LDS Podcast "Latter-Day Lights" - Inspirational LDS Stories

Alisha Says Goodbye - Scott & Alisha Reflect on Four Years & 200 Stories of Faith

• Scott Brandley and Alisha Coakley

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What have we learned after four years and nearly 200 stories of faith?

As the show passes the four-year mark, long-time co-host Alicia Coakley shares why she is reluctantly stepping away, and together she and Scott revisit several moments of hope, healing, and inspiration that have changed their lives and those of the Latter-Day Lights community.

From heart-wrenching accounts of pain, loss, and difficult trials to inspiring stories of faith, redemption, and mercy. Each one reflects, in its own unique way, how God’s light often shows up in the most unexpected forms, places, and timing.

Though Alicia will be greatly missed, her impact will continue to shine as Latter-Day Lights moves forward in its mission to instill faith, invite hope, and inspire others. 

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To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/UQ4bXh1LYmQ

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To READ Scott’s new book “Faith to Stay” for free, visit: https://www.faithtostay.com/

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Scott Brandley:

Hey there, as a Latter Day Lights listener, I want to give you a very special gift today. My brand new book, Faith to Stay. This book is filled with inspiring stories, powerful discoveries, and even fresh insights to help strengthen your faith during the storms of life. So if you're looking to be inspired, uplifted, and spiritually recharged, just visit faith2.com. Now, let's get back to the show. Hey everyone, I'm Scott Brandley.

Alisha Coakley:

And I'm Alicia Coakley. Every member of the church has a story to share, one that can instill faith, invite growth, and inspire others.

Scott Brandley:

On today's episode, we're going to take a look back at the last four years of Latter Day Lights and share with listeners what's coming up next. Welcome to Latter Day Lights. So glad you're with us today. And our special guest today is actually Alicia Coakley. After almost, well, it's actually been four years since we actually started. True. So after four years, um, Alicia is going to take a break. She's got some, she started a new business and it's going crazy, and she needs to stay sane. So with heavy hearts.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, I was gonna say that's a that's a tall order to stay sane. I just need to not, you know, be more crazy.

Scott Brandley:

There you go. But yeah, we're we're gonna miss you. Um it's been uh been a crazy road, but a fun one, right?

Alisha Coakley:

For sure, for sure.

Scott Brandley:

We've almost hit 200 episodes, which is mind-boggling.

Alisha Coakley:

I know, I know.

Scott Brandley:

So we've been doing it for that long.

Alisha Coakley:

Right? That's a lot. Like when you think about when you think about it in terms of not just episodes, but stories, like people that we were able to like sit and talk to. And many of these people, it was, you know, one, two, some, some of them three and four hours that we spent talking to them and finding out more about their story and their testimony and just the way that they like use what's going on in their life to light the world. It it's it's overwhelming and humbling and like wow. I'm I'm very sad to go. I have been struggling a lot with this. I keep, I I kept going back and forth over like, no, I can totally do it. I just gotta, I just gotta, I just gotta. And then I would try to make up excuses, and I just it got to the point where I was like, I'm dropping so many balls. I just know I can't like be the host that I want to be for Latter-day Lights moving forward um and giving it like the time and attention and and the heart that it really deserves. And we've worked so hard on this podcast, and I love all of the guests and all the preparation that they put into coming on and sharing the story too. That I just thought I don't know yet who is going to be a permanent host. Emily Hemmer, oh my gosh, like I love her so much for stepping in and helping me out when we had our busiest time with our new venue. Um, she's been amazing. So I I don't know. I don't know if Emily's gonna stick around, if you guys are gonna have someone else or do like multiple hosts, but I'm excited to see what it's gonna look like, and I'm excited to see like how it moves forward, and I'm excited to come back as a guest host periodically. So won't be the last of me.

Scott Brandley:

We'll definitely we'll definitely have you back.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah.

Scott Brandley:

So I thought I would just ask you some questions. I mean, we've been doing this for four years. All right, 200 guests, hundreds of hours. I mean, we've we just spent hundreds of hours um putting our heart and soul into this. So I think you've got some insights that we can pull out of you.

unknown:

All right.

Scott Brandley:

There you go.

Alisha Coakley:

I'll do my best. Four years and 200 guests is uh it's a lot-term member, too, you know. So um yeah, so forgive me if I have brain fog on some of it.

Scott Brandley:

But we'll go with it. I'll give you an easy one to start off. What's it been like co-hosting Latter day lights for the past four years?

Alisha Coakley:

Oh my gosh, it has been mostly amazing. Uh, in the beginning, there, man, it was so scary. It was so like we had no idea what we were doing, and we're just like winging it and just learning and just trudging along and making mistakes. And and I think I had this expectation of perfection in my head when we first started out. And so I was still like, oh no, I didn't do it right. And um, you know, there's there's been definitely some times where I'm like, some people have put me in my place, which, you know, uh was hard when it happened, but also I was like, okay, like let me see what the truth is in this. How can I improve? That's always hard when you're when you're being critiqued and being on a platform, like any platform in public, like you're always gonna have people who, you know, some who are well-intentioned and some who are not, who just have opinions and those opinions get shared, whether you like it or not. So that's been a little bit difficult, but I would say a good 98% of this has been amazing. I have loved, loved, loved getting to know everybody. I I feel like the thing that's that I've learned the most is surprisingly, even though I talk a lot, I've learned how to really listen to other people and how to hear more than just what they're saying, to really listen to like their perspective and like the why behind things without judgment, without you know, trying to tell them how they can do things better. I just I don't know. I I love that being a host on the show helps you to connect with people on a way that is so very real and it kind of gives you like a perspective of like how Christ can really see them, you know. So that's been my favorite part is just the peopling.

