Latter Day Struggles

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Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part I of II] 
In this episode I read to you a shocking and brilliant article that I wish every Latter-day Saint can hear. This is a tough topic but one where reform will not touch until we start looking it in the eye. Please listen and share this article. Thank you to the Dialogue Foundation and to the author Suzanne E. Greco, whose trailblazing work may eventually be instrumental in preventing countless LDS women and girls from future harm. 
She wrote the article. I read the article. Please do your part and share the article (via the podcast or linked HERE!)
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Context
00:26 Upcoming Episode Preview 
03:31 Reading the Article: Confronting Men's Violence 
05:26 Author's Background and Article Introduction 
06:26 Article Reading: Violence Against Women in LDS Church 
11:11 Personal Story of Abuse 
14:56 Credibility Issues and External Validation 
19:59 Global Perspective on Violence Against Women 
25:38 Utah Statistics and Under-Reporting 
28:38 Male Ecclesiastical Leaders as First Responders 
32:38 Challenges and Solutions 
33:18 Solution One: Legal Changes and Clergy-Penitent Laws 
38:31 High-Profile Cases and Institutional Betrayal 
42:58 Solution Two: Women's Ministry and Male Protection Racket 
46:23 Solution Three: Training and Education 
48:23 DARVO Tactics and Victim-Perpetrator Dynamics 
52:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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One thing that Val is always juggling is how to do it all and maintain her sense of humor, high commitment to play, and overall sanity.  She loves running the podcast, the groups, and squeezes work with amazing LDS faith-journeying individuals and couples between the cracks (which is a highlight of her week!) 

Fitting it all in can become tricky, which is why she has been looking for the 'just right' person to help with individuals & couples in Utah looking for a mental health worker with the stamp of approval from Val at Latter Day Struggles. 
In today's episode you will meet Heather Sundahl, the newest member of Valerie's Latter Day Struggles team.  Heather is a licensed mental health worker, a resident of Utah and strongly endorsed by Valerie as someone you can trust on your faith expansion journey.   If you loved their laughter, tears (mostly Val!) and banter, you'll love knowing that Heather plans to come on a few times a year to tackle tough topics with Val relevant to your healing and growth.  Jump over to latterdaystruggles.com if you're from Utah and want to work with Heather.  
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome And Guest Intro
01:01 Heather Background And Mentors
04:07 Early LDS Gender Messages
07:03 BYU Awakening Moment
09:58 Storytelling And Exponent Two
12:27 Becoming A Therapist
14:23 Healing Through Narrative
17:42 Owning Faith Narratives
19:18 Eve And Going Off Script
21:35 Life Beyond The Script
25:47 Navigating Church Tensions
26:57 Community Over Purity
28:05 Permission to Be Honest
29:05 Jesus as the Anchor
29:23 Self Care for LDS Women
31:24 Beyond Constant Sacrifice
33:51 Therapy Approach and Boundaries
35:33 Staying or Leaving the Church
39:02 Trusting Your Inner Compass
43:43 Faith Journeys and Belonging
49:08 Honoring Mormon Identity
51:14 Closing Vision and Next Steps
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We've heard it a thousand times...and probably have said it a few times ourselves.  "The ________will never change."  You fill in the blank..."The world will never change" or "the church will never change"...and yet they do.  
How does evolution actually happen?  This "bonus episode" is a download that Val had over the weekend after asking herself why she was doing this platform.  The answer to her question is what you will hear in this episode.  In short, the only way anything ever changes is when a small group of people gather and use their synergy to productively heal themselves and thoughtfully agitate for change in their worlds.  Its how it has always been and always will be.  
Listen in and decide if you are someone who wants to be a part of the change that is already underway in our world right now.  
"We Shall Be Known" by MaMuse
Timestamps:
00:00 Bonus Episode Check In
00:32 Existential Questions
02:01 Live Fellowship Vision
03:56 Awakening Or Breakdown
05:54 Labor Pains of New Consciousness
07:05 Thesis Antithesis Synthesis
09:51 Seekers As Change Agents
11:19 Why Side Communities Matter
12:48 Community for Healing and Growth
14:53 Early Church Example
20:02 Feminine Divine and Equality
21:35 Institutions Retrench
26:08 Laboratories of Expanding Consciousness
30:07 Transformation In Groups
34:51 Who This Is For
36:16 Needs The Fellowship Meets
42:45 How Live Fellowship Works
48:40 Founding Group Details
53:36 Song And Great Turning
58:07 Enrollment And Scholarships
01:00:14 Closing Thanks

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In this episode Val is joined by Jana Riess, author and researcher of the LDS spectrum of experience and Jason Bergman, former BYU professor & faculty member.  Together they discuss the many facets of the Clark Gilbert call to the Q12 of the LDS church.   

