Kyle McKay Apologizes, Is "Mormon" Making a Comeback?, Gong and AI - Mormon News 6.19.26 | Ep. 2162

Hidden History of the William Clayton Diaries w/ Bryan Buchanan - LDS Discussions Pt. 77 | Ep. 2166

Welcome to another episode of LDS Discussions! Today we are joined by Bryan Buchanan to discuss the William Clayton Diaries. For decades, the William Clayton Diaries have occupied a near-mythical place in Mormon history. Hidden away in the First Presidency vault, copied in secret, fought over in court, leaked to researchers, and cited in some of the most controversial debates surrounding Joseph Smith and plural marriage, these journals have one of the most fascinating histories of any historical document in the Latter-day Saint tradition.  In this episode, we trace the remarkable journey of William Clatyon’s Nauvoo journals from the 1840s to the present day. We explore how historians such as James Allen, Dean Jessee, Leonard Arrington, Thomas Alexander, Andrew Ehat, Scott Faulring, and others gained access to these records, why the Church restricted them for so many years, and how copies eventually found their way into the hands of independent researchers and critics.  We also examine the legal battle surrounding the journals, the role of Jerald and Sandra Tanner in publishing portions of them, the impact of the Mark Hofmann era, and the ongoing debates over access, transparency, and historical scholarship within Mormonism.  With Yale University Press preparing the first complete scholarly edition of the William Clayton Diaries, this is the perfect time to revisit one of the most important archival stories in Mormon history.  We discuss the discovery and preservation of Clayton’s journals, the First Presidency vault and restricted documents, specific transcripts that were created for the Clayton diaries, how those transcriptions leaked out into the public and the lawsuit on these leaked transcripts. We also lightly discuss the recent news that additional parts of Clayton’s diaries have been released to the public and the debate around whether Joseph Smith was actually a polygamist.  Whether you’re interested in Mormon history, archival controversies, historiography, or the debate over Joseph Smith’s polygamy, this episode provides the essential backstory behind one of the most important historical sources from Nauvoo.  Be sure to join us for the next episode where we share some of the most controversial and exciting entries from William Clayton’s journals! ___________________ YouTube 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%A0] ⁠Patreon⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories%C2%A0] ⁠Venmo ⁠ [https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories] ⁠PayPal ⁠ [https://paypal.me/mormonstories] 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%A0] 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772%C2%A0] 🖼️⁠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

LDS Stake President Covers Up Abuse & Becomes Area Authority Seventy - Rebecca Gooden | Ep. 2163

What happens when a trusted Mormon leader learns about child sexual abuse –and choses not to report it?  In this powerful and heartbreaking episode, Rebecca Gooden and her son Matthew share their family’s story of abuse, betrayal, and institutional failure within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Years after discovering that her husband, Shawn Gooden, had sexually abused two of her younger brothers, Rebecca found herself confronting a devastating reality: church leaders had known about the abuse and failed to act. Despite allegations involving child sexual abuse, Shawn continued to receive leadership callings, serving in bishoprics, high councils, and eventually as a bishop and stake presidency counselor.  The story becomes even more troubling when Pennsylvania Stake President Rhett Hintze learned of the abuse in 2020. As a mandatory reporter under Pennsylvania law, Hintze was later charged with failure to report child abuse. Although the charges were ultimately dropped, many questions remain about how church leaders handled the case, why victims received little to no support, and why Hintze was later promoted to an Area Seventy.  Throughout this interview Rebecca and Matthew discuss Shawn Gooden’s abuse and eventual excommunication, the impact of abuse on victims and families, mandatory reporting laws and clergy responsibilities, how the Church handles abuse allegations, the doctrine of discernment, and institutional cover-ups. They also discuss why they ultimately stepped away from the Mormon church and Rebecca shares how she has now moved closer to healing, self-discovering (now calling herself Eloise), and greater empowerment.  This episode explores difficult but important questions about accountability, victim protection, and whether religious institutions truly prioritize the vulnerable when abuse is reported.  If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, we encourage you to contact local authorities, licensed therapists, and survivor support organizations.  ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/evwpKXqooIE] 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%A0] ⁠Patreon⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories%C2%A0] ⁠Venmo ⁠ [https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories] ⁠PayPal ⁠ [https://paypal.me/mormonstories] 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%A0] 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772%C2%A0] 🖼️⁠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

Kyle McKay Apologizes, Is "Mormon" Making a Comeback?, Gong and AI - Mormon News 6.19.26 | Ep. 2162

