In this episode of Latter Day Bridge Builders, Mitch sits down with returning guest Stevie for a raw, unfiltered conversation about faith, doubt, and what it actually feels like to live in the tension between the two.

Stevie shares her experience moving from spiritual certainty into a full-blown faith crisis; one that collided with postpartum depression, suicidal ideation, temple service, and deeply personal questions about God, authority, garments, and identity. Rather than offering tidy answers, this conversation lives in the uncomfortable middle: wrestling with belief, grieving certainty, questioning institutional boundaries, and learning to find peace without resolution.

Together, Mitch and Stevie talk about cognitive dissonance, spiritual burnout, the pressure to “know” instead of wonder, and why love, curiosity, and honesty often matter more than being right. They also explore what it means to step outside religious labels, how judgment (both internal and external) shapes faith journeys, and why many people feel safer talking to those who’ve left than those who’ve stayed.This episode isn’t about deconstruction for its own sake, nor is it an attempt to reconvert anyone. It’s about making room for real people with real questions, and choosing compassion over certainty.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between belief and disbelief, tired of tidy answers, or unsure where you fit anymore, this conversation is for you.

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In this episode of Latter Day Bridge Builders, Mitch sits down with James Linton, an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to talk about the uncomfortable space between belief and disbelief; and why so many relationships get stuck there.

Instead of debating doctrine, this conversation digs into how members and ex-members see each other, why fear and silence creep into friendships, and what actually helps bridge the gap.

They explore ideas like:

- Why religious identity feels so personal, and so fragile

- How institutions struggle with nuance (and people don’t have to)

- Alcohol, social spaces, and unspoken rules

- Why “no strings attached” time might be the most radical act of bridge-building

- The danger of believing you possess all the truth

This episode isn’t about changing minds. It’s about remembering the humanity on the other side—and learning how to stay connected without preaching, fixing, or disappearing.

🎧 If you’ve ever felt like you’re walking on eggshells with believing or former-believing family and friends, this one’s for you.

📩 Reach James: @JimmerLinton (socials) | LinkedIn: James Linton🌐 More episodes & links: https://linktr.ee/latterdaybridgebuilders📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latterdaybridgebuilders 🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/latterdaybridgebuilders ☕ Support the podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LDSBridgebuilders

Serving a Mormon mission in Cape Verde, Africa completely changed my life. It made me more serious, more committed, and opened my eyes to a culture totally different from the white Utah bubble I grew up in. It also pushed me to my limits, exposed me to the church’s messy racial history, and left me with questions I couldn’t ignore.

In this episode, I reminisce about my mission:

- What it was like serving in Cabo Verde on those 10 islands off the coast of West Africa

- Learning Portuguese and Creole and navigating totally different dialects

- The high-demand, rule-heavy culture of LDS missions and how “obedience” shaped us

- The tension between the church’s racist past and teaching Black Africans the restored gospel

- Rapid baptisms, low retention, and whether we were really giving people informed choice

- Why my own exit from the church took 18 months of wrestling while many converts joined in a few weeks

- Going back for the 2022 Cabo Verde Temple dedication as a non-believer and feeling genuinely happy for the members there

Two things can be true at once: my mission was one of the hardest, most beautiful, most confusing things I’ve ever done. I can see harm and still see real good. I can be out of the church and still be grateful for people who loved me and the structure it gave others.

Whether you’re an ex-missionary, a believing Latter-day Saint, or somewhere in between, I hope this episode gives you language for your own “both/and” experience.

👉 Tell me your story:

What did your mission do to you? Do you resonate with anything I share here? Drop a comment and let’s talk about it—respectfully, thoughtfully, like actual bridge builders.

🌐 More episodes & links: https://linktr.ee/latterdaybridgebuilders

📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latterdaybridgebuilders

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/latterdaybridgebuilders

☕ Support the podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LDSBridgebuilders