[dropcap]S[/dropcap]top whatever you are doing and listen to this podcast. Why? WHY?! Because Kurt Francom of Leading Saints is here to discuss the news with the one, the only, G-Off. It's going to be lit, as the youths might say.

Plenty of news this week pertaining to youth. For starters, Especially for Youth, or EFY, is basically on the outs. Gone will be the annual hajj to Provo to spend a week basking in the glory of the 801, to be replaced by a biennial For the Strength of Youth, or FSY, program. FSY will be more local and run by young single adults. The Church hasn't released tons of other details, but here we are. At least this will stop people from trekking every other year.

In other youth news, the Church continues its slow tease of upcoming changes to the children and youth programs. But wait! There's a name - Children and Youth. Err, so there's that. We're still waiting until September 29 to find out what all of this will be about, but now we at least know that the programs will seem to let youth make their own goals as opposed to adhering to a specific program or predetermined goal set. We are living in the correlated era of less correlation.

President Russell M. Nelson gave a speech at the NAACP's annual convention this week, and his remarks were received warmly by those in attendance and across the interwebs. However, many still wish for a full repudiation of the Church's past racist policies. Don't hold your breath for that. Still, that desire was once realized many years ago, when some members, including a Seventy, actually worked on an apology for previous policies.

Kurt has a brilliant, if out there, idea for how to bring temple work to others. You have to hear this!

You know how people want to storm Area 51 and see what the government does with 1 million folks overrunning a top secret installation? Well, some Utah folk want to do the same - to the Church's famed granite mountain vault that holds genealogical records. And there are no guards!

Layton, Utah no longer has to wonder where its temple will be located. Now it knows. IT KNOWS.

Apparently you can't sue someone over injuries sustained during church basketball, per the Utah Supreme Court. Utah is stupid.

President M. Russell Ballard dedicated a new children's memorial at This Is the Place park in Utah, recognizing the over 600 children that died en route to the Salt Lake Valley. Church leaders also used the opportunity to remind the public that we, as Latter-day Saints, believe in being pluralistic and inviting immigrants into our communities.

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]nother week, another TWiM. Join sisters Tiffany and Arianne on a journey of discovery and wonder across the magical realm of Latter-day Saint news!

Enterprising Brigham Young University student Braden Sharp has taken a page from the horrendous "LDS Millionaire" playbook and placed a billboard ad - for himself. Braden needs love, everyone, and you will give it to him. Give him all your love. KSL, eager to jump on the Braden Bandwagon, published a supplemental article asking whether billboards are the new thing in dating. You know, like instead of Tinder or Mutual or whatever. No.

Nearly a year since President Nelson started nudging Mormons Latter-day Saints away from all things "Mormon," the New York Times has published a full profile of the effort, what's changed, and how Latter-day Saints have adapted in the last 12 months.

In one of the coolest stories of the week, a Latter-day Saint-focused choir that was slated to perform in New York's Carnegie Hall improvised when it was forced to evacuate the facility due to New York City's massive blackout. But rather than take their lumps and quickly seek out the nearest Num Pang, choir members moved to the streets outside Carnegie Hall and performed an impromptu set. The event went viral rather quickly, as one might imagine when "I Believe in Christ" is echoing through the urban canyon of buildings in Midtown Manhattan.

Former employer of the inimitable McKay Coppins, The Daily Beast, gave us a fascinating insight into the world of Mormon teen influencers, how they operate, and what drives them to help fellow Latter-day Saint teens be their best selves.

Did you watch season three of Stranger Things? If so, you were entreated to a small mention of Mormons in the first episode (plus a rousing musical number with said Mormon in the finale). However, Jana Riess caught the first episode and wondered about that references to Mormons as "religious white people." Was it accurate? Is it accurate? Was it just a lazy jab on the part of Stranger Things' screenwriters?

