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

Still Serving: Faith through Chronic Illness and an Early Return: Kenley Broadbent's Story - Latter-Day Lights

• Scott Brandley and Alisha Coakley

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How do you hold onto faith when life takes a turn you never expected?

On this week’s episode of Latter-day Lights, early-returned missionary Kenley Broadbent opens up about the day everything changed on her Peru Lima East mission. What started as occasional migraines spiraled into debilitating dizziness, nausea, and unexplained symptoms that eventually sent her home just nine months into her service.

Kenley shares the heartbreak of facing the stigma of being an early returnee, living with chronic illness, and her darkest months when depression made her question her purpose in the world. But through it all, she discusses the scripture in Philippians that stopped her spiral, her simple reminder of “but God.”, and how this ongoing trial has drawn her closer to Christ—even while she still doesn’t have all the answers.

Scott and Alisha relate through their own family health challenges as the conversation explores how physical trials can impact mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Together, they discuss finding purpose in unexpected paths, accepting service from others, and discovering that God can still work through us—even when life doesn’t look the way we planned.

*** Please SHARE Kenley's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***

To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/HqM4OkHphB0

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

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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.

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 faithtoy.com. Now, let's get back to the show. Hey 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 one early returned missionary battling an undiagnosed chronic illness is discovering her purpose through Christ. Welcome to Latter Day Lights.

Kenley Broadbent:

Thank you. I'm super excited to be doing this.

Alisha Coakley:

Well, we're excited to have you and thank you for reaching out to us too. We I I always say I love when Scott and I don't have to go hunt people down. Um it's always so much so much nicer for us in a way when we just have people who feel inspired and they reach out to us. And so we appreciate you. And by the way, that color is so pretty on you.

Kenley Broadbent:

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

Alisha Coakley:

She's a little brighter and beautiful looking.

Kenley Broadbent:

I just figured what would look good on camera. So yeah.

Scott Brandley:

I was gonna wear my pink flowery shirt too, Kenley, but I didn't want to show you up.

Alisha Coakley:

That's true. Oh, very cool. Well, Kenley, why don't you uh tell our listeners just a little bit about yourself?

Kenley Broadbent:

Okay. Well, my name is Kenley Broadbent. Um, I live in Leighton, Utah, and I love to play the piano. Um, I'll be um attending Weaver State University online and majoring in sociology, and I'm 21 years old. Very nice. How long have you played the piano? Single, single.

Alisha Coakley:

Okay. Important things first.

Kenley Broadbent:

I know, I know, period.

Alisha Coakley:

You know.

Scott Brandley:

How long have you played the piano, Kenley?

Kenley Broadbent:

I've played like my whole entire life. I love it. So since I was like six or something.

Alisha Coakley:

What's your favorite kind of stuff to play?

Kenley Broadbent:

Oh my gosh. I love like songs from the radio. I love to put in my headphones and play it with the song. It's like my escape from the world. I love it. I have like binders that are like this big.

Alisha Coakley:

Oh my gosh. Now, are you one of those people that like you can hear it and then you just like know how to bust it on the piano?

Kenley Broadbent:

Or do you have like music or like oh I can like um sight read pretty well, so I can basically pick up whatever you give me, but no, I not that I couldn't.

Alisha Coakley:

Oh yeah.

Kenley Broadbent:

But we all have to.

Alisha Coakley:

Well, that's still super talented.

Kenley Broadbent:

So yeah.

Alisha Coakley:

Thank you. That's awesome. Very cool. I love that. Well, and congratulations on going to Weaver State. I uh I miss all the purple out there when I was in Austin. Yeah. So purple will be a great color on you too.

Kenley Broadbent:

Yeah, still have to get all of it. Yeah.

Scott Brandley:

There you go. That's where I went. That's where I got my degree. We were state.

Kenley Broadbent:

What did you major in?

Scott Brandley:

In business administration.

Kenley Broadbent:

Oh, cool, cool. He doesn't even use it. This is pretty good though. Awesome.

Scott Brandley:

Well, we're excited to have you on the show, Kenley, and we'd love to hear your story. So why don't you tell us where your story begins?

