In this episode we interview Tanner Gilliland and Samantha Snyder.  Tanner was raised as an orthodox Mormon in Tucson, Arizona.  Samantha converted to the LDS Church in the U.K.  Both lived very orthodox LDS lives as millennials, attending BYU-Idaho as devout members, and interning for Deseret Book after graduating from BYU-I.  Samantha co-founded the web site Millennial Mormons.  

As Tanner and Samantha began to question the modern LDS Church, they briefly entertained the teachings of Denver Snuffer (Tanner was actually re-baptised according to Snuffer's teachings).  Earlier this year, both Tanner and Samantha left the LDS Church, and recently co-founded the new post-Mormon millennial blog called ZelphOnTheShelf.com.

As recent reports suggest that the LDS Church is losing its Millennial members at a rapid pace (see here and here), this interview begins to explore why.

In this episode we interview Tanner Gilliland and Samantha Snyder.  Tanner was raised as an orthodox Mormon in Tucson, Arizona.  Samantha converted to the LDS Church in the U.K.  Both lived very orthodox LDS lives as millennials, attending BYU-Idaho as devout members, and interning for Deseret Book after graduating from BYU-I.  Samantha co-founded the web site Millennial Mormons.  

As Tanner and Samantha began to question the modern LDS Church, they briefly entertained the teachings of Denver Snuffer (Tanner was actually re-baptised according to Snuffer's teachings).  Earlier this year, both Tanner and Samantha left the LDS Church, and recently co-founded the new post-Mormon millennial blog called ZelphOnTheShelf.com.

As recent reports suggest that the LDS Church is losing its Millennial members at a rapid pace (see here and here), this interview begins to explore why.

Healing and Growth after an LDS Crisis of Faith: Weekend Retreat
with John Dehlin, Ph.D.

• Who: Progressive, Inactive, and Post-Mormons.  Couples and individuals welcome.
• When: October 23-25, 2015 (Starts at 6pm on 10/23, ends at 4pm on 10/25)
• Where: Park City, UT
• Purposes of Retreat
  • Tips on healing and thriving after a loss of LDS faith.  Major topics include:
    • Rebuilding identity, morality, mental health, meaning, and purpose after losing faith.
    • Healthy communications with believing family and friends after losing faith.
    • Strengthening marriages after losing faith.
    • Raising children after losing faith.
    • Rebuilding friendships and community after losing faith.
    • Finding joy, meaning, and fulfillment after losing faith.
  • Building relationships and community with others like you.
• Cost:
  • Suggested donation: $350/person. Donation does not cover meals/lodging.
  • Scholarships available based on need – please do NOT stay away because of financial need.  We will do our best to accommodate those who want to attend (until the slots fill up).  Email mormontransitions@gmail.com to request scholarship information.
  • All proceeds go to support Mormon Transitions.

To reserve your spot, visit: http://mormontransitions.org

Announcing the Mormon Transitions Project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIuN4GoOUeY

In this episode, three geneticists respond to the LDS Essay "Book of Mormon and DNA Studies," and to Apologist Michael Ash's article entitled "The DNA Challenge to the Book of Mormon that Fizzled."  The respondents are as follows:
Jamie Hanis Handy has a B.S. in Zoology and an M.S. in Biological Science Education and Genetics from Brigham Young University. She is the mother of 5, a pianist, a photographer, and a lover of science, truth, and sensibility.  Jamie is the author of a recent article entitled "DNA and Mormonism."

Simon Southerton completed a PhD in plant science at the University of Sydney in 1989. For 15 years he worked at CSIRO, Australia’s national research organization, where he 
led its forest genomics team. In 2014, in partnership with his brother Bob, he formed a CSIRO spin off company named Gondwana Genomics. Gondwana provides DNA testing services to tree breeders to enable them to select better trees when they are seedlings. Simon first encountered DNA research on Native Americans and Polynesians in 1998
while serving as a bishop in Brisbane, Australia. In response to Mormon apologetics in 2004 he published Losing a Lost Tribe, which explores the origins of Amerindian and Polynesian DNA and its implications for LDS beliefs arising from the Book of Mormon. Simon is married to Jane who is an English teacher/librarian. They live in Canberra along with their five wonderful offspring.  Simon's blog on DNA and Mormonism can be found here.

