Advertise on podcast: The LDS Mission Podcast

Missionary parents and mission leaders, what do you do when your missionary says, "I think I want to come home"? Maybe they say it directly, maybe you hear it between the lines, or maybe you can just tell that something isn't going well. In that moment, it can be so easy to panic, jump into problem-solving, or immediately start trying to convince them to stay. In this episode, I'm sharing a practical framework for supporting a missionary who is thinking about coming home earlier than planned. We'll talk about why "I want to come home" can sometimes mean "I don't know how to keep doing this in this way," why your first job is to understand rather than persuade, and how to help your missionary make an intentional decision instead of one driven only by discomfort, guilt, shame, or people-pleasing. I'll also talk about what belongs to you as a parent, what belongs to your missionary, how mission leaders can create more space for agency, and what to say when someone actually does come home early. You can believe in your missionary's ability to do hard things without insisting they do those things your way. My hope is that you leave feeling more prepared to listen, love, support, and trust your missionary through whatever decision they ultimately make. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 04:18 – When Your Missionary Says, "I Want to Come Home" 06:12 – Understand Before You Try to Convince 07:26 – Don't Make the Decision Just to Escape an Emotion 09:08 – Staying From Guilt Isn't the Goal Either 12:26 – Your Feelings Are Yours to Process 15:23 – Their Mission Is Their Life 21:16 – A Note to Mission Leaders: Slow Down and Listen 24:35 – How You Respond Matters 26:51 – What Not to Say When a Missionary Comes Home Early 28:52 – Believe in Them Without Insisting They Do It Your Way   Website | Instagram | Facebook 5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE Free PDF Download: Podcast Roadmap Free PDF Download: Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet Free Training for Preparing Missionaries: Change Your Mission with this One Tool RM Transition Free Video Series: 3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home Free Guide: 5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary Schedule a Free Strategy Call: Click Here

LDS Missionary: Have you ever noticed that once your brain decides something is true, it suddenly seems to find evidence for it everywhere? Maybe you've decided your companion is annoying, you're not a good teacher, or your area is terrible, and before long, that's almost all you can see. In this episode, I'm talking about the idea that what you focus on grows. We'll look at how your brain naturally filters information, how confirmation bias can keep strengthening what you already believe, and why being intentional about where you place your attention can change the way you experience your mission, your relationships, and even yourself. This isn't about pretending hard things aren't hard or forcing yourself to be positive. It's about noticing what you're repeatedly training your brain to find. I'll also talk about the difference between feeling an emotion and feeding an emotion, why redirecting your focus doesn't mean avoiding your problems, and how being present with whatever is right in front of you can create more peace, connection, joy, and meaning. My hope is that you start noticing where your attention is going and remember that you get to be intentional about what you want to grow. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 02:24 – Your Brain Is Always Looking for Something 03:12 – Your Brain Will Find Evidence for What You Believe 05:30 – Which Wolf Are You Feeding? 06:49 – What Are You Training Your Brain to Look For? 08:44 – Focusing on What Is Good 10:40 – Your Circumstances Don't Have to Change First 12:01 – Redirecting Your Focus 13:47 – Feeling an Emotion vs. Feeding an Emotion 16:40 – Focus Brings You Into the Present 18:32 – There Is No "Right" Way to Focus 21:45 – What Are You Feeding With Your Attention?   Website | Instagram | Facebook 5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE Free PDF Download: Podcast Roadmap Free PDF Download: Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet Free Training for Preparing Missionaries: Change Your Mission with this One Tool RM Transition Free Video Series: 3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home Free Guide: 5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary Schedule a Free Strategy Call: Click Here

