Mormon Stories Podcast

Not So Secret Lives of Not So Mormon Wives - Season 3 Pt. 2 | Ep. 2093

Welcome back to Part Two of our deep-dive coverage of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 3! In this episode, John is joined by Alyssa Alexander and Samantha Shelley to continue unpacking the plot-points this season that highly represent Mormon culture. We will take a closer look at Mikayla and Jace’s relationship, the cast's opinions on LGBT+ issues in Utah, Demi’s claim of sexual-assault , and Taylor and Dakota’s baby blessing. From complicated relationship dynamics to the cultural tensions woven through these episodes, we examine what’s really going on behind the drama. Whether you’re watching along with us or just here for the commentary, settle in and join the conversation as we dive even deeper into the season’s most emotional and culturally revealing moments. Watch the series on Hulu here [https://www.hulu.com/series/the-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives-58cd73be-408d-4eed-8e3d-82339f3f93e2]. ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/F5NAiTfevao] At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories  Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes  🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1  🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772  🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories  📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast  🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF  Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

When Your Child Dies as a Mormon Mom - Heidi Bruno Pt. 2 | Ep. 2092

We are back today with Part 2 of our epic interview with Heidi Bruno. In Part 1, Heidi shared her story of suffering sexual abuse as a teenager at the hands of the Elders Quorum President in her ward. In Part 2, we shift the focus to Heidi’s daughter, Holly, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of eight and tragically passed away in March of 2018. Heidi describes the inspiring movement that Holly started during her treatment, called “Love Is Everywhere,” and the wide-reaching impact it had on many communities. While the gospel was a great comfort to Holly and her family during this heartbreaking time, Heidi also shares how her views on the LDS Church began to shift after experiencing the death of her daughter as a devout Mormon mother. We are extremely grateful to Heidi for her strength in sharing this sobering story and hope that it resonates with all of you as deeply as it did with us. You can listen to Holly and her sisters singing "This Is My Song" on YouTube here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjfswEEGKpE]. ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/bZiK6kl4NEI] At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories  Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes  🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1  🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772  🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories  📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast  🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF  Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

My Mormon Leader Abused Me as a Teen - Heidi Bruno Pt. 1 | Ep. 2091

Join us today for the start of an epic two-part episode with Heidi Bruno, who is here to share her story of abuse within the church and her experience of losing a child as a Mormon mother. In Part 1, Heidi details her history of sexual abuse as a teenager by the Elders Quorum President in her ward—while her father was serving as bishop. We discuss how her abuser groomed her using highly manipulative tactics and by abusing his authority in the ward. For years afterward, Heidi carried the shame of this abusive relationship, not understanding until much later that she had been a victim. She also shares what ultimately led her to speak up about the abuse once she gained the awareness that she had been victimized. Then, join us later this week for Part 2 of Heidi’s story, where she discusses the loss of her eight-year-old daughter to cancer and the effect this devastating loss had on her LDS faith. You will not want to miss this powerful and important Mormon Story. ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/gxBnPGQUGm0] At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories  Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes  🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1  🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772  🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories  📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast  🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF  Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Escaping Liberty Jail w/ Joseph Smith - John Turner Pt. 24 | Ep. 2090

In this episode (Part 24), we dive into one of the most dramatic and painful chapters in early Letter-day Saint history: Liberty Jail.  Joseph Smith was arrested on December 1, 1838 and eventually taken to Liberty Jail. Today we will cover his imprisonment, the chaotic legal proceedings that followed, and the eventual “escape” that allowed him to reunite with his family as the Saints resettled in Quincy, Illinois.  We explore how internal conflicts, political pressures, treason charges, and widespread anti-Mormon hostility shaped Joseph’s experience –and how his letters from Liberty Jail become some of the most cherished passages in Latter-day Saint scripture. We discuss betrayal, leadership crises, the brutality of Missouri’s expulsion, and the Saints’ struggle to survive amidst violence, sickness, and dislocation.  This chapter also raises hard questions: Was Joseph Smith’s trial fair? What role did dissenting church leaders play? How much of the Liberty Jail narrative has been “whitewashed”? What does Joseph Smith’s behavior tell us about his character? We conclude by following Joseph’s escape, his emotionally charged reunion with the Saints in Illinois, and the lasting trauma and financial strain the Missouri experience left behind. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!  Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠ [https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300255164/joseph-smith/]. To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠ [https://donorbox.org/josephsmith]. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series. ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/10yS-3E5UJ0] At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories  Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes  🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1  🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772  🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories  📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast  🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF  Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Could Joseph Smith Write or Dictate a Well-Worded Letter? LDS Discussions Pt. 67 | Ep. 2089

Welcome to another episode of our LDS Discussions series! In this episode, we take a detailed, evidence-based look at one of the most repeated claims in Latter-day Saint apologetics: that Joseph Smith was incapable of producing a well-written text –and therefore could not have authored the Book of Mormon. Drawing from Joseph Smith’s three earliest letters (written in 1829-1830), historical context, church manuals, apologetic arguments, and modern scholarship, we critically explore where the evidence leads. We don’t care where you land on the belief spectrum –our is clarity, transparency, and accuracy. We are joined today by Kolby Reddish and Julia (Nemo couldn’t make it), who walk us through the major claims, the apologetic narratives, and the documents themselves. This is an episode you won’t want to miss! ___________________ ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://youtu.be/B1vjDGK2qas] Show Notes [https://www.mormonstories.org/could-joseph-smith-write-or-dictate-a-well-worded-letter/] At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories  Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes  🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories  ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1  🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772  🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories  📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast  🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF  Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117