LDS Church Leaders Falling for Frauds - LDS Discussions Pt. 73 | Ep. 2153

LDS Church Leaders Falling for Frauds - LDS Discussions Pt. 73 | Ep. 2153

Welcome to Episode 73 in our LDS Discussions series! In this episode, we explore the long history of fraud, forgery, and "discernment" within Mormon history –from Joseph Smith’s treasure digging and the Kinderhook Plates to the Salamander Letter, Paul Dunn, Tim Ballard, and Jodi Hildebrandt. We discuss why people believe extraordinary claims, the role of critical thinking and skepticism, and whether church leaders who claim divine guidance have actually demonstrated the “Gift of Discernment” they preach about. Along the way, we examine the Book of Abraham, the Kinderhook Plates controversy, Mark Hofmann’s forged documents, hidden church history, and modern scandals that continue to raise difficult questions for believers and critics alike. The episode also looks at how faith can remain resilient even after exposure to false claims, and why many argue that institutional dishonesty –rather than belief itself –is the deeper issue. Topics include: Joseph Smith’s treasure digging, the Book of Abraham facsimiles, how Elder Oaks defended the Salamander Letter, and the hiding of early Mormon documents. This discussion asks a central question: If church leaders claim special spiritual discernment, why were so many frauds, forgeries, and harmful figures embraced or defended for so long? If you enjoy long-form Mormon history and analysis, consider subscribing and supporting the channel. If you have thoughts on other topics you wish for us to cover, please leave them in the comments! ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/qQibFQLCPbk] 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

Teen Stays Faithful after CES Letter and Mormon Stories Podcast - Gustavo Hernandez | Ep. 2152

Content Warning: Discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation. In this episode of Mormon Stories, Gustavo Hernandez from Mexico City shares his experience growing up Mormon in Mexico, discovering difficult church history as a teenager, and ultimately choosing to remain an active, believing member of the Church while navigating doubt, anxiety, and faith crises.  Gustavo opens up about the shame culture surrounding worthiness, pornography confessions, and perfectionism in Mormonism –including how teachings from leaders like Spencer W. Kimball deeply affected his mental health as a young teen. He discusses experiencing panic attacks, existential dread, and suicidal thoughts while trying to reconcile faith, church history, and his desire to feel accepted by God.  Along the way, Gustavo encountered the CES Letter, Mormon Stories, exMormon Reddit, temple controversies, Joseph Smith’s polygamy, the priesthood ban, Freemasonry, and multiple First Vision accounts. Despite everything, he chose to stay active in the Church, serve a mission in Guatemala, and eventually became an institute teacher in Mexico.  The interview includes topics like what it’s like being Mormon in Mexico, growing up in a predominantly Catholic culture, p*rnography shame and bishop interviews, faith crisis as a fourteen year old boy, the CES Letter and apologetics, mission burnout, mental health and suicidal ideation, remaining active after losing certainly, as well as current beliefs about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, polygamy, and LGBTQ issues.  Whether you agree with Gustavo’s conclusions or not, his story offers an honest and nuanced look at faith, doubt, mental health, and what it means to stay. ___________________ Show Notes [https://www.mormonstories.org/teen-stays-faithful-after-ces-letter-and-mormon-stories-podcast/] YouTube [https://youtu.be/Kh55tdOdH-E] 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

40% of Mormons Raised in the U.S. Have Left the Church - Mormon News 5.22.26 | Ep. 2151