This week on Mormon Stories News, we take a closer look at the people, controversies, and events making waves across Mormonism. We begin with the story of a disturbing abuse case involving a former LDS Priest Quorum Specialist accused of sexually abusing his nephew. The case has prompted conversations about trust, access to youth, safeguarding policies, and whether church members are adequately trained to recognize and prevent abuse within families and congregations. We also examine a rare public apology from General Authority Seventy Kyle McKay. McKay recently acknowledged that previous statements he made regarding Church history were offensive and offered a correction. We discuss what was said and why the apology matters. Can AI replace God? That's the question Elder Gerrit W. Gong recently addressed in a viral Church-produced video. We break down his comments, the Church's growing concern over artificial intelligence, and whether AI is becoming a competing source of information, guidance, and authority for members navigating faith questions. Next, we turn to the appointment of Jay Jorgensen to the Utah Supreme Court. Jorgensen's nomination has sparked discussion because of his employment with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his statements regarding whether he would recuse himself from Church-related cases. We examine the concerns surrounding judicial independence, conflicts of interest, and public confidence in the courts. We dive into the growing controversy surrounding Jeff Strong's book Torn. Strong's work has generated significant discussion among Latter-day Saints by examining why many members become disaffected or leave the Church. Recent responses from prominent LDS commentators argue that Strong's research methodology is flawed and that he misrepresents faithful members' experiences. We finish with a brief snippet from Rebecca Bibliotecca about the ongoing temple drama in Fairview Texas.  What are your thoughts on this week's stories? Join the conversation in the comments. ___________________ YouTube [https://youtube.com/live/Dp4wVO04o7E] 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%A0] ⁠Patreon⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories%C2%A0] ⁠Venmo ⁠ [https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories] ⁠PayPal ⁠ [https://paypal.me/mormonstories] 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%A0] 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772%C2%A0] 🖼️⁠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

How LDS Apologists like Jasmin Rappleye Handle the Book of Abraham - LDS Discussions Pt. 75 | Ep. 2161

In a recent episode on the YouTube channel Hello Saints, Jeff McCullough interviewed Jasmin Rappleye (who got her degree from BYU in Ancient Near Eastern Studies) about one of Mormonism’s most controversial scriptures: the Book of Mormon.  During the discussion, several apologetic approaches to the Book of Abraham was presented. In this episode, we examine three of the most common theories used to defend Joseph Smith’s translation: -The Missing Scroll Theory -The Long Scroll Theory -The Catalyst Theory Drawing heavily from Dan Vogel’s groundbreaking book Book of Abraham Apologetics, we carefully review the historical evidence surrounding these claims, including the eyewitness accounts frequently cited by defenders of the Long Scroll Theory.  Do these accounts actually support the evidence of a lengthy missing papyrus containing the Book of Abraham? Or have they been selectively interpreted to fit a predetermined conclusion?  Along the way, we examine the work of prominent Egyptologists, discuss the relationship between Joseph Smith’s translation claims and the surviving papyri, and explore why even faithful scholars have increasingly moved away from defending the Book of Abraham as a literal translation of the existing Egyptian texts.  Join Kolby, Nemo, and Julia as they work through the evidence, compare competing apologetic arguments, and ask what explanation best fits the historical record. In our next episode, we’ll examine a fourth and increasingly popular theory: that the Book of Abraham preserves authentic ancient Jewish traditions about Abraham and may contain an ancient core despite not being a direct translation of the surviving papyri.  ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/qWHUzj45_Lg] Show Notes [https://www.mormonstories.org/how-lds-apologists-handle-the-book-of-abraham/] 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%A0] ⁠Patreon⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories%C2%A0] ⁠Venmo ⁠ [https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories] ⁠PayPal ⁠ [https://paypal.me/mormonstories] 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%A0] 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772%C2%A0] 🖼️⁠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

From Megachurch to Mormon: Watching the Church Become What I Left - Lance Kennedy | Ep. 2160

What happens when the son of a Pentecostal megachurch pastor decides to become Mormon? In this episode of Mormon Stories Podcast, we sit down with Lance Kennedy to discuss his unique religious journey from evangelical Christianity to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Raised in Texas as the son of a prominent pastor, Lance grew up behind the scenes of one of the fastest-growing church movements in America, watching firsthand as churches evolved from small congregations into large-scale organizations. Drawing from that experience, Lance offers a fascinating perspective on Mormonism as both an insider and an outsider. He shares what initially attracted him to the LDS Church, why Mormonism felt like a better fit than the religious tradition he was raised in, and how his background shaped the way he approached questions of belief, culture, and church growth. Throughout the conversation, we explore the similarities and differences between evangelical Christianity and Mormonism, the challenges facing the modern LDS Church, and the tension between preserving a distinct religious identity and adapting to a changing world. Lance also discusses his experiences as a branch president in rural Texas, his thoughts on church history and transparency, and why he remains an active member despite his willingness to publicly discuss difficult issues. ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/LPu3fvSz7dk] Show Notes [https://www.mormonstories.org/from-megachurch-to-mormon/] 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%A0] ⁠Patreon⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories%C2%A0] ⁠Venmo ⁠ [https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories] ⁠PayPal ⁠ [https://paypal.me/mormonstories] 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%A0] 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772%C2%A0] 🖼️⁠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