Mormon Stories Podcast

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

Our Platforms:

🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠

✳️⁠Spotify⁠

🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Can Nauvoo Land Deeds Really Prove Polygamy? - LDS Discussions Pt. 82 | Ep. 2186 Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

What can Nauvoo land deeds actually tell us about Joseph Smith and the practice of plural marriage?

In this episode of LDS Discussions, we take a close look at Nauvoo land records and examine claims that deeds issued to women –including women who were later identified as plural wives of Joseph Smith –provide evidence for Joseph Smith’s practice of polygamy.

The records are fascinating, but they are also considerably more complicated than they might appear at first glance.

We examine the legal and historical context surrounding Nauvoo property, including the difference between a grantee and a recognized landowner, quitclaim deeds, coverture, widow’s dower rights, property held in the names of women and children, and the ways Joseph Smith and others used property arrangements to protect land from creditors and other legal complications.

We also take a closer look at individual cases involving Helen Mar Kimball, Sarah Ann Whitney, Flora Woodworth, Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, Lydia Dibble Granger, Mercy Fielding Thompson, Philinda Myrick, Emma Smith, and others.

Several of these women had connections to plural marriage, but that raises an important historical question: Does the existence of a deed help explain why a particular transaction happened, or does the deed itself provide evidence that polygamy was the reason for the transaction?

Throughout the episode, we compare the deeds with tax records, William Clayton’s journal, bankruptcy proceedings, and other contemporary evidence to see whether the names and dates appearing on the deeds accurately reflect who actually owned, occupied, controlled, or benefited from the property.

One of the key conclusions is that you cannot simply take Nauvoo land deeds at face value. A plural marriage may sometimes provide a possible explanation for a property transaction, but the transaction itself does not necessarily prove that a plural marriage existed.

This episode explores the complicated gap between what was legally recorded, what people were actually doing, and what later historians assume those records mean.

___________________

Show Notes

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

Our Platforms:

🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠

✳️⁠Spotify⁠

🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

A Gay Mormon's Path to Peace - Eli McCann | Ep. 2185 Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

What happens when you spend your life trying to find your way in a religion that never seems to have a space for you? Today, Mormon Stories welcomes Eli McCann, attorney, writer, podcaster, and humor columnist for The Salt Lake Tribune, to hear insights into his upbringing as a gay man in the LDS faith.

Eli knew from a young age that he was gay, but understood that there would never be a place for him as an openly gay man in Mormonism. He served a mission, held leadership callings, and became deeply involved in the church while largely keeping his sexuality to himself. Eventually, after moving to Palau and serving as a Young Men’s president, Eli reached a point where he could no longer reconcile his life with the church’s teachings about homosexuality.

He shares what led him to stop attending, come out to his family, and ultimately resign his membership—including the memorable experience of resigning with a Mormon bishop on top of a Book of Mormon. We also discuss the 2015 LGBTQ+ policy, his evolving views on faith, and why he has chosen to remain in Utah despite his complicated relationship with Mormonism.

Eli is now known for finding humor in the quirks of Mormon culture through his writing for The Salt Lake Tribune. His new book, We’re Thankful for the Moisture: A Gay Guy’s Guide to Mormon Faith, Family, and Fruit Preservation, collects many of those stories and explores the intersections of Mormon culture, family, faith, and life as a gay man in Utah.

This is a conversation about faith, family, sexuality, and learning to move forward without losing meaningful parts of your past.

You can purchase Eli’s new book here: https://www.signaturebooks.com/books/p/were-thankful-for-the-moisture

___________________

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

Our Platforms:

🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠

✳️⁠Spotify⁠

🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

LDS Church Can't Keep its Members - Mormon News 8.21.26 | Ep. 2184 Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

This week on Mormon News, Dr. John Dehlin and Nemo the Mormon get stuck into the dramatic headlines involving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over the past 7 days.

From a shooting at a funeral to the surprise re-emergence of Tim Ballard’s OUR, this is your one stop shop for Mormon News every week.

___________________

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

Our Platforms:

🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠

✳️⁠Spotify⁠

🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

The History of Tithing - LDS Discussions Pt. 81 | Ep. 2183 Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

In Episode 81 of the LDS Discussions series, we take a deep dive into the history of Mormon tithing –where the concept comes from, how it appears in the Bible and Book of Mormon, how Joseph Smith and the early Latter-day Saints understood it, and how the practice evolved into the modern LDS Church’s system of financial requirements.

