Épisodes

  • 411: Inaugural Live Fellowship Recording
    Feb 23 2026

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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

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    1 h et 5 min
  • 409: The Family Proclamation: Living Document or Unchanging Doctrine?
    Feb 16 2026

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    Series Title: What does the Family Proclamation Mean to You? [Episode II of II]


    This episode of Latter Day Struggles continues a two-part conversation about the LDS Church's Proclamation on the Family, examining the tension between claims of unchanging doctrine and the historical reality of doctrinal evolution.

    Petrey demonstrates through historical analysis that LDS teachings on gender, sexuality, marriage, and family have repeatedly changed over time—from positions on interracial marriage and the priesthood ban, to birth control prohibitions, plural marriage, conversion therapy for LGBTQ individuals, and women wearing pants.

    The conversation highlights how church leaders have consistently taught that their current positions were "unchanging doctrine" until those positions eventually changed, creating a pattern that contradicts claims of doctrinal fixity. Petrey offers a constructive framework for understanding doctrine as historically contingent and evolving—consistent with the LDS concept of continuing revelation—rather than eternally fixed.

    The Family Proclamation

    Op Ed by Taylor Petrey

    Timestamps:

    00:00 - Introduction and Welcome

    00:19 - Overview of the Proclamation to the Family

    01:19 - Recap: Last Week's Discussion

    01:31 - Defining Doctrine and Authority

    02:08 - What Does 'Doctrine' Mean to Members?

    03:48 - The Salvational Weight of Doctrine

    05:31 - Elder Rasband's Talk and Proclamation Analysis

    09:40 - Historical Changes in LDS Doctrine

    11:41 - Race, Interracial Marriage, and Doctrinal Change

    13:14 - Birth Control and Plural Marriage

    15:11 - History vs. Faith-Promoting Narratives

    17:34 - Redefining Doctrine: Making Space for Change

    20:06 - Conversion Therapy and Evolving LGBTQ Positions

    22:31 - Holding Contradictory Positions Simultaneously

    25:31 - Challenges of Authoritarianism in the Church

    28:09 - Religious Authority Across Denominations

    32:33 - Who Defines History vs. Who Defines Doctrine?

    34:22 - Doctrine as Continuing Revelation

    35:15 - Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions

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    42 min
  • 407: Is the Family Proclamation a Commentary or a Revelation?
    Feb 9 2026

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    Series Title: What does the Family Proclamation Mean to You? [Episode I of II]


    Welcome to this two-part series where Valerie welcomes returned guest scholar Taylor Petrey to discuss the LDS Church's Family Proclamation to the World as it reaches its 30th anniversary.

    The heart of the episode centers on Taylor's controversial Salt Lake Tribune opinion piece in September 2025 (linked below) arguing that The Family Proclamation should be understood as commentary rather than revelation or unchanging doctrine. This characterization sparked significant pushback from conservative church members who insisted the document represents eternal, unchanging truth.

    Taylor and Valerie explore the complex and often inconsistent ways that the LDS Church uses terms like doctrine, revelation, policy, and commentary, noting how these categories shift depending on context and speaker. They discuss how the proclamation itself has been reinterpreted over time and set you up for the second part of their conversation where they dive deeply into the changing interpretations themselves.


    The Family Proclamation

    Op Ed by Taylor Petrey


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

    00:11 Discussing the Family Proclamation

    01:48 Cultural and Political Context

    04:20 Historical Background of Family Proclamations

    07:04 The 1995 Proclamation and Its Impact

    13:21 Opinion Piece and Public Reaction

    24:43 Controversy and Clarifications

    27:57 Historical Changes in Church Teachings

    28:33 Modern Reinterpretations of Doctrine

    30:42 Balancing Eternal Truths and Continuing Revelation

    32:58 The Controversy of Words and Authority

    36:15 Revelation vs. Policy: A Case Study

    38:10 The Fluidity of Revelation

    43:45 The Role of Commentary in Church Doctrine

    48:20 Setting Up for the Next Episode

    51:36 Final Thoughts and Conclusion

    Support the show

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    53 min
  • 405: Announcing: Biweekly LIVE Fellowship! More Healing & New Connection
    Feb 2 2026

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    Have you ever listened to a Latter Day Struggles episode and wanted nothing more than to talk about it but no one is around or would understand? Have you noticed that while your heart is growing faster than ever, your relationships are changing just as fast?

