In this episode, Nathan Gewondjan shares how certain trials and events on his mission helped him to find his "why" and reignite his passion and purpose for the gospel, ultimately leading him to start the "Called to Serve" podcast and write the book, "Finding Your Why - How to Get the Most Out of Your Mission".
Nathan is a force for good in this world, and his story will inspire you. If you're on the fence about serving a mission, whether young or old, this episode will give you helpful insight and perspective.
*** Please SHARE Nathan's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***
To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/0BJAbAAvZ44
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To GET Nathan's book, "Finding Your Why - How to Get the Most Out of Your Mission", visit (direct link): https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Your-Why-Most-Mission/dp/B0CK3QD2TX
To LEARN more about the Called to Serve podcast, visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HycXbVKOmluvvwpyrLHGz
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Also, if you have a faith-promoting or inspiring story, or know someone who does, please let us know by going to https://www.latterdaylights.com and reaching out to us.
In this episode, Nathan Gewondjan shares how certain trials and events on his mission helped him to find his "why" and reignite his passion and purpose for the gospel, ultimately leading him to start the "Called to Serve" podcast and write the book, "Finding Your Why - How to Get the Most Out of Your Mission".
Nathan is a force for good in this world, and his story will inspire you. If you're on the fence about serving a mission, whether young or old, this episode will give you helpful insight and perspective.
*** Please SHARE Nathan's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***
To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/0BJAbAAvZ44
-----
To GET Nathan's book, "Finding Your Why - How to Get the Most Out of Your Mission", visit (direct link): https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Your-Why-Most-Mission/dp/B0CK3QD2TX
To LEARN more about the Called to Serve podcast, visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HycXbVKOmluvvwpyrLHGz
-----
Also, if you have a faith-promoting or inspiring story, or know someone who does, please let us know by going to https://www.latterdaylights.com and reaching out to us.
Hi everyone, I'm Scott Brandley.
Alisha Coakley:And I'm Alisha 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 hear how Finding His why led one elder to finish his mission and start a new one. Welcome to Latter-day Lights. Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Latter-day Lights. We're so glad that you're here with us today and we have a special treat for you today Another podcaster. His name is Nathan Gewondjan and I said that, right, right.
Nathan Gewondjan:You got it yeah.
Scott Brandley:Perfect, Nathan. Welcome to the show. Thank you, happy to be here.
Alisha Coakley:Well, we're excited to have you. We're so thankful that you guys you guys I say it like you have a monkey on your back, I don't know. We're thankful that you reached out to us and we're so willing to share your story. And I love when we connect with other people who are doing something similar to Scott and I, where you are sharing your own stories on your podcasts and so, real quick, can we learn a little bit more about you and about your podcasts, what you do, and you know just a little preview of who Nathan is.
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, definitely so. I was born and raised in California and I was telling Scott, shortly before we jumped on here, just that about three years ago I moved to Idaho Falls just to be closer to the family.
Nathan Gewondjan:And yeah, it was kind of at the beginning of the pandemic, just change of scene, I guess I don't know. But yeah, it's just a little bit about where I'm from. But in terms of the podcast, so my buddy Max and I we have the called to serve podcast and we've been doing it for about two and a half years, just interviewing people whether they're preparing for or recently returned home for a mission, just to kind of, yeah, just to build that platform where people can just learn from each other, build on each other's experiences, and it's been great just. And I know both you and Scott, I'm sure you both know just the inspiration that can come by interviewing another person. I don't know, I just some days, you know, I don't want to interview someone on the podcast, but then I go ahead and I do it and it's just so inspiring, just life changing almost in some cases.
Scott Brandley:So yeah, just amazing. And I was just. I was talking to my sister-in-law today about our podcast and she's like, when I watch it, it's like a shot of faith in the arm.
Scott Brandley:Right and I like that because you know, like we go through life and we do have our own faith building experiences, but they're not. They're like sporadic, right. And the cool thing about doing a podcast is you can have something every week or you know, or whenever you listen to one, so you can have those. It's almost like you're getting that experience through, you know, through someone else's experience, right, like you're there with them and it's just, it's a cool thing just to have that constant shot of faith.
Alisha Coakley:Yeah, I agree, and I think it's funny too, because because part of my role on this show is just to sort of get a little dose of each of the story beforehand, so we kind of have an idea of what we're, what we're going to hear about, and I never get to hear all of it, and I like it that way. But it's so interesting when I do hear all of it and all the pieces are put together and and I think a lot of times too, as people are sharing their story, they'll remember these other things that had happened that maybe they wouldn't have shared had we had that conversation over the phone, you know, because because the spirit is here and it really does help I don't know. Just it helps to guide the whole story along. And so anyway, long story short.
Alisha Coakley:We love it, it is super fun, but the world needs more good podcasters. So I think I guess, technically, we joined you. If you've been doing this for two and a half years, you didn't join us, but that's okay because we're way older than you. So I think we just get that level of experience. It's like what's the age before beauty.
Nathan Gewondjan:So we just get, we just get to be first.
Alisha Coakley:No, but. But the world really does need more of this and needs more members of the church and and and fellow Christians, even, you know, even outside of the church and stuff. It needs more good to be readily accessible and and able to be listened to and watched and and felt. So thank you for your contributions to that. We appreciate it.
