Season 2 Episode 9 - Keep the Faith and Never Forsake

The episode "Keep the Faith and Never Forsake" features Mason Payne, a returned missionary who met the host unexpectedly at a Bishop storehouse while serving as Elder Payne. Mason shares his journey of faith, detailing how a direct challenge ("Mason you've lost your faith") led him to pour out his soul in prayer with five specific questions. Answers came from young children bearing testimony at church and an emotional confirmation while watching the movie Breakthrough.Mason candidly discusses the difficulties of his mission, including struggling with pride and companions in the challenging Oregon Salem Mission, which he heard was potentially the "most depressed mission in the world". His battle with addiction became so severe that he felt like a hypocrite, leading him to transfer home to serve a service mission. Despite this shift, Mason found purpose doing service work (including welding and tractor maintenance). He ultimately transferred back to the field, even receiving an unexpected assignment to serve as a Spanish-speaking missionary in his final months.The description is riveting because Mason openly shares his ongoing daily fight against addiction, stating, "I'm fighting like heck every day to to white knuckle it". He concludes by expressing that he knows he will overcome his struggles through faith and obedience, declaring that if Jesus Christ were sitting across from him, he would be on his knees saying, "I need you to know I'm trying".