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In this episode of LDS Discussions on Mormon Stories, we examine the historical evidence surrounding Joseph Smith’s First Vision, focusing on the traditional 1820 date, the religious revivals in Palmyra, New York, and the timeline of events in the Smith family’s life. Although the First Vision is now central to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ foundational narrative, Joseph Smith did not produce his earliest written account describing his vision until 1832. We examine the historical context behind the story, including the death of Joseph’s brother Alvin Smith, the Smith family involvement with the Presbyterian Church, the arrival of Reverend George Land and Reverend Benjamin Stockton in the region, and the evidence for religious revivals in Palmyra and Manchester during the 1820s. By comparing church records, historical accounts, and Joseph Smith’s own narrative, we build a timeline and investigate whether the events described in his later account align with the historical record.  What can we reasonably conclude when the historical evidence does not appear to match the traditional narrative? And how would we evaluate claims that depend on events for which independent evidence is lacking?  Finally, we consider how the First Vision developed into central element of Latter-day Saint identity, why the historical timeline matters, and what the evidence can –and cannot –tell us about Joseph Smith’s intentions when he recounted these events.  The central question is not simply whether Joseph Smith could have placed an event in the wrong year. It is whether the historical context he described is consistent with the available evidence.  Join us as we investigate the historical record and explore what it reveals about one of the most important stories in Mormonism. ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  ​ Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology​ Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis​ Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

What happens when a church’s teachings about gender conflict with how you feel inside? In the final part of our conversation with Stetson Done, we reflect on his story, the process of rebuilding his beliefs, and where he stands with Mormonism today. They discuss the church’s teachings about eternal gender, its policies toward transgender members, and the contrast between how the church responds to trans people and other serious issues within the institution. The conversation then broadens to address common questions and misconceptions about transgender people, including gender dysphoria, hormone blockers, bathroom access, and transgender athletes. Together, Stetson and John explore how political polarization shapes conversations about trans people, why transgender identities have become such a contentious issue, and Stetson’s hope that these questions could be approached with more understanding and less political division. This final part is a conversation about identity, belief, and what it means to listen to people whose experiences challenge what we think we know. ___________________ ⁠Show Notes⁠ YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

What happens when you follow the path laid out for you, but it still doesn’t feel right? In Part Two of our conversation with Stetson Done, Stetson returns from his mission and quickly becomes engaged, believing marriage is the next step in the life he is supposed to build. But despite trying to be a good spouse and faithful Mormon, he struggles with the expectations of marriage, sex, and motherhood. As his questions about the church grow, he begins to recognize his attraction to women and encounters new ideas of his own gender identity that he never had the context to understand before. Stetson shares what led him to leave his marriage, the process of coming out to his family, and how hearing experiences of other transgender men helped him understand himself in a new way. He will also discuss what it was like to finally find a relationship that brought self actualization, and the joy he has discovered in becoming a father - rather than a mother. This is part two of a three-part conversation with Stetson. Please be sure to continue on with his story to understand how he forged his own personal path to personal happiness! ___________________ ⁠Show Notes⁠ YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

