Why We Believe | Unofficial Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Podcast

Why We Believe | Unofficial Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Podcast

Why do we believe? What inspires faith, testimony, and conversion in members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? Dive into the personal conversion stories behind faithful members of the church. Join Nathan Gwilliam, host and life-long member of the church, as he sits down with guests with unique backgrounds and perspectives to discuss the deeply personal and spiritual journeys that led them to embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ and why they believe. Through one-on-one interviews, hear firsthand accounts of the life-changing conversion stories and events that ignited and solidified these members' beliefs and personal testimonies. Gain powerful insights into the many unique paths that lead to faith and discover what continues to feed their dedication year after year. Join us each week for inspiring stories from faithful Latter-Day Saints and discuss Why We Believe.

Episodes

July 4, 2025

What happens when a malnourished toddler abandoned on a Costa Rican mountain grows up with an unshakeable desire to return home? Ana Katia's story begins in a tin shack where she and her siblings survived alone for months while their mentally ill birth mother wandered for days. Adopted at age three and raised in America, Ana spent years making birthday wishes to "fly home" to Costa Rica. When she finally embarked on a 14-day se...

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When tanks rolled through Dejan Tahic's hometown at 7 AM on what should have been a normal school day, his childhood ended instantly. This Bosnian teenager spent months separated from his parents across three different refugee camps, surviving on Red Cross donations while 100,000 people died in the civil war around him. After resettling in Canada speaking zero English, Dejan never expected that meeting one girl would introduce ...

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What happens when a successful wedding photographer's perfect life crumbles into a federal indictment and maximum prison sentence? Portia Louder's story takes you through photographing 200 weddings a year, then hearing "84 months in federal prison" echo through a federal courtroom. But this isn't just another cautionary tale about mortgage fraud and poor choices. Inside those concrete walls, Portia discovered something that wou...

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Award-winning author Heidi Tucker never planned to...

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What do you do when suicide claims both your fathe...

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Professional artist and five-time American Ninja Warrior competitor Jenedy Paige shares her extraordinary ...

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In this heartfelt conversation, author and speaker Brooke Romney shares how embracing imperfection led to ...

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Join host Nathan Gwilliam and Dr. Jamie Jensen of BYU for a thought-provoking conversation that bridges the gap between lab benches and living rooms. Discover how a leading biology education researcher uses the tools of science - surveys, videography, data - to hear God's voice on her own terms. Jamie unveils reasoning patterns that keep faith and evolution in harmony, from respecting each epistemology's limits to resisting "Go...

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In this episode of the Why We Believe Show, Kacey McCallister shares his journey after losing both legs in...

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In this episode, Russell Osguthorpe takes us behin...

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In this episode, Whitney Murdock shares how her journey as an introverted missionary shaped her unique approach to mentoring others. Born into a blended family with deep faith roots, Whitney discusses how her parents' divorce at age 11 led her to find solace in scripture, building the fo...

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In this episode, May Lundy shares her journey from childhood faith to adult conviction. Born in Mexico to educator parents, May describes how her grandmother's swift conversion set the spiritual foundation for generations to follow. Her father, a stake president, instilled the vital importance of intentional faith—gathering the family to vote on making Christ the c...

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Unveiling the mind behind a literary phenomenon! In this episode of Why We Believe, Nathan Gwilliam sits down with Chris Heimerdinger, the mastermind of the "Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites" series that has captivated millions of readers. Heimerdinger reveals how a childhood obses...

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"I didn't throw footballs anymore, but I still play the piano as the organist in the Arizona Temple"—an unexpected career path for Dallas Cowboys legend Danny White, who credits his mom's stubborn piano lessons for his NFL success. White takes us behind the scenes...

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"I don't know what that book's doing to me," confessed the teenager to BJ Allen during his mission - a moment that revealed the transformative power of scripture. BYU marketing professor Allen shares how understanding Christ's atonement helped him overcome perfectionism and religious OCD. In this conversation, Allen discusses insights from his book, The Compensating Power of Christ, about how Jesus makes up for our we...
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February 28, 2025 35 mins

In this episode, Nate Alder, founder of Klymit and CEO of Skavengerz, shares his momentous journey of faith and entrepreneurship. Experience the power of divine timing as he recounts a providential flight to Brazil that changed his life forever, leading to both love and conversion. Through his mission experiences in Peru, Nate reveals how deep scripture study transformed his testimony and prepared him for future ch...

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February 21, 2025 29 mins

Meet Tami Hymas, a hairstylist whose spiritual journey began with a simple challenge and a 25-cent soda. In this episode, Tami shares how a devastating ski accident transformed her from a successful salon owner into someone who sees beauty in an entirely new way. Through her companies BeUtofullness and inUpowers, she now teaches others to embrace both their inner and outer beauty using innovative approaches, includ...

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February 14, 2025 37 mins

Discover how BYU law professor Shima Baughman's journey from Iran to America became a testament to divine intervention. Through her mother's prophetic dream in an Iranian prison to their last-minute escape, Shima's path to finding Christ is nothing short of miraculous. She shares how temple attendance transformed her marriage, why she boldly shares her faith on TikTok, and how her research proves faith's power in s...

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What happens when God's plan looks nothing like we expected? In this powerful episode, award-winning author AL Carraway shares how becoming homeless with three young children transformed her understanding of divine timing. Through vibrant storytelling, she reveals how seeing God in unexpected places – from hotel rooms to church history sites – deepened her faith in remarkable ways. Get ready for fresh perspectives on familiar s...

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What does it take to balance faith and high-powered success? Join me as I sit down with Jonathan Guynn, a partner at Jones Day and advocate for religious liberty, who learned profound lessons about faith from an unexpected source - a ward filled with corporate titans who put God first. Through stories of his grandfather's pivotal challenge to be in the "top 10%" and personal trials that reshaped his understanding o...

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