Hey LDS missionary: have you ever noticed that when a big emotion shows up, you tend to do one of two things? Maybe you push it down, minimize it, or tell yourself you shouldn't feel that way. Or maybe you swing the other direction and suddenly the emotion feels urgent, scary, or like evidence that something has gone wrong. In this episode, I'm talking about what it looks like to put emotions in their proper place. We'll explore the difference between underpaying and overpaying attention to what you feel, why emotions can be useful information without always being perfectly accurate, and how a little calm curiosity can help you understand what's actually going on instead of immediately trying to fix, suppress, or obey the feeling. I'll also walk you through five ways to work with emotion: normalize it, get curious, stop resisting yourself, remove the morality, and listen to what the emotion is trying to tell you. My hope is that you learn to let your emotions have a voice without giving them the final decision. You don't have to leave them on the side of the road, stuff them in the trunk, or let them drive. You can give them a seat in the car and still stay in the driver's seat. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 02:38 – What Does It Mean to Put Emotions in Their Proper Place? 04:36 – When We Underpay Attention to Emotion 07:24 – When We Overpay Attention to Emotion 10:13 – Calm Curiosity Instead of Urgency 11:49 – Emotions Are Information 15:51 – Five Ways to Put Emotion in Its Proper Place 19:06 – Stop Resisting Yourself 21:02 – Your Feelings Are Not a Measure of Your Worth 23:20 – Give the Emotion a Voice, Not the Final Decision 27:03 – How This Builds Self-Trust and Resilience 30:20 – Give Emotions a Seat, But Keep Driving   Website | Instagram | Facebook 5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE Free PDF Download: Podcast Roadmap Free PDF Download: Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet Free Training for Preparing Missionaries: Change Your Mission with this One Tool RM Transition Free Video Series: 3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home Free Guide: 5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary Schedule a Free Strategy Call: Click Here

As an LDS missionary, ave you ever had a picture in your head of how a transfer on your mission was supposed to go, only to have the actual experience look completely different? Maybe you expected a certain companion, a baptism, more confidence, better language skills, or a strong finish to your mission. And when reality doesn't match the version you imagined, it can be easy to feel disappointed, stressed, or like something has gone wrong. In this episode, I'm talking about transfer expectations and the difference between having a hope or preference and turning that preference into a requirement for you to feel okay. We'll look at the expectations we put on our companions, mission leaders, areas, outcomes, and even ourselves, and how those expectations can quietly become a measuring stick we use against the mission we're actually having. I also want to help you hold your expectations a little more loosely. You can want something without needing it to happen. You can accept the reality of your transfer without pretending you love everything about it. And you don't have to wait for the baptism, the next transfer, or the end of your mission to finally feel successful, satisfied, or at peace. Those feelings are available to you now. My hope is that you can spend a little less time comparing your mission to the one you imagined and a little more time actually living the one you have. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 03:56 – The Transfer You Expected vs. the Transfer You're Having 05:31 – Is Reality Disappointing, or Is the Expectation? 06:50 – When Expectations Become a Measuring Stick 09:07 – Preference vs. Requirement 10:27 – The Unwritten Scripts We Give Other People 11:57 – Expectations You Put on Yourself 13:41 – Hold the Expectation Loosely 16:12 – Acceptance Doesn't Mean You Have to Like It 18:17 – The Feeling You Want Is Available Now 19:58 – It's Okay to Feel Trunky 21:05 – Live the Transfer You're Actually Having   Website | Instagram | Facebook 5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE Free PDF Download: Podcast Roadmap Free PDF Download: Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet Free Training for Preparing Missionaries: Change Your Mission with this One Tool RM Transition Free Video Series: 3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home Free Guide: 5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary Schedule a Free Strategy Call: Click Here

To all the LDS returned missionaries out there: have any of you come home from your mission and realized that some of your old relationships just don't fit quite the same anymore? You've changed. You've had new experiences, learned new ways of thinking, and maybe become more confident speaking up or trusting yourself. But the people you're coming home to may still expect you to step right back into the role you played before your mission. In this episode, I'm talking about how to navigate tough relationships as a returned missionary without feeling like you have to fix everyone around you. We'll talk about staying in your own lane, checking the "fuel" behind your actions, knowing when to speak up and when silence might actually be the more powerful choice, and remembering that even when you come from love and compassion, you still don't get to control someone else's outcome. I also want to help you think differently about boundaries, forgiveness, and trusting yourself after your mission. Loving someone doesn't require you to participate in every difficult dynamic. You can love people, forgive people, create space when you need it, and make choices that honor everyone in the story, including you. My hope is that you leave this episode feeling more confident in your ability to stand your sacred ground without shrinking, puffing up, or trying to control the people you love. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.     00:00 – Introduction   01:37 – Why Relationships Can Feel Different After Your Mission   03:48 – You Changed, But Your Old Family Dynamics May Not Have   06:23 – Stay in Your Lane: There Are Two People in Every Relationship   09:14 – You Don't Get to Control Someone Else's Outcome   10:52 – Check the Fuel Behind Speaking Up   14:56 – When Not Saying Anything Can Be Powerful   18:02 – Boundaries, Forgiveness, and Knowing When to Step Away   23:09 – Boundaries Are About How You Want to Show Up   23:58 – Trust Yourself in Tough Relationships   25:15 – Don't Shrink, Don't Puff Up, Stand Your Sacred Ground     Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download: Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download: Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries: Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series: 3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide: 5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call: Click Here