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, no, I mean hey, right back, right back at both of you. I really appreciate what you're doing here with this. I think it's, I think it's great, you know, just having different I guess, just almost the idea of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I just I just love that concept and and I really do appreciate just the people you have on the show and everything.
Alisha Coakley:So I like that. I think I'm going to have to start keeping notes, making signs, bust out a cricket, start selling bumper stickers. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I love it. Great, all right. Well, nathan, the floor is yours. Sir, why don't you let us know where does your story begin?
Nathan Gewondjan:Well, I mean, I've always been a deep thinker, but really the story just behind or rather what? The story that I wanted to share, the story behind the podcast and kind of where I'm at right now, is just started on a mission. And you know, I, like most people, you know you go on the mission because I mean, you have a, you feel a sense of duty and that's kind of where I was. I kind of felt a sense of duty. I I knew it was what I ought to do. I knew I wanted to, but it wasn't. I guess my reason for doing it wasn't as deep as it could have been and it wasn't until I was about a year into my mission and I was a Spanish speaking missionary. So obviously, you know, you get to the mission field and you're speaking a foreign language. It's a bit difficult A lot of times. At first you just don't understand and in my case, yeah, I didn't understand a word. Okay, maybe a word that's. That's a little bit, a little bit excessive, but I didn't understand what people were saying in many cases. But fast forward to about a year in. You know, language is going well. But I'm serving in El Paso, texas.
Nathan Gewondjan:The mission was Albuquerque, new Mexico, but it covered all the way down to the border of Mexico as well. But but yeah, it was about a year into it and had a great, great companion at the time. It was awesome. But but not much was happening. We were working super hard, we were trying to find people to teach, we were trying to build ward trust, we were being obedient, and I think at one point or another most missionaries go through that where they feel like, oh, I'm doing everything right, why is nothing happening or why does it seem like nothing's happening? But it's easy to get discouraged when things like that happen. And I got pretty discouraged. Nothing crazy, but just just discouraged. You know, like the wind was kind of let out of the sales, oxygen out of the tank, whatever you want to say, it but somehow word got around, I think.
Nathan Gewondjan:I think I emailed my sister or something and she was friends with one of my previous college roommates. But anyways, I got a letter and in it one of my previous one of my roommates from from BYU, idaho, which I had attended previously. He said hey, nate, you had great reasons for going on a mission, but now it's time you got to figure out why you're going to stay on the mission, why are you going to finish? And when I read that it just kind of hit me I See you again. I had considered previously why I had gone, but why I was going to stay or why. I guess the concept of my why being almost a living thing where they needed to be nourished and almost fed, I guess on a normal, regular basis, didn't really I never crossed my mind previously. It was a new concept and pretty much after I read that I just decided okay, well, if this is going to get better, I've got to do something about it. And so I decided no better time than the present. Let's figure out why I'm going to stay. Let's figure out, because I'm not going home, I'm not throwing the towel, although I did want to at times. So, yeah, I just after a little while. It took some time. It took some work, for sure, praying, studying actively, soul searching, trying to figure out why is Elder Gewondjan in here still on the mission, why is Elder Gewondjan going to stay and why does that matter.
Nathan Gewondjan:But eventually I came across a talk by President Nelson and it was from the April 2019 General Conference. It's titled Come Follow Me and in it he shares the experience that he had that he and Sister Nelson went to Paradise, california, whenever they were having those crazy fires over there. But he shared an experience speaking with one of the first responders, one of the police officers who was obviously out there helping people during all the fires and the emergency situation. While the first responder was out there, he shared the question that was kind of going through his mind was where is my family? And that whenever I read that or listened to that, I think I was actually I think I was mopping the floor. I remember listening to it. I was mopping the floor. It wasn't in preparation, my companion was sick that day and so we couldn't really go out because he was sick.
Nathan Gewondjan:But I remember I was mopping the floor and I was just listening to President Nelson and I was just like wow, that's powerful, and that's just kind of marinating in my mind. Just thinking about that. I was like that's my why, that's why I'm out here, that's why I'm going to stay is because I've got I'm sealed to my family already. I'm very blessed to have that, but so many people are not. So many people don't have that luxury, I guess you could say, or that privilege, that blessing to be sealed, and a lot of them don't even know it's a possibility. So I just thought I was like you know, that's my why, that's why I'm going to stay. And that really did fuel me and I guess the way I like to, I guess the picture I like to draw for this is I don't know if anyone that's listening or either of you have watched Looney Tunes with Daffy Duck when he's just bouncing off the walls- yeah, we're that.
Scott Brandley:That's kind of. Yeah, we probably watched a lot more bad than you I was going to say, yeah, I mean probably.
Alisha Coakley:I had the t-shirts that I would double up, roll up my two sleeves. It was a whole thing. Okay, so sorry we're seeing.
Nathan Gewondjan:Well, no, that's just the image that you know Daffy Duck, kind of bouncing off the walls, crazy energetic. That was just. You know, before I found out my why, I was just kind of like, I said, kind of just discouraged, a bit low on energy, exhausted. But after I figured it out I was just like man, nothing, nothing's going to stop me, I'm just, I'm going, and it was just almost like Daffy Duck just bouncing off the walls. So that's that's kind of the picture I like to put, because it was, it really was night and day the difference.