Emma Gee, a runner at BYU, writes an article about being the only "out" athlete at BYU while arguing there are plenty more LGBT athletes at the university. It's an open, heartfelt piece that deals with the obstacles Gee, who is bi, has faced as she's confronted her own sexuality and religiosity.

Remember our fine friends from Studio C that started their own comedy house,

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e're pleased to welcome back erstwhile Sunday School Bonanza host, Jared Gillins, as he sits with Geoff to talk all things Latter-day Saint News. Jared and his brother recently started the Jean-Luc Picodcast, a podcast examining personal stories of how fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation have been impacted by the show, and of course, by Jean-Luc Picard.

It appears the Church has commissioned a survey to gauge Latter-day Saints' feelings on lowering the age for "youth" interviews all the way down to eight years old. Naturally, this ruffles some feathers. It's worth noting that the survey asks who should conduct such hypothetical interviews, including the primary president, but it does not contain an option for a respondent to state simply that he or she disapproves of the entire premise. Bad survey writing there. And strange timing, too. In the wake of Sam Young, is the Church exploring the issue more, or is this just clunky timing and Public Affairs is asleep at the wheel (again)?

President M. Russell Ballard spoke recently at mission president training (new mission presidents enter the field in the beginning of July) where he denounced the practice of hasty or premature baptism invitations. This is something of a watershed moment, as too often we've leaned on intensity, urgency, boldness, etc., with missionaries without encouraging them to be patient with the spirit. When we bring people into the Church before they are ready, we can risk hurting them and the ward into which they are baptized.

Keeping with the missionary theme, missionaries serving in 18 countries will now be asked to pay 25% more per month, up to $500 from $400. But that amount still tracks under what the inflated "cost" of a mission is, so... count your blessings?

Hey! The guests have been announced for President Russell M. Nelsons' 95th birthday soiree! That's all well and good, but it causes us to pause and ask a question: Why are we throwing this huge parties for the Prophets and when did they start? How do events like these help us with our embattled narrative that we don't worship Joseph Smith, for example, when we elevate the president of the Church to mythic status?

Brigham Young University's Honor Code office is in the news again, but this time because it is updating some of its policies and guidelines, notable that the, erm, "accused" are now innocent until proven guilty. Yes, prior to this change, if a roommate ratted you out, the Honor Code office just took that at face value and brought down the boom. Now it will actually take time to do some due diligence. Go figure! Who knew we could live in a world with such basic rights?!

Normally excellent tech site The Verge writes a weak and biased piece about the website that helps Mormons resign their membership in the Church.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his week's show is special. We're joined by the anonymous author of And It Was Very Good, a Latter-day Saint book about sex. But this isn't just any book. This is a frank, specific book about sexuality as seen through the lens of Latter-day Saints.

But are we comfortable with sexuality as Latter-day Saints? What hurdles do newlyweds face? Does being virtual mean being asexual for too many, thus making sex more difficult in marriage?

Is US Latter-day Saint culture less healthy when it comes to sexuality than that found elsewhere? Has the purity movement ruined sex for Mormons?

The author has excellent, well-researched insights on sexuality. Tune in!

For a FREE pdf copy of the book, send the author an email.

Warning: While this is a perfectly acceptable episode discussing sexuality in frank terms, some audiences might find it explicit.

Transcript

This Week In Mormons:

[0:00] Alright folks so here we are with a special week of this week in Mormons where we're going to do a little interview we're going to set the news aside that we usually talk about and instead

we're going to talk about sex that's right and then I'm sure most of you were rolling your eyes saying the worst person on Earth,

to talk about sex right now is Jeff and you're probably right but here we are this is the hand we've been dealt I'm very excited to talk about this this week though cuz a new book called and it was very good

that's essentially an LDS guide to sexuality and I think it's really fascinating and I have the author with me but the author wishes to remain.

I know it's it's officially authored by goodly parents should I just call you goodly can I call you googly as a nickname or do you prefer something else.