What happens when you grow up doing everything you are told, but it never feels right? In Part One of our conversation with Stetson Done, a transgender man who grew up Mormon, Stetson shares his story of growing up in a loving LDS family in Mesa, Arizona. Although he appreciated the structure and community of Mormonism, he struggled with the expectations placed on girls and the belief that becoming a wife and mother was his highest calling. He knew he didn’t want that future, but didn’t yet understand why. Stetson describes the gender divisions he experienced in church, the differences between the Young Women's and Young Men's programs, and the loneliness of feeling out of place without having the language to explain it. He also reflects on his LDS mission in El Salvador/Belize, and the disparity between how male and female missionaries are regarded in the Church. Although Stetson found purpose in much of the Mormon structure, questions about church teachings—including polygamy and the legalization of same-sex marriage—began to challenge his faith. By the end of his mission, his testimony remained strong, but difficult questions were beginning to emerge. This is part one of a three-part conversation with Stetson. Please be sure to continue on with his story to understand how he forged his own personal path to personal happiness! ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Today on Mormon Stories News, John Dehlin and Meggan Hayes are covering six stories involving the LDS Church, from a revealing Missionary Department job posting to newly released police interrogation footage, debates over tithing, and developments in Mormon culture and education. THE LDS CHURCH IS HIRING SOMEONE TO HANDLE MISSIONARY CRISES A Church job posting offers an unusually detailed look at how the Missionary Department handles problems involving missionaries, including health emergencies, worthiness concerns, arrests, and allegations of abuse. One responsibility is particularly revealing: protecting the interests of the Church, the missionary, and lastly, the victims. https://epej.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/ChurchEmployment/job/378249 RYAN CHRISTOPHER HALL: MORMONISM ENTERS A POLICE INTERROGATION Newly released footage from a 2024 investigation shows detectives confronting Ryan Christopher Hall, a former Maryland sheriff's detective and devout Mormon who was convicted. During questioning, investigators explicitly bring up Hall's Mormon faith, his troubled marriage, and Christian forgiveness. Hall ultimately received lengthy state and federal prison sentences. https://youtu.be/SP78F3l8OHs TITHING AND THE LDS CHURCH'S FINANCES An article in Public Square Magazine examines tithing and Church finances. We'll look at the arguments being made about religious giving, financial stewardship, and the Church's substantial financial resources. https://publicsquaremag.org/faith/tithing-and-church-finances/ WHEN AN OB-GYN FOLLOWS THE BRETHREN A video raises questions about the relationship between medical expertise, religious authority, and following Church leaders. What happens when professional judgment and religious expectations intersect? https://youtu.be/3cCCicEMj_M JULIE DE AZEVEDO on SOFT WHITE UNDERBELLY We're also discussing Julie de Azevedo and a conversation that offers another perspective on Mormon life, identity, and experience. https://youtu.be/vOjAMMQhXqc BYU'S MEDICAL SCHOOL MOVES FORWARD BYU's planned medical school has reached an important accreditation milestone. Deseret News reports on the process and what it means for the university's effort to establish a medical school. https://www.deseret.com/faith/2026/10/15/how-byu-medical-school-earned-accreditation/ From institutional priorities and financial transparency to religious authority and accountability, today's stories raise important questions about the relationship between the LDS Church and the people whose lives it influences. ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

What happened to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after Joseph Smith was killed? In Part Four of our series with historical Dr. John Turner, we examine the complicated succession crisis that followed Joseph Smith’s martyrdom in 1844. Drawing from Turner’s book Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet, we explore the competing claims to leadership, the role of Joseph’s family, Sidney Rigdon’s challenge to the Twelve, and the ways Brigham Young gradually established himself as Joseph’s successor.  Why wasn’t there a clear succession plan? Did Joseph intend for one of his sons to eventually lead the Church? Why didn’t Sidney Rigdon receive the Second Anointing? How much did the Smith family name matter to Brigham Young? And what really happened when Brigham was said to have miraculously taken on Joseph Smith’s “countenance”? We also discuss James Strang’s competing claim to succession, his opposition to polygamy, and why he was able to attract hundreds of Latter-day Saints. Along the way, we look at the so-called “Rigdonites,” allegations against the Twelve, Brigham’s prayer circles, failed prophecies, the pressure he felt to produce written revelations, and his efforts to complete the Nauvoo Temple before the Saints left Illinois.  One particularly interesting theme emerges throughout the episode: Brigham Young did not initially see himself as Joseph Smith’s equal. His authority developed over time as he navigated competing leaders, external threats, internal divisions, and the enormous weight of Joseph Smith’s legacy.  This episode is part of our ongoing series examining the life, leadership, theology, and historical legacy of Brigham Young through the scholarship of Dr. John Turner.  ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

In Part Two, we continue Patrick Brady and Dan Dorty’s story as Patrick becomes a Mormon bishop while privately struggling with his sexuality and his increasingly complicated relationship with Dan.  Patrick discusses serving as a bishop, his approach to worthiness interviews, pornography and masturbation, the law of chastity, and his desire to create a safer environment for members of his ward. We also explore the Church’s 2015 policy concerning same-sex couples and its eventual reversal, and how these events affected Patrick’s faith.  The conversation then turns to Patrick and Dan questioning their place in the Church, the SEC investigation, Church history, Patrick coming out to his wife, and his eventual decision to step away from Mormonism.  Patrick reflects on marriage, family, faith, sexuality, and what happened when he finally took away the Church’s power to control him.  ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