We begin with the biblical origins of tithing, examining passages from the Old and New Testament and asking whether the biblical practice of tithing actually resembles the transactional model taught by the modern Church. We then turn to the Book of Mormon and explore what it says about priestcraft, wealth, and religious leaders receiving financial support.

From there, we trace the history of tithing in early Mormonism, including Joseph Smith’s financial requests, the 1838 tithing revelation, how early Saints actually contributed to the Church, and the significant differences between the original language surrounding consecration and the modern requirement to pay ten percent of one’s income.

We also examine the controversial history surrounding Green Flake and the claim that an enslaved man was donated as tithing, the financial relationship between Brigham Young and the Church, and what the surviving historical records can –and cannot –tell us about the practice of tithing and labor tithes in early Utah.

Finally, we look at the development of modern LDS tithing requirements, including when tithing became a requirement for temple recommends, the distinction between tithing and fast offerings, teachings about self-reliance, changes to tithing slips, and the Church’s long-standing lack of financial transparency to its membership.

If you value episodes like this one, we ask that you show your support by donating to Mormon Stories Podcast!

___________________

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

Our Platforms:

🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠

✳️⁠Spotify⁠

🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Bishop and Stake President Conflict After a Mormon Faith Crisis - Coy Johnston | Ep. 2182 Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Today we sit down with Coy Johnston, a longtime active member of the LDS Church, to explore what it looks like to question Mormonism without completely walking away.Coy grew up in Mesa, Arizona, served a mission in England, became a doctor, and spent his life deeply involved in the church. His faith began to shift as he studied scripture and biblical scholarship, and issues with early Mormon church history. He shares how learning more about church history changed his understanding of Mormonism and led him into a faith crisis that affected his family, callings, and relationship with church leaders.Rather than leaving, Coy began looking for ways to support other members who were going through similar struggles. He created a group called “Journeys,” where people could openly discuss their questions and doubts. When church leaders learned about the meetings, they asked him to stop holding them and eventually threatened to withhold his temple recommend if he did not dissolve the group.Other topics include:-Perfectionism and worthiness-Mormon history and biblical scholarship-Mixed-faith marriage-Bishop roulette-Supporting members with faith questionsHis story raises an important question: Can you remain Mormon while admitting you don't have all the answers?

Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

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

Our Platforms:

Social Media:

FAIRLDS Warns of Satan, Girl Bishops?, BYU Marriage Decline - Mormon News 8.14.26 | Ep. 2181 Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode of Mormon News, John Dehlin and Meggan Hayes break down another busy week of headlines involving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

FAIR Warns: Satan Wants You to Leave

The 2026 FAIR Conference brought together LDS apologists and defenders of the Church for three days of presentations. We look at FAIR president Scott Gordon’s warning about the strategies he believes Satan uses to lead members away, including distrust of faithful sources and criticism of Church leaders.

“Are There Any Girl Bishops?” The Friend Sparks a Debate

A simple question in The Friend, the Church’s magazine for children, has sparked a much bigger conversation about women, priesthood authority, and why women cannot serve as bishops in the LDS Church.

Marriage Rates Are Falling at BYU

Fewer BYU students are getting married, and the university is taking steps to help students meet and date. We look at the declining numbers and what they may reveal about changing expectations among young Latter-day Saints.

Former Miss North Carolina USA Says Her Title Was Taken Over Her Beliefs

Brittany Boltinhouse says her Miss North Carolina USA title was “ripped” from her because of her religious beliefs, while pageant officials dispute her account. We look at the controversy and the competing claims.

LDS Podcaster Chandler Hendry Dies at 27

Chandler Hendry, founder of the Restored Truth podcast, died following a multi-vehicle crash in Lehi, Utah. We discuss his unexpected death and his presence in the Latter-day Saint online community.

Latter-day Saints React to New Church and Sunday Meeting Initiatives

Two Reddit discussions are raising questions about changes in LDS Sunday meetings and a new “Christ-Centered Latter-day Saints” initiative. We look at what is being reported and how former members are responding.

