I open today’s episode with a reflection on my loss of community. I wish the rituals around life milestones that I grew up with were for everyone, rather than only for the worthy in-group. One of the devastating realities of losing faith in Mormonism is the included loss of community, due to the church’s essential theological teachings that those who leave the faith are unredeemable and corrupted.

In week thirty-nine, my journal entries include reuniting with my trainer as she stops by to say hi on her mission tour, writing a talk for Sacrament Meeting that explains why missionary work is so important, and smiling through the awkward meeting of a fake “fellow Saint” from a different branch of Mormonism.

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Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

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