
Show Notes
Prior to her son's birth in 2020, Caitlin Bekker didn't have experience with congenital heart disease. Five years later, being a "heart mom" has become a core part of her identity. On this week's episode, Caitlin shares how watching her little boy go through multiple open heart surgeries has refined her and have taught her to trust in the Lord, live in gratitude in the present, and she hopes they will ultimately help her become the person and disciple of Jesus Christ she would like to be. 1:45- Receiving and Processing a Diagnosis 7:27- Health Literacy 10:26- Finding a Community 12:09- Living in the Present 14:27- Why? 19:14- Mom Guilt 22:40- Bringing Matthew Home 25:05- Comforting Those Who Stand In Need of Comfort 34:08- Hard Is Hard 38:08- Perspective 40:49- Update 43:00- Living in the Present Pt. 2 45:27- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? "Life's going to pass by no matter what so you might as well let the hard situations help you to become more of what you want to be." Episodes References: President Jeffrey R. Holland said, "With apologies to Elder Neal A. Maxwell for daring to modify and enlarge something he once said, I too suggest that "one's life … cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free." It simply will not work "to glide naively through life," saying as we sip another glass of lemonade, "Lord, give me all thy choicest virtues, but be certain not to give me grief, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor opposition. Please do not let anyone dislike me or betray me, and above all, do not ever let me feel forsaken by Thee or those I love. In fact, Lord, be careful to keep me from all the experiences that made Thee divine. And then, when the rough sledding by everyone else is over, please let me come and dwell with Thee, where I can boast about how similar our strengths and our characters are as I float along on my cloud of comfortable Christianity." https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/57holland?lang=eng Morgan's Interview with Kate Bowler- https://www.deseret.com/2018/5/18/20645268/q-a-duke-divinity-school-s-kate-bowler-explains-how-cancer-has-helped-her-appreciate-life-god-s-love/
More from All In
This year, Zavier Gozo became the first Latter-day Saint to ever play in the English Premier League. Jon Russell, a Jamaican International Midfielder grew up in the academy system for Chelsea and signed a pro contract with them but never made a Premier League appearance. Meanwhile, Alan Pace, a Latter-day Saint business man is the majority owner for Burnley FC, which was recently relegated from the Premier League. On this week's episode, we introduce you to the 19-year-old phenom making serious noise in the professional soccer world. 3:10- Parental Impact on Success 8:17- Faith and Overcoming Hard Things 12:05- Mothers Who Know 14:19- Discovering Identity After Injury 21:05- A Latter-day Saint Playing in Utah 23:40- Baptizing a Former Teammate 26:14- Choosing to Be Endowed 31:23- World Cup Goals 33:37- 'Guided By Faith' 36:21- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? "When I focus on my faith…and I don't make it my worth and don't make it my everything, I start playing with more freedom, I start playing with more confidence."
Millions watched McKenna Breinholt reunite with her birth family on national television in 2024. What many watching didn't know is the road that led McKenna to that point—the addictions she'd worked to overcome and the reason why she boldly testified of Jesus Christ from her first audition on the show. On this week's episode, McKenna shares the love of God she's felt all along the way. 2:17- The Beginnings of a Talent 6:05- Adoption 9:57- Addiction and a Priesthood Blessing 19:21- Reconnecting with Birth Family 26:25- A Mother's Sacrifice 29:51- American Idol with Jesus 34:48- Two Families Coming Together 36:47- Why the Gospel? Why the Church? 45:00- "But God" 49:23- What Does It Mean to Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? "Is this a place that I can go to and feel like I can fully grow with the Lord and feel like I can be my best self and learn to be my best self? Yes. Is this a place where I feel the most joy? Yes. Is this a place where my family is? Yes. And is this a place where I can serve others and learn how to do that? Yes. …I can't help but feel that my cup has overflowed here."
Sariah and Troy Davis never imagined their first marriages would end in divorce. But when those marriages fell apart, they were left to pick up the pieces—grappling with shame, heartbreak, and the difficult work of letting go of the hurt. On this week's episode, they open up about what it took to overcome a warring heart, heal from the pain of divorce, and eventually find one another. Their story is a testament to the possibility of finding beauty for ashes, even after life takes an unexpected turn. 2:58- The Aftermath of Divorce 6:30- Beauty for Ashes 14:45- Shame Resilience 25:45- Anger, Bitterness, and Overcoming a Warring Heart 35:07- Is There a Purpose For Anger? 43:09- Blending Families and Speaking about Former Spouse 53:30- Remarriage 59:16- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? "What does holy mean? It means that the Lord can turn our suffering into beautiful things. He can truly take ashes and turn them into beauty." -Sariah Davis Links: Thriving LDS Singles interviews with Troy and Sariah: Troy Davis- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5yYROgA_tM Sariah Fuller Davis- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUpkymSBGzo "You can do hard with Jesus, or you can do hard alone. That is your choice. But when you do hard with Jesus Christ, the hard becomes holy." -Camille Johnson https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/miscellaneous-events/2026/03/14johnson?lang=eng
Sam Merrill has made some big shots and missed some big shots. Through both, he's learned to focus less on what just happened and more on becoming better and preparing for what comes next. On this week's episode, Sam shares how a practice of daily repentance has influenced the way he approaches both his faith and his career in the NBA. "When you look at a team that is all in, it's every guy is doing the best that they can do to help the team win—whatever that looks like. There's a level of humility that that takes. You can have no pride, no egos, and everyone is focused on what really matters. And I think from a gospel perspective it's really similar. It's not all in on being perfect but having a constant desire to get better and to strive to be the best that you can be."
While serving as mission leaders in Brazil, Davis and Asialene Smith noticed a challenge many missionaries face but few are prepared for: coming home. After living with purpose, structure, and a clear mission, returning to everyday life can feel surprisingly difficult. In response, the Smiths began intentionally preparing their missionaries not only to serve well, but also to transition well. On this week's episode, Davis Smith shares lessons from that experience and offers thoughtful advice for navigating "the rest of your life" after the mission. 4:27- The Challenges of Re-Entry 8:09- Spiritual Progression Post-Mission 13:00- How Parents Can Best Help 18:25- Daughter's Experience 26:22- Blessings of Church Callings 31:25- Diversity of Talents and Personalities 34:50- Life Tips 40:34- Financial Stability 46:04- The Unseen Toll on Women 50:14- High Love and High Expectations 57:00- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? "Being all in doesn't mean I'm never struggling. It doesn't mean I'm never having questions or I'm never falling short. Being all in simply means I've decided who I'm trying to follow and it's going to be a lifelong pursuit." Links: The Next Ten Years- https://www.deseretbook.com/product/PR00002126.html Davis and Asialene Smith's previous All In interview- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1439975046?i=1000539878100 All In KSL documentary including Davis- https://youtu.be/ADyhgDGiSK4