Scott Brandley:

Well, it it does feel like we've kind of created a family for sure. We've definitely built relationships and friendships, you know, it's it's been cool.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, yeah, I love it. Like I love, I mean, you you still you go out to lunch with um with Jerry. Yes, Jerry, so I'm gonna bring Jerry. Yes, and like how cool is that? And and I loved hearing like the little connections of like how you know this person knows this person knows this person, and we're just all connected. And it's like Heavenly Father really has his hand in in connecting people together, right? And so um, yeah, there's still there's still guests that I totally keep in contact with and we'll reach out and chit-chat, or we're on Facebook together and we're like keeping up with each other's lives, and um it's just it's fun. I know like uh Ilian, for example, he he still sends me stuff, he still sends me like little books and notes and stories, and like he's just the sweetest, and so it's it's awesome. Eldon is another one. Oh my gosh. I love Eldon. Eldon B. Cannon so much, like he's just been fantastic and such a sweet friend, and and his wife, Denise, is wonderful, and um, you know, uh Vinny. I've had lots of conversations with Vinny Tolman. He's a favorite. And gosh, they're just all my favorites. I just love them all. I just want to take them all home with me.

Scott Brandley:

Well, I mean, that's that's a good lead-in to my next question. What are some of the most memorable episodes that have had an impact on you?

Alisha Coakley:

Okay. So uh I have so many tops, so many of them for different reasons. But I have to say, I think the one that is probably hands down my most favorite is Molly Bonner. I so freaking funny, just absolutely hilarious. I I remember hearing a story uh when we went to the LDS P May conference the first time around and just laughing so hard that my cheeks were hurting. I felt like I was getting ready to cry because I was laughing so hard. But then the amount of miracles that happened in that story and the way that he just like kept on, kept on. You know what I mean? Like like he just he knew he had something he had to do and he just exhibited so much faith where it seemed absolutely crazy. Um gosh, like that was amazing. And just to know that like he's still doing that kind of stuff, like he's still keeping on, he's still growing, he's he's just following that inspiration. That he's like definitely right up there with my top 100s. Um yeah, I don't I loved Molly. Molly was he was amazing.

Scott Brandley:

Yeah, that was a really cool story. I mean, if if you don't think God is in the details, you need to watch that that episode. 100% that's crazy the things that happened.

Alisha Coakley:

And he's just so animated, right? Like that's what I love because I I mean, I've got you know, I've got very archy brows, and I'm always like this and squinty eyes. And so when I see other people who are like very animated with their face, it's like, you're my people, you know. So he's just he was so great to watch, and you know, just man, and like him and his whole family like are just they're too pretty to be real. Like they're they're like a they're like living filters, you know what I mean? They just walk around just being perfect looking. So he was awesome, but man, Dusty Smith, another one, loved Dusty. Oh my talk about redemption, talk about from one end of the spectrum to the other, that that is Dusty, right? Like gosh, his whole story. I don't know, it was funny because I hadn't really um had an experience like his before, like where I felt any type of desire to to not be all in with church. And so to hear how he went from all in to all out to way back all in again, that was amazing. And his story too got into the details of that one at the time. That was a really great one.

Scott Brandley:

But um the thing I liked about his is that it shows that anyone can be redeemed, even when you not only go against the church, but you like are vehemently against it, like you're just doing everything you can to try to stop it, you know. So far as going to the people that you taught on your mission and trying to tell like apologize from the church, right?

Alisha Coakley:

Like, yeah, yeah, that one was insane. And uh gosh, but but still so funny, you know. Same thing with Dusty, he's just so he's such a great storyteller that he sucks you in, he just has you laughing the whole time. You just you want more, you know. By the end of his episode, like you're not tired of listening to him. You're just like, wait, no, no, no, just give me a few more minutes, you know, and and he he was just awesome. Oh, you know who else was great? Caden Laga. Do you remember his story where he got lost in the wilderness and it was like the whole aliens and that was the best story too. Oh my gosh, and just so scary, you know. Like I I go hiking and I have been camping, but I would never go explore by myself. I'm too, I'm too scared of the woods. So his story was fantastic. The the very so the very first one that broke my heart and so like where I was just like ugly crying, um, was definitely the graphs, Tim and Becky, when they shared uh the story about losing their their two little girls during a flash flood. And it was just like watching them and the way that they came together even stronger as a couple through that trauma and through that hardship, and the way that they're like honoring their girls still, um, and they're and they're they were able to keep their faith and not not just keep it, but like still really just like dive into it and just have faith that like like everything is gonna be okay. That was such a powerful testament. Like that was like in my heart, I don't think I stopped talking about their story and sharing it with people for months and months afterwards. Like it just very heavily impacted me.

Scott Brandley:

Um it was very emotional, like so yeah, and they tell the stories in such detail, and you are just all in in that moment with them, and your heart is just absolutely breaking. Yeah, like you said, like their faith coming through it and them being stronger is just was incredibly inspiring.

