Emily Farmer and McEwan “Mac” Voorhees don’t have much in common.

It was not only an improbable love story, it was an impossible love story. She was Mormon; he was Catholic. She was engaged; he was preparing to become a priest.

Mormon politicians have long influenced the political landscape in the United States and abroad. But in their efforts to serve their countries, they are often faced with a number of challenges ranging from defending their religion to potential voters, to balancing their personal beliefs with the will of the people they represent, to defending their political views to fellow Church members. Here is what some past and present LDS elected officials are saying about their experience in public service and how their faith has shaped their political careers.

McKay Coppins began covering Mitt Romney during the 2012 presidential race and because the two shared a common faith as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, other reporters often looked to McKay, a very young journalist at the time, as a source on Romney’s religion. Over a decade later, Coppins’ new biography profiles the Latter-day Saints’ life and career in the public sphere. In anticipation of the book’s release, we talk with Coppins on today’s episode about the faith that is deeply embedded into both he and Romney’s lives.

During the Church's "Be One" event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the priesthood revelation, touching stories were shared of the black pioneers in the Church who remained faithful despite painful priesthood and temple restrictions. President Dallin H. Oaks acknowledged, “I observed the pain and frustration experienced by those who suffered these restrictions and those who criticized them and sought for reasons. I studied the reasons then being given and could not feel confirmation of the truth of any of them.” He also shared the touching moment when he sat down and cried for joy learning of the priesthood revelation. President Russell M. Nelson added, "Differences in culture, language, gender, race, and nationality fade into insignificance as the faithful enter the covenant path and come unto our beloved Redeemer." Read President Nelson's full remarks here, and President Oaks's full remarks here.

Image from lds.org.

Jentrie Williams has always been grateful for her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and as a 25-year-old mother of three children, faith is carrying her through her battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Eleven years ago, two young men in white shirts and black ties knocked on Arcadia Scheel's apartment door. They were missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormons.

"Ever faithful." That's one of the phrases The Washington Timesuses to describe Francis Marion Gibbons, a man who served as a secretary to prophets before serving in the First and Second Quorum of the Seventy.

When Suzanne Poulsen received a call from her daughter’s elementary school informing her Ashtyn was sick, she knew something was seriously wrong. Ashtyn had been sick with flu symptoms for about a week-and-a-half and had spent most of her time in bed, missing several days of school.