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This episode of the "Mission Stories Podcast" features a conversation with Sister Molly Baxter, a returned missionary who served in the Michigan Detroit mission, including the "8 Mile" area. Molly highlights her faithful and happy mission experience, noting that not all returned missionaries have such positive experiences.

The central theme of the episode is that miracles and angels are a right for those "set apart as a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ to preach his gospel". Molly and Shawn define miracles, suggesting they are not solely large-scale events like parting the Red Sea, but also include:

• Divine meetings where one encounters individuals who profoundly change their life.

• Small, consistent spiritual experiences that build faith, such as waking up with a positive attitude or gaining insight from scripture study.

• The "mighty change of heart" experienced through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which they describe as the greatest miracle.

Molly and Shawn share several personal miracle stories from their missions:

• Tishi's Healing: Molly recounts the story of Tishi, a 65-year-old woman needing knee replacement surgery, who was miraculously healed and able to walk immediately after receiving a priesthood blessing, fulfilling a bold promise made by an elder that she wouldn't need surgery. Tishi was later baptized after six months of teaching and her health remarkably improved.

• The Malakansi Woman: Shawn shares an experience with an elderly Russian woman, one of the last "Malikansi," whose ancestors had sought the true church with authority for generations. She recognized the restored gospel, was baptized, and passed away about a week later.

• Mallerie at the Smoothie Cafe: Molly tells of a young woman working at a Tropical Smoothie Cafe drive-thru who was on the verge of ending her life. Molly, following a prompting, spoke to her about being a missionary for Jesus Christ, which the woman interpreted as an angel sent from God and a direct answer to her prayer for a sign, saving her life.

The episode emphasizes that these are the true miracles that matter most, as they pertain to the eternal salvation and spiritual growth of individuals, which is God's primary work and glory. They encourage listeners to have faith and expect these types of miracles in their own service. Molly also shares a quote by President Hinckley, emphasizing that serving the gospel is not a sacrifice but an investment with eternal dividends.

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This episode features special guest Sister Riley Stone (affectionately known as "Stony"). The core theme revolves around "Revelation and The Spirit" and how divine revelation grows faith, leads to repentance, and ultimately to "pure joy" through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The podcast aims to inspire and provide knowledge for those preparing for missions.

Key insights and Riley's story include:

• A Journey from Faith Crisis to Conversion: Riley, from Utah, experienced a faith crisis with her family around age 12, leading to a five-year hiatus from regular church attendance.

• Subtle Beginnings of Discerning the Spirit: At 14, attending EFY (now FSY), she "loved it" because she was "surrounded by the gospel of Jesus Christ". Though she didn't discern the Holy Ghost at the time, she later realized it was God's love bringing her peace and joy. This experience planted a "seed" for future missionary service.

• The "Rock Bottom" and a Divine Call: At 16 or 17, Riley hit "rock bottom," feeling "miserable," "sad," and "anxious," a period where she was "compelled to be humble". In a moment of desperation, after listening to "cringey" youth albums, she heard an audible voice, not her own, command, "Riley, get on your knees and pray". This happened three times, akin to the experience in 3 Nephi 11:3-4, where people initially didn't understand the voice but eventually opened their "ears to hear it" spiritually. Riley initially resisted due to tiredness and having been distant from God.

• The Transformative Prayer: Driven by a deep hunger to do the right thing and escape unhappiness (similar to Enos 4), Riley finally knelt down and sobbed. In that moment, she "knew that God loved me" for the first time in a tangible way. She felt a "burning in my bosom" and a powerful hug, realizing the Atonement of Jesus Christ covers more than just sins, but also heals pain and ache. This profound experience convinced her of God's existence, His personal love for her, and the possibility of happiness.

• Acting on Revelation: This revelatory experience marked the beginning of her true conversion, leading her to consistently attend seminary and young women's activities, and begin studying scriptures. Her story illustrates the principle of Revelation 3:20, where God knocks, but individuals must "open the door" through choice and action.

