Mormon Stories Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Mormon on my Own Terms - Olivia Calvert | Ep. 2049 Aug 11, 2025

Show notes

What happens when a Mormon woman questions her faith—but doesn’t walk away entirely? In this week's interview, Olivia Calvert shares her journey of embracing doubts and shifts in belief. Choosing to live Mormonism in her own way, Olivia’s path leads her to what she calls “casual discipleship.” While we have explored stories like this before from men in the church, it is rare for an LDS woman to open up about her faith in this way.

Topics include:

-Purity culture

-Faith crises

-Church history

-Choosing to stay Mormon—on your own terms.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t quite fit the Mormon mold, this story might be exactly what you need to hear. Join us as we talk about the many ways people are navigating Mormonism today.

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Early Mormon Missionary Polygamy with Native Americans? - John Turner Pt. 10 | Ep. 2048 Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to part ten of the Joseph Smith Podcast! We welcome back Dr. John Turner who is here to discuss chapter ten of his new book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet. Chapter ten covers the 1832 time frame in Independence, Missouri.

Turner answers questions like: Where did Joseph Smith get the idea of a New Jerusalem? Where did Joseph Smith get the idea of temples? Did Joseph Smith receive a revelation that early Mormon missionaries should live polygay among the Native Americans? Other topics discussed are how the church added three new pages to the Gospel Topics Essay specifically discussing Joseph Smith’s lived polygamy and his overall character.

Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.

To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.

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PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

The Mormon Church Made Me Give Up My Baby w/ Myndee Tollefson | Ep. 2047 Aug 04, 2025

Show notes

Join us today for a unique Mormon Stories episode that is the first of its kind. Myndee Tollefson was born in Bountiful, Utah to an orthodox Mormon family. At just 19, she became pregnant and, feeling immense pressure from the Church and her family, gave her baby up for adoption through LDS Family Services—only to later discover that her child's life in the adoptive family was not what the Church promised.

Topics include:

-Toxicity of purity culture

-Unplanned pregnancy in Mormonism

-Harsh backlash from her family and LDS community

-Adoption within the LDS Family services program

-The church's role in facilitating and encouraging adoption

-Being a "birth mom"

-Troubled teen culture within Mormonism

Her story sheds light on the emotional and spiritual costs of institutional coercion, and the healing that comes with breaking free from this control.

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PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Miracles, Demons & the United Order in Joseph Smith’s Kirtland - John Turner Pt. 9 | Ep. 2046 Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to another episode with Dr. John Turner! Today we are covering Chapter Nine of his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet." Chapter nine is titled “Flying High” and covers the year 1831 which mostly took place in Kirtland, Ohio for Joseph Smith and the early Saints.

Topics include:

-Comments from listeners on this podcast series

-Why Joseph Smith didn’t preach from the Book of Mormon

-Early criticism of the Book of Mormon

-Demonic possessions and miracles

-The United Order

-Missionaries teaching the Lamanites

Non-Mormon historian, John Turner, approaches these topics in refreshing and informed ways. You won’t want to miss this episode!

Please purchase the book here: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300255164/joseph-smith/

To support this series please donate here: https://donorbox.org/josephsmith. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.

___________________

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Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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

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MormonStories@gmail.com

PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

The Rise and Fall of Sunstone Magazine - Elbert Peck (re-broadcast) | Ep. 2045 Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

Join us today as we resurface another classic Mormon Stories episode! Originally filmed in 2007, this interview is with Elbert Peck who was the editor of Sunstone Magazine from 1986-2001.

Topics will include:

-His early years in Washington D.C.

-His time at BYU with the Seventh East Press publication

-What led to him taking over Sunstone Magazine

-Interactions with other key Sunstone members

-Events leading up to the September Six excommunications of 1993

-The decline of Sunstone publications

We hope you enjoy the re-broadcast of this important interview, and look forward to seeing all of you at the 50th anniversary Sunstone Symposium this weekend! (July 31st - August 1st)

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Baptized in Utah to Fit In! - Gabrielle Zelaya | Ep. 2044 Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

Join us today for a unique Mormon Stories episode! Gabriella Zelaya shares her story of growing up amidst Mormon culture in Farmington, Utah as a non-member. Surrounded by an LDS-dominated community and extended family, Gabby navigated social pressure, exclusion, and judgment by the members that surrounded her.

From feeling like an outsider in school to eventually converting to Mormonism as a teenager for a sense of belonging, Gabby opens up about the emotional toll of purity culture, “love bombing,” and the struggle to find self-worth. She recounts her journey through mental health challenges, her eventual disaffection from the Church, and the healing work she’s done to break cycles of shame and rebuild her life on her own terms.

Topics Include:

-Growing up non-Mormon in a Mormon world

-Conversion for community and survival

-Love bombing and disillusionment

-Breaking free and healing from trauma

Join us for this raw and inspiring conversation.

