Anchored
Religion og åndelighetNewly launched LDS Podcast "Anchored" explores journeys of faith in the face of life’s challenges! Join hosts Roseanne Dawes and Stephanie Francom as they discuss how to stay anchored in Jesus Christ amid heartache, confusion, and the rising tide of individuals leaving the faith. Each episode features inspiring stories from members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who remain true to their covenants and trust in God’s promises.Through these powerful testimonies, we aim to encourage and uplift listeners as they navigate life's rough waters.If you have a story to share, please
Siste episoder av Anchored podcast
- Episode 51 - Anchored - Eva Timothy (00:50:27)
Born under the shadow of a communist regime in Bulgaria, Eva had only glimpses of God—Easter and Christmas services with her family. Yet even in a world that tried to hide Him, questions burned in her heart: Who made the sunsets? The butterfly wings? When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, missionaries flooded Eastern Europe, and Eva’s life was thrust into a whirlwind of faith, fear, and miracles. Terrified to speak but unable to look away, she asked a simple question that would change everything:...
- Episode 50 - Anchored - Blake Harrison His Red Sea Moment (00:55:34)
Blake never imagined survival would mean living on deer meat, working endless hours, or watching the roof of his camper collapse while he was already unemployed. Yet each trial became another chapter in a story that pressed him to his knees and forced him to decide: Will I trust God’s plan, even when it looks nothing like my own? From a teenage encounter with the Spirit that reminded him of Joseph Smith’s first prayer, to months of silence when heaven seemed closed, Blake’s life has been mark...
- Episode 49 - Anchored - Heidi Kimberling When His Plan is Better Than Mine (00:54:38)
She shouldn’t have survived the fall. At eight years old, Heidi plummeted two stories onto her head, slipping into a coma that lasted six long days. Doctors warned she might never live a normal life, never have children, never escape the shadows of pain. They were wrong. What followed was a life marked by both heartbreak and breathtaking miracles—an unexpected divorce, a diagnosis that threatened her future, a child who seized until sleep was the only relief. Yet, again and again, the impossi...
- Episode 48 - Anchored - Jayden Cornett From Darkness to Light (00:57:01)
Jayden’s life seemed destined for promise—raised in the Church, a love for the scriptures, and a mission in Armenia that opened his heart to the world. But returning home, the darkness came: depression, OCD, and a spiritual emptiness that left him questioning God, his thoughts, and even his own worth. Self-destructive habits, a toxic relationship, and a false accusation landed him in jail, facing decades behind bars. Grief, loss, and despair seemed relentless, and hope felt impossibly far awa...
- Episode 47 - Anchored - Thelma Whitaker (00:59:58)
Thelma was born between worlds—Dutch roots, American soil, and a future her parents could barely imagine when they crossed the ocean with five dollars and unshakable faith. Her father, just a boy when war tore through Holland, survived starvation, bombings, and a Nazi camp—guided by the Spirit and a stranger who vanished after whispering, “You will live to see the beginning of the latter days. Find Christ.” That promise shaped generations. Now a mother of seven, grandmother of twenty-one, and...
- Episode 46- Anchored - Matt Wray The Road God Chose (00:50:51)
Matt grew up on the wide farmlands of Blackfoot, Idaho—hay, cattle, and potatoes shaping his hands, and faithful parents shaping his heart. He thought life would be simple: marry, build a life, and follow God the best he could. But just five months into marriage, an unexpected accident left his young family facing overwhelming bills. From ranching to ironwork, from building bridges to traveling seventy miles just to reach a chapel, Matt did his best to follow God—but often on his own terms—un...
- Episode 45 - Anchored - Lisa Wayment (00:50:42)
Lisa spent much of her life hiding—haunted by childhood abuse, low self-worth, and silent pain. She believed she was never enough… never worthy enough. Behind the smiles was a storm of self-doubt, grief, and trying to hold it all together. When her daughter died just before birth, Lisa’s world unraveled. The heartbreak sent her spiraling, shaking her marriage, her faith, and her sense of self. But in the stillness of the temple, a message from heaven pierced the darkness: “I need you to be ha...
- Episode 44 - Anchored - Thom Spencer (00:53:48)
Thom’s story is one of quiet resilience, unlikely turns, and the relentless pursuit of light in the shadows of his past. Raised Catholic and faithful to his daily Mass—even as a boy walking alone to church—Thom believed in God long before he truly knew Him. In a home shadowed by abuse, alcoholism, and painful suspicion, Thom found his refuge in whispered prayers and a childhood vow never to drink. Trying to reconnect with a nineteen-year-old crush, he was unexpectedly invited to a Latter-day ...