Nathan Gewondjan:But fast forward a little bit in the pandemic hits and I returned home about six weeks early. I call it. I was part of the. Well, I was part of the COVID offload is what I like to call it just one of those. Because I didn't, I didn't have any health problems or anything like that, I just I was. I think they, they just sent a lot of the elders home that were out 21 months or more, and I was, I was within that range, so sent home just a little bit early and, like most people when they return home for a mission, there's a bit of a transition, bit of an adjustment, and I had to figure out okay, I'm not reciting the missionary purpose every week in district council or in zone conference.
Nathan Gewondjan:What is my why? Now, you know, I mean it's obviously I'm still a disciple of Christ, I'm still still on the covenant path. Just got to figure out what's my why. Because I'm not going out knocking on doors, I'm not going out talking to people at the park, I'm not going out teaching people per se, but I need to figure out what's my why and how can I still serve while being a normal civilian. But it was one morning that I was just, you know, doing typical classic scripture study, personal study. But I had an impression to create a platform where people can share all about their why for sharing the gospel and just for being a member of the church of Jesus Christ, the Latter-day Saints, and that's that's kind of what led to my friend and I creating the call to serve podcast.
Nathan Gewondjan:Was that impression and the reason why I wanted to focus on the why was just because for me personally, that has such a big impact on me and it was kind of funny because anyone I had talked to that served a mission. They kind of knew what I was talking about in terms of when I would bring up hey, like, did your why change from when you started to when you were kind of serving? How did that evolve? But it was almost like a different language that we were all speaking or we could speak because we all served missions and we just kind of understood. Okay, you just get change and your reason for doing it changes.
Nathan Gewondjan:But yeah, just kind of evolved into, yeah, the call to serve podcast, and that was initially the impression and then, once I kind of took a step into that, I could see the next step and the next step, almost like what Elder Bednar talks about when he when he speaks of the feeling of spirit and how a lot of times it's like a foggy day and you can't see more than just a step or two in front of you, at least at one time. But yeah, and from there I just you know, I felt impressed, after interviewing so many people, to to write a book specifically for people either preparing for or recently returning home from a mission. And that's kind of where I'm at. I just just the books currently in the preorder phase and it'll be launching on October 2nd. So just that's kind of the chapter where I'm in right now and just looking forward to what the future brings, and we'll see what happens.
Alisha Coakley:The next step I take Awesome, well, what's the name of your book?
Nathan Gewondjan:It's called Finding your why, how to Get the Most Out of your Mission.
Alisha Coakley:Okay, awesome. Well, congratulations on that. That is like a huge Scott and I know.
Scott Brandley:Yeah, that's a big project, for sure it is a big undertaking.
Alisha Coakley:Yeah, I am always. I always feel bad when people ask me when are you, when's your book going to be done? I'm like I don't know. Ask Heavenly Father.
Nathan Gewondjan:He just, he keeps adding to it.
Alisha Coakley:I thought that I would be done at this point, but he just gives me more words. So we're just not done yet. I don't know, but that's amazing. So I have a couple questions and comments. First, I love how you said you have to treat your why like it's a living, breathing thing. I don't know why, but I'm imagining a puppy. You know, I'm just imagining like, like this excited little puppy, and at first we think, oh, this is our why.
Alisha Coakley:and then as the puppy grows you know, he, I don't know the puppy changes too, right, like it gets a little more, a little more steady, you know, and sometimes later on in life it might slow down and might just really want the comforts in life, and so I love the imagery of just having your why be something that's, that's alive, that you have to nurture, that you have to give attention to and that you have to be okay with it changing and shifting as things change and shift in your life too. Right, because that I think I think sometimes we get so caught up in having to have one why for the rest of our life that we forget that's a really long time. It's a really long time and things, things become more and less important to us based on our experiences, and so thank you for that. That's going on my bumper sticker cricket machine too.
Alisha Coakley:But I did have a couple of questions. So one when you felt this, this inspiration to start this podcast let's start with that had you ever done anything like a podcast before? Or was it because you mentioned that your why kind of led you along and showed you like your next steps? So what was, what was that process? Like you know, just trying to figure out how the heck do you do a podcast?
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, it was. It was a little bit of a. There was a learning curve involved, for sure. I hadn't yeah, I hadn't done a podcast or a YouTube or anything kind of like that, and I'd considered doing something similar to that or a podcast about something for a little while, but I just wasn't sure what it was. And I think I guess, more than more than anything, that impression was this is what you need to do, your podcast on, this is, you know, this is what I need for you or from you and cause. Up to that point I definitely considered it. I hadn't, like I said, I hadn't done it, but at that point I was pretty set on doing something like a podcast, but I hadn't figured out the subject of what it would be and that was like I said. That was the impression. That was just like here, this is it.
Alisha Coakley:Oh, I love that. And then what about for the book too? Is that something that I mean? Had you ever written a book before? Are you, you know, someone who loves writing and that does that come natural to you? Or was that something else that you kind of had to learn and grow and figure out?
