Early Homecoming: Insights from Missionaries who Returned Early
Kristen Reber, author of Early Homecoming: A Resource for Early-Returned Missionaries, their Church Leaders, and Family, shares stories and insights from returning home early from her Latter-day Saint mission that provide healing and hope to those experiencing the myriad of emotions that come from an early return. Also included in this podcast are interviews with other missionaries who have returned home early, parents, church leaders, and experts.
Episodes
60 episodes
061: Josie shares her raw feelings about returning home early due to a difficult adjustment and stress hives
At the time of this recording, Josie had been home from her mission for only eight months. Her feelings are raw and poignant as she shares the ups and downs of her mission. She struggled adjusting to mission life and would frequently call her m...
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Episode 61
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49:16
060: Amanda shares her story of hope and healing after having her leg amputated below the knee after getting hit by a car on her mission
Amanda Evergreen--also known as the One-Footed Phoenix--joined me to share her story of hope and healing after having her leg amputated below the knee after getting hit by a car on her mission. Amanda walks me through her struggles with mental ...
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Episode 60
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39:20
059: Cody shares his story of healing from narcissistic abuse while on his mission
Cody endured bullying in childhood and in his teenage years at school and at church. Despite this, he has a deep love for the gospel and still desired to serve a mission. He served in the south and it was a very difficult mission--not only beca...
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Episode 59
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1:00:36
058: Edina shares her story of returning home early to help her mom with depression
Edina lives in Hungary and was 27 years old when she joined the church. Eight years later, at the age of 35, she decided to serve a mission. It was not an easy decision for her, but she chose to do it because of her love and trust in Heavenly F...
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Episode 58
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37:50
057: Brady shares his story of returning home early due to anxiety and depression
Having been born and raised in the church, Brady was excited to serve a mission. He had a bit of anxiety in the beginning as he adjusted to Brazilian culture and the language. After he became a district leader, his anxiety increased quite a bit...
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Episode 57
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44:57
056: Wallis shares her story of returning home early to her dad declining from ALS after suffering from depression and self-harming on her mission
Wallis served for four months in Calgary before coming home due to depression and self-harming. She had an amazing support group--including her companions, mission president, and parents (so if you fit any of these categories and want to know h...
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Episode 56
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48:13
055: Haley shares her story of choosing to return home after four weeks due to physical illness
Haley served for a total of four weeks--three in the MTC and one in the field--before choosing to return home early due to physical illness. While she had support at home, Haley still struggled with feelings of shame and loss, as well as anger ...
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Episode 55
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36:59
054: Psychologist and Life Coach, Cortland Watson, discusses the psychological and emotional aspects involved in returning home early from a mission
Psychologist and Life Coach, Cortland Watson, joined me on the podcast to discuss many of the psychological and emotional aspects involved in returning home early from a mission. Using personal stories and insights from his life, his career, an...
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Episode 54
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57:00
053: Meg shares her story of deep depression due to hiding her sexuality and experiencing chronic pain
Meg returned home early after three months of service in Fresno, California. She spiraled into a deep depression due to hiding her sexuality and experiencing chronic pain. Her mission president and his wife did the best with the information tha...
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Episode 53
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38:23
052: Nicholas shares his story of returning home early due to trauma caused by abuse from a member
Growing up in the church, Nicholas never knew if the gospel was for him and he struggled to go to church because of his anxiety and lack of desire. After receiving his patriarchal blessing, and being amazed by the things stated in his blessing,...
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Episode 52
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42:40
050: A chat with author Destiny Yarbro who returned home early twice for physical and mental health reasons, and now helps early-returned missionaries all over the world
Destiny Yarbro returned home early twice. The first time she returned home early from the MTC for physical health reasons. The second time, she went to the mission field and then returned early for mental health reasons. She not only felt like ...
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Episode 50
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44:45
049: Addie shares the many emotional, mental, and physical health trials she experienced on her mission before ultimately being sent home due to COVID-19
Addie had always desired to serve a mission and when her call came, she was excited to go! However, a few months into her mission, she was emotionally abused by her companion and housemates. It was a very isolating experience for her. She also ...
