Religion played a starring role in the latest episode of “The Bachelor” thanks to a contestant who belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Litia Garr, who is from Utah, had a one-on-one date with this season’s lead, Grant Ellis, during Monday’s episode and spoke with him about being a Latter-day Saint over dinner.
“My family’s very religious, and we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which are also known as Mormons or LDS,” Garr said. “And I have typically only dated people in my same religion.”
Ellis said he had heard of Latter-day Saints, but he wanted to know more about what the religion means for her life and how it’s shaped her as a woman.
Garr explained that the church has influenced who she wants to be as a wife and mom.
“I want God to be part of my marriage. I want my kids to grow up in a house where they know that God loves them and that they’re important, and that their parents love them and that there’s nothing they could do that would make them not loved,” she said.
Ellis said Garr’s response resonated with him, since he had a lonely childhood. He wants to build a loving family that eats dinner together every night.
Ellis said he felt like God was with him during those lonely nights. He started crying as he described it to Garr.
“When I was alone, I would just talk to God. I wouldn’t really talk to anybody else,” he said.
Ellis added that, although he doesn’t pray regularly or worry much about faith-related rules, he feels like God has been with him during his lowest moments.
“As many times as I messed up in my life, God has always been there for me,” he said.
Litia Garr on ‘The Bachelor’
Garr also spoke about being a Latter-day Saint in the intro package about her that aired during the premiere of Ellis' season of “The Bachelor,” as the Deseret News previously reported.
“Religion is a guiding light in my life,” she said during the video.
Ellis, on the other hand, has not spoken much about his faith this season.
During Monday’s episode, he said he felt grateful to have someone like Garr who made him feel comfortable enough to open up.
Garr received one of the four roses handed out on Monday night, which means she and her family will be part of the hometown dates.
The preview of that episode shows Ellis worrying about fitting in with her family.
“I’m not Mormon. I have tattoos. I wear earrings. I do drink sometimes. Will they accept me?” he said.