Have you ever wondered whether the small, repetitive things you're doing actually matter? Maybe missionary work, school, dating, motherhood, personal growth, or simply showing up for your life has started to feel like a grind. You may not feel motivated, inspired, or especially confident, but you keep putting one foot in front of the other. In this episode, I'm sharing some tender, off-the-cuff thoughts about consistency, missionary discouragement, and the impact of continuing to show up. We'll explore why consistency doesn't have to look the same for everyone, why going through the motions can sometimes be enough, and why the "ugh" part of doing hard things doesn't mean that something has gone wrong. I want to remind you that your small efforts matter, even when you can't immediately see the results. Every lesson, conversation, workout, social event, late-night feeding, podcast episode, or seemingly insignificant act becomes another grain of sand. Over time, those grains build your character, your relationships, and your life's work. My hope is that you feel seen in whatever grind you're currently experiencing and find the strength to keep going. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 00:56 – Speaking from the Heart 02:19 – Restore Connect and a Podcast Request 05:10 – Consistency Can Look Different for Everyone 06:54 – Why Your Small Efforts Matter 09:21 – When Life Feels Like Groundhog Day 11:37 – Building Character and a Body of Work 12:52 – The "Ugh" Part Doesn't Go Away 14:52 – Sometimes You Have to Grind It Out 17:12 – The Grind Matters, Even When It Doesn't Feel Like It   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here   Don't forget to grab your tickets to Restore Connect 2026 put on by Faith Matters.  You can use my code:  JENNIE to get 10% off your ticket. https://www.faithmatters.org/p/announcing-the-restoreconnect-agenda

Have you ever wondered if becoming a more consecrated missionary means becoming less of yourself? Maybe you've started to feel like the things you love, the interests you had before your mission, or even parts of your personality need to disappear in order for you to truly be "set apart." In this episode, I want to explore the difference between laying aside worldly things and laying aside yourself. We'll talk about why your personality, creativity, interests, desires, and the things that light you up aren't necessarily distractions from missionary work. In fact, they may be part of what God gave you to help you connect, contribute, and bring your whole self to the work. I'll also walk you through some questions to help you notice what fuels you, what you may have unnecessarily labeled as "worldly," and how you can bring the essence of what you love into your mission within the mission framework. My hope is that you leave knowing that being set apart doesn't require you to become a generic version of a missionary. You can be consecrated and still be fully you. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 01:53 – Feeling Like You're Disappearing on Your Mission 03:42 – What Are Missionaries Actually Asked to Set Aside? 05:24 – Consecration Does Not Mean Eliminating Yourself 09:30 – What Lights You Up Is Not a Measure of Spirituality 13:29 – Discovering What Lights Your Match 16:38 – Missionary Work Requires Emotional Fuel 19:15 – Bringing Your Interests into the Mission Framework 24:32 – You Are Responsible for Creating Your Spark 27:21 – Questions to Help You Stay Set Apart and Still You   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here

In Episode 272: Contention vs. Conversation, I explore a question that has come up repeatedly in my coaching sessions with missionaries: Does avoiding difficult conversations really create peace? Many missionaries have been taught that contention is not of Christ, but sometimes that belief leads them to stay silent, hide their thoughts, or avoid necessary conversations altogether. In this episode, we look more closely at what the scriptures actually teach about contention and why disagreement isn't the same thing as being contentious. Together, we'll explore the difference between cowering, controlling, and collaborating—three very different ways of approaching conflict and communication. I explain why shrinking yourself isn't the same as meekness, why trying to force someone to agree with you isn't Christlike leadership, and how healthy conversations can preserve both honesty and agency. We'll also look at Doctrine and Covenants 121, discuss the emotions that fuel our conversations, and walk through practical questions you can ask yourself before deciding whether a difficult conversation is necessary. If you've ever worried that speaking up might create contention, or if you've struggled to know when to have a conversation and when to simply let something go, I hope Episode 272: Contention vs. Conversation gives you greater clarity and confidence. My hope is that you'll discover that true peace isn't created by avoiding hard conversations—it's created by approaching them with humility, love, and a willingness to collaborate rather than control. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 00:55 – Why Missionaries Avoid Hard Conversations 04:28 – Is Disagreement the Same as Contention? 07:35 – Hiding Yourself Isn't the Same as Keeping the Peace 10:30 – Conversation Is Not Contention 12:11 – The Continuum: Cower, Collaborate, or Control 14:56 – Why Control Creates Contention 17:59 – What Healthy Collaboration Looks Like 21:27 – Questions to Ask Before Having a Hard Conversation 24:53 – Peace Isn't the Absence of Disagreement   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here

