In this insightful episode, the Grief and Belief podcast features Kyle Lemmon, a long-time friend of David Mickelson. Kyle introduces himself as a father of a blended family with 6 children, ranging from ages 10 to 20 years old.

The interview centers on Kyle's profound experience of losing his first wife, Andrea, in 2012 due to bacterial meningitis, a tragic event that occurred suddenly after she fell ill during a family trip. With 13 years having passed since her death, Kyle offers a unique, long-term perspective on grief and healing, distinct from many other guests who are in the earlier stages of their loss. This distance allows him to reflect on how his life has unfolded and how unexpected blessings have emerged from such a traumatic period.

A central theme of Kyle's discussion is the law of compensation, an idea introduced to him shortly after Andrea's passing by an emeritus general authority. He shares that while life may not always follow a predictable "formulaic" path, God's plan is ultimately better, and blessings will compensate for losses endured. Kyle illustrates this with examples from his life, including his marriage to April, their son Seth (whose name means "compensation" in Hebrew), and how his son with autism has profoundly blessed their family. Through his grief, Kyle has come to believe that Jesus Christ will guide and shape individuals through difficult experiences, and that the Savior is the only way to find solace from loss, pain, and agony, urging listeners to be covenant-keeping and to trust in the Lord's path.

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In this moving episode, Shalee Taylor courageously shares her deeply personal journey of coping with seven miscarriages. She recounts the profound emotional toll each loss took, from initial excitement to anger, deep sadness, and even numbness.
Shalee reveals that after her fourth miscarriage, she felt broken, with faith in God but no hope in Him. However, a transformative insight from the New Testament story of Lazarus — "Jesus waited, but He still came" — became a beacon of hope. This realization helped her understand that the Savior's timing, even when delayed, ensures His eventual presence and understanding.
Through these harrowing experiences, Shalee's belief in Jesus Christ has become more real and profoundly strengthened. She shares a unique empathy for the Savior, understanding that He alone could atone for sins and be resurrected, mirroring her own isolated experience of loss. Her powerful testimony highlights that even amidst bleak circumstances, Christ offers a path to healing and enduring joy.

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In this special episode of the Grief and Belief podcast, we welcome Jessica Brandley. Jessica shares her deeply personal journey of honoring grief after the unexpected passing of her husband, Jim.

Jim, described as fun-loving and full of life, tragically died after an accident. Jessica recounts the harrowing hours leading up to his death, including the moment he asked, "Are you going to be okay when I'm gone?". She delves into the raw moments of discovering his passing and the subsequent process of navigating this profound loss.

The episode also highlights Jessica's unique path to finding comfort and creating a blended family. She discusses her new marriage and how she embraced the name Jessica Hall Brandley to honor both families. Jessica testifies that, even in the deepest moments of despair, the Savior picked her up and carried her, especially during moments like cleaning up after her children, feeling His presence right there with her. Her story is a powerful testament to finding strength and connection to Jesus Christ amidst indescribable sorrow.

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This podcast episode of Grief and Belief features David Mickelson and guest co-host Brian Mickelson interviewing LeGrand Laing, a seminary teacher. The core of the discussion revolves around LeGrand's experience of grieving the unexpected death of his eldest son, Brayden, who passed away at 21 in a motorcycle accident.

Throughout the interview, LeGrand emphasizes Brayden's exceptionally positive, unifying, and service-oriented nature, highlighting his profound impact on others. A central theme introduced by LeGrand is the principle of "running to the Savior first," an idea suggesting that focusing on Jesus Christ is the primary path to healing and ultimately reuniting with loved ones, even amidst immense sorrow.

The conversation also explores how LeGrand and his family have found strength through faith, prayer, scripture study, and temple worship in the aftermath of their devastating loss.

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Join us for a powerful and deeply moving episode with Jen Dyal, sharing her journey of grief and belief after the loss of her oldest son, Jack, at just nine years old in 2016. Jack was a beloved, kind, and unifying spirit. Jen recounts the auto-pedestrian accident that occurred on her husband Nate's birthday, the chaotic hospital experience, and the agonizing decision against a medically induced coma for her "vivacious nine-year-old boy". She describes the heartbreaking goodbyes before Jack's organ donation, accompanied by the "Come and Get Your Love" song by Redbone.
A central theme is forgiveness. Jen remarkably shares immediately forgiving the driver, who hit Jack, having met her just weeks prior. She discusses the contrasting ways she and Nate processed forgiveness, and her children's developmental paths to understanding.

Through profound loss, Jen believes God doesn't cause suffering but knows what's coming due to human choices. She emphasizes the power of choice in handling grief and forgiveness, and a Savior who carries her through every decision, always present without forcing her to come to Him.

Join us for a special combined episode featuring Kallie Andrews, Kori's oldest daughter, and Allie Mickelson, David's youngest daughter. You'll hear these two remarkable young women share their unique experiences with grief and belief after losing their sisters, Kamryn and Ava, when they were both nine years old.

Kallie recounts the unexpected and rapid events surrounding Kamryn's birth and 38-day life, including the bravery it took to get special permission to see her sister in the hospital's NICU by overcoming her fear of shots. She reflects on the challenges of witnessing her sister's broken body connected to monitors but also the special moments shared as a family. Kallie also shares wisdom for young people grieving, emphasizing the importance of talking to friends and family and allowing others to serve.

Allie shares tender memories of her sister Ava, describing her as a social, happy peacemaker who looked and acted strikingly like Allie herself. She recounts playful times, like playing "Super Nuke" with Ava during COVID quarantine, before detailing the shocking and quick progression of Ava's illness and cancer diagnosis. Allie describes the difficult hospital visits, needing to wear protective gear, and the profound, almost unbelievable moment when Ava passed away after life support was removed.

This episode explores how these young ladies navigate their grief, emphasizing the importance of family, friends, and their faith in finding comfort and understanding through profound loss.

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In this episode of the Grief and Belief podcast, hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews welcome Ryan and Valerie Davies, who share the heart-wrenching story of losing their son, Tanner. Their conversation centers on the theme of grace—an idea that resonates deeply with both hosts, who each have daughters named Grace.
Valerie reflects on her upbringing in Southern California, her move to Provo for BYU, and meeting Ryan after his mission. The couple shares their love story, family background, and the difficult details surrounding Tanner’s accident. Valerie recounts the moment she called the hospital and the uncertainty she felt when they couldn't give her answers. The couple also speaks about others involved in the accident and the complexity of piecing together what happened.
Throughout their grief journey, Ryan and Valerie have found grace to be a sustaining and transformative power. This episode explores how grace has helped them move forward, hold onto faith, and continue to honor Tanner’s memory with love and hope.

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In this episode of the Grief and Belief podcast, hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews talk with Caitlin Naulu about the powerful role of prayer in her journey through grief. Caitlin shares the story of her daughter Auni, who was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic condition that causes severe muscle weakness. Caitlin recalls the heartbreaking moment of diagnosis and the difficult conversations that followed with their palliative care team.

Caitlin opens up about how prayer became a source of strength as she navigated Auni’s illness and eventual passing. She also shares a meaningful experience with a therapist that helped her recognize and confront self-critical thoughts brought on by grief. Kori reflects on how their conversation influenced his own prayer life, even during podcast prep.

Through her story, Caitlin shows how grief and belief can exist together and how turning to God in prayer can bring peace and perspective during unimaginable loss.

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