In this interview, we sit down with Patrick Brady and his partner Dan Dougherty to hear Patrick’s story of growing up as a gay man in the Mormon church, marrying a wonderful woman, raising a family, serving in church leadership, and eventually becoming a bishop while keeping a deeply important part of his identity hidden. Patrick was married to Heidi for 27 years and had four children, and he describes how much he loved his family while simultaneously feeling unable to live openly as a gay man. From an early age, he was taught that being gay was sinful and that marriage to a woman could somehow “fix” his same-sex attraction. He shares how teachings from Mormon leaders, including Spencer W. Kimball, shaped his understanding of homosexuality and led him to compartmentalize his feelings and try to eliminate them rather than accept them. He shares his experiences as a missionary, his return to Salt Lake City, the underground gay culture among Mormon men, and his efforts to reconcile his sexuality with the Church he loved.  We also explore Patrick’s marriage to Heidi, his friendship with Dan, and the emotional intimacy that developed between them as two gay Mormon men who were committed to their families and their faith.  Part One follows Patrick’s journey from childhood through his marriage, family life, Church service, and the years he spent trying to live a divided life. ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

For this week's Mormon News Podcast, John Dehlin and Meggan Hayes look at Apostle D. Todd Christofferson's General Conference talk on gambling, a remarkably well-timed prediction from Latter-day Saint journalist McKay Coppins, a new documentary exploring the experiences of queer Christians, the latest development in the Bisbee abuse case, Dan McClellan, Flightless Bird and more. Months before General Conference, Latter-day Saint journalist McKay Coppins spent a year immersed in America's rapidly expanding gambling industry for The Atlantic. Then, just weeks before conference, he appeared on the Mormon Land podcast and predicted that Church leaders might soon address gambling directly. Then D. Todd Christofferson did exactly that. His October General Conference talk addressed sports betting, prediction markets, young people gambling, addiction, and even betting on the timing of the Second Coming. We compare his talk with Coppins' earlier reporting and look at just how much the two have in common. Christofferson's gambling talk also found an unexpected fan outside the usual General Conference audience. Political streamer Hasan Piker praised the Church's stance on gambling, saying, "It's hard for me not to give a shoutout to the Mormons on this one." Kathy Baldock is on the scene exploring what happens when LGBTQ identity and Christian faith intersect, including the experiences of people trying to find belonging in religious communities while navigating teachings about sexuality and identity. The Bisbee abuse case may be headed to the nation's highest court. Survivors are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case involving clergy confidentiality and the failure of LDS bishops to report abuse they learned about through confession. Biblical scholar Dan McClellan continues his work separating what biblical texts actually say from the assumptions and doctrines that have accumulated around them. We take a look at his latest conversation and what it adds to discussions about scripture and religious authority. And finally, Flightless Bird enters the world of Mormonism, giving an outsider's perspective on Latter-day Saint beliefs, culture and the sometimes very unusual world surrounding the faith. ___________________ YouTube Show Notes At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Why would a British ex-Mormon sue a Marriott hotel over the Book of Mormon in her nightstand? Amanda Barnett grew up Mormon in Plymouth, England. Her mother and grandmother joined the church when the missionaries knocked in 1961. Most Mormon Stories guests believed for years before something fell apart. Amanda never believed at all. She was nearly four when her grandfather died, and when her family told her he'd gone to Heavenly Father, she says she looked up at them and thought, "You're lying." Amanda tells John Dehlin about growing up as the only Mormon in her school in 1960s and 70s Britain. She describes being sealed to her parents in the London Temple at 14, asking her mother whether she'd choose God or her, and learning that the only Black man in her ward couldn't do what even the boys did because of the "mark of Cain." On her 16th birthday in 1976, she told her mother she would never believe and was never going back to church. Then came two marriages, three daughters, and her mother's early death from a brain tumor. During her mother's illness, the help that came was from charities and a hospice, not the LDS Church. Through it all she was the non-believer in a devout family. Years later she found the ex-Mormon community online, and this month she found it in person on the Post-Mormon Cruise. In the second half of the episode, Amanda and her husband Jez explain the claim she has filed in the courts of England and Wales. It's against the franchisee that runs the Leicester Marriott. While staying there, Amanda found a Book of Mormon in the drawer and complained about the racist language in 2 Nephi 5:21. The hotel told her the books are a tradition the Marriott family started in 1957. Her claim is not about religion. She argues that putting this text in a paid hotel room is racial harassment and indirect discrimination under the UK Equality Act. The only remedy she asks for is removing the books, or using the "ask at reception" card system Marriott already uses in other countries. Her grandchildren are mixed-race, which makes this personal. Her case management hearing is set for October 12, 2026. Amanda ends with a message to her family and to Latter-day Saints everywhere: read those verses and ask whether they still belong in your scripture today. Thanks to Nemo for the introduction, and to RFM, Bill Reel, Rebecca Bibliotheca and everyone who ran the Post-Mormon Cruise. Recorded September 22, 2026, in Salt Lake City. Support Mormon Stories: http://www.mormonstories.org/donate Apply to share your story: http://www.mormonstories.org/apply ___________________ YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

