Girlscamp

It’s that time again! We’ve got another chaotic season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives to unpack, and I’m breaking it all down from my perspective as a former Mormon wife. We’re diving into why Taylor Frankie Paul needs to get off the show, that wild comment from Mayci’s older sister, McCall, and the ways Mormon programming played into the end of Layla and Mason’s relationship. I’m also sharing my thoughts on the Zac and Jen baby blessing drama and why I think they’re still struggling so hard in their untraditional dynamic.  

REFERENCES 

McCall DaPron dancing video

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It’s time for one of my favorite types of episodes: reading your wildest religious stories. Today, we’re diving into Ted Bundy’s bizarre stint in Mormonism, a UK reverend threatening six-year-olds, people praying over Utah dirty sodas and a deeply spiritual testimony about a Margherita pizza. Grab your holy water, because we are officially going off the rails.

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Gabby Bryan baptisms for the dead bit

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Happy Sunday! I decided to do this week's Sunday check-in here on Patreon, where I can be more open and unfiltered. I'm responding to your submissions—including my thoughts on threesomes, my cringiest Mormon phase, advice for a baby-naming crisis, and my current hyperfixation. I'm also talking a bit about how things are feeling in LA, now that we're coming up on four months since the move.

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It was so lovely to chat with today’s guest, Zoe Lazerson, about the times in life she’s made the difficult choice to start over: when rejecting the Mormon life path expected by her community and when ending two long-term relationships. We talk about the similarities between leaving a relationship and a religion, her unorthodox, mixed-faith family upbringing in Utah, and her current spiritual philosophy on life.

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Content warning: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders and eating disorder recovery.

Today, Clara Henrie bravely shares her story of eating disorder recovery, particularly where it intertwines with her Mormon faith deconstruction. We discuss the ways high-demand religions can exacerbate eating disorders and the specific Mormon doctrines that Clara felt contributed to her experience. Most poignantly, Clara talks about ultimately choosing herself—in leaving Mormonism, in eating disorder recovery, and in the next chapter of her life.

Clara’s Instagram

National Alliance for Eating Disorders Hotline

The National Eating Disorders Association Website

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I went to church this Sunday of my own free will. You read that right! I took a microdose mushroom gummy on Saturday, went down a Unitarian Universalist internet rabbit hole, and then had to go check it out for myself the next morning. As you can imagine, I felt and thought a lot of things, and I’m excited to share them all with you 🤍

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Ten years after returning home from my Mormon mission, I’m finally answering whether I’m glad I went—and exploring why that’s such a complicated thing to answer. I also share submissions from fellow returned missionaries about how they feel looking back on their own missions. Their responses are all across the board and open up so many thought-provoking conversations about how we make sense of an experience that shaped us in significant ways, even if it was (at best) a mixed-bag. 

Tara Herbert episode

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Due to some recent life events, I kind of think that if there is a God, he’s mad at me. So reading and unpacking Louise Glück’s The Wild Iris was particularly cathartic. I loved sitting with her anger at God, God’s often cold responses back, and the plants and flowers that speak their own unique lessons throughout the book.

Along the way, I also learned a lot about poetry as a genre, share the beginnings of a poem I’m working on, and read a couple of poems from you. Turns out poetry is a pretty good place to put your existential crises!

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I'm thrilled to have sociolinguist Amanda Montell joining us to talk about the power of language in shaping what we believe—whether those beliefs are religious, political, cultural or even about ourselves. As a gigantic fan of Amanda's work on Wordslut and Cultish, it was such a delight to hear her apply her expertise to Mormon-specific jargon, speech patterns and culture.

We discuss everything from "Relief Society voice" and swearing to vocal fry, the MAGA movement and girl talk. Turns out, this whole episode is girl talk. That’s why I think you’re going to love it. 

Amanda Montell

Amanda Montell Instagram

Wordslut

Cultish

EVERYONE who signs up to my giveaway will receive a FREE Rose suction toy with their @bellesaco order!  https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/girlscamp-podcast #bbpartner

Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more.

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I asked you to share your most meaningful dream experiences and naturally ended up crying on my couch reading through them. These stories include poignant visits from dead loved ones, dreams that seemed to reveal truths, confirm life decisions, or offer wisdom at just the right time, a few uncanny coincidences, and, of course, some that are just plain funny. I also give a quick-and-dirty overview of where dreams fit in Mormon and Christian theology. Whatever you believe about dreams, I think you’ll find these fascinating.

Dream on 🌙

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