Mormon Stories Podcast

Christine Jeppsen Clark is a mother of six, a former Mormon Tabernacle Choir member, a Ph.D. graduate student focusing on dementia, and a dear personal friend. She is also the daughter of the late Elder Malcolm S. Jeppsen: former LDS General Authority, personal physician and best friend to Elder Boyd K. Packer, and a GA who was directly involved in the excommunication of Avraham Gileadi (one of the September Six). In this multi-part episode with Christine we discuss: What it was like to grow up in the 1950s and 1960s in Salt Lake City as a very orthodox, devout member of a somewhat elite LDS family? What it was like to grow up the daughter of an LDS General Authority, who was both a physician to, and best friends with Elder Boyd K. Packer? Elder Jeppsen’s personal and direct involvement in the excommunication of Avraham Giliadi -- one of the September Six. How such an orthodox, committed LDS family including Christine (the daughter of a General Authority), her husband David Clark (former bishop of eight years, recent Stake Presidency member) and four of her six children could ultimately decide to leave the LDS Church, and What it’s like to leave the LDS Church as a grandparent in your 50s and 60s.

Christine Jeppsen Clark is a mother of six, a former Mormon Tabernacle Choir member, a Ph.D. graduate student focusing on dementia, and a dear personal friend. She is also the daughter of the late Elder Malcolm S. Jeppsen: former LDS General Authority, personal physician and best friend to Elder Boyd K. Packer, and a GA who was directly involved in the excommunication of Avraham Gileadi (one of the September Six). In this multi-part episode with Christine we discuss: What it was like to grow up in the 1950s and 1960s in Salt Lake City as a very orthodox, devout member of a somewhat elite LDS family? What it was like to grow up the daughter of an LDS General Authority, who was both a physician to, and best friends with Elder Boyd K. Packer? Elder Jeppsen’s personal and direct involvement in the excommunication of Avraham Giliadi -- one of the September Six. How such an orthodox, committed LDS family including Christine (the daughter of a General Authority), her husband David Clark (former bishop of eight years, recent Stake Presidency member) and four of her six children could ultimately decide to leave the LDS Church, and What it’s like to leave the LDS Church as a grandparent in your 50s and 60s.

Christine Jeppsen Clark is a mother of six, a former Mormon Tabernacle Choir member, a Ph.D. graduate student focusing on dementia, and a dear personal friend. She is also the daughter of the late Elder Malcolm S. Jeppsen: former LDS General Authority, personal physician and best friend to Elder Boyd K. Packer, and a GA who was directly involved in the excommunication of Avraham Gileadi (one of the September Six). In this multi-part episode with Christine we discuss: What it was like to grow up in the 1950s and 1960s in Salt Lake City as a very orthodox, devout member of a somewhat elite LDS family? What it was like to grow up the daughter of an LDS General Authority, who was both a physician to, and best friends with Elder Boyd K. Packer? Elder Jeppsen’s personal and direct involvement in the excommunication of Avraham Giliadi -- one of the September Six. How such an orthodox, committed LDS family including Christine (the daughter of a General Authority), her husband David Clark (former bishop of eight years, recent Stake Presidency member) and four of her six children could ultimately decide to leave the LDS Church, and What it’s like to leave the LDS Church as a grandparent in your 50s and 60s.

Christine Jeppsen Clark is a mother of six, a former Mormon Tabernacle Choir member, a Ph.D. graduate student focusing on dementia, and a dear personal friend. She is also the daughter of the late Elder Malcolm S. Jeppsen: former LDS General Authority, personal physician and best friend to Elder Boyd K. Packer, and a GA who was directly involved in the excommunication of Avraham Gileadi (one of the September Six). In this multi-part episode with Christine we discuss: What it was like to grow up in the 1950s and 1960s in Salt Lake City as a very orthodox, devout member of a somewhat elite LDS family? What it was like to grow up the daughter of an LDS General Authority, who was both a physician to, and best friends with Elder Boyd K. Packer? Elder Jeppsen’s personal and direct involvement in the excommunication of Avraham Giliadi -- one of the September Six. How such an orthodox, committed LDS family including Christine (the daughter of a General Authority), her husband David Clark (former bishop of eight years, recent Stake Presidency member) and four of her six children could ultimately decide to leave the LDS Church, and What it’s like to leave the LDS Church as a grandparent in your 50s and 60s.