Nathan Gewondjan:Well, it's kind of funny because growing up, so I was homeschooled and I definitely studied English, but it was more. I think I learned more English just by speaking properly in the home than I did on paper or in grammar lessons or whatnot. And it was funny because I returned home from the mission and I I remember who I told this, but I remember telling this to somebody I think, yeah, I said I think I've studied Spanish more than I've studied English my whole life, just because of the language study you do on the mission, right, and I just thought that was kind of funny because I know more about Spanish verbs and Jaren's and past tense participle subjunctive, all that jazz, more more about Spanish than I do English. But, yeah, so finding your why is actually my second book that I've written, my first one? I published it just a few months actually before starting the call to serve podcast.
Nathan Gewondjan:I was published November of 2021 and then in January no, my bad, actually, no, I have my timeline incorrect here. It was. I published my book, my first book, about nine months or 11 months, nine, 10 months after starting the podcast. Okay, so so I had, I believe we'd started the writing process but hadn't published it, and no, I don't actually particularly like writing. At least I hadn't up until just a few years ago. I don't know how. It just kind of came out of nowhere.
Alisha Coakley:Wow your little puppy. Why led you along?
Nathan Gewondjan:and pretty much on this trail. Yeah, yeah, I don't, I don't. If you would have asked me five years ago, do you think you'll have a writer book? I was like no.
Alisha Coakley:There you go Nice. So for all of my listeners out there if you're considering a podcast, or even if you're not, if you're like I could never do that. Nathan has just proved to you that you can, and you probably should, so get on whatever it is that Heavenly Father is telling you to do, and go do it. Okay, yeah, it's God's turn, yeah.
Scott Brandley:So I was going to ask when did you get the inspiration to write a book and what was the impetus behind that project?
Nathan Gewondjan:The finding your why.
Scott Brandley:Yeah.
Nathan Gewondjan:It was Well, number one, we were looking for a way to get out to more people, to reach more people, and number two, we were, I say, weak, because it was myself as well as my friend Max that we were. May have the podcast, but it was also just you reach a different audience when you write a book. Obviously, a podcast is nice because you can cover a lot and you can kind of unpack certain ideas. But with a book unless it's an audio book, that's kind of a different story. But with a book, most of the time you're able to really develop an idea and you kind of have a captive I guess for lack of a better term a captive audience.
Nathan Gewondjan:Because with a podcast it's nice in the fact that you can go out, I can be cleaning the house, I can be washing the car, I can be doing whatever driving to work, and I can be listening to it and still having my attention on it, but somewhat divided. When otherwise you have a book, a lot of times you got to sit down or you got to plant yourself and you got to just put yourself into it and I like that and some people that would listen to podcasts won't write a book or won't read a book. But people that will read a book won't necessarily always listen to a podcast. So just kind of wanting to get the word out, I guess that's my explanation, but it was really just an impression, I suppose. I don't know exactly, I guess, the meaning behind it, but I do think that my first book that I wrote helps me learn a few things, so that finding your why this book could be a lot better.
Alisha Coakley:Nice, that's awesome. So tell me, as you start this podcast and you're looking for people to now, do they? And I apologize, I am not too familiar with it. I have heard of it but I don't know if I've actually listened to it yet. So do you have people sharing your stories? Kind of like this Do you guys have topics that you talk about? How does that conversation go and what did that look like figuring that out?
Nathan Gewondjan:It was again. It was a bit of a learning curve, a work in progress, but where we're at now is that generally, what I like to do is the question I ask people, no matter what hands down, if they're coming on the show. They're going to answer this is what's your why? What's your why for serving, or what's your why for having this social media Instagram page where you share the gospel on, and what can people learn from you? If I'm trying to share the gospel, how can I do it? But that's the first question is just what's your why? But generally, what I'll do is I'll ask them hey, are there any certain principles or certain things that really impacted your decision to serve? And then, based on their response, I'll kind of formulate a plan as to more or less what we'll be discussing on the podcast. So that's kind of what we do with. That is just yeah, really we wanted to be about them, about their story, just because everyone's got a story Right.
Scott Brandley:That's true. We believe that too. So in your book, what are some of the topics you address when you're helping somebody to find their why?
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, so one of the topics that we cover and that's just kind of the imagery of a pyramid, how every layer points to the top and if you don't have the first layer, you can't get to the second layer. You don't have the second layer, you can't get to the third layer and you won't be able to obviously get to the top and everything, like I said, everything points to the top and that's the idea behind it is just that everything points to the why, and so what's yours basically, and how are you going to find that? Sorry, go ahead.
Nathan Gewondjan:Oh, no, you go, I was just going to say it's a three-part book, so the first part's for preparing, the second one's just for why you're serving the last one's for after you get back. How are you going to keep it going essentially? Oh, I love that. Yeah, that's cool, I love that.
Alisha Coakley:That's a really like. I like when there's something for every stage, you know. I was just thinking when you were talking about the pyramid thing is that I don't know. Have you heard of the seven? It's like seven levels deep Scott probably knows I'm talking about For finding your. Why have you heard that? I haven't actually. Oh, I haven't heard of that.
Nathan Gewondjan:But I mean it might be similar.