Alisha Coakley:

It really is, and it's it's one of those things where like I don't think I'll ever forget sticky shoes, you know, like how the little girls had their little Spider-Man sticky shoes, and it just like it, it's one of those things that it that it became a permanent, um, a permanent piece of me hearing their story, but it's also something that remains almost is like a really beautiful analogy, you know. Like sometimes I'll sit and I'll think, like, okay, I just need my sticky shoes to get through this. Like, I'm gonna have to climb this mountain. I don't want to slip and fall. I just need to get my little sticky shoes, and I just need to like just go for it. You know what I mean? Like, I just need to dig in and know that it'll be fine and just keep going. So that I I loved theirs and uh Marianne, hers was beautiful, and just I balled my eyes out during hers, balled my eyes out during Angel Coats. Um Marless, uh oh my or like Brockington. Uh, do you remember hers too? And uh gosh, like there's just so many of them that just like you know, and just like oh my gosh. And you learn something from all of them, right? Like it's it's not just a tragedy of what happened with their their stories, but like just the way that they got through it and that they're still getting through it, right? Because it's not that they're not done, right? It's I don't know, I just it just makes you like so proud of the people to know that that they can hit beyond rock bottom and still come out and and be smiling and be light to others and be useful and you know, like the worst part of their life doesn't have to be the thing that defines them, but it can definitely be something that like helps them to make beautiful choices moving forward. So I love them too. But I don't know. I mean, there's just so many. I um Kellen Winslow. He's another band the perspective that he brought. Oh my god.

Scott Brandley:

Well, so he he has to basically interview people that have committed horrific crimes, right? And he's telling about this, he talks about this story, how he interviews this one person, and they have I can't remember the exact problems that each person had, but basically there's like he interviews this one person in the morning, another person in the afternoon, and then in the evening, but it's all the same person.

Alisha Coakley:

The first person in the morning was talking about how when when they were a child, they had been abused, like severely abused by a loved one or whatever it was, and they endured all of this stuff, right? And then the the second person that they're talking about um talks about the first time when they were like a teenager, and you know, um they took advantage of a girl, you know, and they they ended up, you know, assaulting her or whatever it was. And uh, and then the third person is an adult, and this adult goes back and abuses a child, you know, and he asked the question, and he was like, of those three people, which one do you feel most sorry for? And he's like, Yeah, of course, you're thinking the first one, you know, like that's horrible that they were this child that got abused. And he's like, the problem is it's the same person, they're all three the same person. And it was like, oh my gosh, I get it. Like, how do you how do you say, well, just because that happened to you as a kid, you know what I mean? Like we're just gonna throw that away because you did these other things as an adult. You know what I mean? And it just, I don't know, like it just like it was such a good lesson for me to recognize that like it's really easy for us to judge people and to not know their whole story, you know, and you can't just throw away a chunk of it, right? Like their trauma is still something that deeply affects them and that plays into it. And there's reasons why they do what they do, and it's not always because they're evil, right? It's usually because they're hurt, and that's when we learn like hurt people hurt other people. Typically speaking, that's just kind of what happens, and so it's why it's so important for us to use the atonement and to to inflict our own healing in ourselves um so that we don't become that monster in other situations to other people, you know, just his stuff was amazing. Yeah, and Emily. I love Emily's because she's so she's her whole story about the Markovia Project was just fantastic. I loved when she shared um the story about um oh, what's her friend's name? Uh, when she came on for like a second or third time, and she shared her story of how she got involved in the Markovia project. Uh it was just so I mean it's just so amazing like what people have been through, you know?

Scott Brandley:

So yeah, I really like I mean Emily's kind of near and dear to both of our hearts just because she was one of the first guests and she was starting this nonprofit, and and we, you know, like we kind of took that under our wing and yeah, we did some cool stuff together, and we helped we helped out a bunch of kids, that was fun. Yeah, the cool part is is like watching Emily's efforts in Honduras over the last four years, I think because of the Markovia project, like 250 people have been baptized. Right. Isn't that that's not even like that's just a side like benefit of her helping purpose?

Alisha Coakley:

No, exactly, like it's not even what they're focusing on, it's just a yeah, it's just a symptom of it.

Scott Brandley:

Right, yeah. Thing that I love about that is that you never know what impact you are going to have on somebody's life, or the choices that you make now, how they're gonna impact people's lives in the future. Like, she didn't go in there thinking, oh, I'm gonna baptize a bunch of people in Honduras, right? Well, way more than she ever could have if she hadn't gone and done and helped people, right? It's like show them that you care, show them that you love them, and then that opens the door, right? So that's that's a follow-up.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah.

unknown:

Yeah.

Alisha Coakley:

I love knowing that like for her, like her mission didn't end when her missionary service ended. You know what I mean? Like her mission was the start. Her going on a mission was the very start of her bigger, better mission. And I think for me, like that, I I have a I have a soft spot in my heart for those missionary stories that we had come in or the the missionaries that we had come on and stuff. Like, okay, like Jordan Robbins, for example, he was a missionary that served in Florida when I was a teenager. And so, you know, like it's been a long time, many decades, since I first met him. But when he talks about the mission that he had and and like the experiences that he had on that, and I don't know if you remember that one where he um he had to give a blessing to someone uh because they were Spanish speaking and or no, they weren't Spanish. He was he was English speaking. That's right, he was English speaking on the mission, and the Spanish-speaking sisters in the area called him because someone that they were teaching uh their adult son had alcohol poisoning and was in the hospital. Do you remember this? And so they called the the boy missionaries to come give a blessing to the son, and he got there and he was so confident that he was just gonna be like, Oh, I blessed you to heal him. But because he's like, it's alcohol poisoning. He had had friends in school that had had alcohol poisoning in the past, and he just couldn't think anything of it. And while he's standing there giving this blessing, he's saying it. The sister missionaries were translating for the parents who only spoke Spanish. And he gets very strong impressions that this boy is not going to live, that he that's his crying. And he has to basically give this blessing with the inspiration he's getting, which is like, your family will be okay. And you know, whatever it is that he was saying. And he was crying so hard that he thought, oh my gosh, they're not going to understand what I'm saying. And the sister missionaries even stopped translating. And he just in his head, he's like, I just know that like they can't understand me. I'm I'm bawling my eyes out. I feel so bad for this family, but I have to say what I'm feeling. And then afterwards, he apologizes to the sister missionaries and they say, No, we didn't stop because we couldn't understand you. We stopped because the parents could. They knew exactly what you were saying, and they asked us to stop translating so they could just listen to you. And like, you know, just the power that that story, it's so just a little thing that happened on his mission. You know what I mean? It wasn't this big, huge, dramatic event that lasted days or weeks or months or years. It was just this one little moment where he was in the right place at the right time. And and even though he didn't want to say what needed to be said, he did it anyway because he believed that that was true inspiration coming from the Lord. And I just thought, gosh, like, wow, like Heavenly Father can really help us hear, right? Like he can just help us here in both in uh in all the situations. He could help Jordan hear what needed to be said to the parents. He could help the parents understand what Jordan was saying to them, you know, and and helping them know that that was coming from the Lord. Like it's just a whole I don't know, it was just beautiful. I loved that one. Oh, and then and then Logan, um Castleton. Yeah, his was so good too. Um, again, just beautiful example of uh like the power of a mission, like what you can do on it, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my god.