Kenley Broadbent:

Okay, perfect. Well, I feel like my story begins from when I was a kid. I mean, from like primary, I can remember just wanting to go on a mission. And I feel like I've always told people that my parents raised missionaries, you know, that's just kind of I don't know, that was always the end goal for us, you know. And even in my setting apart blessing, it said that my home has always been like a missionary training center, which I thought was super cool. Um, and I guess from like before I went on a mission, something that I was super afraid of, I don't know why, and something I'm still trying to kind of figure out is I was so scared about coming home early. Like I even went to therapy about it because I was just in my head about it. And I think that's just from my experiences in like my old wards and people that I've seen that have come home early. Sometimes from my experiences, it kind of just felt like it was like, oh my gosh, what happened? But you know, whispers, whispers, and then it just kind of faded into the background. And I'd always see people who came home, like, you know, served their full time. It was like, oh, they returned with honor. And then some people who I'd seen that hadn't done that, they didn't get that, which I didn't think was right. And I think I was just super scared of that. And so that was just something I had before my mission, and even in my mission, I only served for nine months, and that was just something that was in my head, which obviously now I'm like, that was a flawed, a flawed thought, you know what I mean? Because all missions are missions. I feel like all missions are full-time missions. But yeah, so getting to my mission in July of 2023, I was called to serve in the Peruliana East mission, and I was obsessed with it. I mean, like when I got my call, you know how like you ask God for things like that you want on your mission? Or you know what I mean? And I was like, I don't want bugs, I don't want a walking mission, I don't want to speak Spanish. I'd rather not go somewhere hot. I don't want to eat rice on my mission, and I got all five of those things, and I was like, Oh my god, come on. But then besides the bugs, those were like my favorite things about my mission, actually. I loved it. And I served for five transfers, six, if you include the MTC, because it was six weeks, and obsessed with everything. I had five different companions for those five transfers. Um I love the people, I love the food. It was just the best nine months of my life. And I I wouldn't change a thing. I wish I could go back, but so in August, I was in my fifth area called Chocolate Gayo, and it was so good. I was follow-up training um, my companion, and I don't know, it was just great. And we had like two weeks left, the end of the transfer. So we were kind of getting to that point of like change, you know what I mean? And because she was probably gonna leave. So we were figuring out like how to get around and stuff. And August 7th is when I started getting sick. So for like a background, I've had migraines my whole entire life, like really, really bad ones. And it's not uncommon for me to have like intense ones, and I had a few on my mission, and it was fine. You know what I mean? I just took some pills and I was fine. Um so on August 7th, no, August 5th, I got a really, really, really bad migraine. And I was like, whatever, it's fine. You know what I mean? And then the next day I started to get super dizzy. I was just walking around with my companion, and I was like, I don't feel good. I'm probably dehydrated, you know, because I just didn't drink any enough water, anyways. Um and so we're like, it's fine, whatever. And then the next day it got even worse. And I was like, I'm probably just getting sick. It's fine. And then that night we were walking to the church with one of our friends to have a lesson, and I just started not walking weird. Like, if I wanted to walk in a straight line, I would walk in circles. I couldn't really control it. If I was like standing up, I would start falling to my right side. And we were like, that's not good. And my companion thought I had had a stroke. I maybe thought I had a stroke. We were like, This is insane. I've never heard of anyone that this has really happened to. Um, and so we hurried to the church. And I mean, luckily, our friend wasn't there. He didn't show up, which is, I mean, sad. But so we called our mission nurse and this explained the situation. And she was like, Well, it was probably just your migraine. It's just a fluke. And I said, No, I've had migraines my whole life, and this has never happened. And so we went back to the house immediately, and you know, they were just hoping it would blow over. And so I took some medicine, some ibuprofen. I don't know. I was like, maybe they'll fix it. And I went to bed. And then the next two days, it just kept on getting worse. And we said, What the heck is happening? We didn't leave the house because both of us were afraid that I would pass out, you know, because we had a pretty big area and we had to go on buses if we wanted to go somewhere far. And the buses are insane and poor. The driving is wild. And we were like, we're not gonna go somewhere if it's not safe. So we stayed in the house the whole time, which was not fun. I don't know how COVID missionaries did it. It was horrible. Um, because the week before, my companion had like a hurt leg or something, so we couldn't go out that week. And then the next two weeks we were inside as well. Um so on Sunday, no, on Monday, on P Day, I called home. And my dad's a doctor, so I was hoping he would have some ideas. And I said, I'm feeling horrible because what's going on. I'm just feeling super dizzy and stuff and not walking right. And he said, It's probably like your ear, you know, like sometimes you can get vertigo.

Scott Brandley:

Oh, yeah.

Kenley Broadbent:

Yeah.

Alisha Coakley:

Like the equilibrium or something is off, right? Yeah. Yeah.