    Val has noticed that this podcast community has served not only to help you make sense of your LDS faith journey but also has created friendship networks that are life enriching in ways no one could have imagined.

    So why not expand our reach and create more places to connect and find healing + community?


    Listen in today for all of the details on the new biweekly LIVE FELLOWSHIP: a place where you go to join live discussions on current podcast topics with Valerie & then make new friends on a healthy LDS faith journey in your own region.

    What could be better? A few details:

    • Join Val for 24 Live Fellowship gatherings a year + recordings if you miss out!
    • Jump into the FREE Inaugural LIVE Fellowship on 2/18 at 9:30a PST!
    • All who enroll by 2/28/26 get an extra month tacked onto their annual enrollment, compliments of Val :).
    • Already in the Friday Fellowship as an annual member? Your tuition will be applied towards the upgrade (plus an extra discount!)
    • New to all Fellowship Opportunities? Friday Fellowship content is INCLUDED with your annual tuition!

    Timestamps:

    00:00 Introduction and Welcome

    01:12 Announcement of Live Fellowship

    01:36 Understanding the Faith Crisis

    04:12 Overview of Learning Tiers

    04:42 Monday Episodes Explained

    06:20 Reframing LDS Doctrine & Theology

    08:34 Friday Fellowship Deep Dive

    12:30 Transcending & Including Mormonism

    14:01 Introduction to Live Fellowship

    17:12 Growth and Processing Groups

    19:27 Individual Consulting Services

    20:30 Why Create the Live Fellowship?

    23:50 The Importance of Community

    26:10 Forming Side Communities

    28:30 Regional Breakout Groups

    32:10 Differences: Live Fellowship vs. Depth Groups

    34:00 Patriarchy Healing Curriculum

    36:08 Logistics and Launch Details

    37:00 First Session: Proclamation to the Family

    38:30 Second Session: Transcendence & Inclusion

    40:00 Recordings & Accessibility

    41:00 Scholarships & Faith Journey Foundation

    41:37 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

    45:10 Ken Wilber Quote on Consciousness

    47:30 Individual Transformation & Cultural Change

    49:00 Closing Remarks

    Support the show

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    52 min
  • 403: A Tribute to our Former Bishop, Ken Glenn
    Jan 26 2026

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    In this episode Nathan & I pause to honor the impact that Ken Glenn had on us at this time of his early and tragic passing.

    In this episode we share many examples that prove that the traditionally believing [Ken] and the… shall we say...less traditionally believing…[us!] LDS can co-exist, when vulnerability, love, and curiosity are chosen over judgment. We love you Ken. Thank you for showing us Christ-like love even if you did not fully understand our work.

    Timestamps:

    00:00 Welcome and New Beginnings

    00:53 Transition to YouTube

    02:52 Memorializing a Mentor

    06:17 Ken Glynn's Impact

    09:54 Personal Stories of Ken

    13:16 Ken's Humility and Kindness

    14:14 Early Leadership Challenges

    19:29 Parenting and Church Dynamics

    20:10 Parental Decisions and Church Conflicts

    22:53 Podcast Beginnings and Community Reactions

    24:04 A Touching Tennis Meet Encounter

    29:32 Mission Preparation and Temple Challenges

    40:31 A Heartfelt Tribute to Bishop Ken

    Support the show

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    48 min
  • 401: A Response to Dallin Oaks' Desire for LDS Girls to Marry Younger
    Jan 19 2026

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    In this episode I respond to your requests to explore President Dallin Oaks' desire that LDS girls get married younger. As a bonus, I propose a counter-solution to. the current LDS mixed-faith marriage crisis that does not involve pressuring younger marriage (and its well-documented risk factors) on LDS young adults.

    Please share this episode if it resonates!