Scott Brandley:

Well, she's born with like half a heart, and he's you know, like they didn't think he was gonna live, and then he's been able to go on a mission and he does these cool rap songs and things like a raping missionary. Yeah. Again, like you just you never know how you're gonna impact somebody or or how what kind of talent you can come up with, right? Like we're doing a podcast, we've done one for four years, right? Like, why? Why us? Like, I don't know, but it's but just because we can, right? Like, yeah, yeah, exactly.

Alisha Coakley:

Well, and it's neat because it's like for him, he took something that was that was a passion of his that he was good at. Like, who would think that rap could spread the gospel?

SPEAKER_01:

You know what I mean?

Alisha Coakley:

Like, who knew? Um, but it's I don't know, it's just it was it's interesting. And then and then I think of um oh, let me think what his name was Derek Tucker. Do you remember? So Derek, I I believe that was his name. Derek talked about um his experience when like first when he was like little, little, he almost drowned in a pool and he remembers being saved. And then later on in high school, he had to do like a show and tell thing of like something that like represented him. And so he brought the Book of Mormon to school and he didn't even know what he was gonna say, and he didn't even think he had a testimony, but like his story too was like so simple and so beautiful, and he just shared how how his sharing of the Book of Mormon and the truth of it um really was like a turning point in his life. Um, but he's an amazing artist, like amazing artist, and so he uses his art to help spread the gospel and to help spread light and to bring joy to other people. And it's like, oh, and who's your um your was it your brother-in-law that wrote the Christmas song?

Scott Brandley:

Oh yeah. Savior and son, Jared Brandley.

Alisha Coakley:

Yes, Mr. Jared. I love that one. I I love those ones where people talk about the talent. Oh, and then I'm getting all excited. Um who was our leadership? Oh my gosh, he started the school over in like the Czech Republic, and it's a leadership school.

Scott Brandley:

Oh Patrick?

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, but that was amazing too. And you don't, you and I we're all about like entrepreneurial leadership, personal growth and development. Oh it's so fun.

Scott Brandley:

As far as artists, you've got Pablo Smith. Yes, he put together the the Book of Mormon in picture form with you know, like a comic, like the comic book stuff. Yeah, that was that was really cool.

Alisha Coakley:

That was really cool.

Scott Brandley:

There's been a lot of really talented people on the show.

Alisha Coakley:

I know, right? I mean, tons of authors too, which is fantastic, and they all have different writing styles. Um Amy, of course, is one of my favorites because she's she's the one that that teaches people about buying businesses. And you know, like I I know it sounds so crazy because you're like, well, how, you know what I mean? Like, how is that gospel related beliefs? But it's so one, I know her personally. Two, she helped me buy a business. Like, she helped walk us through that whole thing. And the thing that they are putting together is fantastic because it's teaching self-reliance, it's helping us to be able to put other people in better positions because if we're the ones that are running the business, we have control over how much employees get paid and if they have time off with their families, and if they're overworked, or you know, if they're if they're appreciated, or you know what I mean? And and we can be the people that step in and help other people who put all of these years and time and money and energy into something that helped them and their family, and maybe now they're not able to do the business anymore. So it's kind of like a it just comes full circle, you know, and I love that she's using that talent to improve her personal life, but also improve the lives of others. And she has such a heart about it, you know, because of what she's learning how to do, she now has opportunities to go out and volunteer and to do tons of charitable giving, and she can spread light by being able to have some more freedom with her time to do what whatever she feels needs to be done in in the volunteer world, you know. And I don't know, I just love people. What about you?

Scott Brandley:

I'm starting to think of other like this is crazy because you just start going like but like prison just came into my head, right? Like we've had some crazy prison stories with Shane Baldwin and and Porsche uh louder, louder, yeah. Yeah, those were incredible stories. So you're like riveted, you're like just sit on the edge of your seat, like, what are you what? This is real.

Alisha Coakley:

I know, I know. But same thing with them, you know what I mean? Like they, especially Porsche, because Porsche still works very closely with people who are in the prison system, which also reminds me of it. She was more recent, and she and her husband put together this program, The Bold and the uh The Bold and the Beautiful. It was like the workbook one where they have where they go in and and they teach people, so they have people who were inmates who come out of prison and they teach them how to be mentors to the ones who are still in prison to help them to grow so that they don't go back.

Scott Brandley:

Is it brokenness into beauty?

