Mormon Stories - LDS

Louisa Killian is back to talk about what happened after losing her job at BYU, and what resources helped her heal and grow. What have been her victories and challenges in rebuilding her life? How did her family react to her loss of faith? What role does art and creativity play in healing? How does Louisa navigate her marriage, parenting, self-care, and spirituality?

Louisa Killian

Episode Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1669-LouisaKillianPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:00pm MDT

After her marriage to a "worthy" priesthood-holding Returned Missionary goes south when her husband is arrested for fraud, Louisa Killian finds love & equality in a relationship outside of the Church and a fulfilling career teaching dance at BYU. But when it's time to renew her Temple Recommend to keep her ecclesiastical endorsement (a requirement for employment at the Church school), Louisa finds that honesty has severe consequences.

Louisa Killian

Episode Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1698-LouisaKillianPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 11:50am MDT

Content Warning: Suicidal Ideation

Gary and Ernie were both raised members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They only had one major problem - they were gay. While Ernie tried marrying a woman and having children to "make the gay go away," Gary pursued graduate school, tried to date women, and eventually pursued a life of celibacy. At some point, both of their lives broke down.

Join us today for a true love story for the ages - how Gary and Ernie found love together, and how they are thriving today.

Gary & Ernie: Go Forward

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1697-GaryErnie.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 3:56pm MDT

Join Kattie & Allan from Marriage on a Tightrope as they interview John & Margi on the various aspects of faith transitioning as a couple.

Marriage on a Tightrope started as a resource for mixed-faith couples (like themselves) after Allan lost his faith. Mixed faith marriages have their own unique complications and issues and Allan & Kattie hold vulnerable conversations about their mixed faith marriage in order to give the listener context and resources to navigate their own relationship. They have helped hundreds of couples and families stay together and learn to love, accept, and communicate with each other when one goes through a faith transition. 

Marriage on a Tightrope: 

Email Allan & Kattie: MarriageonaTightrope@gmail.com 

Donate to Marriage on a Tightrope

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-MOATInterviewsMargiJohn.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:00pm MDT

Content warning: Suicidal ideation, Drug addiction

Tani Berlo was raised in Australia as a biracial Mormon of Maori descent.  Showing an early love for history, Tani asked many questions of her LDS seminary teacher regarding science and history that caused concern.  This included questioning the validity of the "Lamanite" identity (from the Book of Mormon) handed to her as a descendent of the Maori people.

Later in Tani's teenage years she was shamed by her LDS church leaders for normative sexual exploration, and was ultimately summoned to a disciplinary council where she was asked sexually explicit questions by multiple men, and was disfellowshipped by the church.  This led to significant sexual shame as a temple married Latter-day saint.  After having children, Tani experienced significant post-partum depression and an opiate addiction, which when combined with her questioning of Mormon truth claims, led to a full-on faith crisis.

Today Tani hosts a TikTok channel on history with over 1.1 million followers.

This is Tani's Mormon story.

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-TaniBerlo.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:00pm MDT

Join us for a discussion on the Mormon Church coming out "in support" of the Respect for Marriage Act, which many Mormons are mistakenly interpreting as support for LGBTQ people, and for same-sex marriage.

LDS Newsroom Statement on the United States Congress Respect for Marriage Act

Co-host: Gerardo Sumano

Special Guests

Brenton Erickson – Public Defender

Hannah Comeau – Recent law school graduate

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1694-GayTrojanHorse.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 2:00pm MDT

Join us for our first Mormon Stories Book Club episode covering LIGHTHOUSE - Jerald and Sandra Tanner, a biography written by Ronald Huggins.

Co-host: Rebecca Bibliotheca

Special Guests:

Sandra Tanner

Ronald Huggins

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1694-LighthouseSandraRon.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 2:30pm MDT

Despite reports of progress, the Church today remains a highly discriminator organization. In this episode the panel will identify and discuss specific, concrete examples of how the Church explicitly discriminates today.

Co-host: Sam Shelly

Special Guest: Channel Achenbach

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1692-GenderDiscrimination.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:00pm MDT

Join John, Mike & Elisha Lee as they discuss common problematic apologies around the practice of polygamy in early Church History. From lies being called “carefully worded denials” and attempts to differentiate between “plural marriage” which God approved of or “spiritual wifery” which was not, and the fact that this is still current doctrine and what women have to look forward to in eternity and the harms caused past and present from this doctrine.

Special Guest: Elisha Lee

LDS Discussion Essay on Polygamy Apologetics

Episode Show Notes

LDS Discussions 6-Part Series on Polygamy:

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Mormon Stories Podcast
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Direct download: MormonStories-1691-LDSDPolygamyPt6.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:00pm MDT

Content Warning: Suicide Ideation

For Part 2 we come back to Shaye and Amanda's story after Shaye returns home from his mission. We learn how Shaye got involved in film with Mormon music group "The Piano Guys," their early issues with infertility, Amanda's schooling and career and the class (and book) that started her slowly on the path to finding out the real history of her belief system.

We also take a deep dive into Shaye's growing dysphoria into their marriage how that developed into severe internalized transphobia, which extended to the whole LGBTQ community as a whole as even allyship felt too "close" and "dangerous" to the secret he was trying to keep buried.

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1690-AmandaShayeScottPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 1:30pm MDT

Content Warning: Gender Dysphoria & Suicidal Ideation

Amanda and Shaye already have a following on their YouTube Channel "Great Scotts" but their video "Why we left the Mormon Church - coming out story" made an even bigger splash. Join us as we hear their stories growing up in Mormon families, their early testimonies and experiences with the Church, Shaye's gender dysphoria and thoughts of suicide, how they met, Shaye serving a mission, and their subsequent marriage after returning.

