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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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).

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).

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):

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):

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.