In this conversation Jason contrasts his experience on the BYU faculty both before and during Gilbert's leadership and candidly shares the painful and life altering impact Gilbert's fervor for loyalty and conformity of LDS orthodoxy had on him and his career.  
They also explore the possibility that well-intended loyalty to tradition can actually fracture lives, families, and even the potential good that churches can do in the long run--especially when loyalty to old ways end up getting in the way of further light and truth hiding in plain sight.  

Join them for another bold, courageous, and candid conversation inviting spiritual growth in and around the LDS church.  
Jana's Salt Lake Tribune Article
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome and Guests
00:36 Why This Topic Matters
01:55 Jana Riess Research
03:42 Jason BYU Background
07:20 Mixed Reactions Online
12:11 Why Gilbert Stands Out
17:27 Culture Warrior Defined
27:12 Polarization and Autonomy
35:53 BYU Orthodoxy Crackdown
40:43 Honor Code Turmoil Timeline
43:58 Choosing to Leave BYU
44:56 Faculty Fear and Silence
47:15 Big Tent Tensions
49:14 Incognito Faculty Support
52:41 Loyalty Oath Explained
58:33 Surveillance and Dismissals
01:00:35 Hiring and Worthiness Filters
01:02:52 Growth Versus Orthodoxy
01:07:31 Data on Same Sex Marriage
01:10:02 What BYU Lost
01:17:44 Evolution One Funeral
01:20:46 Gerontocracy and Mini Me
01:22:07 Final Thanks and Farewell
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Join us for this one-time-only recording of our FIRST Latter Day Struggles "Live Fellowship"!  

What is this, you ask?  Valerie has decided to offer a gathering place for those on the LDS and surrounding faith expansion journey wanting consistent (2x/month!) connection with her to go deeper into the mind & heart expanding content on both the Monday and Friday tracks of the Latter Day Struggles podcast.  
In this opening gathering, Valerie explored with those in attendance how both The Family Proclamation to the World and the call of Clark Gilbert to the Q12 are reflections of a historical moment and a choice point that all organizations confront as they grow.  The question? 
  Do we adapt to a more connected and pluralistic world that is experiencing an awakening of light and truth? Or do we double down in fear-based conformity? 
This amazing interactive Fellowship Live episode gives you a taste of how your faith journey can move beyond a passive listening experience and towards active healing and connection with other seekers like yourself.   

Jump in now and you can become a founding shaper of the first cohesive and intentional community of individuals whose LDS faith journey was an entry point into their greatest spiritual growth and evolution.  
If you listened and this is for you, jump into the Latter Day Struggles LIVE FELLOWSHIP by clicking on the link below and enroll.  

Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome: Why Seeing Faces Matters 
00:51 Building a Faith-Expansion Community 
02:33 What a "Sangha" Is 
04:14 How the Fellowship Works 
05:23 What This Space Is (and Isn't) 
07:43 Ground Rules: Staying with Growth 
09:28 Why Context Heals 
10:48 The Family Proclamation & Clark Gilbert 
13:57 America and the LDS Church as Parallel Institutions 
15:52 Master Narratives & Threatened Identity 
19:38 Retrench or Adapt: The Choice Point 
27:00 Discussion: Authoritarian Systems vs. Healthy Communities 
32:54 Pocket Communities Over Polarization 
34:08 Seeing the System with Compassion 
37:50 Why Narrative Change Feels Threatening 
40:00 High-Level Language vs. Real-Life Details 
42:42 Moving Beyond Fixed Rules 
46:45 Transcend & Include 
51:37 Rethinking Prophecy 
56:13 Our Role in the Larger Awakening 
01:00:16 Closing: Breakout Groups & What's Next
Support the show
Support the show
Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES
Friday Episodes Annual Access $89
Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10
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Visit our Website