BYU-Idaho professors Eric and Sarah d’Evegnée on faith, testimony and reconversion

Church News

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, News

4.9 • 782 Ratings

🗓️ 16 November 2021

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When Latter-day Saints think about conversion, they often think of individuals joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through baptism. But every member is a convert in his or her own right by developing a personal testimony. And sadly, there are times when individuals choose to leave the gospel path. This episode of the Church News podcast features information about those who come back, who reengage in the gospel and build stronger foundations than before. These “reconversions” happen more often than one might think. Eric d’Evegnée and Sarah Hafen d’Evegnée are BYU-Idaho English professors. Together they are creating and analyzing a database of reconversion stories to learn lessons that might help those with questions of faith. These efforts began decades ago as Sarah d’Evegnée’s father, Elder Bruce C. Hafen, an emeritus general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ, spoke on faith and ambiguity at Ricks College. Their campaign grew with the publication of a book, “Faith Is Not Blind,” by Elder Hafen and his wife, Sister Marie Hafen. Now they all continue the conversation with the Faith Is Not Blind Project.

The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Sarah Jane Weaver, editor of the church news.
0:12.2	Welcome to the church news podcast.
0:14.4	We are taking you on a journey of connection as we discuss news and events of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with leaders, members, and others on the church news team.
0:24.7	We end each church news podcast by giving our guests the last word
0:28.8	and the opportunity to answer the very important question.
0:32.7	What do you know now?
0:34.5	We hope each of you will also be able to answer the same question and say,
0:38.5	I have just been listening to the Church News podcast, and this is what I know now.
0:48.4	Often when we think of conversion, we think of individuals joining the Church of Jesus Christ
0:53.4	of Latter-day Saints through
0:54.5	baptism. But every member is a convert in their own right as they develop and gain their own
0:59.8	personal testimony. Sadly, some choose to leave the gospel path, but happily, many do come back.
1:07.6	They are able to re-engage in the gospel and build stronger foundations than before.
1:12.5	These reconversions happen more often than we might think.
1:16.5	Today for the Church News podcast, we are joined by Eric Devonier and Sarah Hafein-Devin-Yea,
1:22.7	a married couple of BYU-Ida-O-Ilo English professors.
1:26.5	Together they are creating and analyzing a database of
1:29.5	reconversion stories to learn lessons that might help all of us with questions, or those who
1:34.8	have left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if they ever desire to return.
1:39.9	Welcome both of you to the Church News podcast. Oh, thank you, Sarah.
1:46.3	Well, it's such a pleasure to have you with us.
1:52.9	I was reading earlier that your efforts for this database began, Sarah, when your parents,
	...

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