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Introduction and Overview

    00:18 Valerie's Analysis of Early Marriage

    02:00 President Oaks' Comments and Valerie's Response

    09:10 Exploring the Motivations Behind Encouraging Early Marriage

    13:50 Risks and Drawbacks of Early Marriage

    25:04 Correlation Between Temple Marriage and Divorce Rates

    28:40 Concerns of Church Leadership

    31:34 The Marriage Crisis in the Church

    32:22 Challenges of Mixed Faith Marriages

    33:30 Theological Strain and Parenting in Mixed Faith Marriages

    34:44 Historical Context and Faith Crises

    36:42 The Push for Early Marriage

    39:24 Differentiation of Self and Its Importance

    45:06 The Impact of Early Marriage on Development

    57:43 Proposing a New Approach to Faith Journeys

    01:01:15 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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    1 h et 5 min
  • 399: This Classic Episode Put Latter Day Struggles on the Map of Faith Crisis Healing
    Jan 12 2026

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    With well over a million downloads since its first drop in March of 2022, the Latter Day Struggles podcast has established itself the place to find peace, healing, community, and words to describe your Latter-day Saint faith and trust crisis.

    It is where thousands have come to realize that deep within themselves is a True Self capable of mapping out their own spiritual journey and integrating their Latter-day Saint background into this journey on their own terms.

    In this "Best of Latter Day Struggles" episode, Valerie establishes herself as a Latter-day Saint mental health professional with a unique capacity to love her LDS faith enough talk about the beliefs and practices that are causing harm to members of the church worldwide.

    The bottom line? Healthy spiritual wellbeing is correlated with healthy mental health. If my church beliefs and practices are making me sick in any way--these beliefs need to be courageously examined.

    To those of you who have been on this journey since Valerie started the podcast (the "OGs") and to those who just learned about it last week and do not know where to start--pleasea enjoy this classic episode that got Latter Day Struggles on the map and has led to the healing of thousands of people in LDS faith crisis in the past 3 years.


    Timestamps:

    00:00 – Introduction and Overview
    02:06 – Four Stages of Faith Development

    04:28 – Moving Beyond Stage 1

    08:06 – Limitations of Stage 2

    12:02 – Moving Toward Stage 4

    14:43 – Contextualizing Faith Traditions

    15:28 – Stages in World Religions

    16:01 – Institutional Roles in Faith Development

    16:32 – Supporting Complexity and Skepticism

    18:00 – Therapist’s Perspective

    19:02 – Healthy Family Systems and Faith Development

    20:48 – The Role of Adolescence

    22:01 – Ownership of Belief

    24:43 – The Dangers of Over-Resistance

    26:37 – Richard Rohr's Perspective on Faith Development

    28:34 – Transitioning to Complexity

    31:49 – Hope Beyond Skepticism

    34:07 – Institutional Challenges

    36:58 – Misconceptions About Atonement

    38:44 – Institutional Self-Reflection

    40:09 – Marginalization and Fear-Based Narratives

    43:00 – Letters from Listeners: Shock and Isolation

    46:59 – Ambivalence and Hope in Skepticism

    50:03 – Understanding Faith Development Stages

    53:45 – Creating True Community

    56:00 – Transitioning Through Chaos

    57:30 – The Emptiness Stage

    59:00 – Achieving True Community

    01:01:00 – Maintaining True Community

    01:03:00 – Conclusion and Call to Action

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    1 h et 12 min
  • 397: What Happens When Only One Kind of Latter-day Saint is Allowed to Exist in the Church
    Jan 5 2026

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    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 Differences

    01:57 – Stages of Faith and Identity Segments

    03:38 – Framework for Understanding Differences

    08:00 – Setting Up the Segment Discussion

    09:36 – Overview of the Six Segments

    14:30 – Personal Examples of Segment Fluidity

    16:19 – Avoiders and Their Journey

    18:30 – The Spectrum of Development

    21:15 – Disaffiliation and Its Complexities

    22:50 – The Public Narrative vs. Reality

    24:43 – Conformity and Control in Religious Communities

    26:33 – Fear vs. Love Orientation

    28:13 – Focus on Protectors

    33:40 – The Need for Balance and Integration

    35:02 – Balancing Different Attributes in Church Culture

    39:30 – The Dangers of Fear-Driven Leadership

    41:40 – The Role of Fear and Love in Leadership

    44:00 – The Impact of Historical Persecution

    50:00 – Everyday Conflicts and Growth Opportunities

    53:14 – Final Thoughts on Growth and Development

    Support the show

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    59 min