Alisha Coakley:

Yes, you're right, Jesse and Renee. Um, yeah, so good. I loved both of them when they were speaking about that. And it's just like, man, like nobody's truly lost. You know? Nobody's truly lost. It doesn't matter how deep they've fallen into this hole or how dark it is, or how long they've been there. Like, there's always light. There's always light, and there's always a way out. And I just I love that they love those people who are in their darkest moments, and they're like, hey, we got you. You know, we got you.

Scott Brandley:

I mean, you and I have we've seen all the episodes, right?

SPEAKER_01:

So yeah, yeah.

Scott Brandley:

But every one, every episode just has its own story. Like that's that's the whole premise of the podcast, right? Everybody has a story to share. And you know, it's been it's been awesome being able to hear those stories firsthand. Um, I know one of the stories that's closest probably to you is your you've interviewed, we've had a couple several of your family members on the show.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

Scott Brandley:

Right? Your mom, I mean, she was on, I think maybe last year or maybe the year before, but she's passed away since then, right? Yeah.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah. She um she uh passed away in June um from terminal breast cancer, and it was really, really fast. We found out in March, and then three three months later she was gone. So it was very fast. And it was um, it was a really, I mean, it it like changed her very fast too, right? Like we didn't we didn't have my mom the way that my mom was for three months. We had my mom the way that my mom was for about one month, and then it just quickly digressed um to where she was sleeping a lot in the end there, and she was um she was just kind of you know, just really loopy on the meds and and the cancer had spread to her brain at that point, and so it was really hard to have any coherent conversations with her. Um you know, there were there were um a couple times there during the last time that I saw her where um she didn't know who I was, and that was really uh really hard. She didn't know John. Um and so that was like man. And I hadn't even thought about it uh until tonight when I was like, wow, like I I do have my mom's story, you know, like I can go back and I can watch her when she was healthy and thriving, and and I I can get to hear her story without you know remembering her being in pain and like that's just really special to me, you know? So if nothing else, which there's so many blessings to having done this podcast, you know what I mean? Not just for me, but for so many people. What for me personally, that's such a huge blessing to be able to have a little piece of my mom's story and to be able to see her light up and share her testimony, too. You know, it's definitely something that you kind of take for granted when you're fine, right?

Scott Brandley:

Since I've known you, your parent, when we first met, your parents weren't active.

Alisha Coakley:

Oh, yeah, they were Jack Mormon to the core.

Scott Brandley:

So just in the time that we've known each other, they've gone from completely less active to completely all active. Oh, yeah. And to hear both of their stories was quite entertaining because they've had interesting lives, right?

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, for sure.

Scott Brandley:

So you but you have both of your parents' stories now on, you know, the podcast. So you can share those with your with your kids, and you know, that's kind of a fun thing to have.

Alisha Coakley:

Oh, that's a really great. I yeah, like I said, I hadn't even thought about that until until tonight when you know we were talking earlier. I'm like, wow, like it's so true. We have that. So you know, gosh, so many good ones.

Scott Brandley:

All right, next question. In what ways do you feel you've personally grown through hearing so many stories of faith, doubt, loss, and hope?

Alisha Coakley:

I'd have to say and kind of mention it earlier was just the fact that I feel like I have a better understanding of people as a whole now, right? Like it's it's very easy for me to to kind of just assume the best in everybody now and to just see past their behavior or their attitude or their personality or whatever else if it's negative, but also to be cautious with the ones who seem all perfect, right? Like I'm kind of like I kind of see the bigger picture now, knowing that there's so many different layers to everybody. And I don't have to try to like anybody, you know what I mean? Sometimes in the past I used to have to try to find things that we had in common, but now I just get to be like I may not understand them who they are right now, but I know that there's something about this person that I would be able to relate to. You know what I mean? And it just it makes loving others so much easier. So that's my big one, you know, my really, really big one from the show. Um but I think some of the other things that I've learned really interesting is that everybody's on their own journey. I was actually talking to my sister about this, my little sister, who she sassy, Sasha and she was on the show too, um, way, way, way in the beginning. She is more active now than she was when she when she first did the show because she was just started coming back to church. And my sister, Sassy, she's all tatted up, you know, she's got the tattoos all over the place. Uh she um, you know, and and she doesn't mind me sharing this or anything like that, but her situation is a tricky one right now. She uh fell in love with a guy who um his wife left him and his son about three or four years before my sister met him. And uh unfortunately his wife is um just kind of trapped in that in that drug world, you know, where she, you know, she just can't be there and be a mom to her little boy and everything like that. And um, and they never got divorced, him and his wife. He just kind of he just left it alone. It was like whatever, it is what it is. And and his big thing is he was really worried that it might rock the boat. If he goes and he tries to find her and tries to file for divorce, what happens then to his son? Is he gonna have to share custody? Whereas right now he just has a son and he knows his son's safe. And so it's kind of a tricky situation. But she's been with him for years, and now they have a daughter together. Um, and and of course, because of her living situation, there's only so far that she can progress, right, in the church and the gospel. And and I I air quote that just because there's so many different ways to progress without it being like, here's your temple recommend, right? Like you can progress in your testimony a thousand different ways before you even get to the temple. And so, um, so for her, she's she's like, I don't know what to do because she has this testimony, she's going to church, she's going to the activities, she's praying at night, she's doing all these things that she never had done before. And she's been doing it consistently for a very, very long time, for a couple years now. But because he isn't comfortable rocking the boat and applying for divorce and you know, bring that whole situation in, she's kind of stuck. She's kind of like, Well, I love him. We have children together, I'm a mom to his son right now, and and what do I do, you know? And so um, she's you know, she's been getting a lot of people's opinions on she should just do this or do that. But at the end of the day, she needs to do what she feels is right for her for her family. And she doesn't look like your typical Molly Mormon. Yet my sister has a testimony now, which is amazing because if you knew her, if you knew her the way that I knew her, especially when she was a teenager and like in her early 20s, like that was not on her radar at all. She was party girl and just have fun, and you know what I mean? Like it just never resonated with her. So um, like I just told her tonight, too. I was like, I'm I'm proud of you, Sass. Like, I'm proud of you for what you've been doing and where you're at. And don't let that be something that other people make you feel ashamed for. Like your testimony is beautiful and it's precious just where it is. And it's okay if it's not where someone else's is, and it's okay if your obedience level isn't where someone else's is, because Heavenly Father knows you, he knows your whole story, he knows what you can and can't handle. And guess what? He's not on our timeline. So if it's like Dusty Smith, where it takes you 25 years to get your act together and come back, great. You know, uh if if you're someone who gets it really quickly and you you turn your whole life around in two months, great. You know, like it's it's just awesome to know from hearing these stories that one miracles can happen to anybody, and two, anybody can change. And three, no matter where you're at, your testimony is a beautiful thing, and it's complete enough for where you need it to be at the moment, but there's always room to grow it, you know.

