Mormon Stories Podcast

Today accused murderer Lori Vallow’s cousin, Megan Conner, shares what it was like to grow up as a cousin to the Cox family. She also discusses the Mormon ties to the Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell murders and discusses her own Mormon faith transition.

Episode Show Notes

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Join Gerardo, Lauren, Mindy, and John for an all-new episode as they discuss the second and third weeks of Lori Daybell's trial. This is your chance to catch up on one of the most bizarre trials of the year, as the panel guides you through the latest jaw-dropping testimonies, and intriguing Mormon themes unfolding in Ada County's courthouse.

Episode Show Notes

YouTube Link

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In this thought-provoking interview, Mike, Nemo, and John Dehlin delve into the controversial topic of personal revelation in Mormonism. The discussion covers a range of doctrinal problems and contradictions that challenge the idea of personal revelation, from the dangers of blind obedience to leaders, confirmation bias, silencing dissenters and emotional manipulation. The conversation ultimately questions who has the authority to decide what constitutes valid personal revelation.

LDS Discussions essay on personal revelation 

Episode Show Notes

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Sometimes we find ourselves involved in organizations, governments and communities that might be psychologically unhealthy to us or our communities. John Larsen has collected a few points you can use to check to see if an organization might be considered dangerous or unhealthy.

• There are elections with only one candidate up for each office.
• All members are expected to vote in unison.
• The term “beloved” is applied to a living leader by other leaders of the organization.
• Loyal members calling for reform or change are purged or otherwise silenced.
• There are no means for membership to appeal a decision.
• The group is willing to break up families or other social structures to further or preserve its own organizations.
• Members are encouraged to look and dress the same. Uniformity is encouraged or required in clothing, haircuts, jewelry, etc.
• Life events are controlled by the organization. For example, you cannot marry without leadership approval.
• There is an organizationally controlled media including television, radio and newspapers. All outside media is cast as suspect.
• The organization is overly focused on winning over vulnerable populations such as the youth, those who are grieving, or those in financial distress.
• The group is involved in many business or monetary transactions wholly unrelated to the central mission of the organization.
• Members are encouraged or required to never say anything negative about the leadership.
• The organization uses litigation as a means to silence dissident membership or outside organizations speaking against the group.
• Community leaders are chosen by the central organization. Local communities have no say in who their representatives will be.
• The governance structure of the central organization is ambiguous, hidden or unknown.
• Obedience to the central organization is encouraged over all other values.
• All finances are kept secret.
• The leadership of the organization is preoccupied with the most intimate details of member’s lives including finances, sex and personal relationships.
• Leadership tends to speak of the victim-hood of the organization even in endeavors where the organization has a majority or controlling influence.
• Organizational history is overly sentimentalized and unflattering information is edited out of official documents.
• The organization insists that it has primacy or is more important than all other organizations.
• The group has an almost obsessive focus on the outward appearances of organizational buildings and properties, grass is meticulously cut, no litter is ever found, grounds are always perfect. A great deal of time and effort is spent on this resource.

Episode Show Notes

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In Part 2 of her interview, Janae Thompson shares her journey as a young widow navigating the Mormon doctrine of eternal families and the challenges of dating and remarriage. She discusses the disparities in church policies and teachings that caused her to question her faith and ultimately led her down the rabbit hole of learning about the history of Mormonism. Janae talks candidly about exploring her sexuality and finding new rituals and practices to connect and uplift her after leaving the church. Her story is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the possibilities for happiness and health after leaving a religious institution.

Episode Show Notes

YouTube Link

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In this emotional and gripping interview, Janae Thompson shares her journey as a Mormon woman and the struggles she faced in a religion that demanded perfection and conformity. From her early years in the Mormon church, to her time at BYU and beyond, Janae recounts the challenges of fitting into a narrow mold while dealing with her own personal struggles, including an eating disorder and the pressure to find an eternal companion. But it was the sudden death of her husband Grant that truly tested Janae’s strength and resilience. Through her raw and honest reflections, Janae offers a powerful insight into loss, grief, and the search for meaning and purpose in the face of tragedy.

Episode Show Notes

YouTube Link

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PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 

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Get ready to dive into one of the most bizarre trials of the year. Join Gerardo, Lauren (Hidden True Crime Podcast), Mindy, and Brenton (LinkedIn, Tiktok) as they guide you through the first week of Lori Daybell's trial. Buckle up as they highlight the most jaw-dropping testimonies, riveting opening statements, and intriguing Mormon themes unfolding in Ada County's courthouse. The panel will explore some of the most compelling moments of the trial, breaking down the evidence and analyzing how Lori's beliefs align with early Mormonism, from Joseph Smith's treasure digging to some of the more obscure religious doctrines that have shaped the LDS faith.

Episode Show Notes

YouTube Links: Week 1a, Week 1b

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PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 

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Today we discuss:
– LDS Church membership growth/statistics for 2022.
– Arizona court upholds clergy privilege in child abuse case.
– LDS leader in Trenton charged with allegedly enticing teen girl from congregation.
– LDS apostle Jeffrey Holland ‘excused’ from church duties due to ill health. He won’t speak at SUU.

Carah Burrell and John review the recent, deeply troubling devotional delivered earlier this week by David Glen Hatch at BYU-Hawaii.

Episode Show Notes

YouTube link

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PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 

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• Join the Discord

Join us as we discuss surprises, let downs, best talks, worst talks etc in this year’s April General Conference, where members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) listen to messages from top leaders in the Church. What were the real intentions and messages behind this year’s talks? Did they address the recent scandals & controversy regarding the SEC fine for fraudulently creating shell companies to hide its wealth from members and the public? Was anything missing that we would normally expect to hear?

Episode Show Notes

View on YouTube

Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:

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[email protected] 

PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 

• Insta: @mormstories
• Tiktok: @mormonstoriespodcast
• Join the Discord