In Episode 271: The Outcomes Formula, I introduce a new coaching framework that represents a shift in the way I help missionaries and clients understand their thoughts, emotions, and actions. If you've listened to earlier episodes where I taught The Model, don't worry—I'm not throwing it out. Instead, I've simplified and refined the process into something I believe is more compassionate, more flexible, and easier to apply in everyday life. My hope is that this new approach helps you spend less time judging yourself and more time understanding what's really happening in your mind. Throughout this episode, I walk through each step of what I call The Outcomes Formula: Observation, Assessment, Feeling, Action, and Outcome. We explore how your brain naturally takes in information, assigns meaning to it, creates emotions, fuels your actions, and ultimately produces the outcomes you experience. Rather than focusing on whether your observations are perfectly factual, I explain why it's often more helpful to become curious about the meaning your brain is assigning to those experiences and how that meaning shapes the rest of the formula. If you've ever wondered why you keep getting stuck in the same emotional patterns, why anxiety or discouragement seem to repeat themselves, or how to interrupt those cycles with greater compassion and awareness, I hope Episode 271: The Outcomes Formula gives you a practical tool you can return to again and again. My hope is that this framework helps you better understand yourself, strengthen your emotional resilience, and recognize that lasting change begins with becoming aware of the stories your brain is telling you—not by trying to become someone different. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 00:54 – Why I'm Teaching a New Coaching Framework 03:30 – Introducing the Outcomes Formula 05:14 – Step 1: Observation (What You're Noticing) 08:11 – Step 2: Assessment (The Meaning Your Brain Creates) 10:57 – Steps 3 & 4: Feelings Fuel Your Actions 16:28 – Step 5: Outcomes and the Feedback Loop 19:49 – Why I Moved Beyond "The Model" 26:07 – Using the Outcomes Formula with Compassion Instead of Shame 29:34 – The Power of Changing Your Assessment   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here

Have you ever wondered if you're leading well—or if you're accidentally taking over? In Episode 270: How to Lead Without Taking Over, I answer a thoughtful question from a sister missionary who worried she might be controlling as a senior companion. Her vulnerability opened the door to a conversation I think every leader needs to hear. Whether you're a trainer, district leader, mission leader, parent, teacher, or simply someone with stewardship over another person, learning to lead with humility while preserving agency is one of the most important skills you can develop. In this episode, we explore the difference between stewardship and superiority, why good leaders reflect instead of assuming they have all the answers, and how to create as much agency and influence as possible while still carrying the responsibility you've been given. I also introduce my LEAD Framework—Listen, Explain, Acknowledge, and Decide—to help you navigate disagreements with kindness, clarity, and confidence without sacrificing either leadership or relationships. Along the way, I share practical examples from missionary companionships that apply just as well to families, church callings, workplaces, and everyday life. If you've ever questioned your leadership, worried about making the right decision, or wondered how to balance responsibility with respect for another person's agency, I hope Episode 270: How to Lead Without Taking Over gives you greater confidence and peace. My hope is that you'll discover that true leadership isn't about having more power—it's about carrying greater responsibility with humility, compassion, and Christlike love. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 00:55 – A Missionary's Question About Leadership 04:34 – A Companion Episode to "When You Don't Feel Heard" 07:28 – If You're Asking This Question, You're Probably a Good Leader 09:15 – Leadership Should Make You Feel More Responsible, Not More Important 12:31 – Stewardship vs. Superiority 15:09 – Preserving Agency While Carrying Stewardship 20:08 – Low Stakes, Medium Stakes, and High Stakes Decisions 22:31 – The LEAD Framework: Listen, Explain, Acknowledge, Decide 25:46 – Control vs. Christlike Leadership 30:15 – Leadership Is More Responsibility, Not More Power   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here