In Part 2 of this Mormon Stories interview, John Dehlin continues his conversation with Noah Rasheta, a former Mormon who became a Buddhist teacher and a host of the Secular Buddhism podcast. After leaving Mormonism and entering what he calls “seeker mode,” Noah began exploring Buddhism –not simply as a set of beliefs, but as a practical way of understanding suffering, relationships, grief, and everyday life.  Noah begins explaining what Buddhism actually is, whether it should be considered a religion, and who the Buddha was. He introduces the Four Noble Truths and explores the Buddhist understanding of suffering, including the distinction between unavoidable suffering and the additional suffering we create for ourselves.  Together, Noah and John Discuss the “first and second arrow” teaching, the happiness trap, and the idea that while we cannot always control what happens to us, we can often influence how much additional suffering we create in response. Noah also shares personal experiences with panic and anxiety and explains how mindfulness and meditation became practical tools in his own life.  The conversation becomes especially personal as Noah discusses the death of his father and how Buddhist practices helped him navigate grief. John and Noah explore mindfulness, grief meditation, contemplating death as a way of appreciating life, and the possibility of meeting difficult experiences with greater awareness rather than resistance.  The discussion then expands into Buddhist ethics and philosophy, including right resolve, the dangers and benefits of absolute authority, the idea that no single worldview necessarily represents universal reality, the Buddhist principle of “do no harm,” and the concept of right livelihood. Noah also explains Buddhist perspectives on death and the afterlife and offers practical suggestions for people who are curious about exploring Buddhism for themselves.  This episode is ultimately a conversation about what happens when we stop asking only, “What is true?” and begin asking, “How should I live?” Noah shares the practices and ideas that have shaped his life since leaving Mormonism and offers a thoughtful introduction to Buddhism as a path for engaging with suffering, uncertainty, grief, and the human experience.  ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

In Part 1 of this Mormon Stories interview, John Dehlin sits down with Noah Rasheta, a former Mormon who became a Buddhist teacher and host of the Secular Buddhism podcast, to explore his journey from a deeply Mormon upbringing to a life shaped by Buddhist practice and philosophy.  Noah was raised Mormon in Mexico after his parents converted to the Church when he was young. He descries growing up as one of only a few Mormons at his school, navigating Mormon expectations alongside Mexican culture, Catholic family influences, and his naturally curious personality. He eventually served a mission in Ecuador, where he began confronting some of the most rigid and troubling aspects of Mormon doctrine –including the idea that other religious traditions were fundamentally wrong.  After returning home, Noah attended university, married in the Salt Lake Temple, and began building a life within Mormonism. But questions about Church doctrine, Joseph Smith, his marriage, and the role of faith in his life eventually led him into a deep faith crisis. As his questions grew, Noah discovered Mormon Stories and began searching for answers beyond the framework he had grown up with.  That search eventually led him to Buddhism. Noah explains how Buddhist practice changed the way he approached suffering, relationships, certainty, and everyday life –and why Buddhism initially provided a way for him to remain in a mixed-faith marriage.  Part 2 continues Noah’s story and explores what happens after his marriage ended, how he rebuilt his life, and what he learned from the experience.  ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

