At Last She Said It

Latest Episodes:

Episode 063: Let's Talk About Ministering Aug 10, 2021

Show notes

Has what was intended to be a "holier" approach to watching over each other elevated our game, or fallen flat? The switch to the Ministering program left a lot of us wondering exactly what it is we're supposed to be doing. We were good at meals and messages, but we're not so comfortable meeting people where they are, and just being there with them. In this episode, Sue Bergin shares insights in a conversation about learning new and better ways to provide support to each other with empathy, compassion, and love.

Episode 062: When is Enough Enough? Aug 03, 2021

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In the story of the widow's mite, Jesus directs our attention to a woman who gives everything she has, assuring us that her small offering is more than enough. But how are we meant to think about our own offerings in the context of this story? How much do we owe? And how can we know when we have we given enough of our time, talents, energy, and resources? Cynthia and Susan discuss the story of this woman's choice, and Jesus' reaction to it, in a conversation about giving—and being—enough.

Episode 061: Upset Facebook Commenter Jul 27, 2021

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Conversations on social media are rarely substantive, but sometimes a comment can provide a good opening to a larger discussion. In this episode, Cynthia and Susan unpack a comment made on a recent ALSSI post that seemed to ruffle a few feathers. It's a discussion about unhelpful ways Latter-day Saints sometimes respond to each other, and how we might all benefit from retiring the tired scripts members have relied on for too long in an effort to keep each other in line.

Episode 060: What About Blessings? Jul 20, 2021

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Whether faith promoting or fraught, the idea of being blessed figures prominently in Latter-day Saint teachings. Common use of words like 'earning' and 'qualifying' can make it hard not to view blessings as transactional. How can we make sense of blessings we receive—or those we don't? What is our part in obtaining specific outcomes and righteous desires? Can our faithful actions influence God's will? In this discussion, Cynthia and Susan attempt to find a little peace on a sticky topic.

Episode 059: Speaking Up Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

Many Latter-day Saint women don't feel at liberty to talk about their challenges at church. Church history, policy, doctrine, or culture, our personal and family experiences, the ebb and flow of our faith, unexpected doubt or uncertainty—these things can create burdens we carry silently, made heavier by accompanying feelings of guilt, loneliness, unworthiness or shame. In this episode, Susan shares thoughts about her own journey into silence—and thankfully out again—as a woman in the LDS Church.

Episode 058: Being a Single Woman in a Married-with-Children Church Jul 06, 2021

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It's hard to ignore the fact that our church is heavily focused on the family. From the time we're young, Latter-day Saint girls are taught to expect and prepare for marriage and children as the centerpiece of our lives. And yet the majority of members worldwide are single. In this conversation, we're joined by our friend Mara to discuss some challenges of engaging in a church community where so much teaching and activity is geared toward one very specific ideal.

Episode 057: The Color of Nuance Jun 29, 2021

Show notes

"Would you feel the same way if you were someone else, in a different place, time, or situation?" It's a great question, the kind of thought exercise we're rarely encouraged to engage in at church. This episode explores nuance—increased complexity in the ways we think about things. How much richer might our discussions be if we were willing to give space for the expression of a true diversity of thought and experience? How much might our shared understanding increase? And can we ever become comfortable approaching even our most trusted old ideas in new ways?

Episode 056: Be Brave Like Blaire Jun 22, 2021

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As members of the body of Christ, we are called to join Jesus in atoning—to take on the shape of one another's pain. It's a call to brave and unreserved love, a message central to the book, "Queer Mormon Theology: An Introduction." In this episode, philosopher/author Blaire Ostler joins Cynthia and Susan for a discussion of everything from the atonement to eternity, with plenty of conversational side-trips along the way. Can queerness and Mormon-ness coexist? In her beautiful theological framing, Blaire shows us they not only can, they naturally do.

Episode 055: You Have a Friend in Me Jun 15, 2021

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Why does having friends at church feel so important? Feeling known is part of feeling like you belong, but finding friends in a ward with whom you can be yourself isn't always easy. In this episode, Cynthia and Susan talk about friendship, and how our relationships with the members with whom we worship and serve can impact not only our church experience, but our personal and family happiness and spiritual well-being.

Episode 054: Being Like Mother Eve Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

President Russell M. Nelson has encouraged the women of the Church to "have the courage and vision of Mother Eve." It's a great thought, but what does it mean? What would it look like for Latter-day Saint women to follow Eve's example in their own lives? Kajsa Berlin-Kaufusi shares empowering insights and ideas inspired by this phrase in a discussion of her essay, 4th Wave Feminism and 'Being Like Mother Eve.'

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