Episode 269: More on People Pleasing takes a fresh look at a topic I've taught before, but with new insights that have come from years of coaching preparing missionaries, currently serving missionaries, returned missionaries, parents, and mission leaders. People pleasing isn't simply about trying to make other people happy. More often, it's an attempt to manage how we feel about ourselves by seeking reassurance, validation, or approval from others. In this episode, I explore why people pleasing "works," why it's so tempting, and why it ultimately leaves us feeling emotionally exhausted. We talk about the difference between genuine kindness and people pleasing, why the same outward action can come from two completely different motivations, and how to recognize when you've attached invisible strings to your service, relationships, or acts of generosity. I also share practical examples from missionary life, dating, family relationships, and everyday experiences to help you identify what belongs in your lane, what belongs in someone else's, and how to give freely without depending on another person's response to determine your worth. If you've ever found yourself overthinking someone else's reaction, feeling resentful after serving, or wondering why your efforts didn't bring the response you hoped for, I hope Episode 269: More on People Pleasing helps you recognize the subtle ways people pleasing can show up in your life. My hope is that you'll learn to serve from love instead of obligation, trust your own worth without needing someone else's approval, and experience the freedom that comes from giving with no strings attached. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 00:55 – Why People Pleasing Still Matters 04:35 – Why People Pleasing "Works" 07:37 – Kindness vs. People Pleasing 10:09 – The Hidden Strings We Attach 15:11 – Stay in Your Lane 19:07 – What Are You Trying to Believe? 24:59 – Try a "No People Pleasing" Diet 27:23 – Give Yourself What You're Seeking 29:46 – The Freedom of Giving with No Strings Attached 33:14 – Outro   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here

Welcome to The LDS Mission Podcast! Episode 268: Did I Ruin the Friendship? explores one of the most common questions I hear from preparing missionaries, currently serving missionaries, and returned missionaries after a relationship changes or ends. Whether it's a dating relationship, a friendship, a companionship, or even someone you're teaching on your mission, it's easy for your brain to search the past looking for the one thing you "did wrong." In this episode, I explain why our brains crave simple explanations and how that habit can leave us carrying responsibility that was never ours to begin with. We talk about why another person's actions are always driven by their own thoughts and emotions, why vulnerability isn't a mistake, and how to stop making someone else's response mean something about your worth. I also introduce one of my favorite analogies—"put it in the stew"—to help you approach relationships with curiosity instead of self-blame. Rather than rewriting your story or trying to become someone you're not, you'll learn how to treat relationships as information that helps you grow with greater wisdom, compassion, and emotional confidence. If you've ever wondered whether you shared too much, cared too much, or somehow ruined a relationship by being honest, I hope this episode gives you a new perspective. Episode 268: Did I Ruin the Friendship? will help you let go of unnecessary self-blame, trust yourself more deeply, and remember that healthy relationships are built by two people—not by carrying the weight of someone else's choices. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 00:54 – "Did I Ruin the Friendship?" 03:46 – Why Your Brain Wants a Simple Explanation 04:59 – Other People's Actions Aren't Yours to Control 07:20 – "Put It in the Stew" 09:28 – Curiosity Instead of Self-Blame 11:11 – Someone Else's Behavior Doesn't Define Your Worth 13:27 – Vulnerability Isn't a Mistake 16:24 – What Relationships Reveal 19:09 – Let Relationships Be Information 20:55 – Use Data, Not Drama 22:46 – Outro   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here

Episode 267: Five Considerations When Teaching Mission Prep came from a thoughtful question I received from a stake mission prep teacher who wanted to better prepare future missionaries to confidently open their mouths and share the gospel. As I thought about her question, I realized that preparing someone for missionary work isn't about teaching them to fit a certain mold. It's about helping them develop communication skills, embrace discomfort, and trust the unique gifts God has already given them. Whether you're teaching mission prep, training missionaries, serving a mission yourself, or navigating life after your mission, these five considerations will help you approach communication with greater confidence and authenticity. In this episode, I share why there isn't any "missionary magic" that suddenly appears when you put on a name tag, why awkwardness is part of learning something new, and why there isn't one perfect way to teach, testify, or connect with people. We talk about letting go of the pressure to say everything perfectly, choosing curiosity over performance, and recognizing that your greatest strength as a missionary isn't becoming someone else—it's becoming more of who God created you to be. I also explore why every missionary brings different strengths to the work and how those individual gifts allow them to reach people in ways no one else can. If you've ever wondered whether you're outgoing enough, confident enough, or "the right kind" of missionary, I hope this episode reminds you that God isn't asking you to become someone different. He's inviting you to expand who you already are. I hope Episode 267: Five Considerations When Teaching Mission Prep gives you greater confidence to trust yourself, communicate from your heart, and discover your own best way to share the gospel. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Introduction 00:57 – Why This Episode Matters for Mission Prep Leaders 04:43 – The Purpose Behind These Five Considerations 07:52 – Consideration #1: There Is No "Missionary Magic" 11:39 – Consideration #2: Awkward Is Allowed 13:41 – Consideration #3: There Is No Right or Wrong Way to Communicate 17:19 – Consideration #4: Let Go of the "Ideal Missionary" Mold 21:24 – Consideration #5: Discover Your Best Way 23:47 – Helping Missionaries Practice These Principles 27:52 – Trust Yourself and Become More of Who God Created You to Be 31:54 – Final Thoughts   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here

