Mormon Stories - LDS

Alison Udall is the co-founder and main force behind Mormon Spectrum - a web site dedicated to supporting Mormons across the belief spectrum with content and community.  Mormon Spectrum can accessed here: http://mormonspectrum.org.

Direct download: MormonStories-595-AlisonUdallPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 5:17pm MDT

Alison Udall is the co-founder and main force behind Mormon Spectrum - a web site dedicated to supporting Mormons across the belief spectrum with content and community.  Mormon Spectrum can accessed here: http://mormonspectrum.org.

Direct download: MormonStories-594-AlisonUdallPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 5:10pm MDT

On today's Savage Lovecast (hosted by Dan Savage), LDS Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings publicly denounced the recent LDS Church policy changes regarding same-gender relationships and children.  This is the excerpt.

Direct download: KenJenningsDanSavageSSR-11-24-2015.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 4:35pm MDT

For this Mormon Stories Podcast episode a distinguished panel reviews a newly released LDS mission memoir entitled, "The Book of A Mormon," co-written by world renowned psychologists Dr. Scott Miller and Dr. Mark Hubble.  This enjoyable and thoughtful book chronicles Dr. Miller's mission to Sweden in the late 1970s, and is a fascinating and detailed history of correlation-era LDS missionary service.

Joining us to review the book are several panelists: Hans Mattsson (former LDS Area Authority from Sweden), Julienna Viegas-Haws (native of Belgium), Jennie Dendy (served mission in Finland), and Kirk Kinsey (Mark's son).

We all consider this to be a very important book, and we hope you enjoy reading.

Direct download: MormonStories-593-BookOfAMormon.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:47pm MDT

In this three-part podcast I interview Stephen M. Veazey, prophet-president of Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).

Direct download: MormonStories-592-SteveVeazeyPt3.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:04am MDT

In this three-part podcast I interview Stephen M. Veazey, prophet-president of Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).

Direct download: MormonStories-591-SteveVeazeyPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:02am MDT

In this three-part podcast I interview Stephen M. Veazey, prophet-president of Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).

Direct download: MormonStories-590-SteveVeazeyPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:01am MDT

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Laura Roper Andreasen is the granddaughter of LDS Apostle M. Russell Ballard.  Recently Laura resigned her membership in the LDS Church after struggling unsuccessfully for decades to find happiness and health as an active, believing Latter-day Saint (e.g., serving an LDS mission, marrying in the temple, having children).  In this vulnerable, thoughtful, respectful, and heartfelt two-part interview, Laura discusses the following:

  • The deep love and respect she has for her parents, grandparents, and Mormon heritage.
  • Her struggles as a child, teenager, and adult with:
    • What she experienced to be a culture of perfectionism and shame in the LDS church.
    • A family and church culture of avoiding emotional vulnerability and the open discussion of difficult topics.
    • The added difficulty/burden/pressure of being a direct descendant of Hyrum Smith and the grandchild of an LDS Apostle (within LDS culture).
  • Her struggle with low self worth, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation for multiple decades.
  • Her complex relationship with Grandpa Ballard, who (from her perspective) struggled to balance his role as an apostle with his role as grandfather.
  • Her perspective on what it is like to be an LDS Apostle, answering many questions for Mormon Stories listeners.
  • Her reasons for leaving the LDS Church after being unable to find joy within it.

To read from Laura's blog, click here.

Part 1 (Laura's Story):

 

 

 

Part 2 (Q&A):

 

 

 

 

Direct download: MormonStories-589-LauraRoperAndreasenPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 2:39pm MDT

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Laura Roper Andreasen is the granddaughter of LDS Apostle M. Russell Ballard.  Recently Laura resigned her membership in the LDS Church after struggling unsuccessfully for decades to find happiness and health as an active, believing Latter-day Saint (e.g., serving an LDS mission, marrying in the temple, having children).  In this vulnerable, thoughtful, respectful, and heartfelt two-part interview, Laura discusses the following:

  • The deep love and respect she has for her parents, grandparents, and Mormon heritage.
  • Her struggles as a child, teenager, and adult with:
    • What she experienced to be a culture of perfectionism and shame in the LDS church.
    • A family and church culture of avoiding emotional vulnerability and the open discussion of difficult topics.
    • The added difficulty/burden/pressure of being a direct descendant of Hyrum Smith and the grandchild of an LDS Apostle (within LDS culture).
  • Her struggle with low self worth, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation for multiple decades.
  • Her complex relationship with Grandpa Ballard, who (from her perspective) struggled to balance his role as an apostle with his role as grandfather.
  • Her perspective on what it is like to be an LDS Apostle, answering many questions for Mormon Stories listeners.
  • Her reasons for leaving the LDS Church after being unable to find joy within it.

