At Last She Said It

What do we believe? In 1842, Joseph Smith penned 13 answers to that question, explaining the basic doctrines and practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We all know his Articles of Faith. But there's a deeper question that sits at the center of each woman's faith life: What do I believe? Lyric Montgomery Kinard joins Cynthia and Susan for a discussion about personal vs. institutional articles of faith. Though they may change with our life experience, is there value in not just thoughtful consideration of our own beliefs, but actually writing the answers to that question down for ourselves?

Sometimes it can be hard to talk with other Latter-day Saints about church things on which we don't agree, even if we have an otherwise close relationship. Is it possible to understand a person whose experiences have been very different from our own? Jeralee Renshaw joins Cynthia and Susan to discuss practical approaches for handling tricky topics in ways that can create space for a diversity of ideas and experiences.

Whether it's a scripture story or symbolism we encounter elsewhere, it can sometimes be difficult to separate the literal from the metaphorical at church, especially if our personal interpretation seems at odds with that of many other members. But what if we just can't 'believe' something the way it's being presented on the surface? Can we become comfortable setting aside narratives that no longer serve us to approach texts, language or ideas we can't make sense of literally in ways that help us draw personal meaning from them?

Where can we turn for peace? When we're trying to find it, peace can feel elusive. But can we learn to create it for ourselves? What about when we're experiencing big changes in our lives, our relationships, or our faith? In this conversation, Cynthia and Susan discuss ideas, tools, and tactics for taking more ownership of our personal peace.

We experience all kinds of discomfort across a lifetime, but how can we know when we're in the type of liminal space that may have the potential to lead to big growth? Can we find clues about where to go next in the messages our minds and bodies are sending us? And is it possible to ever become okay with feeling uncomfortable? Cynthia and Susan explore the idea of reframing or repurposing some discomfort to make it not only useful, but maybe even holy.

Revelation is a big word for Latter-day Saints. We use it to describe foundational tenets of our faith like personal revelation, continuing revelation, and prophetic revelation. But have a conversation with other members and you may find you don't think about revelation in exactly the same ways. What kind of revelation do you rely on most, and why? Cynthia and Susan discuss this question and others in a conversation about how revelation functions in their faith lives, and how learning to trust themselves has been important in an evolving relationship with this complex idea.

For a Latter-day Saint woman who has suffered sexual abuse or other trauma, church can feel triggering. If the abuse involved leaders or fellow members, finding a path to healing within her church community may be even more difficult. Bergen Hyde joins Cynthia and Susan to discuss situations and experiences that can make church unsafe. It's an emotional, enlightening glimpse at some of the incredible burdens we may not realize many vulnerable sisters struggle to carry in the seats beside us.

Helping kids navigate the gap between a quickly changing world and a slow-to-change church is a real challenge, especially if many answers aren't clear cut for a woman herself. Sherry Macnab joins Cynthia and Susan for an honest conversation about their experiences as Latter-day Saint mothers. The feelings, pressures, desires, questions, and decisions—it's all fair game in this frank discussion between 3 friends who each took the Church's prescribed path into marriage and motherhood, and want to talk about those choices now.

How do you envision God? Or do you think of Heavenly Parents? How much control do you believe They have over what happens to us on earth? These are questions we may not spend much time thinking about until old ideas stop working. Being forced outside a God-box can be scary, painful, liberating, faith saving—it's different for everyone, and the answers may change with our experiences. The good news is, we're spiritually equipped to ask the big questions for ourselves, and then to trust the answers we receive.

Latter-day Saint women hear motherhood described as their highest, holiest calling from the time they are young girls. But not all girls grow up to be mothers. Some don't get the opportunity to have children, and some don't choose to. Is there a place in our doctrine, our teachings, or our culture for women to just be...women? Whole, complete, fulfilled, and enough, with no specific role spelled out for them but the one they choose to create for themselves? Cristall Harper joins us to reflect on her journey, without children in a church that assumes—even insists—women desire motherhood.