- Episode 43 - Anchored - Kendyl Cox (00:57:03)
Kendyl never felt she belonged. Especially in her teenage years among her peers she was the outsider—unseen, unwanted, and lost in the shadows of depression. When her family moved away from everything familiar, the darkness only deepened. And when they finally moved back, she thought everything would be normal again. But nothing was the same. A series of sacred moments—at girls camp, at college, during childbirth and while leaning into her temple covenants—taught her something she hadn’t been...
- Episode 42 - Anchored - Michael Kammerman (01:03:21)
Michael was used to helping others find hope—whether in a prison cell, a hospital room, or a moment of quiet interfaith prayer. But nothing prepared him for the heartbreak that hit home. After 15 years of marriage and seven children, his wife—struggling with trauma and mental illness—walked away. Left with kids ages 1 to 11, Michael leaned hard on his faith, his family, and the Savior. But the trials kept coming. Dangerous circumstances. Legal battles. A daughter’s self-harm. And then—unthink...
- Episode 41- Anchored - Marilyn Nackos (00:48:53)
Marilyn’s world shattered when her husband unexpectedly died, leaving her alone with three small children. But even in the heartbreak, she could feel God guiding her—prompting her where to move, opening doors, and gently reminding her: You’re not alone. She faced nightmares, tears, and the weight of raising a family on her own. Yet through it all, Marilyn never doubted. Never gave in to fear. For 41 years, she’s walked with the Lord—held up by scripture, guided by prayer, and anchored by peac...
- Episode 40 - Anchored - Richie Steadman (00:52:55)
Richie Steadman always knew the gospel was true. That wasn’t the struggle. The real wrestle came in living it. At 20, he was excommunicated—but the very next Sunday, heart pounding with doubt and hope, he stood at the chapel doors and walked inside. “I want this so badly—it may take time—but I’ll do the best I can.” Week after week, Richie kept showing up. Step by step, he moved forward. His blessings were restored. His faith deepened. And his understanding of Christlike love expanded beyond ...
- Episode 39 - Anchored - Emma Parker (00:25:38)
Emma was a fighter—on the mat and in life. But after a heartbreaking trial shook her to the core, even she began to question if God still loved her. Focus faded. Faith wavered. Until, in a quiet moment of desperation, she whispered, “Help me remember my moves.” Days later, still carrying the weight of the pain, she placed 3rd in a wrestling tournament. But the real victory was what she found off the mat: a God who hadn’t left her, even in the dark. At youth camp, she learned she wasn’t okay w...
- Episode 38 - Anchored - Damon Socha (00:50:30)
Damon never asked for the storm inside his mind. From his earliest memories, anxiety was a constant shadow, and as the years unfolded, so did the manic highs and crushing lows of undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Friendships felt distant. Emotions tangled. And by the time he stepped off a plane in Argentina as a young missionary, the weight of it all nearly broke him. He survived on priesthood blessings, quiet miracles, and a fear of failing—but peace remained just out of reach. Years later, afte...
- Episode 37 - Anchored - Sherene Van Dyke (00:44:19)
Sherene had the picture-perfect dream: five beautiful kids, a strong 35-year marriage, and a deep desire to be the kind of mother who got everything right. But behind the smiles was a woman crushed by the weight of perfectionism—and the pressure was breaking her. One ordinary day, a spilled cup of milk and a sharp yell shattered more than just peace at the kitchen table. It broke something in Sherene… and began her unexpected journey toward something far better than perfection. As she studied...
- Episode 36 - Anchored - Michael Schmid (00:40:27)
Michael came from pioneer roots—but he wanted nothing to do with structure, rules, or faith. By 15, he was living on the streets. By 19, he was in the military, hardened and distant, until a platoon leader delivered life-altering news: his mom was dying. Her death shattered his world. Years later, desperate and alone, Michael knelt down and asked three questions: Is my mom still there? Is Heavenly Father real? Are families really forever? The answer came not in words, but in unmistakable peac...