And It Was Very Good:

[0:44] I think it's Earthly parent the goodly parents would be nice I think that implies that I'm rich I'm a goodly parents are good if you think that way.

This Week In Mormons:

[0:51] I'm sorry it's Earthly parents I can call you or can I call you Earth's Earthly parents Anonymous Jim Joe.

And It Was Very Good:

[0:58] My friends call me EP.

This Week In Mormons:

[1:00] I'm going to call you Bernie Sanders the house that sound.

And It Was Very Good:

[1:03] Oh that doesn't sound good how about you pee.

This Week In Mormons:

[1:06] Epok I call you but if it works we'll do we pee so I imagine EP why don't you want anyone to know who you are it's not like you're an informant on a nightly news program or anything that's so skinny.

And It Was Very Good:

[1:21] Well,

I would be fine with it however I'm married and my wife not so much so this is a book that I wrote and my wife edited for our children but also for the larger Latter-day Saints,

public as as we run it but.

One of the conditions was she didn't want people at church to be looking at her funny and thinking that they had some kind of insight into our sex life and so I have to remain anonymous and I'm honoring her wishes.

This Week In Mormons:

[1:53] I mean I guess that's fair having read the book I don't think there's anything that's like rocking the boat too hard there I think the boat I think the book is is it's clear.

I think it's a matter of fact but just so you know on my end knowing the very little about your personal life or your ward,

I would read it and just assume you're a wise person who has done research and knows what you're talkin about as opposed to someone who was writing about your own sexual preferences for all the sea just so you kn...

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]resh off his interview with none other than Microsoft founder and benefactor of the eponymous foundation, Bill Gates, nice guy and our resident socialist, Devin Thorpe, joins us for another round of exciting Latter-day Saint news!

The Church Newsroom does not understand how Disney works, which is shocking for a facility likely populated with Disney devotees. Why is that, you ask? Well, on last week's show you heard about President Nelson holding a gathering at the appropriately designated Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. However, the Newsroom's coverage makes a reference to the Latter-day leader speaking at "The Happiest Place on Earth." What's the problem with the obvious Disney reference, you ask? "The Happiest Place on Earth" refers to Disneyland in California. Disney World has the nickname of "The Most Magical Place on Earth." Get your facts straight, Newsroom! How are you to be trusted when you commit gaffes of this magnitude?

Manti, Utah's Mormon Miracle Pageant is winding down after over 50 years of inspiration and cheap costumes. Why has the Church pulled the plug on its famous pageants? Who's up for a TWiM visit to Hill Cumorah next summer? Manti already has the best temple in the Church that hopefully will retain its charm and peculiarities following a major renovation.

Alright, so we know we've spoken at length about the so-called "LDS Millionaire," but this stupid event keeps being stupider, and it shows the worst in us. How is it that 2,500 women have been so reduced and trivialized that they think this is their ticket to love, or at least a fun event? KSL managed to speak with a few of the attendees, who went into detail without violating their non-disclosure agreements. Nothing groundbreaking here, but honestly, the whole affair is just sad. Also, having a net worth of $1 million, while nothing trivial, is not the incredible milestone it once was. Do you own a house in an expensive market? Boom, you have 70-80% of that goal already covered, and you are no different than your neighbors.

You guys! Provo is receiving its first Starbucks! The Salt Lake Tribune is trying really hard to make it seem like a story worth being a story, but it's not. However, in an era when caffeinated soda is now sold on BYU's campus, perhaps those sinful hot drinks are inevitable. What's next? Doing lines in the MARB?

Jana Riess made herself a nice link-building listicle about 20 changes made by President Nelson "to appeal" to millennials. Devin sagely advises that the changes happen to appeal to millennials, but likely weren't undertaken specifically to capture the millennial market. Anyway, the list is interest, and it sets us off on a discussion about how these have affected our weekly and daily worship.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Sisters claim it's the "middle" of summer when summer literally starts the day after this podcast is published. That's what having kids does to ya! Crazy children!