• Missionary Preparation and Impact: Despite her powerful conversion, Riley felt inadequate for her mission due to her long gap in church attendance and lack of basic gospel knowledge. She overcame this by "feasting upon the words of Christ" in the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel in the MTC. This intensive study enhanced her understanding of the Atonement and how to access it, directly confirming her personal experiences. Lauren testifies that Riley became an "amazing" missionary, notably helping an investigator named Nicole, who was at "rock bottom," to also recognize that "Revelation is what leads to our conversion," ultimately leading to Nicole's baptism and a greater understanding of repentance and the Atonement.

• Advice for Future Missionaries: Riley advises listeners to prioritize experiences with the Atonement of Jesus Christ, as it provides healing and enabling power, crucial for navigating the challenges of missionary work and gaining a deeper understanding of life's purpose. The episode concludes by reaffirming that everyone has the right to receive divine revelation that will grow their faith and lead to "pure joy" through Christ's Atonement.

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This episode of Mission Stories Podcast features returned missionary Sister Emma Stanford, focusing on the theme "Revelation Leads to Conversion". The discussion explores how God communicates through the Holy Ghost and the transformative power of discerning and acting upon that revelation.

Sister Emma Stanford's Mission and Boldness: Emma served in the Arkansas Little Rock Mission, called specifically to speak American Sign Language (ASL). Due to the niche nature of ASL, her team found investigators creatively through social media videos and member referrals. Emma was known as "the wild child" during her training due to her boldness as a missionary.

Discerning and Experiencing the Holy Ghost:

Emma suggests there are "no such thing as coincidences because I think God's always in the fabric of our lives", often recognizing promptings after acting on them.

Lauren adds that the Holy Ghost is present for the faithful due to baptismal covenants, even if one cannot always "recognize these promptings".

Emma most strongly recognized the Holy Ghost when testifying to investigators or promising blessings. She described feeling "power," "truth," and an "amped" energy, sometimes being brought to tears.

Profoundly, Emma describes her personal experience of the Holy Ghost as feeling "the love of Christ"—an "incomprehensible," "overpowering" love. Lauren affirms that Christ's teaching with love is the "most powerful tool in conversion".

The Holy Ghost is confirmed wherever charity and service are present, as well as in ordinances of the priesthood.

Emma exemplifies acting with faith and boldness, believing the Lord will "back me up" without needing to wait for a discernible "nudge". She shared a story of "putting her foot in the door" of a reluctant lady's house, an act she describes as being "led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do" (1 Nephi 4:6). This bold action immediately changed the lady's demeanor, leading to an "awesome lesson".

Shawn shares a similar experience of boldly promising an investigator a job if he read scriptures, believing the Spirit confirmed God would "not make me a liar".

Lauren emphasizes that the Holy Ghost "will always share his voice when we testify with ours," fulfilling the promise that when one speaks "by the power of the Holy Ghost, the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men" (2 Nephi 33:1). This is especially encouraging for missionaries learning new languages, as the message will still get through.

A practical tip for missionaries is to sing hymns and then ask, "How do you feel?" to help people recognize the peaceful presence of the Spirit.

Spiritual Discerning of Truth: The episode delves into 3 Nephi 11, where the voice of God spoke from heaven to thousands. Initially, they "understood not the voice which they heard with their ears," even though it was not harsh or loud. However, despite being a "small voice," it "did pierce them... to the very soul, and it caused their hearts to burn". It was not until the third time that they "did open their ears to hear it" spiritually and fully understood.

The host explains that God communicates directly with our spirits. Emma adds that the goal is to help people "see" (understand spiritually) rather than just "looking" (perceiving physically).

The host recounted a pivotal MTC experience where a teacher helped him recognize the Holy Ghost's presence by asking "Do you feel that?", helping him realize he had been feeling the Spirit his "whole life" without discerning it.

Go forth with boldness and faith in God, trusting that He will empower them and that the Holy Ghost