Scott Brandley:

So, yeah, everyone is definitely on their own journey. I think that's probably one of the biggest lessons I've learned too. Yeah, and you can't judge them because you haven't walked in their shoes, right? And some people, some of the people on the show have they got some interesting shoes that they're walking in, right? Yes, and you're just like, okay, but you know, they're still sticking in there, they're still trying, they're still taking steps forward and in faith, you know, and it might not be the way that you think that they that they they should do it, or whatever, but but they are they're on their own journey, and you just have to be grateful for that.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, exactly. Well, and I I love what Vinny said on his episode. He said that life is a classroom, it's not a courtroom. Yeah, and you just don't know where you're gonna get the lessons from. And the lessons can come from anywhere and anything because why? Because God can work all things to our good, and that was a common thread throughout a lot of our episodes. I I heard so many people bring that up. Um, that that all things, everything, our really dumb choices, our mistakes, the horrible trauma that happens to us, anything that's unfair, all of that can be worked towards our good, right? And it's because God's so big and so powerful, right? So I I don't know, I just such a good show. These people, the the guests that have been on here have just been so amazing at teaching us, you know, about the bigger picture.

Scott Brandley:

So it's like when you look back, it's just it's rich with experience and uh testimony with faith. Like there's just there's a lot of depth and richness to it because people are they're they're wearing their art on their sleeve, they're telling intimate things, like the most intimate, precious things to them on the podcast. And and that that's that's cool that they trust us enough to be able to share that too, right?

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Well, and I love too that like so for our listeners, we don't always update what's going on in in um you know our guests' lives and stuff like that necessarily after they air. But uh we've had we've had such an array of guests. Um one guest in particular sticks out, and um I won't share who she is just because I I I don't have permission to do that. I don't think she would mind, but um she reached out to me. I don't know if she reached out to us, but I know she reached out to me at least. And she just kind of let me know. She's like, hey, I just want to let you know that um I've decided to step away from the church. And you know, she shared with me some of her reasons and stuff like that that she just couldn't get past. And I understood. And she's like, so I just I didn't want it to like ruin something of yours. I don't, it's okay if you want to take my episode down because I'm not an active member anymore. And I was like, girl, no. Like, we're keeping your episode up there because what you said still has value. Whether you're in or out of the church, whether you're excommunicated or not, whether you're taking a sabbatical or not, like wherever you are, when we say every member of the church has a story to share, we mean it. Every single one of them, even if they're dry members, even if they haven't quite been baptized yet, right? Like every member of the church has a story to share. And those show stories can do so much good. And so I'm like, no, like we still love you. I hope that things, you know, work out for for you and whatever it is that you need it to do walking away, like Heavenly Father knows where you're at. That that actually came from um who co wrote Vinny's book. He talked about how he had this moment with his son, right? And his son had like left the church or something like that.

Scott Brandley:

Uh Lynn Taylor.

Alisha Coakley:

Lynn Taylor, yes. And okay, so I I might be mixing up guests, I hope I'm not, but I think it was Lynn who said something about um, you know, he was really worried about his son, and his son was like. Making choices that he he was concerned about. And he kind of got this feeling, this prompting or whatever, this message that was like, He's my son too, and I know exactly where he's at. Like, you don't have to worry about him. Like, that was the feeling that he got when he received that inspiration from God was you know, God was telling him, Your son is my son too. I got him. It's we're good. We're okay. Like we can make this all work out, and you don't have to figure it out. You just gotta love him. That's that's your job. You just love them the way that I'm telling you to love them, you know. Love them the way that I love you, love them the way that Christ loves you. Like, that's all you gotta do because I got him. I know exactly where he's at, and it's it's kind of like refreshing to know it's okay. We we just get to love people, we just get to love them, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

So gosh, that was a good one too.

Scott Brandley:

All right, so what advice would you give to those who are struggling with trials in their lives?

Alisha Coakley:

Oh my gosh. So, what advice would I give to myself?

SPEAKER_01:

Right?