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Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Joseph Smith Prepares Church for Second Coming of Jesus - John Turner Pt. 8 | Ep. 2043 Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we dive into Chapter Eight of Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet by John G. Turner. The chapter is titled “Enoch” which focuses on the fall of 1830 through the move to Kirtland, Ohio in 1831. We explore major challenges to Joseph Smith’s authority, including Hiram Page’s seer stone revelations and Oliver Cowdery’s pushback on church governance. Why did Joseph stop using a seer stone? What does it mean when revelations clash?

We also discuss:

-The origins of the concept of Zion

-Apocalyptic expectations, blood moons, and the Second Coming

-The influence of the Book of Enoch and Joseph’s expanding biblical vision

-Missionary work among Native Americans and the designation of Jackson County as the New Jerusalem

-Sidney Rigdon’s introduction and influence, including debates about his possible prior contact with Joseph Smith

-The emotional and financial sacrifices demanded of early followers—and what Joseph himself was giving up (or not)

With theological innovation, power struggles, failed prophecies, and spiritual fervor, this chapter reveals the complexity of Joseph Smith's evolving leadership. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion that considers both historical context and human motivations.

Please purchase the book here.

To support this series please donate here. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.

___________________

Show Notes

YouTube

Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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

Our Platforms:

Social Media:

MormonStories@gmail.com

PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

A Croatia & Slovenia Mormon Excommunication Story w/ Sara and Mitja Lakner Bevc | Ep. 2042 Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

What happens when faith, culture, and conscience collide?

In this gripping full-length interview, Sara (American) and Mitja (Slovenian) share their deeply personal Mormon journeys—from conversion, missions, marriage, and cultural clashes to faith crises, public dissent in Utah church meetings, and ultimately, excommunication.

With raw honesty, they open up about the emotional toll of leaving the LDS Church, the pressure to conform, navigating belief in a mixed-faith marriage, and the high cost of asking difficult questions. Featuring moments of courage, heartbreak, and awakening, this episode explores what it means to choose integrity over silence.

Key Moments Include:

-Serving a missions in Croatia

-Struggles with identity, marriage, and belief

-Mitja’s public opposition in sacrament meeting

-Facing church discipline and excommunication

-Sara’s emotional departure from the LDS Church

A powerful story of love, loss, disruption—and starting over.

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Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Evil Changed Me: Lauren Matthias on True Crime Journalism and Her Mormon Faith—Pt. 2 | Episode 2041 Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

In this intimate follow-up episode, journalist Lauren continues her powerful story—this time focusing on her path from reporter to advocate, wife, and co-founder of Hidden True Crime. Lauren shares the deeply personal journey that brought her to John Matthias, their relationship, marriage, and parenting as a mixed-faith couple—all while navigating the high-stakes world of reporting on religious extremism and the Lori Vallow Daybell case.

She reflects on pivotal moments in Mormonism, including the excommunication of progressive voices, the Church’s stance on same-sex marriage, and the Ordain Women movement. As her career unfolds, Lauren breaks major stories from inside Mormon and FLDS communities, reporting from Hildale, Utah, and uncovering secrets in St. George.

Her life is upended again by the Daybell case, which becomes the catalyst for launching Hidden True Crime. Balancing her professional calling with profound personal loss—her brother’s accident and coma—Lauren makes the gut-wrenching decision to attend Lori Vallow Daybell’s trial anyway.

This episode is a moving reflection on belief, justice, trauma, love, and the power of storytelling to make sense of chaos.

From breaking the Daybell story to building a platform

A deeply personal account of faith, loss, and love

Includes exclusive insight into Chad Daybell’s patriarchal blessing and courtroom revelations

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Hidden True Crime's Lauren Matthias Pt. 1 - Early Years and Journalism Career | Ep. 2040 Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

In this powerful and emotional episode, journalist Lauren tells her Mormon story publicly for the first time. Known for covering others’ experiences—including the high-profile Lori Vallow Daybell trial—Lauren now opens up about her own journey through faith, trauma, resilience, and healing.

She shares her upbringing in the LDS Church, the influence of her legally blind father, and her early fears around death that led to a fascination with true crime. Lauren details her mission to Ohio, her shock upon learning about polygamy, and her love for investigative storytelling.

The story takes deeply personal turns as she opens up about being diagnosed with MS, her father’s arrest and trial, her own struggles with mental health, sexual assault, marriage trauma, and the challenges of being a Mormon woman in journalism.

From painful experiences to moments of empowerment in her career and community, Lauren’s account is raw, inspiring, and unflinchingly honest.

Hear about her memoir

Stay for the vulnerable reflections

Support Lauren’s journey by watching to the end

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Show Notes

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Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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

Our Platforms:

Social Media:

MormonStories@gmail.com