Eric Fairfield has a Ph.D. in moleular biology from State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is currently founder and owner of Cognitive Architectures for Learning, a company that understands cell by cell and synapse by synapse what learning and memory are and how to build devices from this knowledge. Eric has also run a number of church courses and seminar series bringing together science and religion. He is the proud father of a female nanotech physicist. He is also a geneticist and biochemist with expertise in genes and their enzymes across many organisms. When there is time, Eric is a swimmer, photographer and chef.

In this two-part episode John Dehlin is interviewed by Dan Wotherspoon about his evolving perspectives on Mormonism, and on his upcoming "Mormon Transitions" project.

In this two-part episode John Dehlin is interviewed by Dan Wotherspoon about his evolving perspectives on Mormonism, and on his upcoming "Mormon Transitions" project.

Dan Wotherspoon, host of Mormon Matters podcast, reflects on 15 years of helping people try to find rich spirituality within Mormonism.

Dan Wotherspoon, host of Mormon Matters podcast, reflects on 15 years of helping people try to find rich spirituality within Mormonism.

Elder Ballard's 9/13/2015 Area Conference Talk

In this episode we interview Dr. Scott Miller.  Aside from being a world-renowned psychologist, Scott recently penned a fabulous book about his mission experience to Sweden in the 1970s.  The book is called "The Book of a Mormon: The Real Life and Strange Times of an LDS Missionary."

In this episode Scott discusses:

• His early years in the church.
• His mission experience to Sweden in the 1970s.
• His path out of Mormonism after returning from his mission.
• His work as a psychologist today.
• His recommendations for healthy Mormon transitions, and for thriving as a post-Mormon.

In one month we will be re-launching "Mormon Stories Book Club," and will invite Dr. Miller back to Mormon Stories to discuss his book, along with former Swedish Area Authority Hans Mattsson and a panel of other listeners/readers.  If you are interested in the book, or in being part of the book club discussion, please purchase it at Amazon.com, read it over the coming weeks, please consider writing an Amazon review for the book, and then join us for our discussion of the book in one month's time.  Can't wait!

Julie Rowe and "Spencer" Energy Conference Call.

Julie Rowe is an active, believing Mormon, and is the author of two books: "A Greater Tomorrow: My Journey Beyond the Veil" and "The Time is Now."  In these books, Julie details her near-death experiences, wherein she claims to have received divinely inspired visions of the past, present, and future.

Julie and her peers/followers are heavily focused on the "Latter-day" aspects of Mormonism and Christianity, with a heavy emphasis on predicting pending global disasters in the United States and abroad.  Julie's prophesies (along with those of her peers) have led upwards of 10,000+ believing Mormons to make somewhat drastic life decisions including selling their homes, selling off their 401Ks, purchasing gold, and purchasing thousands of dollars worth of "preparatory materials" (e.g., food storage, tents, trailers, guns, ammunition) for the pending global demise, which is scheduled to begin in earnest in September of 2015.

In this 2015 Sunstone Symposium presentation, Lindsay Hansen Park interviews me (John Dehlin) on the 10 year anniversary of Mormon Stories podcast.  Warning -- I get a bit emotion during this one....so listeners beware!

Gina Colvin Interviews me (John Dehlin) on the 10th Anniversary of Mormon Stories Podcast.  We discuss my early years growing up in the church, my mission experience in Guatemala, my time at BYU during the early 1990s, my faith crisis while working at Microsoft, my 10 year journey with Mormon Stories Podcast, my excommunication earlier this year, and my thoughts/plans about the future (with Mormon Stories and Mormon Transitions).

Gina Colvin Interviews me (John Dehlin) on the 10th Anniversary of Mormon Stories Podcast.  We discuss my early years growing up in the church, my mission experience in Guatemala, my time at BYU during the early 1990s, my faith crisis while working at Microsoft, my 10 year journey with Mormon Stories Podcast, my excommunication earlier this year, and my thoughts/plans about the future (with Mormon Stories and Mormon Transitions).

Gina Colvin Interviews me (John Dehlin) on the 10th Anniversary of Mormon Stories Podcast.  We discuss my early years growing up in the church, my mission experience in Guatemala, my time at BYU during the early 1990s, my faith crisis while working at Microsoft, my 10 year journey with Mormon Stories Podcast, my excommunication earlier this year, and my thoughts/plans about the future (with Mormon Stories and Mormon Transitions).