Kenley Broadbent:

Yeah. And so the mission scheduled me um, oh my gosh, appointment at the hospital. And I was so upset because the past two transferred, I had to go to the hospital for stomach infections. And I was like, I'm not supposed to go to the hospital this transfer. But we get there and meet the nurse, and she said it's probably just vertigo, you know, and gave me some pills and we went home. And then I take the pills for the next two days, and I kept on, I just slept all day long. And so I'd show them to my dad and he looked them up, and he was like, These are literally just to knock you out. They're not even supposed to help. So I don't really know what those were, but again, nothing changed and my symptoms just kept on getting worse and worse. And so finally, um, after a while, like almost a week or so, the mission scheduled me an MRI just to make sure nothing was wrong. And so we went back to the hospital um and scheduled that MRI. And this was August like 14th, I think, at the time. And they couldn't get me in until September. And I, you know, couldn't leave the house. And I was like, that's not fair to my companion, to my area, our friends, you know, if we're in the house, I can't do that to my area and stuff. And as we were every day, I would send my symptoms to the mission nurse, and then she would report that to the mission president's wife, you know, um, just to make sure things were fine. And my symptoms kept on changing. It was really weird. And so one day I was just having a really hard time breathing. It was just hard to breathe. And on my mission papers, I had put that I had um some struggles with anxiety beforehand. And so my mission president's wife was like, Oh, she's just having anxiety, you know. So she um she made an appointment with me for the therapist, mission therapist. And at first I was like, it's not anxiety though, you know. Um, but I met with him and I explained to him how I was feeling about feeling so bad for my area if I were to stay for a month. And he said, I think you need to talk to your mission president about that. And so I did. Right after that, I sent a text to my mission president and my mission nurse, and I said, I think I need to go home. I don't want to go home, but you know, I need to get this figured out, and this is the fastest way to get it figured out. And he, I mean, I have to give so much credit to my mission president and his wife, they were the best. I am obsessed with them, and they made this process so much easier for me. Um so I mean, the second I texted him, it kind of got the ball rolling. And I'm so grateful because I couldn't really walk so far at that time, and it was almost the end of transfers. And so I was scared I was gonna have to go home alone, you know, like a layover and all the flights. But I got to go home with two other elders because it was end of transfers and they were going home, which was such a blessing from God. And so I got that figured out, and I mean, like the second I found out I was going home, I called my mom and I cried and cried and cried for like a week. It was horrible. Um, but also like in those times that I was crying, you know, I'd go, I just like make eye contact with my companion, and she's like, You're fine, you can go. And I'd go to one of the bedrooms and just cry on my bed. And I had never felt so many angels and you know, God closer to me than I did in those moments. Um, so yeah, I was just in contact with my mom and stuff coming home. And I ended up going home the 21st, but didn't get home until the 22nd of August because you know it was in red eye. Um, and so I got home and I regret this, but I told my mom and dad not to invite anyone to the airport except for my grandparents because I didn't know what emotional state I was gonna be in. And the plan was that I was gonna, you know, be home for a transfer and go back out. And so I thought I was gonna have like another home party, you know, airport greeting, whatever. Um, but this was this was my one, and I got home and stuff, and that day my dad he has connections, which is really nice. But he got me an appointment for an MRI, and we did it that day and got the results that day, and nothing was wrong. And I said, Okay, that's fine. I mean, it's probably good that nothing's wrong, you know. Um and the day after that, um, I went to an ENT, earnose throat doctor, to check out my ears, and nothing was wrong again. Um and then, like during this time, I was just surprised because coming home, I was terrified. I mean, ooh, sorry, going back a little bit. Before I came home, my dad and some other people thought that I had maybe had a stroke or a brain tumor. Those were like the worst possibilities. And I was more scared about what people were gonna think that I'd come home than the possibility of having a brain tumor, which is ridiculous. It's ridiculous. But that's just where I was at at that point. And I mean, the second I came home, I got so many letters. I like the primary kids made like a poster for me and put it on my door. I had so many people come and visit. It was just such a blessing. I mean, if there was a place to come home early from a mission, it is my ward. It was just amazing. Um, so that helped me a lot to kind of slow down, you know, and really process what was going on. So after that, after the ear nose throat, this was maybe in September, I started doing physical therapy because I learned if I was looking side to side too long, I would just get so dizzy. It was so bad. And so they thought something was wrong, but something is wrong. And we went to physical therapy and it just made everything 10 times worse. I'd get horrible migraines for like weekends at a time that wouldn't go away. And we were like, all right, this is just making it worse. Let's just stop. And then in October, I went to a neurologist. Um, again, nothing. They just diagnosed with like POTS and high blood pressure or something, which, you know, obviously isn't the problem. And that was super frustrating. At that point, I was like praying that