In February 2012, Jeremy Runnels experienced a crisis of faith, which subsequently led to a faith transition in the summer of 2012. In the spring of 2013, Jeremy was approached and asked by a Church Education System (CES) Director to share his concerns and questions about the LDS Church’s origins, history, and current practices. In response, Jeremy wrote what later became publicly known as Letter to a CES Director. Letter to a CES Director very quickly went viral on the internet. The CES Director responded that he read the "very well written" letter and that he would provide Jeremy with a response. No response ever came.

In February 2012, Jeremy Runnels experienced a crisis of faith, which subsequently led to a faith transition in the summer of 2012. In the spring of 2013, Jeremy was approached and asked by a Church Education System (CES) Director to share his concerns and questions about the LDS Church’s origins, history, and current practices. In response, Jeremy wrote what later became publicly known as Letter to a CES Director. Letter to a CES Director very quickly went viral on the internet. The CES Director responded that he read the "very well written" letter and that he would provide Jeremy with a response. No response ever came.

In February 2012, Jeremy Runnels experienced a crisis of faith, which subsequently led to a faith transition in the summer of 2012. In the spring of 2013, Jeremy was approached and asked by a Church Education System (CES) Director to share his concerns and questions about the LDS Church’s origins, history, and current practices. In response, Jeremy wrote what later became publicly known as Letter to a CES Director. Letter to a CES Director very quickly went viral on the internet. The CES Director responded that he read the "very well written" letter and that he would provide Jeremy with a response. No response ever came.

Salt Lake Tribune TribTalk with John Dehlin and Kate Kelly, held on June 12, 2014.

LDS Church Spokeswoman Ally Isom responds to Kate Kelly and John Dehlin's interview on RadioWest

Kate and I interview with RadioWest about pending disciplinary action.

My June 13th, 2014 interview with Utah Public Radio about pending disciplinary action.

In part 4 of a 4 part series, Sandra Tanner discusses her views on being called an "anti-Mormon," her Christian beliefs, her views on the recent candor/openness and future of the LDS church, the passing of her husband (Jerald -- Alzheimer's), and shares her final testimony.

In part 3 of a 4 part series, Sandra discusses several issues including Joseph Smith’s treasure digging, connections between the Masonic Lodge temple ceremony and the LDS Church temple ceremony, polygamy, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, blacks and the LDS priesthood, the Thomas Ferguson story, the Eugene England/Bruce R. McConkie letter exchange, the LDS church’s law suit against UTLM, and the Godmakers film.

In part 2 of our interview with Sandra Tanner, Sandra discusses challenges that she and her late husband had with Joseph Smith’s First Vision, the Book of Mormon, the Book of Abraham, along with her interactions with Joseph Fielding Smith, Legrand Richard, and famous Mormon forger and murderer Mark Hofmann.

Jerald and Sandra Tanner were raised in the LDS faith, both with a strong Mormon family history. Jerald is the great-great-grandson of John Tanner, well known for his sizable financial contributions to Joseph Smith and the LDS church in 1835 when the church was deeply in debt. Sandra Tanner is a great-great-granddaughter of Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon Church. As teenagers, before they met, Jerald and Sandra were challenged by different people and events to examine the origins of Mormonism. Soon after their introduction, they jointly began researching Mormonism and became engaged. Both accepted Christ during these early years of study and have left the Mormon church. They are both active members of a local Christian church in Salt Lake City. This episode explores Sandra and Jerald’s early years before forming Utah Lighthouse Ministries.

Adam Miller has been described as one of the most interesting thoughtful/faithful writers in Mormonism today. In this episode we speak with Adam about his new book, "Letters to a Young Mormon," published by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. According to Adam, this book attempts to address the real beauty and costs of trying to live a Mormon life. Adam Miller is a professor of philosophy at Collin College in McKinney Texas. He was born and raised in a small Pennsylvania branch, served an LDS mission in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has been married for 15 years to Gwen Miller, has three children, and is currently serving as an adviser in the Teachers Quorum in his ward. Adam is the director of the Mormon Theology Seminar, and is the author of five books including Letters to a Young Mormon.

