Latter Day Bridge Builders – Details, episodes & analysis

It's no secret that LGTBQ+ individuals have a hard time being members of the LDS church. Statements, talks, policies and doctrines have made many LGTBQ+ people feel isolated and alienated as well as deeply hurt by the church that claims to be in direct communication with Jesus Christ through modern prophets, seers and revelators. It can be difficult for a queer or transgender person to know where they belong.

Jonathan Alder is a gay, ex-member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who has authored several books including his fictional series The Hawthorn Saga and a personal memoir; Closeted: My Life as a Gay BYU Student.

In today's episode, Jonny and Mitch discuss how we can all become better allies and be more LGTBQ+ affirming.

Check out Jonny's books, including Closeted here: http://jonathan-alder.com/books.php

You can also find the audiobook version of Closeted on most major audiobook apps, including Spotify and Audible.

Whether you were/are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or not, you probably know about Mormon missionaries. They're the young adults with black name tags and are usually dressed in a white shirt and tie, or a dress/skirt.

In this episode of LDBB, Garrett and Mitch talk about some of the LDS culture regarding missions. The goal of this episode is to build bridges with people who feel like they don't fit the traditional narrative regarding this "right of passage" in Mormonism. Whether it's from not serving a mission at the culturally accepted age, coming home early from a mission, not serving a mission at all, or not having a good mission experience; many members of the church feel like outsiders around this topic.

Send us an email to LDSBridgeBuilders@gmail.com

Boundaries. What are they? Why are they important?

Mitch and Garrett express some of their views on boundaries and some ways that both members and ex-members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may be crossing a boundary they don't know is there.

Please leave us a review, or send us an email with feedback:

LDSBridgeBuilders@gmail.com

DISCLAIMER: No specific information about "Anti-Mormon" material is presented in this episode. Our podcast does not want to create or share doubt/disbelief in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or its doctrine.

In today's discussion, Garrett and Mitch talk about why they think people leave or become less active/believing in Mormonism. And if those are valid reasons or not.

SPOILER ALERT: They are!

We would love it if you could leave us a review/rating and share this episode with your friends/family if you think it could help!

Send us an email to LDSBridgeBuilders@gmail.com with any feedback, questions, or concerns.

In today's episode, Garrett and Mitch discuss why they think people join or stay in the LDS church. And if those are valid reasons or not. SPOILER ALERT: They are!

We would love it if you could leave us a review/rating and share this episode with your friends/family if you think it could help!

Send us an email to LDSBridgeBuilders@gmail.com with any feedback, questions, or concerns.

In this episode, we explain what we want to accomplish with this podcast, as well as some rules that we have for ourselves and any potential guests we may have in the future.

Our first two episodes will drop next week on Aug 14, 2022. Here are their titles:

Episode #1 - Why do people stay in the LDS church? Are they valid in their decision to stay?

Episode #2 - Why do people leave Mormonism? Are they valid in that choice?

Send us an email to LDSBridgeBuilders@gmail.com with any feedback, questions or concerns.

In part 2 of our interview with Christian Hägglund, we discuss ways in which Ex-Mormons may be able to see Latter-day Saints in a different light. While this episode may be more intentionally spoken towards Ex-Mormons, we feel many people from different backgrounds and walks of life.

Send us an email with questions, feedback, or comments to: LDSBridgeBuilders@gmail.com

Christian Hägglund is a Swedish author, lawyer and Ex-member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In part 1 of this interview, he shares his experience growing up in the church in Sweden and how religious shame was a motivating factor in his life and mission. He also shares how he came across the teachings of Denver Snuffer and Max Skousen and how those teachings influenced him as a member of his local bishopric.

Be sure to listen to Part 2 where we get into how some of these teachings can help people have more positive views on those who believe differently than them.

Thanks for listening!

Send us an email with comments, feedback and questions to: LDSBridgeBuilders@gmail.com

Buy Christian's book What Lack I Yet? on Amazon

Join us in listening to Stevie Johnson share her conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Stevie grew up in Utah and was raised in a non-denominational church by her adoptive mother (an ex-Mormon). Listen to her story as she shares how she gained a testimony of the church and how that story relates a little to Garrett and Mitch's stories of stepping away from the church.

Thank you for your support this year! We will return with new episodes in the beginning of 2023. Happy Holidays!

Follow Stevie on Instagram: @coachsteviej

Send us an email: LDSBridgeBuilders@gmail.com

We absolutely LOVE this interview we did with Paul Callister. Paul is a mental health counselor who practices in Bountiful, UT. See more about his practice here: Bountiful Counseling

Paul received his Ph.D. from Oregon State University. The title of his dissertation is The Book of Mormon Topic Structure, Keyness Distinctions, and Collocates of Deity: Implications for Mental Health Professionals

In the interview, we discuss some of Paul's dissertation findings and how it relates to the wider discussion of mental health and worldviews that Latter-day Saints have. We also talk about what ways members and ex-members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can better understand each other.

If you would like to donate to support the podcast, you can submit donations to Mitch's Venmo, or by clicking the link at the bottom of the show notes. Thank you!

Show Notes:

https://www.dialoguejournal.com/