something would be wrong with me so they could find it. Because how do you cure something without a diagnosis, you know? And at that point, after doctors' appointments, and I would find out that something wasn't wrong, I would go home and cry and cry for hours because I just wanted to get back on my mission. But after this neurologist appointment, I think I'd kind of come to the realization that I wasn't gonna go back on my mission because I mean, I was so sick. Um, and by the time they would find me a diagnosis and heal me, and I could like, you know, rework my strength or whatever, it wouldn't be enough time to really even go back on a mission. Um, and that killed me. That was super, super hard to think that all you know, my nine months was over and that I was officially like an early return missionary, um, which is not a bad thing at all. But in my head at that time, it was it was just super scary to me, I think. Um, yeah. And I had received tons and tons of blessings at that point, and all of them said that I would get better at some point, you know, it would go away. But it was just super frustrating, I think, you know, um, that I wasn't getting better. Um, and this was probably this next part is probably the hardest thing that happened to me since I had come home. But my one of my friends who was leaving on a mission, and so I went to her board, and I was terrified at that point because I hadn't really put on socials that I'd come home yet. But I knew that a lot of people that I were gonna know were gonna be there, and I was so scared, and so we sat in the back trying to avoid people again. Looking back, this is so silly. But we were sitting there waiting for her to start, and someone that I knew came and sat behind us, and I was like, try to hide myself, kind of. I was like not turning around, and so eventually I kind of turned around and I was like, Oh, hey, and he said, Oh, oh my gosh, you're home. And I said, Yep. And he said, What happened? And I was like, Oh, well, I'm kind of sick, and they don't know what's going on, and he just kind of looked like he didn't believe me, you know. Like I just come home and I turned around and silently I tried to be quiet. I saw the whole entire meeting because it was just I just couldn't take it because like all of my insecurities kind of just came out and I couldn't control it, and it was terrifying and I don't know, just not what I saw for myself, you know. And I think that August through like November of when I came home, I was really angry at the situation, not at God, because I was like, I'll I'll be fine, you know, they'll heal he'll heal me and I'll just move on my merry way, and it hasn't happened, and so December through like now, a little bit before now, I've just been so angry at God. And I've you know, I've come to terms with my situation, and um I feel like God has blessed me a lot, and you know, I'm learning about him more, I'm getting to know him more, and I don't feel that anger as much anymore, but it was just you know, a bunch of why, because my friends were coming home from missions, they were going to college, some of them are getting married, and I'm in a bed. Um, because as the symptoms progressed, like what it really is, because dizziness is just a lot of things it can be. My dizziness, the only way I can explain it is if you're on a roller coaster and you're going like in circles for a long time and you get off that feeling of like uneasiness. That's what I feel 24-7, along with like nausea and stuff like that. And so I just thought that life was so unfair. And I mean, I went to therapy for a while during that time, and it really, really helped. Um, but I just felt super, super depressed and super done with life, I would say, to the point of like April and May of this year. I was done. You know, I was like, get me out of here, to the point of me kind of being like, I don't want to be here anymore. You know what I mean? If it's not getting better, yeah. I need another solution, and that was the only solution I could really think of, um, which was super scary. And I told my mom about it. And again, just went to more therapy and was trying to figure it out, and it didn't stop until I read this verse. I literally just grabbed my scriptures and opened up to a random verse. It was crazy. But it's in Philip Philippians 1, um, 21 to 25. And it's just it's when Paul is thinking the same things that I'm thinking right now. And he said, For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose, I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. And so I took a step back and I said, Oh, okay, God, if you need me here, if this is gonna, you know, if good is gonna come of this, then I understand. And I'll try my best and to like, you know, where I am. And then a few verses after that, it's Philippians 1.29. And it says, For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Um and then it just hit me, I said, How beautiful is it that there's a God that has a plan for me that's specifically designed for me. And maybe it's being super sick and there's no diagnosis, and I really don't have a view of my future right now, but that's so beautiful that it's for me. You know what I mean? I signed up for this before I came down here, and that everyone has a plan for them. I think that's insanely beautiful. And so now it's what month is it? November. It's been 14 months since I got sick, and I still don't have an answer. Um, I feel like I'm getting a little bit better day by day. But and I don't want to sugarcoat this because sometimes I don't like it when people go on these and they're like, I'm so great when they're not, because I don't want to pretend like I'm, you know, everything's fixed and I'm just the happiest person there ever is because I'm still struggling and days are super hard. I have my monthly breakdowns where I can just let it all go for a minute. But I don't know, I just think that this process has brought me super, super close to Christ and to my heavenly father and their relationship with me. And yeah.