In this episode, John and Meggan examine several major stories shaping the current state of Mormonism, including new research on LDS disaffiliation and decline, increasing institutional strain on local leadership, financial fraud tied to prominent Utah business figures, and the continuing controversy surrounding the Fairview Texas temple. •Drawing from research and analysis by Jeff Strong [https://www.tornbyjeffstrong.com/]and team of researchers, we discuss what current membership and retention trends may reveal about blind spots devout Latter-day Saints have, the primary reasons for disaffiliation, how LDS trends compare with other denominations, gender differences in the decline, institutional trust, and why many members appear to be quietly disengaging from traditional LDS expectations. •We also examine a recent Salt Lake Tribune report [https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/05/08/utah-county-prosecutors-alerted/] detailing how some Utah County prosecutors notify the church’s law firm when LDS bishops submit letters on behalf of criminal defendants, raising questions about ecclesiastical influence, legal systems, and institutional boundaries. Additional topics include: •A Church News livestream [https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2026/05/14/young-men-general-presidency-livestream-discusses-bishops-support-to-youth/] acknowledging how overwhelmed many LDS bishops have become while supporting young men •The Noah’s Event Centers fraud convictions [https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/utah-jury-convicts-business-owners-fraud-after-victims-were-scammed-more-30m]involving active Latter-day Saints and ongoing questions surrounding discernment • The final public plea from the mayor of Fairview, Texas [https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fairview-leaders-again-plead-church-110000502.html] asking the church to reconsider the height of the proposed temple steeple in an effort to preserve community trust. •The church battling insurers over sex abuse settlement [https://www.courthousenews.com/mormon-church-battles-insurers-over-sex-abuse-settlement-coverage-at-10th-circuit/]coverage before the 10th Circuit Court •And Charlie Bird and Ryan Clifford [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYkm-zvJxMZ/] announced via social media this week that they have already begun the process to add a child to their family. Together, these stories paint a larger picture of a church navigating growth, decline, public scrutiny, generational change, and increasing tension between institutional authority and individual experience. ___________________ Show Notes [https://www.mormonstories.org/40-of-mormons-raised-in-the-u-s-have-left-the-church/] YouTube [https://youtube.com/live/rso-20j8i1k] 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

Leaving the Seventh-day Adventist Church - Melissa Duge Spiers Pt. 2 | Ep. 2150

In Part 2 of our series on Seventh-day Adventism, Melissa Spiers shares her personal story of growing up as a fourth-generation Adventist in a deeply religious family shaped by strict lifestyle rules, purity culture, and constant pressure to perform spiritually. Melissa describes her experience navigating SDA education systems, thought control, and the intense expectations placed on young women within the church. She also discusses her eventual move away from Adventism, and the complicated relationship between religion, identity, and personal freedom. Another major focus of this episode is Melissa’s discovery of abuse within her own family, the response from Seventh-day Adventist leadership, and the broader systems she believes protect abuse within high-control religious institutions. She shares how these experiences affected her relationships, mental health, and eventual religious deconstruction. Throughout the conversation, Melissa reflects on healing, rebuilding life outside of religion, and the challenges many people face after leaving high-demand faith communities. We also discuss her new memoir, "Holy Disobedience: Sex, Sin, and Secrets in the Biggest Church No One Knows". You can purchase it here [https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Disobedience-Secrets-Biggest-Church/dp/1957687738]. ___________________ YouTube [https://youtu.be/lWHOk3khxWM] 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

Seventh-day Adventism vs. Mormonism - Melissa Duge Spiers | Ep. 2149

For the first time on Mormon Stories Podcast, we’re diving into the world of Seventh-day Adventism. John sits down with Melissa Spiers, a former Seventh-day Adventist, to explore the history, beliefs, culture, and practices of the SDA Church—and to compare them with Mormonism along the way. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Melissa gives an overview of Seventh-day Adventist origins, theology, lifestyle standards, and church culture, while John and Melissa discuss some of the surprising similarities and key differences between the SDA and LDS traditions. Then later this week in Part 2, Melissa shares her personal story of growing up in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, her experiences within the faith, and the reasons she ultimately chose to leave. If this topic interests you, be sure to check out Melissa’s book, "Holy Disobedience: Sex, Sin, and Secrets in the Biggest Church No One Knows." You can purchase it here [https://www.lakedrivebooks.com/books/holy-disobedience/]. ___________________ Show Notes [https://www.mormonstories.org/seventh-day-adventism-vs-mormonism/] YouTube [https://youtu.be/c5QFAITSHDA] 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