In this episode, we wrap up our discussion of why we even need a podcast like this in the first place. Juliet pushes back on Ashton's elephant metaphor, we talk about whether or not we should even care what the people around us believe, and Mitch shares a "pain point" from the last time he attended church. We talk about the vulnerability that comes when we "exit the cave" and trying to be rooted in relationship instead of in identity. We tend to be "possessive" of the spiritual journeys of others, but when working within the confines of Mormon theology, do we have any other option?This episode is part of our ongoing attempt to simultaneously improve our understanding of our own experiences and the experiences of others- both those who agree with us and those who don't. Instead of arriving at answers, we often find ourselves arriving at questions that are more complicated than the ones we set out with. But we arrive at those questions together, and in sincerity and whole-heartedness. If you have ever felt caught between worlds, unsure where you belong, or hesitant to speak honestly about your faith or lack of it, this conversation is for you.Thanks for listening, for sharing, and for helping us build something better than the all or nothing conversations we are used to.If you would like to support the podcast, there is a Buy Me a Coffee link in the description.🌐 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

In this episode, we officially introduce the new co hosts of Latter Day Bridge Builders. Juliet, Ashton, and I talk openly about why this space exists and why building bridges in the LDS world can feel so hard.

We get into what it is like to sit in the middle. Feeling too Mormon for some spaces and too ex Mormon for others. We talk about faith transitions, loneliness, nuance, and why dignity often gets lost when people are pushed to pick a side.This is not an episode about convincing anyone to stay in the Church or leave it. It is about what happens when certainty cracks, when beliefs change, and when people are just trying to be honest about where they are at without being reduced to a stereotype.

We talk about why nuance feels threatening, why the middle can be the loneliest place to stand, and why curiosity and humility matter more than winning arguments.If you have ever felt caught between worlds, unsure where you belong, or hesitant to speak honestly about your faith or lack of it, this conversation is for you.Thanks for listening, for sharing, and for helping us build something better than the all or nothing conversations we are used to.

If you would like to support the podcast, there is a Buy Me a Coffee link in the description.

🌐 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

In this episode of Latter Day Bridge Builders, Mitch sits down with Ashton Smith to talk about what it really means to build bridges across belief.

Ashton shares his experience growing up in an orthodox LDS environment, serving as an Elders Quorum president, and learning how curiosity, humility, and respect matter more than winning arguments. Together, they explore why “us vs. them” thinking shows up so easily in religion, politics, families, and online spaces, and why it quietly destroys relationships.

This conversation dives into faith transitions, judgment vs. curiosity, the limits of “I know,” and how people on very different paths can still choose empathy over control.

🌐 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