Scott Brandley:

Wow. Yeah, this is this is wild because my daughter is she got diagnosed with dysautonomia, which is kind of a version of POTS, or maybe even not full pots. We we don't know yet either. We're kind of in the air still, too. But it but for the past about 14 months, almost the exact same time as you, really, we've been going through something very similar where she she just passes out randomly, just gets dizzy all the time. That's so hard. Yeah. So I can relate to you. I as the dad, one time I went and picked her up from her friend's house because she had passed out, and we didn't know what was going on at the time. And by the time from the time I picked her up from her friend's house to the time we got to the hospital, she had passed out in the car at least 20 times.

Alisha Coakley:

Oh my goodness, I did not know this. This is crazy. Wow.

Scott Brandley:

It was it was crazy, and I was freaking out.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, yeah.

Scott Brandley:

I didn't know what was going on, and she would she would pass out, and then she'd come to and she'd be like, Hey dad, what's going on? Where are we going? And then she was like, She'd pass out again, she'd come up. Oh, why are we driving in the car? Like, it was the craziest thing.

Alisha Coakley:

Oh my gosh.

Scott Brandley:

But but things, things, I mean, she as she's kind of learned, and we've gone to the doctor several times, like you, right? Like she's she's learning how to cope with it, she's learning ways that you know that she can take better care of herself to make those symptoms not as um you know not constant. Yeah, it sounds like you're kind of figuring that out too, right? Like yeah, it's it's a journey, it's a it's a process, and you've sometimes things will work and sometimes things don't work. That kind of sounds very similar to what you're going through.

Kenley Broadbent:

Yeah, yeah. Health problems are knowledgeable anytime.

Alisha Coakley:

Well, and it's it's interesting because it's like you have something going on with your physical health, but because of that, it actually affects your mental health too, right? Which then affects your emotional health and you know, it's like a it's like a what's the word? It's like a snowball effect, right? Where it's not just this anymore. If it was just this, you can handle just this, right? Because it's this and this and this and this and this. Like it's so frustrating, you know. Um, I want to ask you a little bit about because you had mentioned how like you were really upset with God, and now you're getting to the point where like you know, you're trying to like dissipate that anger towards him and stuff. I have a a form of leukemia that's not curable, but it's like I can live with it. And right now I'm in remission for it. I've been in remission for a few years. Um but it's always like that constant fear of like, what if it comes back? And what if it, you know what I mean? So even like, even though I'm not feeling the effects of it right at the moment, it like plays in your head a lot. And I too experienced that anger with Heavenly Father, and it was weird because I would pray to him and I would trust him, and like I believe in the scriptures, but also then I'm angry at him. And so I'm like, how do you have the two extremes? You know, how do you how do you deal with that? And how I guess my question for you is how do you let that affect your testimony, good, bad, or otherwise, when you have that that hot and cold kind of relationship?

Kenley Broadbent:

I mean, I think it was really, really hard for a while with my testimony because it's always that question of why does God allow this to happen to good people? You know what I mean? I served a mission for you, I gave my whole entire life to you. You know, wouldn't it be better for me to be on my mission right now, helping your children than being at home sick? And I think that I don't know, and that's a question I'm still trying to figure out. But I think it's just those little moments that I hold on to. You know, in like DNC six, I think it is, but it's like remember that night, like you know, you felt me or whatever. I think that's what I kind of hold on to is those like glimmer moments where I really feel God. And then I just my bishop told me one time, is this if you're at the end of your vote, tie a knot and hold on. I think about that all the time, especially with my testimony now, that if I'm not feeling great about it at this moment, just you know, tie a knot and hold on and get to the next moment, I guess.

Alisha Coakley:

So how do you let I don't know, I guess do you think that raises how do you not let it be the center of your of your focus? You know, like how do you have this deal with it, but not let it be the thing that like plays the leading light in your life?

Kenley Broadbent:

I think service for sure. Um, there was a time earlier when I had come home that my mom and I would just pick a random person in the ward and like just bring them a gift. You know what I mean? Or spring study that plays a big part. You know what I mean? And I think for me it was a lot of it is optimism for the future. You know what I mean? Being like this won't I mean, thankfully this won't last forever, as the blessings that I've had say, and that it will get better, but it's you know, takes a lot out of you.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah. Yeah, for sure.

Scott Brandley:

I mean, faith is one of is a challenge sometimes, right? Because we have to have the faith in in God and in the priesthood. Um, that's what gives us hope, right? But then there's always it's never on our time schedule. That's the hard part. Yeah. We have to it's on God's time schedule, and we have to be patient a lot of the times with our faith. That can be a challenge, and you're kind of going through that right now with with this, right?

Kenley Broadbent:

Yeah, it can be so hard.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, for sure.

Scott Brandley:

I love that you, you know, you're you're trying to find ways to serve. One of the things that, you know, I think you're it sounds like you're trying to do is what can I do in my current state to serve, right? Because you physically you're not able to go out and maybe mow someone's lawn or like do something physical. So um like what's your what's your thought process there when you're trying to think of ways you can serve somebody?