Adam Miller has been described as one of the most interesting thoughtful/faithful writers in Mormonism today. In this episode we speak with Adam about his new book, "Letters to a Young Mormon," published by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. According to Adam, this book attempts to address the real beauty and costs of trying to live a Mormon life. Adam Miller is a professor of philosophy at Collin College in McKinney Texas. He was born and raised in a small Pennsylvania branch, served an LDS mission in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has been married for 15 years to Gwen Miller, has three children, and is currently serving as an adviser in the Teachers Quorum in his ward. Adam is the director of the Mormon Theology Seminar, and is the author of five books including Letters to a Young Mormon.

Over the last decade, there’s been a small group of Latter-day Saints carving out space for themselves in the Mormon community. They are often called "New Order Mormons." They don’t believe everything the Church teaches, but they stay because they love the culture and are spiritually nourished by their involvement. Wednesday, Doug Fabrizio of RadioWest sits down with John Dehlin, co-founder of StayLDS.com. They’ll talk about this progressive strain of Mormonism and what it means for a church so defined by orthodoxy.

In November, 2005 Mormon Stories interviewed Jason Nelson-Seawright (known online as "Roasted Tomatoes") and Taryn Nelson-Seawright ("Serenity Valley"). In this touching, 2-part series Taryn discussed how she resigned from the church as a teenager, but ultimately felt called by God to become re-baptized into the LDS church -- ultimately becoming sealed in the temple. In this episode, nine years later, Jason and Taryn discuss their decision to leave the church completely. They also discuss how their experiences with Autism Spectrum Disorder affected this decision.

In November, 2005 Mormon Stories interviewed Jason Nelson-Seawright (known online as "Roasted Tomatoes") and Taryn Nelson-Seawright ("Serenity Valley"). In this touching, 2-part series Taryn discussed how she resigned from the church as a teenager, but ultimately felt called by God to become re-baptized into the LDS church -- ultimately becoming sealed in the temple. In this episode, nine years later, Jason and Taryn discuss their decision to leave the church completely. They also discuss how their experiences with Autism Spectrum Disorder affected this decision.

Brad Kramer represents a rising generation of young, thoughtful, faithful Latter-day Saint scholars. In this two part episode, Brad briefly discusses his own faith/intellectual journey within the LDS church, and then offers a parent/child, developmental framework for approaching a more mature LDS faith. Brad also briefly discusses a new approach to LDS apologetics, often dubbed "pastoral apologetics." Brad is married to Tracey von Bose-Kramer, and is the father of five children. Brad holds a B.A. in Russian from Brigham Young University, a B.A. in History from the University of Utah, an M.A. in American History from the University of Utah, and is a hair away from obtaining his Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of Michigan, with an emphasis on religion, religious language, and secrecy.

Brad Kramer represents a rising generation of young, thoughtful, faithful Latter-day Saint scholars. In this two part episode, Brad briefly discusses his own faith/intellectual journey within the LDS church, and then offers a parent/child, developmental framework for approaching a more mature LDS faith. Brad also briefly discusses a new approach to LDS apologetics, often dubbed "pastoral apologetics." Brad is married to Tracey von Bose-Kramer, and is the father of five children. Brad holds a B.A. in Russian from Brigham Young University, a B.A. in History from the University of Utah, an M.A. in American History from the University of Utah, and is a hair away from obtaining his Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of Michigan, with an emphasis on religion, religious language, and secrecy.

Today we interview Rock Waterman, the founder of the blog Pure Mormonism. Rock’s basic position is that he believes in the LDS restoration (e.g., Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, Book of Mormon is scripture), but he also believes that the current LDS church has gone astray.

Today we interview Rock Waterman, the founder of the blog Pure Mormonism. Rock’s basic position is that he believes in the LDS restoration (e.g., Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, Book of Mormon is scripture), but he also believes that the current LDS church has gone astray.

Today we interview Lindsay Hansen Park, wherein she discusses her battles with Bulimia, body image, and faith.

Today we interview Lindsay Hansen Park, wherein she discusses her battles with Bulimia, body image, and faith.

Today we interview Lindsay Hansen Park, wherein she discusses her battles with Bulimia, body image, and faith.

In this podcast, Heather Olson Beal interviews Nicole Hardy, author of the stunningly beautiful memoir, Confessions of a Latter-day Virgin, with readers and fans Claire, Mel, and Maren.

On April 5th, 2014 Ordain Women will again be seeking entrance into the LDS General Conference Priesthood session. Details can be found here. In this episode we interview Nadine Hansen, Kimberly Brinkerhoff, Katie Hyde, and Debra Jenson about their participation in Ordain Women.