Alisha Coakley:And so and I mean, this was many moons ago that I had heard about this technique for finding your why, and I've done it a few times and it definitely gets the wheels turning right. But, geez, I can't even remember who said it. I'm going to have to figure that out too. So it was encouraged that if you're wanting to find your true why, the thing that's really, really strong and that's like deeply embedded within, is you answer why. First you know, for example, you know, why do I want to lose weight? Well, because I want to look good in my clothes. And then you say, okay, why do you want to look good in your clothes?
Alisha Coakley:And so you keep answering those questions, like you ask a question in regards to the previous answer that you gave, and you go about seven levels deep and once you get down to that seventh level supposedly that is the deepest you know that's the more you know. Well, because I want to live longer for my kids, you know type of thing. So it could be something you know. You think it's a surface, a surface why, but then the more you dig right, and this is going down, not going up, with your pyramid, but I love the idea of your pyramid, because I feel like that just points closer to God. You know, I know we've always seen a lot of imagery in regards to like pyramids and like husband, wife, god or you have like.
Alisha Coakley:God the Father, jesus Christ, holy Ghost, and they all point out, you know I love that imagery of that. So that's not exactly the same thing necessarily.
Nathan Gewondjan:It's, it's, it's not. No, it's not. But I love that. I think that's. I think that's excellent. Yeah, I think that's a great, great thing to do for those that are trying to figure out their why.
Alisha Coakley:Okay, so you mentioned for you, you kind of you read scriptures and you served and you prayed about it and you fasted. What would you suggest to someone, especially someone who's maybe not on the mission field right, I love that you are tailored. You have this niche right around missionaries and recently returned missionaries and things like that, but we all have our mission right. So essentially we all are missionaries in our own way. What's your advice for people who you know are kind of maybe not doing the mission thing per se in the, in the standard text of it? How would you suggest to them that they find their why for continuing on, whatever purpose it is that they have in front of them?
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, I mean, I think it's a similar process. I think, either way, you got to keep God involved in that discovery and that decision. And you know, obviously prayer is huge. I think praying I'm a big advocate for meditation and soul searching, just trying to figure out, you know, I guess taking the time to be still, but I think it goes.
Nathan Gewondjan:It kind of goes down to okay, what, how do you hear him best? Because I think finding your why is a very spiritual thing, regardless of if that's for you know, why am I going to start this business? Why am I going to go to school? Why am I going to do this? Or why am I going to date this person, I think it's a very spiritual thing in any case. And so taking the time for me, because that's how I hear him best, is just being still so. But for those that are, you know that would be considering their why, I think you first got to figure out how do I hear him and I just love that initiative that the church kind of came out with is just hear him.
Nathan Gewondjan:I love that so much because it's it's going to be slightly different for everyone, but but I think it starts with that and then it goes into okay, put myself in that place so I can be open for revelation, and then bring my journal, you know, write down my revelation that I receive and just do it because it's really just, it's between you and the Lord. That's I think, that's that's in my opinion. That's your why. Is you know that's how you figure it out. Is you got to set aside time to spend essentially for a personal interview with God and just figure out you know what's your why?
Scott Brandley:I like that because I think we get so busy in the world and in life that a lot of times we neglect spiritual things and we don't take the time to really get to the heart of the purpose of life or the important parts of the gospel that could really impact our lives, because we just get too busy. There's been a lot of people that I've talked to, even family members, and I'm like have you read the Book of Mormon? There are people that maybe aren't active in the church. Right, have you even read it? And they're like no, well, that's a problem, right, because you're missing out on that internal that. Why, right, it's got to come from inside, it's got to be something that's just part of who you are. But if you never take the time to focus on spiritual things, then you can't ever get it. And so if you don't have it, how does it become part of you? Right, like you mentioned, it's a living thing and it is for sure you got to spend that time to get it and then you got to nurture it.
Nathan Gewondjan:Once you have it, yeah, well, it just reminds me of what Elder Uchtdorf talked about a little while back in general conference, when he talked about sharing what's in your heart. And you can't share what's in your heart, or at least you may not want to, unless it's good and of God in terms of sharing the gospel, and so you use it to your point. You got to have it in your heart first, then you can share it.
Alisha Coakley:And what I've noticed is I feel like it was the millennial generation that kind of got into this, like why, thing right? Like I feel like when I was a kid we didn't care. It was like just do it. You know, we were. I don't know.
Scott Brandley:Yeah, so Scott, maybe you agree with me More external pressure versus internal drive? Yes, exactly.
Alisha Coakley:It was like you just do it Like what are you talking about? You know, like feelings we don't need feelings, but I love that the millennial generation has done a lot more of this in depth soul searching Now, sometimes to the extreme, where they're just I'm like what? Come here, Like you're not even on the same field.
Alisha Coakley:Come back Like you're just going great Like just come, like, let's do this one first, but I do think that the whole why thing has become very, very big in this past generation and then moving forward to our next generations that are that are, you know, up and coming Right. I think that that there's a lot of people who they need that anchor right If they're going to do anything. They need that anchor. And so I want to ask you you know you shared with us the the why on your mission essentially was because you want families, especially your family right, to not be lost, like you want to know where your family is right. That was kind of, and I might you probably have much better wording. But how has your why changed and what's your why now? You know?