- Episode 35 - Anchored - Samantha Sharpe (00:49:14)
Samantha thought she had her life mapped out—mission service, temple marriage, a growing family, and a dream of working in the medical field. But when her mission ended early, her faith cracked. Questions about God, Joseph Smith, and eternal families crept in. A diagnosis of bipolar 2 only deepened the divide. Tattoos replaced tradition. She went to church without partaking, and quietly questioned everything she once believed. Yet through it all, her husband stayed—praying, fasting, hoping. A...
- Episode 34 - Anchored - Travis Lyon (00:59:33)
Travis was the awkward youngest kid, lost and unsure where he belonged. Battling low self-esteem, he found strength only when he discovered who he truly was—a beloved child of God. “The core of my confidence came from knowing who I was,” he says. Years later, after surviving a life-threatening illness, Travis faces his toughest challenge yet: unemployment and mounting financial pressure while serving as bishop. Just when hope seems to slip away, mysterious miracles appear—insurance that won’t...
- Episode 33 - Anchored - Tracy Jo Rollins (00:51:51)
Tracy Jo was once a professional jockey chasing speed and success. Now a mindset coach and mother of seven, she rides for something deeper. After finding God at 21 and promising to leave behind years of drinking, she gave Him her life—and He’s held it ever since. When a quiet road trip turned into a near-fatal head-on collision with a drunk driver, everything she had trusted was put to the test. Five broken ribs. A fractured tibia. A broken hand and collarbone. But no life-threatening injurie...
- Episode 32 - Anchored - Cliffton Brady (00:58:51)
Cliffton always thought he knew who he was—chiropractor, husband, believer. But when the world around him begins to unravel, he’s forced to face the kind of fire that either refines or destroys. Raised on stories of miracles—like the grandmother who prayed his grandfather back to life—Cliffton carries a legacy of unshakable faith. But nothing prepares him for the betrayal of a trusted community, the pressure to conform, or the quiet battle to hold onto truth when everything screams to let go....
- Episode 31 - Anchored - Lynne Christofferson (00:53:50)
Lynne always believed. At five years old, she felt it—the unmistakable warmth of truth—as her father spoke of heaven after the brief, heartbreaking life of her baby brother. A teacher’s testimony soon followed, sealing something eternal deep inside her. But belief alone wasn’t enough to keep her fully awake. Now, decades later—surrounded by children, grandchildren, and the steady rhythms of church life—Lynne makes a simple mistake at the temple recommend desk. It should’ve been nothing. Inste...
- Episode 30 - Anchored - Lamonte John (00:56:07)
Lamonte never expected a simple invitation to Mutual would change the course of his life. Raised in a fractured faith, he wandered far—until love, loss, and relentless grace pulled him back. From a rising career in architecture to devastating financial collapse, from a silent God to quiet, unmistakable miracles, Lamonte’s journey is one of trembling tithing checks, soul-deep sorrow, and a love that never gave up. When one son disappeared into rebellion and another battled lifelong illness, La...
- Episode 29 -Anchored - Krista Isaacson (00:59:54)
Krista, the oldest of six, grew up in California, where family meant camping trips and baseball games. At BYU, she met her husband—he spoke Russian, and she signed ASL. They started a family, building a life filled with love and promise. Then, without warning, their nearly three-year-old daughter had a seizure and wouldn’t wake up. A brain tumor. A coma. Krista felt the crushing weight of guilt—How did I miss this? Desperate, she cried out to God, “Help.” The answer came, unexpected but unden...
- Episode 28 - Anchored - Jason Sperry (01:02:51)
Jason thought he needed more. A louder voice. A bigger sign. A moment in the Sacred Grove that would finally confirm it all. But what he got was quieter—and far more powerful. “You’ve already had your sacred witness,” the Lord whispered. From cleaning the men’s bathroom at 4:30 a.m., where he met his wife, to serving in Chile, from the sudden loss of his father to his mother’s unwavering faith in the face of death, Jason’s life is stitched together by moments he almost missed—moments that pro...
- Episode 27 - Anchored -Bette Molgard (00:49:46)
He was their beloved, wild caboose—curious, mischievous, and impossible to contain. Bette and her husband did everything “right,” but at fifteen, their son’s path darkened. Tobacco. Drugs. Anger. He abandoned school, faith, and family. By nineteen, his rage erupted, ending in arrest. And for the first time, they felt relief. Jail became a sacred place. Two weeks after finding a Book of Mormon, he changed. As Bette attended the temple, she felt a power beyond her own—one that pulled her son ba...