Kenley Broadbent:

I think it's super cool nowadays that we have so much technology. That's a big part that I like because you know it's just it's hard to get together with people right now, like in my situation, I'll have to cancel with people like three times to hang out in person. Um so I think those texts, you know, being able to communicate with people. I think that sometimes we think of service as like, yeah, you know, like going out and doing something, but it can be so simple as just sending a text, you know, and being like, I'm thinking of you right now. And I don't know. For me, that has just gone a long ways.

Alisha Coakley:

Well, let me ask you, I mean, you're you're focusing on serving others, but have you also been able to accept service from others? Because I'm sure, I'm sure there are a lot of things that that you feel like maybe you need help with now or whatever else that um that could be a blessing for other people to be able to help with, right?

Kenley Broadbent:

Well, that's a really good question because like when I got on my mission, I loved it. I was so happy because like I didn't have to text my mom to go to the grocery store. You know what I mean? I could just do whatever I wanted all the time. And I loved that independence. And I was just like so like drunk on it, you know what I mean? I just I loved it. And so coming home, like usually I can't even take a shower by myself. My mom has to help me with that. And on bad days, she, you know, brings all my meals down to my bed for me and stuff like that. It was hard. I hated it, and I still have trouble accepting help. I'm just I don't like accepting help from people and being vulnerable. I hate being vulnerable with people. And so this whole time I've just kind of pretended that I'm fine, which isn't healthy. It's good to let people know when you need help. But it's been a learning opportunity with how many people from the ward. I mean, they're just amazing that will bring over, you know, little things and visit for small amounts of time. And I don't know, I think I think it's really important, like a scripture, that one script that's like mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need and comfort. It's super fun. I mean, for me, I feel like I love to go and do that for other people, but I hate it when people do it for me. It's been a really good learning opportunity for me that I don't think that I would have been able to receive and really understand unless I had really gone through this first.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah. Yeah, it makes sense. It's that's definitely one of the things I I will tell, I mean, it's taken my daughter's 12 and that's when I was diagnosed. So it's taken me a good decade to get to the point where um I'm able to actually accept help way faster now, you know. Like if someone offers it, I'm like, yes, that would be amazing. Thank you so, so much. And I like genuinely feel it. And I there's still a part of me that feels bad, right? Like I'm like, yeah, I don't want to be a burden, but then we're just gonna take the help. We're just gonna let them have blessings. It's totally fine. Like you have to like go through your head. But I like that you're learning that faster than I was, because that um, you know, I I think it I don't know, it's it's weird because like you, yes, you don't want to be a burden and you also want to be able to be self-reliant. Like that's one thing that's like very prevalent with um with our our faith and with the gospel, is just being able to do all that you can do, right? As much as you can. But also, yeah, that whole service thing is is a little tricky because it's like, yeah, you want to be able to serve others and you have to be servable, you know, you have to be willing to take the help and and to understand that like there's people who you know, they're looking for that kind of light, and they're looking to be able to build their testimonies and to be able to get out of their own problems too, sometimes, right? Like it's a break and a relief for them too, who are dealing with something maybe something totally different than what we're dealing with.

Kenley Broadbent:

So oh, for sure.

Scott Brandley:

Well, that's a that brings up a good point. If everyone just only serves who's being served. Yeah, right. I think, and that is hard for us, but I mean, this could be a an alert a really unique learning opportunity for you in your life right now, especially when you're so young, just to be uh open to being served and helped in you know, at this point in your life, could actually do a lot of good in your life, not only for you because you need it, but also for other people that need to be able to serve someone else. Right if there's no one to serve, right? They can't they can't give either, right?

Kenley Broadbent:

That's what my mom my mom says that all the time. Every time I don't want to accept help, but I'm like, mom, no, she says, but it's gonna make them so happy. She says, you know, it's gonna be good for them, and then I kind of I'm like fine.

Scott Brandley:

Yeah, it feels so good to serve, right? Like you just get that good feeling inside, it makes you feel so happy, and but so be served being able to be served creates a blessing for those that are serving. And you get the unique opportunity to be able to be on the receiving end right now, and like you said, it's not gonna last forever, but just think of the blessings you're gonna give to people that can serve you, yeah. Right, so you it takes them it takes a little bit of a mental shift, right?