Dallin H. Oaks Heads Abroad at 94

President Dallin H. Oaks is preparing for his first international trip as president of the LDS Church as he turns 94. We discuss the trip and the extraordinary age of the Church’s current leadership.

___________________

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

Our Platforms:

🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠

✳️⁠Spotify⁠

🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

When a Child Questions Mormonism - Annie Marie | Ep. 2180 Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

What would cause a child to lose their LDS faith? We strive to answer this question in today's interview with TikTok star, Annie Marie. Annie is an ex-mormon content creator who has gained an audience from her satirical videos that mainly center around questions she had as a child growing up in the LDS faith. Today she sits down with John and Margi to share her full Mormon story, offer commentary on some of her most popular videos, and walk us through her creative process.

Annie came from a strict Mormon upbringing, but when her parents divorced (and their temple sealing was canceled) it sparked a myriad of questions that she could never seem to find the right answers for. She opens up about how she struggled with her belief throughout her upbringing, how it later affected her marriage, and where she stands with spirituality today.

Topics include:

-Temple sealings & divorce in the church

-Purity culture

-CSA

-Religious conditioning

-Using humor to heal

We know you will find this interview to be as fun and informative as we did!

Follow Annie on TikTok here.

___________________

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

Our Platforms:

🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠

✳️⁠Spotify⁠

🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

YOU WILL STAY!, Ken Jennings, Arizona Ruling, Young Women Leaving | Mormon News 8.8.26 | Ep. 2179 Aug 08, 2026

Show notes

On today's episode of Mormon News, John Dehlin and Meggan Hayes break down another busy week of headlines involving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We begin with a major Arizona Supreme Court ruling protecting clergy confidentiality when abuse is disclosed during religious confession. We'll discuss what the decision means, why it matters, and the broader questions it raises about protecting vulnerable people, religious freedom, and institutional accountability.

Links:

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/03/arizona-clergy-child-abuse-confessions-court

We'll also discuss a new column from Jana Riess examining why more than half of young adult women raised in the LDS Church have now left, exploring the data behind the trend and what it may say about the future of Mormonism.

Links:

Religion News Service (Jana Riess): https://religionnews.com/category/opinion/columns/jana-riess/

We'll react to Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings publicly reaffirming his support for transgender people after being pulled into an online controversy, and discuss why his comments have resonated with many current and former Latter-day Saints.

Links:

Them: https://www.them.us/news/ken-jennings-trans-rights

We'll also look at a new documentary telling the story of WordPerfect, the Utah software company that helped transform Utah Valley into today's Silicon Slopes. We'll discuss the legacy of founders Alan Ashton and Bruce Bastian, and why this important chapter of Utah history deserves to be remembered.

Links:

KSL: https://www.ksl.com/article/51602368

Finally, we'll react to a viral YouTube Short featuring Elder Corbridge that's been making the rounds online and share our thoughts on the conversation it sparked.

Links:

YouTube Short: https://youtube.com/shorts/pxgJiJqQTOs?si=jISqasfwWwHTWyZE

Thanks for joining us! If you enjoy Mormon News, Church history, thoughtful conversations, and nuanced discussions about Mormonism and faith, please like, subscribe, and share this episode.

___________________

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

Our Platforms:

🎙️⁠Patreon ⁠

✳️⁠Spotify⁠

🖼️⁠Instagram ⁠

📧 MormonStories@gmail.com

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Healing my Inner Child After Mormonism - Mindy Gledhill | Ep. 2178 Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Today on Mormon Stories, we are thrilled to welcome back singer-songwriter Mindy Gledhill, who is returning to the podcast to share the stories behind her newest collection of songs, the PhoneBooth Sessions (vol. 1 & 2), which reflect on her childhood, adolescence, and life after stepping away from Mormonism.

Along the way, she opens up about some of the early questions that challenged her faith and where she stands with her belief today. Mindy will also discuss how inner-child work has helped her heal and become more in-tune with her inner voice. Other topics will also include parenting, relationships, authenticity, and embracing uncertainty.

Whether you've followed Mindy's music for years or are hearing her story for the first time, we know you will love this one!

https://www.mindygledhill.com/tour

___________________

YouTube

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