Of course our talks with Latter-day Saint converts will be of great interest to our fellow Saints but we think that in an age of continuing secularization, it is important for Latter-day Saints to learn more about our friends of other faiths as well.
The podcast will be called Convert Talk. Dr. Loren Marks and I (co-directors of the American Families of Faith Project) will interview converts to various faiths about their experience of conversion (or reconversion). Our first few will be converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but then we will also interview converts to other faiths (Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, etc.). Here is a list of the kinds of questions we would ask.1. Did you have an experience where you knew God was real and felt Him in your life? 2. Did you experience any miracles/small mercies that influenced you to convert religions?3. Which faiths and religious insights resonate/ring true with you?4. Why choose this faith over another faith? 5. What truths have you found across faiths as you’ve searched for the faith you want to belong to?6. What are the critical decisions or moments of insight, highlights, and lowlights on your journey of searching and discovery and conversion? (this is multifaceted and long and could be clarified or made into multiple follow up questions) 7. How have you changed through this beginning and present time of your conversion journey?8. If you could change your conversion experience, would you, and what would you have done differently?9. What advice would you give to those who are searching for truth, exploring different faiths? 10. What insights have you gained on your conversion journey?11. What are some strengths of your faith?12. How did you overcome family conflict due to conversion?13. What religious principle most resonates with you?14. What do you like to remember in your faith/testimony when you face doubts or criticism?15. What are some of the biggest challenges you face when converting?16. How did you overcome the doubts and confusion associated with church history? (Polygamy, Blacks and Priesthood)17. How did you maintain family relationships when converting? If not maintained, what got in the way that kept the relationship stuck or suffocated it?18. How has this conversion been a way to honor yourself?19. How did this conversion affect your children? (If applicable)20. What changes did conversion require of you?21. How has your relationship with Christ been strengthened with both beliefs and what effect did converting do to your relationship?22. How have you merged/maintained aspects of your previous and current faiths?23. How has your familiarity with religious texts important to your previous religious practice/studies influenced/strengthened your testimony of restoration scripture? (Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, etc.)24. How do you continue to choose conversion today? How may that come with a different perspective/motivation/actions than other members who grew up in the church?25. What are your thoughts on the trinity now you are a member of the church? How has your perspective of God changed now knowing about the Godhead?26. What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since converting?27. What first led you to look into the LDS faith?28. What was the hardest thing you overcame when deciding to join the church?29. Asking about how their conversion is literally like a “rebirth” and what that process is like. (If it is like that for them)30. Did you always believe in God/a higher power and how has that changed after conversion?31. If they converted from one faith to another, why? (Doctrine? Faith? Community?)32. Does the word “convert” appeal to you? Any negative connotations? Do you like being asked your story?33. How can members support you the best? When is that help most crucial?34. How does your previous religion inform your current faith?35. Were you already bold in your beliefs before (be it political or religious), or did having a conversion process feel so compelling that God helped you become more bold?36. How did your family (family of origin) react to your conversion? If some time has passed, does your family still have the same views?37. How did your overall life trajectory change because of your conversion?38. If you converted later in life, after getting married and having kids, how is your family affected? Have you ever felt frustrated none of them converted (If that’s the case)?39. How does your conversion strengthen your marriage? Does it at all harm it? (Especially if you’re now in an interfaith marriage)40. Were/are there any particular policies or practices in the church, both past and present, that were/are a stumbling block to your conversion? How did you overcome those concerns?
young adults would be our main target audience but we think most people like to hear conversion stories.
I am a convert (see my book God's Tender Mercies: Sacred Stories of a Mormon Convert) who has been doing my best to be a faithful member for close to 50 years. I'm a BYU professor of family Life who has published hundreds of scholarly articles a dozen books, and have recently (last 5 years) been producing "public scholarship" for a general audience (articles in Public Square Magazine and the Liahona, videos on our American Families of Faith YouTube channel and on Instagram, and otherwise trying to help Latter-day Saints and others build strong families of faith.