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, you know what I just thought about. So, you know, it's Scott, Scott and I are we're entrepreneurial, like that's a hard word to say, entrepreneurial. Anyway, uh, and so we're all we're we're business minded many, many times, you know, in our lives. Uh, one of the things that I try to do in business is I always try to make sure that I'm not the smartest person in the room, right? Like I always want to be the person who can learn from the other people, right? Like I I love knowledge and I love hearing about people's stories and their experience because I feel like it helps me grow and it helps me become better. You know, like if I'm the one that has all the ideas, then then that's where my cath is at, right? Like I can only do as much as I can do, but I don't want to I don't want to be here, I want to be here. So, in a way, letting people serve you, it also opens up an opportunity for you to learn how to serve differently, right? Because like you never know what inspiration is coming from other people and how to serve. And you might think, for example, we had um Ken Um Williams. Well and he has he he did this whole thing where he uh he basically makes chocolate cake every Sunday and he'll have these little containers of chocolate cake, and you know, sometimes it's like he'll give it to you know whoever's birthday it is or whatever else, but but he always has them kind of at the ready on Sundays, and um, and it's his way of just being prepared when he gets inspiration to give someone a treat. He already, you know, he doesn't have to go to the store, he doesn't have to buy stuff, like he's already prepared, and I it's almost like a pre-service mentality. And I love that because I never thought about it before. And I think a lot of the times whenever I would get ideas on how to serve people, I always thought I had to have this big, huge grand jester. And so I'm like, I need to call him and I need to schedule this and that and it becomes almost like a task. But I loved his perspective of just being prepared to serve, right? Like just being ready to serve. Um, I know I've talked to some other people too who talked about how they literally will schedule out time in their day to be able to act on inspiration, which sounds crazy, right? Because promptings come whenever they come, but they've noticed this increase almost like they're working with the Lord and they're saying, Hey, hey, Lord, like I'm giving this hour every single day to like whatever you need, right? Like if you need me to stop and help someone fix their tire on the side of the road, or if you need me to buy someone's groceries when they're a grocery store, or you want me to go just call a friend and see how they're doing. Like they have an hour a day where they just map it out and they're just like, Oh, I'm just gonna, you know, see if inspiration hits. And if it doesn't, then they have something that they'll plan on. You know what I mean? Like they'll they'll actively seek out an opportunity to serve someone who's in their bubble at that time. And so, um, anyway, my whole point is letting people serve you can actually inspire you on how to serve other people better too, right?

Kenley Broadbent:

That's actually crazy genius. I need to do that. I haven't thought about that before either. That's cool.

Scott Brandley:

Yeah. Yeah. Well, this might be interesting for you to know, Kenley, but the reason why this podcast exists is because I s I went to uh an LDS uh publishing, media, and arts uh um conference because I was writing a book, and I sat at a table at lunch next to a girl who came home from her mission early. And she wrote a book called Early Homecoming. Her name is Kristen Reaver, and I just happened to randomly sit by her at this table, and we got to talking, and she told me her story how she came home early from her mission. She actually got bit by some by like a bug or something, and it made her really sick. And she came home, and it was that you know, overcoming that stigma and uh you know that uh pressure sometimes that we feel if you know coming home early. Um, but I asked her how she taught how she got that message out about her book, and she said she started a podcast. And on the way home from that conference that day, I had the idea of giving people an opportunity to share their stories on a podcast. So that's why Latter-day Lights exist. No, because she came home early from her mission.

Alisha Coakley:

I listened to her podcast. Yeah.

Scott Brandley:

Oh, you do?

Alisha Coakley:

Yes, yes, for being the circle has been completed.

Kenley Broadbent:

Well, because that's one of the points that I wanted to make was it's so important to find community, you know, with people that you can relate to and relate to you. And so when I came home and I was struggling with coming home early, I actually searched up coming home early podcasts and I listened to person all the time. And then with like chronic illness, I followed like Instagram accounts with tons of people who, you know, suffer with like similar things. And I mean, that helped me so much too. And I mean, especially with the podcast, it helped me to learn that like coming home early is not a bad thing. You know what I mean? You are not less worthy of a person if you come home early. Which I don't know how that got in my head, but that is kind of what I thought, you know, before my mission. And I am so grateful for this experience that taught me that that is not the case. And it doesn't matter how long you served, how you serve, service, proselytizing, it does not matter. It doesn't matter how long you serve. The fact is that you want to serve the Lord. And I mean, that's amazing because missions are hard service and proselytizing. And I mean, God is so grateful. You know, that scripture that's like if you have a desire to serve, you're called to the work. I believe in that wholeheartedly. And I mean, yeah.

Scott Brandley:

Well, that's another benefit like that that Alisha and I feel we're old.

Alisha Coakley:

People are by that.