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, that's a really good, really good question, I think it's. In a lot of ways it's it's very similar, but it's definitely evolved. And you know, I had a thought the other day just about how. You know, I think one of my greatest fears is becoming really good at something that doesn't matter. And you know years and not figure, not until years later, and, and I think more than anything, my why now is keeping what's most important number one, and obviously you know, the families on there, the testimony of Christ and regularly testifying of him is there, and I really think that's just what it comes down to.
Nathan Gewondjan:You know, just those two things of hey, if I can bring one person to Christ, you know, it doesn't matter how many preorders the book gets, it doesn't matter how many copies we sell, I just want to get it in the hands of people that need it.
Nathan Gewondjan:And that's just from my personal experience of seeing how that helped me finding my why. You know, I just I wish I would have thought about it before I had gone on the mission, because I mean, no, definitely wouldn't have been perfect, but would have been much better, I'm sure. But, that being said, I would not be the person that I am today. If I, if I did change, we'll go back in time and change that right. So I don't, I don't have any regrets in that sense. But yeah, I'd say my why is just keeping the main thing. The main thing, the main thing is to testify of Christ and to bring as many people to him as possible. So it's similar to where, as my family, you know, bringing people, families, together, but it's, I'd say it's more centered on Jesus Christ now than it was.
Alisha Coakley:Right.
Scott Brandley:Yeah, I like that. Wouldn't it be interesting if we could go back in time, knowing what we know now, and do our mission again? I think that's why they have us do a senior missionary when senior mission were older, because we learn all this stuff and we're like, okay, I get it now. Yeah, man, if I could just go back in time you know, just think of what I could do Pretty much.
Alisha Coakley:That's an interesting thought. I never thought about that. That's yeah, I like that, scott, not that I mean I. You know, again, back in my day it wasn't heavily encouraged for girls to go on missions. We had to wait until we were 21. And then they were like oh, I guess you could go if you want to. You know, like, and so I didn't serve. I didn't serve a mission or anything like that, but I love the idea of like getting a second chance when you're older, or maybe even a first chance in my situation you know like I can still be preparing for my mission even though I still have kids at home and it's going to be a hot minute before I get to that point.
Alisha Coakley:You know, I think that that's, I don't know. That was good insight, scott. I like that. I'll cricket sticker that.
Scott Brandley:Well, I don't. Oh, thanks, I do like the title of your book Finding your why. Right now I have a son that I'm trying to get to go on a mission and he's struggling with that, with finding his why, and I, you know, hadn't really thought about it in that phrase, but it totally makes sense, you know, and when you're young it's hard. I mean, there is that point, you know, and you had one of those on your mission, you know where you had to figure out that why and that internal, that thing that was going to drive you internally to keep you going, keep your faith strong. But I know it's, I know my kid's not the only one out there, you know it's, it happens a lot. So I think your book can help a lot of people that are trying to find that why, that reason to, to make that investment and find into God and, and you know, renew their faith, find that drive.
Alisha Coakley:What would you say to someone who, who doesn't know what their why is? Yet Do you encourage them just to go anyway and just figure it out when you're going, or, to you know, be okay in waiting, like specifically, like if they were ready, you know, if they were going to go on a mission type of thing, what would you and I know every situation is different, so this is, this is not a you don't have to feel like you're encouraging everybody this is what's happened, but just just from your experience, you know, what do you think you would, I guess, suggest to someone in that situation who?
Alisha Coakley:who doesn't know and who knows it's going to take a while to figure it out.
Nathan Gewondjan:I think, at least in my opinion. I think everyone should consider surfing a mission. I think, if you don't know your why, you probably should do your best to discover it. But in the meantime, I would open those mission papers, I would take the step, I would start acting as if you're going to serve, because what's the worst thing that happens Is that you act as if you're going to serve and then you decide to get married instead. Okay, well then, you're still ready, you're still temple worthy, you're still on the covenant path, you're still heading in the right direction. But I would say the mission is not for everyone, and that's fine. Now they have more opportunities for service and they have service missionaries and different things like that opportunities. But I don't think it's a bad thing for anyone to not only consider but to just move in that direction, to take action.
Nathan Gewondjan:It's like so many people I interview on my podcast because I like to ask them hey, what's there any particular scriptures or scripture stories that have inspired you? So many of them say Nephi, the story of Nephi, just in first, nephi. I think there's a reason why it resonates with so many people and that's because Nephi was a young person who, in a lot of cases, didn't know for sure what he was supposed to do, but he followed revelation and he just went for it and he was guided. I think a lot of times that's what you have to do as a young person because, no, you don't have as much perspective as you will 20, 30 years from now, but those years are going to pass anyway. So it might as well take a jump or take a leap now and just start learning. So that's what I would say just take action and just I think anyone and everyone should serve or, if they don't serve, should at least consider it.
Alisha Coakley:I really love that like a lot. I have two teenage boys and they're 15 and almost 17,. So they're coming up on that like hey, they need to be thinking about missions and things like that. And my husband he didn't join the church until 13 years after we were married, so he didn't serve a traditional LDS mission but he did serve a short three-month teen mission with the other church that he was a part of, and so in our family my boys, hopefully, will be the first traditional two-year missionaries, right, and that's all of my family. Like. My parents were first generation LDS and so none of us went on missions. They didn't go on missions.
