#BeyondtheBurgh is a series of podcast interviews recorded during my recent trip back to Pittsburgh, PA where I served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints more than 15 years ago. The footage of that trip culminated in the documentary film "Back to the 'Burgh" about my experience as a missionary in Pittsburgh. #BeyondtheBurgh is a bonus feature of the film as these interviews did not make the final cut of the film. But they are nevertheless a huge part of my missionary experience and thus a huge part of the untold story.
When I’d been in the Pittsburgh mission for just over a year, I was sent with Elder Sam Haroldsen to Kane, Pennsylvania, a town about 3 hours north of Pittsburgh. It was a sleepy little place that hadn’t even had missionaries serving there for several months. One day, our zone leader and his companion had come down to check on us. He and I had gone out to make some visits and on our way to check on a girl Haroldsen and I were teaching, we met Carl Swanson. Carl joined the church and he and I have continued to have a profound impact on each others lives over the years.