The Indian Placement Program was a program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1947 to 2000, in which LDS Native American students were placed in LDS foster homes during the school year, where they would attend public schools and become assimilated into American culture. The program was initially developed to respond to the needs of Navajo teenagers and even younger children who were coming to parts of Utah to work. It was felt it would be better for them to get an education. Beginning in the 1970s, however, the Indian Placement Program came under criticism. Supporters believed that exposure to white culture was beneficial to Native American children, and that it improved educational and economic opportunities, while critics believed the program undermined the children’s Native American identity. In 2000 the last student graduated from the program, though the program never was officially discontinued. Matthew Garrett is currently an associate professor of history at Bakersfield College in California, teaching United States, California, and Native American Indian history courses. His dissertation and forthcoming book manuscript explore the LDS Indian Placement Program. He is also a devoted husband and the father of three adorable little girls.

The Indian Placement Program was a program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1947 to 2000, in which LDS Native American students were placed in LDS foster homes during the school year, where they would attend public schools and become assimilated into American culture. The program was initially developed to respond to the needs of Navajo teenagers and even younger children who were coming to parts of Utah to work. It was felt it would be better for them to get an education. Beginning in the 1970s, however, the Indian Placement Program came under criticism. Supporters believed that exposure to white culture was beneficial to Native American children, and that it improved educational and economic opportunities, while critics believed the program undermined the children’s Native American identity. In 2000 the last student graduated from the program, though the program never was officially discontinued. Matthew Garrett is currently an associate professor of history at Bakersfield College in California, teaching United States, California, and Native American Indian history courses. His dissertation and forthcoming book manuscript explore the LDS Indian Placement Program. He is also a devoted husband and the father of three adorable little girls.

In this podcast, Heather Olson Beal interviews three essayists who contributed to the book Mormon Women Have Their Say: Essays from the Claremont Oral History Collection: Caroline Kline (who also co-edited the book with Dr. Claudia Bushman), Anna Rolapp, and Elizabeth Mott. In this podcast, we discuss the Claremont Women’s Oral History Project in general and then discuss four essays in greater depth: Caroline’s essay on Mormon women’s conceptions of the self, Anna’s essay on Mormon women and California’s Proposition 8, Elizabeth’s essay on Mormon single women, and Caroline’s essay on Mormon women’s attitudes towards and feelings about patriarchy. The Claremont Women’s Oral History Project has collected hundreds of interviews with Mormon women of various ages, experiences, and levels of activity. These interviews record the experiences of these women in their homes and family life, their church life, and their work life, in their roles as homemakers, students, missionaries, career women, single women, converts, and disaffected members. Their stories feed into and illuminate the broader narrative of LDS history and belief, filling in a large gap in Mormon history that has often neglected the lived experiences of women. This project preserves and perpetuates their voices and memories, allowing them to say share what has too often been left unspoken. The silent majority speaks in these records. This volume is the first to explore the riches of the collection in print. A group of young scholars and others have used the interviews to better understand what Mormonism means to these women and what women mean for Mormonism. They explore those interviews through the lenses of history, doctrine, mythology, feminist theory, personal experience, and current events to help us understand what these women have to say about their own faith and lives. Other essays address important topics, such as fertility, motherhood, adversity, womanliness, callings, revelation, missions, agency, the Relief Society, and Heavenly Mother.

Josh Hanagarne is a father, husband, avid reader, librarian, weight lifter extraordinaire, and the author of the amazing book The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family. In this podcast, Heather Olson Beal and John Dehlin interview Josh about his childhood and adolescence, his Tourette’s diagnosis and treatment, his LDS mission experience, his marriage and family, his educational and work experiences, his body building experiences, and his faith/spirituality. Josh is open, honest, and frank about all of the above. The book is delightful and thought-provoking and full of humanity and beauty. We can’t rave about it enough.

In this two-part episode we interview bloggers Sarah Brenner Jones and Annie Bentley Waddoups. Together they run a wonderfully delightful blog on mid-stage parenting entitled "Nest & Launch." In this interview Sarah and Annie share their approaches to thoughtful parenting during this unique stage of life -- from the teen to the early adult years.

In this two-part episode we interview bloggers Sarah Brenner Jones and Annie Bentley Waddoups. Together they run a wonderfully delightful blog on mid-stage parenting entitled "Nest & Launch." In this interview Sarah and Annie share their approaches to thoughtful parenting during this unique stage of life -- from the teen to the early adult years.