Alisha Coakley:And I often have these conversations with them and I'm just kind of like I don't want to be the mom that forces them. I never, ever want to be that like. I want to respect that there'll be adults and it's their life, but I do want to encourage them and I want to keep that conversation going. So in our conversations I'm always asking them you know, like, so where are you at like in regards to your mission and how do you feel about it today and how do you, you know? So it's kind of like an ongoing conversation, but I have one who he had his own moment at Boys Camp actually, where he kind of gained his testimony of the importance of serving a mission. So he's ready and he's like he has a whole plan and he's just, it's just a part of him. He's like there's no question.
Alisha Coakley:And then I have another one who's like, yeah, I think I'll go, but he's a deeper thinker in a lot of ways. In a lot of ways he's more like but I don't know. You know like I don't want to just, I don't want to just go, and you know like I don't know if my testimony is strong enough all the time. And yet he is the doer when it comes to gospel related things. You know like he is the one who is making sure he's getting up and getting ready for church and he wants to be there early and he loves serving in sacrament and he works with missionaries and he'll go on splits with it or not splits, but whatever it is when, you know, when the youth go along, and and he wants to be the first one to show up to the dances and he's going to seminary and so he's like he's the action oriented one and my other son is more of like, but his testimony is like just solid, so I feel like almost like he doesn't feel like he needs to work for it, right, like he's like oh, I've already got it, I'm good, you know.
Alisha Coakley:So I love your advice, I love you know, just to do, because I think it really does fit for both situations for those who have their testimony, have their why, and for those who are still open to receiving it. And and I have a love hate relationship with that word, like being open minded, right, I think sometimes I'm like I've said this before.
Alisha Coakley:Sometimes you can be so open minded that your brain falls out, and we don't want that.
Scott Brandley:You know, gotta have some borders. There's a bumper sticker.
Alisha Coakley:There you go. That's going to be our next business, scott. We'll just throw into the bumper sticker. Okay, I well.
Scott Brandley:I liked your answer because I like the the faith part of it faith to find your why. Sometimes, sometimes, if you don't have the why, you still need to exercise your faith to find it. And you have to take those steps in the dark, knowing that God's going to be there to let your path as you take them. And I think taking those steps to put your papers in and having faith that God will guide you will help you find your why along the way for sure. So I really like your answer as well.
Alisha Coakley:And and I love not having that pressure of, oh, if I put my papers in then I have to go no, you can change your mind, it's okay. You know what I mean. Like it really is okay, you can go a little later if you need to or go. You know, like you said, go get married or do something, but as long as you're doing something and you're staying on that covenant path, you're not going to be able to stray so far that it ends up being this whole extensive, long journey back. You know, like you can, kind of. Who was it? My dad? He said that he had a bishop once that said you know, if you imagine the covenant path just being like this straight, skinny little road, he's like if, if you can't walk straight, right, at least try to cross it. Often he's like you might, you might look like you're, like you're a little drunk, but at least try to cross it. You know, and I loved that imagery because I'm like, yeah, just just keep it there somewhere, just do something and keep moving forward.
Scott Brandley:There's another one, another number sticking.
Nathan Gewondjan:There you go, we're coming up with all the answers on this one.
Alisha Coakley:That's going to be our next.
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, you're writing all this stuff down.
Scott Brandley:You can't go straight you can't go straight, cross it every once in a while.
Alisha Coakley:That's very true. So what do you? I don't know. I guess I'm kind of interested in and what are some of the whys that you've heard on your show that have, kind of like, given you new perspective? Are there any?
Nathan Gewondjan:I'm going to have to think about this one.
Nathan Gewondjan:Let's see I think the ones that, yeah, that is a deep one. I think the the whys that really impact me are when I guess and this is I don't know if this is coincidence or not, but just the ones that are where people, they went through something really hard and then they kind of gained more meaning from it, I guess. So there's not not necessarily a specific one, but just, yeah, when there was a trial or hardship they went through, whether that was medically or in the family, but there's something they they had to go through four, and there was actually a One just came to mind was this this elder I interviewed and his story is actually gonna be posted on our podcast in the next couple, I think it might, I think this week actually, but he initially so he started his mission over in South America I think it's Argentina, but he got super sick, super bad infection and and he had to be sent home and his doctors were basically telling him like, yeah, if you would have come home a day or two later, you probably would have been come, you probably would have come home in a body bag because you wouldn't have made it, and and so he didn't. Actually, eventually, he never went back to South America to finish his mission there, but he is serving now as an interpreter, translator and teacher in the MTC and in the Utah County area and Just hearing his his why and his story was just so powerful.
Nathan Gewondjan:It's just like holy cow. This guy's been through a lot and yeah, I don't know, I just think certain just experiences and stories like that just inspire me Because I'm just like wow, if you can go through that and do all that and still have so much faith in Christ, like Like, why can't I? You know, on my low days, I guess you know why can't I just Move a mountain, you know? I mean Just it's crazy. I.