For this week's Mormon News Podcast, John Dehlin and Meggan Hayes look at Nemo the Mormon getting international attention as LADbible takes a deep dive into his excommunication from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, plus new developments in the LDS Church's lawsuit against Mormon Stories, declining Latter-day Saint birthrates, former tradwives rejecting the movement, changes to the 2027 Come, Follow Me manual, and more. Nemo the Mormon's excommunication is already familiar to many in the Mormon world, but now his story is reaching a much larger international audience. LADbible's new documentary, Nemo vs the Mormon Church: The Cost of Speaking Out, explores Nemo's experience challenging Church leaders, losing his membership, and what came afterward. There are also new developments in the LDS Church's lawsuit against Mormon Stories. The Salt Lake Tribune reports on comments made by Church attorney David Jordan during an appearance on the pro-LDS Keystone podcast and why Mormon Stories' attorneys believe those comments could complicate the Church's case. John also joined Mormonism Live this week to discuss the lawsuit, the Church's claims, and what the documents actually show. We also look at a recent leadership session from the Highland Utah East Stake and what local Church leaders are being told. Latter-day Saints are still having more children than many Americans, but LDS family sizes and birthrates have been falling. The Salt Lake Tribune looks at the Church's long history of encouraging marriage and children, how those messages have changed, and whether Latter-day Saint couples are likely to reverse the trend. The New York Times is also looking at women who once embraced the tradwife movement and are now rejecting it. We discuss what they're saying about traditional gender roles, marriage, motherhood, and why some women are walking away from the lifestyle. Then, Mormon.ish takes a close look at the newly released Come, Follow Me 2027 New Testament manual, comparing it with the previous curriculum to see what's been added, removed, and reframed. And finally, a little Ted Lasso makes its way into the Mormon conversation. ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Does chiasmus prove that the Book of Mormon is an ancient text? In this episode of LDS Discussions, we take a closer look at one of the most frequently cited arguments for the Book of Mormon’s ancient authenticity: chiasmus. Mormon apologists have argued that the presence of complex chiastic structures demonstrates that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient Hebrew authors and could not have been produced by Joseph Smith in the 19th century.  But there is a problem with that argument: chiasmus does not appear only in the Book of Mormon.  We examine what chiasmus actually is, how John W. Welch famously identified chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. We also look at the way chiasmus and other biblical literary patterns appear throughout the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Book of Moses, Book of Abraham, and even Joseph Smith’s personal writings and letters.  We also examine an important question about translation. If the Book of Mormon was originally written in Reformed Egyptian and then translated into English, how could highly specific Hebrew literary structures survive that process? The Book of Mormon itself says that its language had been altered, raising questions about the assumption that these literary structures should necessarily have been preserved.  If the presence of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon is supposed to demonstrate that it was written by ancient authors, what should we make of the same literary technique appearing in texts that unquestionably originated in the modern era? Even Shakespeare, who was born in London, wrote complex chiasms. The goal is not simply to ask whether chiasmus exists in the Book of Mormon, but whether its existence actually demonstrates ancient authorship.  ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

What does it mean to grow up Black and Mormon in an overwhelmingly white church? In Part One of our conversation with Mariama Nadworna, she shares her story of growing up in Sierra Leone before moving to the UK as a child. When her mother began investigating Mormonism, Mariama’s family eventually went “all in” on the church, embracing its teachings and community as they adjusted to life in a new country. Mariama describes how her Mormon upbringing shaped the way she understood race, worthiness, obedience, and her own identity. She also discusses growing up Black in predominantly white Mormon spaces, learning to navigate the world “from the outside in,” and feeling pressure to be exceptional in order to prove herself. We explore the church’s historical teachings about race, including the “Curse of Cain,” interracial marriage, and the priesthood ban, as well as the ways these teachings affected her understanding of her own worth. Mariama also reflects on her mission, dating, education, and the ways her African heritage and spirituality shaped her relationship with Mormonism. This episode ultimately begs the question: What happens when the community you seek belonging in will not accept you for who you truly are? ___________________ Show Notes YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.   Our overall mission is to:  1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today ⁠One-time or recurring donations⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Venmo ⁠ ⁠PayPal ⁠ Our Platforms: 🌐⁠Mormon Stories Blog ⁠ 🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠ ✳️⁠Spotify⁠ 🍎⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠ 📱⁠TikTok ⁠ 🎮⁠Discord ⁠ Contact us: 📧 [email protected] 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117