So let's talk about the so-called "LDS Millionaire" that has cast a pall of love and intensity over Utah. Brought to you by the fools that started "The Mormon Bachelorette" and later sold out to The LDS Matchmaker, this Mormon Millionaire stuff involved a bunch of poor women showing up to an empty red carpet at a random country club, then being presented with a PowerPoint presentation and a creepy silhouette of said millionaire.

Who is this man? We may never know. Is he a single millionaire? Multi-millionaire? What are his assets? What are these "millionaire dates" of which they speak? The fine folks at The Beehive have a killer rundown of the entire, stupid affair.

Not to be left out, KSL ran some coverage, too, and since the Church owns KSL, we can clearly assume that the Church sanctions this idiotic enterprise.

Allegedly, treks are going to be nixed! No more treks! This is anecdotal, of course, but that's the rumor. Yay for rumors!

Last week, President Nelson spoke at a large gathering of Latter-day Saints at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. (Yes, the Mormons gathered in a facility named after an MLM. It was all apropos.) But aside from the expected uplifting remarks and presence by the best former mission president in the Church (per Geoff), President Nelson also met with the owner of the Pulse nightclub, where a horrific mass shooting occurred in 2016. This was an excellent meeting of minds and hearts.

We're straight up confused about this one. Apparently inmates in the United Kingdom pretend to be Mormons in order to get hot chocolate? Uh... This is from the Daily Star, so... yeah... But...

Hey! So the Oakland California Temple was finally rededicated after a multi-year renovation. But you know what else happens at the Oakland temple? Quinceañear photos! Yes, the famed California landmark is wildly popular with the Hispanic teen community when it comes to celebrating the special day. Of course, the Church now kindly asks that the limos park off site.

VidAngel. We love what VidAngel does, but there's no denying that its previous business model was legally suspect. A judge ruled as such in the spring, and now a jury has handed down a hefty fine - over $62 million - to the plucky streaming startup. Is this the end?

Hey, so Manti's Mormon Miracle pageant is drawing to a close,

[dropcap]K[/dropcap]urt Francom is back with Geoff Openshaw to get deep into what is, quite frankly, a slower news week. Where's the Friday info bomb? We've become so accustomed.

But that's OK, because there's still some great stuff to cover on this week's show.

Notably, Geoff goes on an extended rant about Young Single Adult, or YSA, stakes and how they do a disservice to the YSA members as well as "regular" members in "regular" stakes.

Provo's Missionary Training Center is about to look different, again. Not long after inaugurating two new, sleek buildings on campus, the Church has announced that five of the older buildings will be demolished to make way for some gardens and reflective space. This is the same area where the Church originally wanted to place a nine-story tower before nearby residents protested.

Apparently Mormons are bad at political involvement because that annual letter from the pulpit encouraging political participation is clearly not doing its job. Why? Because the Church has announced it will start assigning "specialists" to get people registered to vote and more involved. Democrats in Utah fear this will lead to an inevitable Republican tilt in the process.

In hot, sexy news, President Nelson met the king and queen of Tonga. Cool.

Hey, so remember that temple announced in Saratoga Springs, Utah? Well now we at least know where it will be located. It's also going to be huge - approximately 87,000 square feet. Nutso!

If you are into the process of the new hymnbook creation, a few weeks ago the Church updated some guidelines and FAQs about the process of submitting an original work or voting on existing ones. You have until July, and we have some tips on which hymns to nix and which to add.

The St. George Utah Temple is closing for a few years for major renovations. Its annex will also be wildly out of scale. What does this mean for your weekend?!

Are Latter-day Saints a little too prone to faith-promoting rumors or mild fabrications? Probably. Our own Jared Jones covers a classic of the genre with "The Windows of Heaven," which tells the story of Lorenzo Snow, grasshoppers, and seagulls, and is full of made-up stuff.