Alisha Coakley:

This is the one that I currently am holding on to dear life to. God is real. And he loves you, period. Right? He doesn't love you just because you're obedient, he doesn't love you just because you have things figured out, he doesn't love you just because you have temple recommend or because you repented, or because you're a good parent, or you're a hard worker, or any of those things. He just loves you, period. And that means you don't have to feel shame for not being able to live up to the expectations that other people might have for you. It means that you get to learn knowing that you're loved, and that's all it is. It's just learning, right? You fall down, you make mistakes, maybe you don't even make mistakes, maybe it's just really stupid choices and you are fully coherent and God loves you, period. Knowing that, I feel like is the thing that keeps me angry, right? So one of the hard things that we've been dealing with um with owning a venue is a lot of events happen on weekends, nights and weekends, and it's late nights and it's long nights, and it's like my ward starts at 9 a.m. and I'm up until 5 a.m. So for me to come home after having been at the venue for 18, 20 plus hours, and I've cleaned and I've moved tables up and down stairs, and I've mopped 13,000 square foot of bottle room floors, and I've you know had to interact with people, and you know, like it's physically, mentally exhausting, spiritually exhausting. So to pull my butt out of bed and get to church on Sunday mornings is it feels impossible. It's not impossible. I'm a grown-up. I know that it feels impossible. And there's a lot of different things I could I could go to a later ward, I could ask for my microspace. You know, like there's all these things I could do. And sometimes I I just know I'm like, this is the this is where we're at right now. This is where my I'm at with my life right now. And it makes me feel awful when I think about where I should be, right? What I should be doing. But at the same time, I'm also like, God's got me. He knows where I'm at. He knows that I'm struggling. He knows that I feel like I have answers, but I don't have the energy, you know, and like where's the where do you fix that? I don't know, but it's okay. Because at the end of the day, he loves me, period. So hold on to that. Hold on to the testimony that you have and kind of give yourself a little bit of grace to shed the expectations that you uh have for yourself and and the expectations that other people have for you. And at the end of the day, like if you just at least go back to God is real and he loves me, period. I think that can help you get through to the next day, to where when you're ready to listen or to change, when you're ready to do the next thing, when you're when your life gets a little calmer or a little crazier or whatever it is gonna get, they like you can remember that one thing that God loves you, that he's real, he's got your back, he's gonna watch out for you. It it kind of helps you to feel like you have a partner in all this. You're not doing it by yourself, you know, and so and that's okay, right? Because again, we're not on we're not on the same timeline as God. He's he's got it. So if it takes us a little longer because we're stubborn or we're dumb, sometimes I my sister says, she says, everything happens for a reason. I'm like, yeah, sometimes the reason is because you're dumb. Like sometimes you get arrested because you did a dumb thing. Sometimes you ruin a relationship because you did a dumb thing. Sometimes, you know, you end up sick or hung over or hurt because you did something done. That could be the only reason for it. And that's okay, because guess what? You still get to learn and God still loves you. So that I guess is my advice is just hold on to him, you know. Like if you if you can't do everything else right, at least do that one thing right. Just love him, keep him in your life, keep it real with him, and just know that he's he's there. You know, he might be quiet, it might feel like he's far away, but he is still there and he is still watching and he still loves you. And I promise that no matter how much shame or guilt or regret or remorse you have, that there are a million different things that God is proud of you for, and that other people are proud of you for. So just know it's just part of your story, and that's just the interesting part, right? We gotta have our ups and downs, we gotta have our conflicts. That's what makes a good story, you know.

Scott Brandley:

Speaking of story, um, you know, when we started this thing four years ago and we were trying to come up with a name, right?

SPEAKER_01:

Yep.

Scott Brandley:

And I think you I think you're the one that came up with it. Either you or John came up with the the name Latter day Lights. And you know, I think that that's that's been a great representation of what we've been doing, right? So looking back on the last four years, almost 200 guests, what does the word light mean to you after four years of help of have listening to people share their light?

Alisha Coakley:

Um, you know, I think, and this is gonna sound a little crazy. I don't know, maybe it's not gonna sound crazy, we'll say I think for me, um, a lot of people like to associate light with being able to see, and that's great, right? Like I 100% on board with that. For me, um, I'm I'm always in a state of cold, right? Like I feel like I'm always cold. I always have look, I have a heated blanket on my lap right now. I have a sweater on. Um, and whenever I'm at the venue, same thing. I have little floor heaters underneath my desks. I just feel like I'm always cold. And um the one time the time that I'm consistently not cold, and not that you can tell right now, because it's been a hot minute since Alicia's been here, is in a tanning bed. You go into a tanning bed and you got those bright lights on you, and they just start warming you up, almost like a little baby chicken incubator or something like that, right? Like it's just it's like this warmth that like helps you just stop shaking and shivering and just makes you feel like and to me, when I think back about all of the guests that we've had and I think about the light that they've shared, yes, it has definitely helped me see in some things, but more than that, it's helped me to feel that warmth inside my soul. It's helped me to feel this tangible love for them as a person and for people who are like them. You know, like it's helped me to not feel so shaky in life. Like I don't feel like I'm I'm shivering my way through it and just trying to constantly like, I just need something warm. You know, it's like, okay, now I can concentrate on the other things that I need. I can concentrate on my health, I can concentrate on my sleep, I can concentrate on my business and my family and my, you know, like da-da-da-da. Because I don't have to worry about just staying warm, you know? And until you're freezing, I promise you, if you're freezing, that almost always is gonna be the main thing that you're thinking about, right? Like, have you ever have you ever had experienced that, Scott? Have you ever been so cold it's to your bones? Like, where you've your brain stops functioning. Have you been in that kind of coldness before? Think about it.

Scott Brandley:

I'm sure I have. I grew up in Canada, so I know, like you should be there. And I have to walk to school.

Alisha Coakley:

Five miles uphill both ways. Pretty well. Yes, we're that old.

unknown:

Yeah.

Scott Brandley:

No, I like I like that, like the the light and the warmth from the inside out.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah.

Scott Brandley:

You know, like I really like that.

Alisha Coakley:

So that's kind of what it means to me. It's just uh just the ability to just be comfortable and to learn and to move forward and and and to not have to have that thing that you're worried about. You know, it's it's a good thing.