Episode 266: Your Emotional Thermostat explores why our brains naturally try to keep us in what's familiar, even when that means avoiding growth. Whether it's fear, self-doubt, vulnerability, or even joy and success, we all have an "emotional thermostat" that wants to pull us back to our comfort zone. In this episode, I explain why emotional discomfort isn't something to fear and how increasing your capacity to experience all emotions can help you become more confident, resilient, and emotionally steady throughout your mission and beyond. Using stories from my own life, coaching experiences, and the analogy of Goldilocks' "just right" temperature, I share why our goal isn't to eliminate uncomfortable emotions but to learn how to move through them with intention. We talk about why your brain searches for problems, how your emotional baseline influences your decisions, and why true self-confidence isn't the absence of fear—it's trusting yourself to handle whatever emotions come your way. If you've ever found yourself avoiding hard conversations, new experiences, vulnerability, or even success because it feels uncomfortable, I hope this episode helps you see those emotions differently. Your world will only grow as large as the emotions you're willing to feel. I hope Episode 266: Your Emotional Thermostat gives you practical tools to expand your capacity, strengthen your confidence, and continue creating the mission and life you truly want. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Intro 00:55 – Mission Prep Plus & Feeling More "Sturdy" 03:08 – Your Emotional Thermostat 06:14 – Why Your Brain Returns to What's Familiar 09:49 – Your Brain Loves Problems 12:41 – The Goal Isn't to Eliminate Emotions 15:17 – Growth Expands Your World 18:52 – Real Self-Confidence Is Emotional Capacity 22:59 – Your World Will Never Grow Bigger Than the Emotions You're Willing to Feel 25:05 – Outro   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here

Episode 265: When Missionaries Feel Fake explores a concern I hear from missionaries all the time: "I don't feel like myself." Whether it's teaching lessons, talking to strangers, leading discussions, or stepping into a new role, many missionaries worry they're being fake or simply going through the motions. In this episode, I share why feeling performative isn't necessarily the problem and how understanding what's happening beneath the surface can help you show up with more confidence, authenticity, and peace. We talk about the difference between performing and pretending, why our brains naturally adapt to unfamiliar situations, and how the emotion fueling your actions matters far more than the actions themselves. I also share practical examples of how shifting from proving yourself to genuinely loving the people you teach can completely change your missionary experience. Whether you're preparing to serve, currently serving, training a missionary, or supporting one at home, this episode will help you recognize the difference between simply doing missionary work and letting your real testimony and love lead the way. If you've ever questioned whether you're authentic enough, spiritual enough, or "doing it right," I hope this episode reminds you that you don't have to become someone else to be an effective missionary. The goal isn't to stop performing a new role—it's to let your thoughts, feelings, and testimony become aligned with the person God created you to be. I hope Episode 265: When Missionaries Feel Fake helps you serve with greater sincerity, confidence, and connection. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends.   00:00 – Intro 00:55 – Do Missionaries Feel Fake? 04:28 – Why We All Perform 07:59 – When Performance Feels Disconnected 10:37 – The Feeling Behind Your Actions 13:59 – Stop Trying to Prove Yourself 17:17 – Don't Correct a Personality 19:31 – Authenticity Starts with Emotional Safety 22:46 – The Goal Isn't to Stop Performing 26:48 – Outro   Website | Instagram | Facebook   5 Ways to Process Any Less-Than Happy Mission Memories Article: HERE   Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE   Free PDF Download:  Podcast Roadmap   Free PDF Download:  Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet   Free Training for Preparing Missionaries:  Change Your Mission with this One Tool   RM Transition Free Video Series:  3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home   Free Guide:  5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary   Schedule a Free Strategy Call:   Click Here