In other awesome temple news, a Jewish reporter was able to tour the Oakland California Temple led by none other than Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The writer had some wonderful insights into the parallels between the old tabernacle and LDS temples, and the piece is certainly worth your time.

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Russell M. Nelson is off to the Pacific! He's spent the week visiting various Polynesian (and Melanesian - hey, Fiji!) nations, spending time with Latter-day Saints there, as well as meeting some world leaders.

While visiting New Zealand, President Nelson met with prime minister Jacinda Ardern, herself a former Latter-day Saint that left the Church over LGBT issues. President Nelson pledged money to help repair mosques damaged in the Christchurch attack. The Church leader also used the opportunity to present the prime minister with a Book of Mormon and some genealogy, per custom.

Also, Tiffany is angry about female speakers on Mother's Day. And she also just wants some chocolates. Lindor, we're looking for sponsors and are happy to take your money. However, the "Just Like You" video is great:

After the great, fleeting fun that was a Lego Moroni in the Gospel Library app, the Church has continued its digital purge of all things "Mormon." Now the other mobile apps have been de-Mormonized. Nothing will ever be the same.

BYU continues managing Honor Code fallout, and the director of the Honor Code office has outlined new changes to the Code. Know the code! Leadership has pledged transparency and that students will know up front what any interaction with the Honor Code office is about.

Hey men! New garments! Men can finally stretch their cotton!

A full-time missionary in Mexico City died of asphyxiation in his apartment. Terrible stuff.

So there's this weird billboard in Utah of an alleged "Mormon millionaire" looking for a spouse, and Utah being Utah, nearly 1,000 women have applied to meet the fella. What could go wrong?

Latter-day Saint comedian Stephen Hughes decided to get all serious and talk about polygamy in a new three-part series. Our own Jeff Borders covers it.

Some guy named Dean Hughes wrote an historical novel about faith and polygamy. OK.

Transcript

Intro Music

Sisters:

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n Part 3 of Motherhood, Josie discusses the importance of earthly and celestial mothers with Amber Richardson of On Sovereign Wings and noted poet and author of Mother's Milk and I Gave Her A Name, Rachel Hunt Steenblik.

Our Church emphasizes motherhood as a woman's highest calling. "The Family: A Proclamation" is read out during General Conference and Sunday school meetings (and likely was during a lesson on the same date this episode published). But the rest of the world increasingly gauges value based off of a person's career, which also hardly defines everything about you. So how can a mother feel valued, regardless of which role she chooses for her life?

Amber is crowdsourcing a book, Woman, Crowned. You can learn more below.

Rachel's poetry can be found on Amazon:

Transcript

Josie:

[0:00] Hey TWiM this is Josie leave again here to introduce the final episode of the series and ask a question and the role of a mother how can a woman truly feel valued.

This is motherhood part 3 a conclusion.

[0:25] I remember a YSA devotional in back in 2011 or Kristen Oaks spoke.

It was the first time I heard her and I thought she was animated and funny and probably the first person I've ever heard talk to the single adults who have been single for most of her life.

I've never forgotten one phrase she said it was this.

I can sincerely say that no matter how exciting or fulfilling a career you should never sabotage your Eternal Happiness by sacrificing marriage for a job opportunity.

She almost laughed at the word job to exaggerate how little it mattered in comparison to the ideal plan of getting married and having kids.

[1:08] I had no intention of sabotaging my chances of getting married and I understood her point of emphasizing that marriage and family can bring Eternal happiness.

But at the time I was also excited to be starting out on my own career path and not just as a backup if my future husband struggles and his unscripted duty to financially provide.

Even now I along with many women enjoy the work we do and Dana's in the Valley from it.

[1:38] There are two competing ideas at church we are wonderful words about how valued women are and that their highest calling is to be mothers.