Scott Brandley:

So well, and this has kind of felt like almost like a battery recharge every week.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah. You know, for sure.

Scott Brandley:

Really cool.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah. I have to say, I mean, there's there have been so many times where like like I've been so um just in my like to-do list, right? Like check, go to church, check, da da da da, check, do my calling, blah, blah, blah. Where like I had this checklist that I was doing, and then I and then later on that evening, I get here and we start recording, and it's like, oh, that's right. That's what it feels like to feel the spirit, you know, like I'm done all the things, but because I was so diligent and just check, check, check, I wasn't, I wasn't in the moment of feeling the spirit. And I love that literally every show that we've done, there has not been a single guest that we've interviewed where I haven't felt the spirit at some point, you know, whether it brings me to tears or makes me smile or it just puts me in a place of perspective, like every single one of them have brought it with them. And and it it sticks with me, you know what I mean? Like it makes me think on those things later on in the week. And it's just um it's just good stuff. It's just been a really good experience.

Scott Brandley:

Well, kind of reached the end of the episode, and you know what we do at the end, Alicia? We ask people to share their final thoughts.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah. Oh, it's been a few months maybe since I've been able to have my last um episode with a guest where I've really uh just been able to get into their story and stuff. And so um final thoughts. One, I have to say thank you, Scott, for choosing me to be your partner in crime here with this and and to learn alongside you and for pulling me along. Um, I don't think you've made such a big impact on my life in so many ways, even outside of the podcast. But I I have to say that this podcast, like I know that it has been such an inspired thing. And so I just have to thank you for listening to the spirit, for being motivated, for diving in and just doing the thing, you know, and then for letting me come along for the ride, because it's been a beautiful, beautiful ride. Um, to all of the guests who have come on and who have shared a piece of them with me and with Scott, like you guys genuinely don't understand how many times there were things that you specifically sent that related directly to something that I needed at that moment. You know, um, so much healing of my own has been done through this show because of the stories that you've shared. And that's not just for me. I have had conversations with multiple people who have said the same things because they've been listening to your episodes. And so I just have to say thank you for being vulnerable and being raw and real and open and honest and coming on here. And, you know, it's it is a scary thing, and um and it's a beautiful thing. And I I hope that you guys who've been on as guests have felt the blessings of sharing your stories the way that we've been feeling those blessings come to us. Um, to our listeners, I there have been so many amazing comments that have come through, and just the love and the support and the way that you guys have shared the show and that you have um reached out and talked to us about the impact that it's it's had on your life, the way that you support our guests in in all of their episodes and when they're sharing their stories. It's so inspiring. It is really truly so inspiring. And I hope that as you continue to listen and as you continue to hear more stories, that you can remember one, how hard it is to get on here and you share it. Um, two, that you can remember that everyone is in a different place, but that their testimony still has validity and it still has power behind it, and that it can still be a beautiful tool in the work of the Lord, even if it's not perfect. Um, and so I hope that you can applaud them and that you can be proud of them and that you can encourage them with love and um and patience and grace to continue spreading light. And then I think the last thing that I would just like to say is um I feel like even though a lot of the things in my life look still kind of messy, um I know that this show has helped me to find more of who I am as a daughter of God. And the Alicia from four years ago was very self-conscious and was very um hard on herself and um never really felt like she could do anything good enough to be worthy of love. And the Alicia here today because of the show and because of the stories and because of the the way my testimony has grown, I can say that I feel like I'm closer to who I'm supposed to be than I've ever been before. And it's crazy because it just looks so messy, like my like my life looks so messy that you wouldn't think it. But inside I still have that warmth and I'm okay, you know, and and I know that the Heavenly Father's here and He's watching out for us, and I know that Christ has had half my back, and and beyond that, like I know that just every member of the church that I come into in contact with um that they're just part of my family, you know what I mean? Like they're there, and whether I know them personally or not, whether I've heard their story yet or not, I love knowing that we have each other and that we can help each other through this life. So thank you guys for loving us and supporting us and um being our cheerleaders and and sharing these stories and sharing your stories. Um, and I just want to encourage everyone, you know, if you have a story to share, one that can instill faith, invite growth, and inspire others, please let us know. So love you guys. Love you, Scott.

Scott Brandley:

Where do they go to share their story?

Alisha Coakley:

Uh you can email us at latterdaylifes at gmail.com. Um, we have, you know, people that will answer you directly. Uh and even though I'm not here hosting the show on the regular anymore, um, you guys can always reach out to me too. I'm pretty easy to find on all things social media. You know, you can look up Alicia Marie Coakley or the Salted Beauty or the Historic Baker Building TX, like lots of ways to contact me if you ever need. So I just hope that you guys um, you know, utilize us, utilize your your Latter day lights family, and um and and come grow with us, you know.

Scott Brandley:

So awesome. It has been a pleasure and a great adventure, Alicia. Thanks for hanging out with me for all this time and all the hours, and yeah, it's just thank you so much. And I know that well, I know it's not saying goodbye. I mean we're we're friends, we're gonna see talking right, but I really thank you for everything, and it's been a it's been a fun journey, and it's not over. We're we're gonna continue Latter day Lights. Um, I've been talking with my my wife and my kids about who who we should bring on as an as a new co-host, and we got some ideas, so we'll see what happens. But we'll we'll figure it out. It'll be it'll be great. So awesome. Alright, well, guys, go hit that share button. Let's let's get this out there. Let's let's help share the lights with Latter day lights.

Alisha Coakley:

Alright, until next week, guys. See you later.

Scott Brandley:

Bye bye.

Head Shot

Scott Brandley

Host
Head Shot

Alisha Coakley

Co-host