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Episode 49
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44:07
048: Jackson shares his story of returning from his mission early twice for physical health reasons
In this episode, Jackson shares his story of returning home early twice. The first time, he served for eight months before physical health problems required that he come home. The second time, he served for seven months (in the same mission) be...
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Episode 48
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39:36
047: Jacob shares his story of returning home early for physical health reasons, dealing with judgement, and ceasing his habit of seeking validation from others.
Jacob started his mission journey long before he even got his mission call. Overweight and insecure, Jacob decided to make some changes. He got into body-building and realized it was a way from him to grow and push himself. He decided to apply ...
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Episode 47
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36:54
046: Violet tells her story of returning home early due to depression and anxiety and then serving a service mission in the San Jose area
Violet was born deaf and wears two cochlear implants. She served a mission to Washington D.C. speaking ASL. She came home early due to depression and anxiety after much consideration, prayer, and counseling with her mission president. She later...
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Episode 46
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45:24
045: Summer shares her story of returning home early from the MTC due to depression and anxiety
After a period of inactivity, Summer returned to church and began receiving promptings and dreams about serving a mission. She followed these promptings, but upon entering the MTC she developed terrible anxiety, including panic attacks, and dep...
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Episode 45
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38:04
044: Jake shares his story of growing up with cerebral palsy, becoming inactive, discovering himself as an LGBTQ+ individual, returning to church, serving a mission, and returning home early due to belated confession
Jake was born with cerebral palsy and as a result was often excluded from activities as a youth in the church. As a result of this exclusion, and a falling out with a friend, Jake became inactive during his later teen and young adult years. He ...
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Episode 44
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56:01
043: Kate returns home early due to emotional and physical abuse from companions
Throughout her childhood, Kate was emotionally and physically abused by her father, and then later by her stepmother. While on her mission, Kate experienced anxiety and undiagnosed ADHD. These mental health struggles were not understood by her ...
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Episode 43
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53:39
042: Genisse's story of coming home early due to depression and anxiety and then returning to her mission
Genisse is the first missionary I have spoken with who came home early due to mental health reasons and then returned to her mission. In this episode, she shares with me her journey of choosing to come home and then choosing to return which inc...
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Episode 42
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27:44
041: Pascal Friedmann shares his story of returning home early due to severe thyroid dysfunction
In this episode, Pascal tells me his story about returning home early due to a prolonged illness that started about a month after he arrived in the field. It was misdiagnosed as depression and homesickness, but turned out to be severe thyroid d...
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Episode 41
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30:59
040: What is the "rest" of a mission like?
There are so many questions that run through the mind of an early-returned missionary, not least of which is questions along the line of "What is the rest of a mission like? Specifically, what is the rest of a proselyting mission like?" To answ...
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Episode 40
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1:28:28
039: JT shares his experience of returning home early due to depression
JT had never experienced depression before his mission. He recalls being bullied in the MTC by his companions for six weeks before finding relief in the field before the depression got worse. He stopped feeling his emotions, had bad insomnia, a...
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Episode 39
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41:35
038: Richard Ostler, former YSA Bishop, shares what he has learned about helping those who feel marginalized in the Church
In this podcast episode, Richard Ostler (host of the podcast Listen, Learn, and Love) shares what he has learned about helping those who feel marginalized in the Church, including early-returned missionaries. Richard has served in multiple lead...
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Episode 38
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42:09
037: Synne returns home early due to perfectionism and self-harming and becomes the first service missionary in Norway and Sweden
In this episode, Synne shares her story of returning home early from her mission in France due to perfectionism, anxiety, depression, and self-harming. She felt like she had failed Heavenly Father and was devastated. However, because of her des...
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Episode 37
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53:39
036: Sarah shares her story of experiencing covert abuse from a companion and her dad while also returning home early for physical health reasons
Sarah was sent home during the COVID-19 pandemic because of physical health problems. She begged her mission president to stay, but he was concerned she wouldn't get the help she needed if an emergency happened and so after 15 months in the fie...
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Episode 36
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47:56