Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints work in nearly every profession imaginable. Some, including the two guests on this episode of the Church News podcast are professional athletes. But Kaden Bowler and Bronson Balholm play in a unique league with equally unique rules in a spinoff of America’s pastime — Banana Ball.

Bowler grew up largely in northern Utah’s Cache Valley where he played high school baseball before serving a mission on the other side of the world in Cambodia. Balholm is from Southern California. He played baseball in college, including time at Arizona State University.

For Bowler, moving from the “darkest, loneliest time” of his life, to now being “super grateful for where I am,” was not an easy or predictable process. Balholm likewise had an unpredictable path that led to the two players meeting in Savannah, Georgia, where they attended the same young single adult branch.

“There are going to be ups and downs,” Balholm said. “But the Lord’s always going to be there. You always gotta keep coming up to the next at-bat.”

On this episode of the Church News podcast, Bowler and Balholm join Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen to describe how playing baseball, serving a mission and studying the scriptures has helped them develop faith in Jesus Christ.