YouTube Channel: Great Scotts

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1689-AmandaShayeScottPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:30pm MDT

In part 5 of our 6-part series on polygamy within the LDS Discussions project, we discuss "The Happiness Letter," which was the letter Joseph Smith wrote to Nancy Rigdon to try to convince her to become one of his plural wives.

Special Guest: Nemo the Mormon

LDS Discussion Essay on the Happiness Letter

Episode Show Notes

LDS Discussions 6-Part Series on Polygamy:

_________________________

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Direct download: MormonStories-1688-HappinessLetter_LDSDiscussion.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 2:30pm MDT

Join us as we analyze a Mormon leader's private talk given to a small group of Church leaders that has stirred up the Mormon community. In his talk Ahmad S. Corbitt, first counselor in the LDS Church Young Men general presidency, vehemently condemns activism toward the Church.

Episode Show Notes


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Direct download: MormonStories-1687-CorbittATCResponce.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 5:30pm MDT

In Part 3 of 3 on this riveting story of Jeff & Larissa, we join them again as they bravely share their stories of sexual dysfunction due to LDS purity culture doctrines, Larissa's battle with breast cancer, Jeff's experiences with porn/masturbation, and BOTH Jeff and Larissa suppressing their sexuality.
 
They share their journey of healing and growing together in intimacy, as well as other changes post-Mormonism. What is parenting like? How have their beliefs changed and what do they believe now?

Larissa Kindred

Jeff Kindred:


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Direct download: MormonStories-1686-LarissaJeffKindred3.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 2:00pm MDT

In this Part 2 of 3, we return to Jeff & Larissa's story. Now married, Larissa gives up her University Studies to help Jeff through Med school. They share their struggles with infertility, the adoption process, and adopting black children as orthodox Mormons.
 
Larissa faces difficulties in early motherhood and building resentment as they settle into traditional LDS gender roles. Larissa feels she is losing herself wrapped up in her husband's life, while at the same time trying to silence that part of her that is unhappy, seeing it as "wrong."
 
Larissa is called as a RS President, even as she becomes more vocally progressive/feminist and has hope for the Church to change, but it doesn't last.
 
Jeff realizes the Gospel can't fix Larissa's unhappiness as the root cause is Patriarchy. He serves in Bishoprics for 7 years before discovering more about Church history from the CES Letter, and Rough Stone Rolling, with the Gospel Topics Essays being the final straw.
 
Jeff & Larissa finally recognize the level of harm of systemic racism & sexism in Mormonism and no longer wish to be a part of it.
 
Larissa Kindred

Jeff Kindred:


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Direct download: MormonStories-1685-LarissaJeffKindredPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 2:00pm MDT

Join us as we meet Jeff & Larissa Kindred and follow their stories growing up as Latter-day Saints. Jeff's story includes a grooming scoutmaster, his love of sports, attending Snow College, and serving a mission in Jackson, Mississippi where he dealt with scrupulosity, unhealthy diet and exercise, becoming AP, and wrestling with racism in the Church culture & scripture.

Larissa's story involves her Japanese-American heritage, and gives a brief introduction on the history of anti-Japanese sentiment in Utah, including having been home to a Japanese "Work" Camp in Topaz. Larissa tells of the struggles her grandparents faced assimilating into Utah Culture and dealing with the loss of their own. Larissa also describes racism she experienced growing up in American Fork, UT and Mormon culture's ideals matching white beauty standards.

And this is just the beginning! Jeff and Larissa have a lot of experiences that many current and former Mormons will relate to and experiences that will be new for many to hear.

Larissa Kindred

Jeff Kindred:

Episode Show Notes


Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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Direct download: MormonStories-1684-LarissaJeffKindredPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 10:13pm MDT

Join Simon Southerton and Neville Rochow as they discuss the breaking news story of potentially fraudulent behavior by the LDS Church in Australia.

Original Stories:

Simon Southerton

  • Simon.southerton11@gmail.com

Neville Rochow

Episode Show Notes


Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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Direct download: MormonStories-1683-AustralianTaxScandal.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 1:00pm MDT

Join Mike (LDS Discussions), Elisha, and John for Part 2 as they look at the techniques of influence that Joseph Smith used to propose to his plural wives.

Helen Mar Kimball's age reduction digital illustration by Adam Worthington https://www.knowbrotherjoseph.com/

Special Guest: Elisha Lee

LDS Discussion Essay on Plural Marriage Proposals

LDS Discussions 6-Part Series on Polygamy:

_________________________

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Direct download: MormonStories-1682-LDSDiscussionsPluralMarriageProposalsPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:00pm MDT

Content Warning: Suicidal Ideation

Join us as Brinley returns to share what rebuilding her life was like after returning home from her mission and how she finally found her voice & happiness.

Brinley's Instagram

Episode Show Notes


Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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Direct download: MormonStories-1681-BrinleyJensenPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:00pm MDT

Content Warning: Suicidal Ideation & Planning

Join John & Margi as they interview young and spunky Brinley Jensen, a Gen Z returned missionary, as she shares her experiences growing up in the Church and the consequences she's faced at various times as she's spoken up for herself and grown into the person she is.

Brinley's Instagram

Episode Show Notes


Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:


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Mormon Stories Podcast

PO Box 171085

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Direct download: MormonStories-1680-BrinleyJensenPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 12:00pm MDT

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