Scott Brandley:

We're not the 19-year-old missionaries out on the street paving the pavement, but even like I just turned 50 this year, even I can still be a missionary. This is how I do missionary work, right? I I have a podcast that where people share their stories. That's missionary work, right? My my wife, she just got called to serve in the temple once a week. That's how she can do missionary work, right? Like it missionary work is one thing I've learned in my 50 years of being super old now. Um it can it there's so many ways you can serve, so many ways. I mean, even chocolate cake. Like, who would have thought, right? He makes chocolate cake. That's how he serves. It's it there's so many ways we can serve God, and each one is unique, and each person can do it in their own unique way. And you know, this is this is a time in your life you might never get back again where you're in this unique position where you need other people's help, so you get to learn from them, like Alisha said, but then also by by them serving you, you are you are actually serving them too because you're giving them a a purpose.

Kenley Broadbent:

Right.

Scott Brandley:

It's it's weird, but you really are helping them. Also, it gives you ability the ability to get to know them better and create friendships and bonds that you might never have had otherwise, even if it's just with your mom and your family, that still counts, right? So, you know, you've got some really unique. I know this is a challenging time in your life, but you do have some really unique opportunities here too. And I I see that you're looking at those. That's why you're on this podcast, right? You're you're seeing some of those opportunities already in your life and and looking at the blessings that are coming through the challenge, which I I applaud you for because it's hard. And but I think it's great that you're willing to, even when you're not feeling good, even when times are hard, you're still willing to get out there and do something. I mean, this podcast today, people are gonna listen to it, and you never know who who else is going through something similar to this. You could inspire them and help them to, you know, have some light and some maybe some new inspiration and ideas in their lives. So, you know, we really appreciate you coming on and and sharing your story today.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah, exactly.

Scott Brandley:

Yeah, thank you.

Alisha Coakley:

Good. Well, Miss Kinley, before we wrap up, um, do you have any last thoughts? Anything that you'd like to share with our listeners to kind of, you know, keep it going.

Kenley Broadbent:

I guess one thing that's just been on my mind so recently is I have a quote in my room that says, but God, period. And I love that because I think about it all the time. You know what I mean? That life is hard, but God is good. You know, I'm sick, but God has a plan. You know what I mean? And I just think that I guess if I had any final thoughts, it's just that God is good all the time and it will work out.

Alisha Coakley:

Yeah. Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree. And you know, I I think uh it's it's okay if you still have a little bit of frustration with him or anger towards him, because he can handle it, right? Yeah, he can handle it. And I think uh there was one person that that spoke once about that, and they're like, you know, if you're gonna be mad at anyone, go ahead and be mad at God, but still keep talking to him. Just like if we're upset with a parent, you know, like we don't want to close off that that relationship. Like you can I don't know, I think about my kids sometimes when they were little and they'd call me a poopy head, you know, like I can't say, you know, but they but I was still their mom and they still love me. And then you know what I mean? Like that like that's okay. Like you can be frustrated with me because guess what? I I love you unconditionally, and I'm I'm gonna be there and I'm still gonna support you and help you out. And like Heavenly Father is never gonna try to be like taking revenge on us, or you know, like truly everything he does is gonna be is gonna be for our good, whether we can see it or not. And so, um, you know, so that's okay. Like, if you gotta have your feelings, have your feelings, but yeah, just don't come out of the nature, you know what I mean? Keep keep them in the loop and keep talking to them and makes things a little a little bit easier, even if they're really hard.

Kenley Broadbent:

That's just true. Well, that's so sweet.

Alisha Coakley:

All right. Well, thank you so much, Kenley, for coming on here today, for sharing your story. We really, I mean, Scott and I both really do hope that not only do we find out what's going on with you, but Scott, you know, I don't know if it's you know which daughter, but whoever it is, I I hope that both of you guys are able to find some answers. And um, if not answers, peace, right? At the very least, just make sure you, you know, hopefully find some peace with that. Um, and if uh any of our listeners are on today and they have suggestions or advice or um, you know, thoughts, feelings, comments, things like that, we just encourage you guys to go ahead and um drop us a line, put it in the comments so that Kenley can read it. And uh if you guys have any like big long thing, you can go ahead and just email us, right? We can get that message to Kenley. So we hope that you guys definitely do your five-second missionary work, that you share her story and that you let us know, you know, what part of her story um touched your heart.

Scott Brandley:

Yeah. And um, if you do have a story that you'd like to share, like Kenley did today, go to latterdaylights.com or email us at latterdaylights at gmail.com and we'd love to have you on the show. So thanks again, Kenley, for being on. It's been a pleasure to get to know you and and hear your story, and we wish you all the best. And thanks everyone for tuning in, and we'll talk to you next week with another episode of Latterday Lights. Till then, take care. Thanks, guys. Bye bye.

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Scott Brandley

Host
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Alisha Coakley

Co-host