Alisha Coakley:Like to refer to those people as the modern-day scripture heroes. You know, like the the ones were. When you look at it you're like, wow, like they really could have their very own book of So-and-so. You know what I mean, because that's what it is in the scriptures, right? It's tons of stories about people who Make bad choices or have horrible things happen to them or have these big challenges that are placed in front of them, and then they're their journey to finding that faith, finding their own wise right and being able to To overcome and hopefully draw closer to the Lord and then and then teach that to others. I think that's kind of always always been like the common theme with scripture heroes, so that's cool. I was just thinking we're gonna have to get you connected with Elijah Lee. He, I think, would be a great person to have on your show. I don't know if you've heard his episode yet, but they'll have to go go find that one cuz he was yeah, I'll go check it out.
Alisha Coakley:Yeah, he was great. Yeah, Wow. Well, thank you, nathan. This was like so enlightening. I really really appreciate you hopping on and and sharing your story with us and sharing your insights. Um, before we officially go, is there anything that you'd like to leave with our listeners today? Any last words?
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, I just wanted to share Just the importance, I guess, of just going through the motions, because and this is might seem contradictory, but but sometimes, when you don't know your why, all you can do is go through the motions and do all you can do to find your way. But if you're not going through the motions, then it's just not gonna mean as much. And it kind of goes back to what what Christ said in the book of John reset if any man will do his will, he shall know the doctrine. And so you've got to do, you've got to do something, you've got to act. And even if you don't know it off the bat, the faith that you're putting forth to act is gonna just speak volumes. And it reminds me of a quote, actually from Martin Luther.
Nathan Gewondjan:Martin Luther King, and he shares just that. You know, if you can't fly, run. If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving forward. And so sometimes you're gonna fly, some days you'll fly, some days you'll crawl, some days you'll crawl. Some days you'll crawl, some days you'll just inch forward. But as long as we're moving forward, then that's what God cares about, just wants us to become better than we were yesterday. And Fine, just for me finding your why it just makes it so much easier. But again, it's a process, so just be patient.
Alisha Coakley:I love that oh well, thank you so much again. This has been this has been a really uplifting episode. I Normally I turn into a crybaby and I feel like it's really nice to not have to cry. It's really nice just to smile through the whole thing and just be like, wow, oh. So I really appreciate that, thank you. But yeah, I love, I love all of your insight. And what was the name of your first book? I meant to ask.
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, you're gonna like the name. It's called open-minded education.
Alisha Coakley:Oh. I assume is this more about homeschooling your first it was, and just about.
Nathan Gewondjan:Just about follow, following what you want to do. Don't let you know the stereotypes and what people normally do drag you down, but just figure out what you want to do, meet people who have done something similar and just go for it.
Alisha Coakley:Okay, awesome. And then you said your books are gonna be available for purchase. Well, your first one already is, and by the time that we air this recording, your second one should maybe be out by then. Is it Amazon, or?
Nathan Gewondjan:Yeah, just on on Amazon and if they, yeah, if they follow us on Instagram, then, or just follow the link in the bio.
Scott Brandley:Okay yeah, we'll add. We'll add a link to your post here so people can find it for sure, and then your podcast is called to serve podcast, right, exactly.
Alisha Coakley:Yeah, Okay there you guys go. Now you guys have another great podcast that you can go listen to for all of our listeners. I know it's a long stretch between ours it's like a whole week in between ours and so there's lots of room for lots of different podcasts that are gonna help build your faith and inspire you and motivate you and help you to find your wife.
Scott Brandley:So Give you a shot of faith in the arm.
Alisha Coakley:Exactly Well, nathan. Thank you again for coming on here. Thank you for all you do to spread light to the world and for being so willing to be open and and Just a really positive force like. I'm really excited to be able to hear more about your podcast and to read your books, and Very interested in seeing what you're gonna do next, what your little puppy, why, is gonna take you to do next.
Nathan Gewondjan:Well, thanks, alisha, it's been pleasure, thanks, thanks, scott.
Scott Brandley:Yeah, yeah, you definitely feel like a kindred spirit and we really appreciate. Yeah, and I'm sure a pass will cross again, so 100%.
Nathan Gewondjan:I think that's been. It's been a pleasure.
Alisha Coakley:Alright, guys. Well, that's all we have for you today. Please be sure to Comment below. Let us know, Scott, and I would love to know, what your why is for sharing the gospel, what your why is for doing what it is that you do in your life. Let us know what that is and and let us know what your favorite part of Nathan's Story and his show was.
Alisha Coakley:We we, we just love hearing feedback from our listeners and then Guys get into motion. Right, do something, do your little five second missionary work and Hit that share button. Make sure that you get Nathan's story out there to the rest of the people. If you guys have a story that you would like to share, something that can instill faith and write growth or inspire others, we would love to hear from you. Please be sure to either drop us a comment, send us an email or head over to latterday lights calm. There's a form at the bottom of the page that you guys can fill out, giving us your information, everything that we can get in touch with you, and and we can hear your story next. So With that, it's got anything else.
Scott Brandley:No, thanks again, Nathan and and thanks everyone for watching and we will talk to you next week. Tell them, take care, we'll see you.