Latter Day Struggles

Send us a Positive Review!Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part III of III]In this episode Valerie welcomes back friend and researcher Jeff Strong for the third installment of their series exploring Jeff's research learning about the actual experiences of thousands of Latter-day Saints.  The theme that came through?  Massive amounts of TENSION.  Today they go deeper into six distinct kinds of Latter-day Saints and highlight that one type, "the protector" is disproportionately rewarded while other types are often silenced and squeezed to the margins and sometimes out of the church altogether.  They unpack how an ignorance of the true diversity of 21st Century LDS membership is causing crippling harm to families and the church itself and emphasize the power that could come if we all understood and supported one another as a truly open and welcoming 'body of Christ'.  Timestamps:01:04 – Understanding Cultural Differences01:57 – Stages of Faith and Identity Segments03:38 – Framework for Understanding Differences08:00 – Setting Up the Segment Discussion09:36 – Overview of the Six Segments14:30 – Personal Examples of Segment Fluidity16:19 – Avoiders and Their Journey18:30 – The Spectrum of Development21:15 – Disaffiliation and Its Complexities22:50 – The Public Narrative vs. Reality24:43 – Conformity and Control in Religious Communities26:33 – Fear vs. Love Orientation28:13 – Focus on Protectors33:40 – The Need for Balance and Integration35:02 – Balancing Different Attributes in Church Culture39:30 – The Dangers of Fear-Driven Leadership41:40 – The Role of Fear and Love in Leadership44:00 – The Impact of Historical Persecution50:00 – Everyday Conflicts and Growth Opportunities53:14 – Final Thoughts on Growth and DevelopmentSupport the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Send us a Positive Review!As we begin 2026 and the fourth year of the Latter Day Struggles Podcast, we wanted to say THANK YOU to ALL supporters of the podcast and platform! So please enjoy this Office Hours recording and a podcast episode that is one that is a must-listen! In this timely conversation Valerie tackles Elder Anderson's recent general conference talk on abortion. In one hour she goes from the macro issue of abortion itself and offers some thought-provoking concepts about NOT focusing on abortion and instead focusing on how abortion is the prevailing solution to unwanted pregnancy only because we live in a patriarchal society. She also proposes that LDS women have valid reasons to feel unique and acute transgenerational pain connected to marriage, s*exual misconduct, power, and self sacrifice.Timestamps:00:00 – Listener Appreciation and Office Hours Format02:17 – Elder Anderson’s Address on Abortion05:01 – Developmental Stages and Vulnerability07:00 – Weaponization of Authority and Internalized Harm12:56 – Masculine vs. Feminine Worldviews on Abortion15:00 – Societal Support and Resource Gaps17:00 – Upstream vs. Downstream Solutions21:00 – Deeply Embedded Patriarchal Assumptions25:00 – Legal and Economic Disparities29:54 – Critique of Elder Anderson’s Address34:00 – Theological Shadows and Generational Trauma36:00 – Recommendations for Healthy Spirituality45:20 – Listener Reactions and Broader Church Issues50:00 – The Importance of Individual Discernment53:00 – Reflections on Church History and Patriarchy56:00 – Calls for Healing and Inclusion59:05 – Final Thoughts and Encouragement59:54 – Closing Remarks and Call to Action60:14 – Podcast Network AcknowledgmentSupport the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Send us a Positive Review!Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part II of III]In today's episode Valerie and guest researcher Jeff Strong explore why people in the same LDS congregation can experience church so differently, depending on where they are in their faith journey. They introduce Jeff’s model of six faith mindsets—seekers, cultivators, protectors, avoiders, connectors, and explorers—each representing valid and meaningful ways of engaging faith. The problem? That many of these healthy and normal ways of engaging with one's faith journey are pathologized within the LDS culture at both local and general levels. Valerie and Jeff hope that research like Jeff's and platforms like Latter Day Struggles will place growth where it actually belongs--as normal, natural, and precisely what each of us are here on this earth to do. Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction and Welcome00:22 – Series Overview and Jeff's Background01:18 – Exploring Church Demographics and Tensions02:45 – Review of Previous Episode04:00 – Cultural Causes of Tension05:30 – The Weight of Disaffiliation07:00 – Research Methodology and Data Collection07:58 – Strengths of LDS Culture09:45 – Personal Reflections on Community11:35 – Weaknesses of LDS Culture13:20 – The Soil Metaphor for Culture15:00 – The River Metaphor: Rigidity vs. Chaos17:10 – The Impact of Cultural Rigidity18:45 – The Struggle for Belonging20:09 – Stages of Faith Development22:00 – Simplicity and Complexity Explained23:45 – Perplexity and Harmony Explained25:30 – Faith Journeys and Community Reactions27:00 – The Pain of Being Misunderstood28:22 – Personal Faith Journeys29:47 – The Garden of Eden Metaphor30:47 – Pathologizing Growth in Faith32:00 – The Need for Community Support33:09 – Community and Belonging33:52 – Brian McLaren's Model in Scriptures35:30 – The Arc of Human Spiritual Growth37:25 – Understanding Different Faith Mindsets39:00 – Disparities in Perceptions of Christ-Centeredness40:30 – The Loneliness of Nonconformity42:04 – Introducing the Six Segments44:00 – Descriptions of Each Segment46:00 – The Dynamic Nature of Faith Mindsets47:00 – Encouragement for Self-Reflection48:24 – Conclusion and Next StepsSupport the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Send us a Positive Review!Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part I of III] The data is rolling in and Wow…if you want to know what’s really on the hearts and minds of many active Latter-day Saints, this 3-part series is a GOLD MINE. Join Val and colleague Jeff Strong, prominent researcher on Mormon faith crisis as they begin to look at some of Jeff’s team’s large-scale surveys and in-depth interviews that detail how many active members quietly wrestle with internal conflict, misalignment, and a lack of belonging in their current LDS experience . Don’t miss this intro to a fascinating series! Follow along with the slides and data sets here!Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:19 Guest Introduction: Jeff Strong01:00 Jeff’s Support and Early Conversations01:37 Jeff's Background and Experience03:00 Clarifying Jeff’s Professional and Research Credentials04:26 Research on Disaffiliation06:30 Personal Journey and Insights08:04 The Start of the Research Journey09:45 Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods14:00 The Role of Culture in Missionary Experience16:30 Returning Home and Continuing the Research18:00 The Importance of Data in Understanding Faith Journeys20:00 The Demographic of Faithful Questioners23:30 Data Collection and Analysis25:00 Key Themes: Testimony, Community, and Belonging27:00 The Spectrum of Activity and Belief29:00 Conflict Among Active Members31:00 Exploring Discomfort in Church Culture35:22 Quantifying Discomfort and Belonging36:22 Comfort Levels with Church Culture37:25 Culture vs. Doctrine: A Real Example38:21 Personal vs. Cultural Priorities39:30 Tension in Cultural and Personal Priorities40:35 Navigating Faith Beyond Checklists42:00 Stages of Faith and Cultural Tension43:17 The Impact of Leadership and Tradition45:00 Orthodox vs. General Membership Comfort48:36 The Importance of Awareness and Inclusion51:00 Normalizing Faith Transitions53:00 The Role of Community in Faith Journeys56:36 Concluding Thoughts and Future DiscussionsSupport the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode of Latter Day Struggles, Valerie and guest Maxine Hanks dive into the complexities of reform and personal wellness within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.This fascinating conversation explores the first-hand experience of two women whose influential work spans a half-century in the LDS spotlight. With this time-span as a reference point, they discuss how the focus of institutional reprimand and control has shifted from scholars to mental health professionals, especially mental health workers who publicly address complex issues at the intersection of identity development, mental health, and its connection to LDS theology and practice. Further, they explore the phenomenon of "diffuse policing," where in some wards and stakes, fellow members, rather than just church leaders, report and judge one another, leading to a sense of danger and exclusion within spiritual communities. Ultimately, they call for continued efforts to embody love, create safe spaces, and support the health and healing of all members, at every stage of the faith journey. Books Referenced in this episode:"The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy" by Carol Lynn Pearson"Women and Authority: Re-Emerging Mormon Feminism" by Maxine HanksTimestamps:00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:49 Reflecting on Sacred Work01:49 Comparing Different Eras03:01 The Impact of the Internet06:02 Public vs. Private Scholarship09:09 Mental Health Workers Under Fire14:07 Balancing Individual and Institutional Needs18:38 The Role of Mental Health in Faith Journeys24:18 The New Taboo: Mental Health and LGBTQ Issues25:40 Identity and Wellbeing: A Personal Journey27:31 The Role of Mental Health Workers in the Church30:32 Institutional Insecurity and Individual Growth33:09 Policing and Persecution Within the Church37:35 The Erosion of Safe Spaces in the Church45:20 The Greatest Danger to the Church Today49:51 Concluding Thoughts: Embodying Love and CompassionAdditional Episodes Referenced:Ep. 179 - 182: Maxine Hanks Life StoryEp. 222, 272: Maxine Hanks and Jody England Hansen on the recent garment changesSupport the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website