While our working culture ranks job titles above child-rearing abilities between these ideologies are a whole lot of women who feel guilty.

Working mothers feel guilt for not being at home with our kids more for being judged as a mother who has chosen other priorities about her most important role.

[2:08] Say all mothers worry about missing out on career opportunities or even being pushed out of conversations because what

could a person out of the workforce have to say about cryptocurrencies or climate change as if giving birth suddenly enables a woman incapable of talking about anything except potty training tactics.

Wasn't the whole point of a woman being able to choose whether or not she returned to work,

so that she not feel guilty that she can make a decision with her family of what suits them best.

I also wondered why is it always work that we come back to that gauges r value,

Derek Thompson a staff writer at the Atlantic going to the term orgasm in an article called orgasm is making Americans miserable,

he defines the term as the idea that work is the center of our lives at our culture now believes that the meaning of life can be found in our work,

a job used to just be a job but now we have careers of progression of titles ou...

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n Part 2 of Motherhood, Josie interviews Sam and Kristen to understand more about the nature of nurturing, when a lack of a desire to be a mother is at odds with official Church teachings, and how aspirant mothers dealing with an inability to conceive can also feel out of place in a Latter-day Saint culture that so heavily glorifies the ideal of motherhood.

Transcript

Josie:

[0:00] Hey Tim this is Josie gleave.

Happy Mother's Day to those parts of the world currently celebrating and do those women who truly feel Joy on this day for others it's more of a roller coaster or maybe even totally depressing.

I'm back today with more interviews thoughts and questions about motherhood so whatever you're feeling I hope this helps.

This is motherhood part 2.

Intro Music

Josie:

[0:44] In Genesis 32 Jacob is said to have wrestled with a man.

[0:57] There are many in.

[1:09] There are two motherhood experiences I wrestle with a lot some women do not feel a natural desire to birth their own children they Wonder.

Some women struggle with infertility and in a cruel Twist of humankind is nature is to want what they cannot have these women yearn for shoulder.

Womanhood is defined by motherhood the woman who does not want and the woman who cannot have.

Feel like they are flawed where is that craving an animal instinct to reproduce a woman's nature to nurture or what.

By Allah.

[2:10] As if somehow using my healthy body to have a baby would make the other woman feel better even though it.

[2:20] Motherhood experiences are a little taboo to the woman who says she does not want to have children she's told she will eventually change her mind to the woman who cannot.

[2:33] They don't know what to say sometimes we forget that we can just listen so let's do that let me introduce you to Sam She is a.

[3:00] And 7 months ago Sam gave birth to their first.

Sam and I bonded when we were both young marrieds without any children I remember the moment I got married this pressure to have kids settled in but I knew it would take me several years to get to that point for any.

How old at the thought of having children they learn this isn't a topic to mention at church there's no written rule for this of course but it is assumed that a woman.

[3:32] Are not in line with God's will maybe but nevertheless those feelings.

Sam:

[3:58] They must have made something that I liked about kids for me to want to study Primary School teaching but I stopped doing that for about five years I kind of thought.

Yeah I didn't I didn't want to keep teaching I couldn't see myself being a mother and being a teacher I felt like.

I was giving myself all day everyday to other people's kids and I thought I'm not sure that I could,

continue to do that and then have my orange children and come hard to give what I wanted to go to give to my our children so that I guess that was.

[4:32] My light pains and in my early twenties when I was studying and I started teaching.

I've never really had a strong desire to want to be a mother like I'm the oldest of five children,

no but I was going against having children but I just never really felt like I had that desire that I think.

You know mother tells a lot of women have I guess so in a way as well,

with my younger siblings I was responsible for a lot about helping them out and do some ways I felt like different but I felt like I'd hoped to raise some children already Ashley kind of felt like going through my twenties.

I was just really being content not to have any children.

Church cultures so strong families I guess I kind of feel by the time I turned 30 maybe I'll be married and maybe thi...