In this episode, Doug Fabrizio of RadioWest interviews Margaret Young, Marvin Perkins, Russell Stevenson, and John Dehlin about the LDS church's new web page entitled "Race and the Priesthood."

In this podcast, Heather Olson Beal interviews Chrisy Ross about her book, To Mormons, with Love, and about her life as a non-Mormon in Utah.

Today we conclude our four-part interview series with the Three Interfaith Amigos: Rabbi Ted Falcon, Imam Jamal Rahman, and Pastor Don Mackenzie. During this episode, we discuss the past, present, and future of religion and spirituality.

In part 3 of a 4-part series, Imam Jamal Rahman of the Three Interfaith Amigos shares his views on progressive Islam.

In part 2 of a 4-part series, Rabbi Ted Falcon of the Three Interfaith Amigos shares his views on progressive Judaism.

In part 1 of a 4-part series, Pastor Don Mackenzie of the Three Interfaith Amigos shares his views on progressive Christianity.

To conclude our series on the Ordain Women project, we bring together Kate Kelly, Heather Olson Beal, Neylan McBaine and Sara Vranes for a concluding dialogue.

Part 2 of a 2-part series wherein Fiona Givens, Maxine Hanks, Margaret Young, and Neylan McBain discuss alternative Feminist approaches to the Ordain Women movement.

On today’s episode of the "Mormon News Review," we discuss: Pope Francis’ recent interview in "America: The National Catholic Review" and possible implications for the LDS church.
Two articles written by Peggy Fletcher Stack on the 20th anniversary of the September Six. Elder D. Todd Christofferson‘s devotional delivered on September 24th at BYU Idaho entitled "The Prophet Joseph Smith." Joining us are three panelists: Right: Ralph Hancock is the President of the John Adams Center for the Study of Faith, Philosophy and Public Affairs. He is also a professor of Political Science at Brigham Young University, and a former intramural basketball teammate. Center: Mark Phillips is an active member of the LDS church in Los Angeles, and a former bishop. He is a husband, a father, an attorney, a musician, and he promises not to agree with everyone. Left: Lindsay Hansen Park is a Mormon Feminist and a work-from-home mother of two in Stansbury Park. She works as Social Media director for Sunstone, hosts and founded the feministmormonhousewives podcast, and is engaged in women’s issues and global activism.

Dr. Gregory A. Prince was selected to present the 19th annual Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lecture. The lecture is an annual event hosted by University Libraries and its Special Collections and Archives Division at Utah State University. The lecture is sponsored by University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives, the Leonard J. Arrington Lecture and Archives Foundation and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Utah State University. Dr. Prince spoke on Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Logan LDS Tabernacle. The title of Prince’s lecture was "Faith and Doubt as Partners in Mormon History."

Ryan McIlvain was born in Utah and raised in Massachusetts. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in many journals, including The Paris Review. A graduate of the Rutgers MFA Program and a recipient of the Stegner Fellowship at Stanford, he currently lives with his wife in Los Angeles. As part of Mormon Stories Book Club, today Heather Olson Beal and I discuss Ryan’s book "Elders," which is the story of two young Mormon missionaries in Brazil and their tense, peculiar friendship. Elder McLeod - outspoken, surly, a brash American - is nearing the end of his mission. For nearly two years he has spent his days studying the Bible and the Book of Mormon, knocking on doors, teaching missionary lessons "experimenting on the word." His new partner is Elder Passos, a devout, ambitious Brazilian who found salvation and solace in the church after his mother’s early death. The two men are at first suspicious of each other, and their work together is frustrating, fruitless. That changes when a beautiful woman and her husband offer the missionaries a chance to be heard, to put all of their practice to good use, to test the mettle of their faith. But before they can bring the couple to baptism, they must confront their own long-held beliefs and doubts, and the simmering tensions at the heart of their friendship. A novel of unsparing honesty and beauty, Elders announces Ryan McIlvain as a writer of enormous talent.

As an independent historian, Russell Stevenson has been studying Mormon history for nearly two decades. His first book, Black Mormon: The Story of Elijah Ables, tells the vexing story of race in nineteenth-century Mormonism through experiences of Elijah Ables, a biracial man ordained to the priesthood during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. Drawing on documents unused in other treatments, Black Mormon is the first effort to understand Elijah Ables in all of his identities: black, male, Mormon, and priesthood holder.