day Lights, Tracy Jo Rollins returns to share the miraculous story of her near-fatal car crash, the traveling angels who protected her, and the unexpected calling that followed. From life-threatening injuries to divine protection, her story will leave you breathless and believing in miracles.
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When pillars of certainty crumble, is it possible to rebuild something even stronger in their place?

When two trusted ward members announced they were leaving the Church, newly called bishop Scott Brandley was rocked to the core. Overnight, the man called to strengthen spirituality in others found himself wrestling with his own doubts, spiralling into a crisis of faith, and stripping his testimony down to five essential qu...

Have you ever stopped to consider how many small miracles have quietly shaped your life?

In this week’s episode of Latter-day Lights, we sit down with David Anderson—a husband, father of eleven, and grandfather of twenty-eight—whose life is a beautiful tapestry of tender mercies, quiet revelations, and sacred moments.

From losing his mother as a baby to discovering faith as a teenager, from extraordinary mission ...

When a simple curiosity of well-worn scripture leads to a full-fledged passion, can the pages of history strengthen our faith even more?

For family man and dedicated Book of Mormon collector, Robert Messick, the answer is a resounding YES! In this fascinating episode of Latter-day Lights, Robert takes us on a journey through centuries of rare and unique Book of Mormon editions—from early RLDS printings and first-edition 18...

What if your most devastating life storms are actually clearing the path to your greater purpose?

From the outside, Bethany Harger was living the dream—temple marriage, young children, and a promising future. But behind closed doors, crippling depression left her bedridden while her husband battled addiction.

After two divorces, custody battles across state lines, and periods of homelessness, Bethany found herself...

When years of crippling addiction tighten its grip, can a sliver of lasting change still exist?

For carpenter, devoted husband, and former addict Orlando Mora, the path out of darkness was illuminated not just through sobriety and faith, but by a heaven-sent “gift of dreams.” From his first prayer of desperation to the day he opened the door to two unexpected missionaries, Orlando discovered that God’s guidance comes in many forms—s...

What would you do if you felt an undeniable prompting that could mean the difference between life and death?

In this episode of Latter-Day Lights, Kaitlynn Smalley shares how a series of quiet but urgent promptings guided her through a sudden life-threatening medical crisis that ultimately led to a miraculous liver transplant.

Through every challenge, she found herself led by an unseen hand—sometimes at the very ...

When the weight of financial and emotional struggles weigh down an entire community, can one visionary effort hold the power to lift them all?

For mental health therapist and father of four, Anthony Hemmert's path to aiding others began with a heartfelt desire to do more than just hand out money. Together with his wife Emily, the Hemmerts founded the Marcovia Project in Honduras—a holistic nonprofit that does far more...

Have you ever felt like no matter how far you drift, something keeps pulling you back? 

In today’s episode we hear the story of Melanie, who grew up without religion, found the Church, and then walked away from it for nearly 30 years.  But fortunately, through a series of miracles, she found her way back.

From surviving a turbulent and abusive past to experiencing moments of profound revelation and protection, Melanie's journey ...

When your world crumbles beneath the weight of sudden loss, can a fleeting miracle open your eyes to the closeness of Heaven?

For mother, florist, and part-time mortuary hairdresser, Karen Poulsen, the unexpected passing of her beloved son Tanner tore her world apart—leaving a gaping wound that no earthly comfort could seem to fill. But in those darkest hours, she felt him through mundane yet extraordinary moments that cou...