To read from Laura's blog, click here.

Part 1 (Laura's Story):

 

 

 

Part 2 (Q&A):

 

 

 

 

Direct download: MormonStories-588-LauraRoperAndreasenPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 2:24pm MDT

Today the LDS Church released a clarification to the new policies on same-gender marriage and children.  Michael Otterson (Managing Director of LDS Church Public Relations) also released a memo entitled "Understanding the Handbook."

To analyze the clarification and memo, have have assembled a panel of brilliant humans: John Hamer, Debra Jensen, James Ord, and Daniel Parkinson.

Direct download: MormonStories-587-SGAClarificationPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 6:26pm MDT

Today the LDS Church released a clarification to the new policies on same-gender marriage and children.  Michael Otterson (Managing Director of LDS Church Public Relations) also released a memo entitled "Understanding the Handbook."

To analyze the clarification and memo, have have assembled a panel of brilliant humans: John Hamer, Debra Jensen, James Ord, and Daniel Parkinson.

Direct download: MormonStories-586-SGAClarificationPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 6:24pm MDT

Eric Reeves is the son of LDS Relief Society General Presidency 2nd counselor Linda S. Reeves.

In this episode Eric discusses:

1) his early years in the church, his loss of faith in the LDS church, and how he handled this process with his family,

2) his analysis of the recent changes, and why he vehemently opposes the parallels made between same-sex marriage and polygamy,

3) why he is speaking out publicly against the new LGBT policies, and

4) why he is encouraging church members to openly oppose these policies.

Direct download: MormonStories-585-EricReeves.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 5:56am MDT

News broke last week that the LDS Church was adopting new policies aimed at married same-sex couples and their children. Mormons in a same-sex marriage will now be considered apostates and could be subject to disciplinary hearings and excommunication. Their children, meanwhile, will be barred from many of the faith’s sacred rituals, unless they get permission from church’s highest leaders. Monday, a panel of guests joined us to discuss the impacts and ramifications of these new church policies.

GUESTS

  • Jennifer Dobner is a journalist at the Salt Lake Tribune where she covers health care reform, Mormonism, polygamy, justice issues and more.
  • John Dehlin has a Ph.D. in psychology from Utah State University, focusing on religion, mental health, and the LGBT Mormon experience. he co-led the largest study ever conducted on LGBT Mormons that has been published in numerous scientific, peer reviewed journals, including the APA's Journal of Counseling Psychology. He also produces and hosts the Mormon Stories podcast. He was excommunicated from the LDS Church in January of 2015. He was credited in several news reports for leaking information about the Church’s new policy on married same-sex Mormons and their children.
  • Kendall Wilcox is an openly gay and active Mormon. He’s a co-founder of Mormons Building Bridges, a group that works to build understanding between members of the LDS Church and the LGBT community. He’s currently producing a documentary film about the experience of LGBT Mormons. It’s called Far Between.
  • Mitch Mayne is an openly gay, active Mormon who served as executive secretary in the LDS bishopric in San Francisco through 2013.
Direct download: rw110915.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 5:30am MDT

In this episode we discuss the recent changes to LDS Handbook 1 regarding LGBT members who enter into same-gender relationships, and their children.  Panelists include Natasha Helfer Parker, Dr. Kristy Money, Dr. J. Nelson Seawright, and Dr. John Dehlin.

Direct download: MormonStories-583-SGAPolicyChange.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 6:33pm MDT

In this episode Steve and Chris Holbrook discuss the lessons they have learned in helping to lead/grow the Utah Valley Post-Mormon community to an organization of over 1,400 members, with weekly activities, and very high levels of community support, participation, and satisfaction.

Direct download: MormonTransitions-002-HolbrooksUVPM.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 11:27am MDT

In this episode Steve and Chris Holbrook discuss their early years in the LDS Church, their disaffection from the LDS Church, and their discovery of the Utah Valley Post-Mormon community as a positive influence in their post-Mormon life.

Direct download: MormonStories-581-HolbrooksPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 11:22am MDT

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