Thanks for your willingness to give Mormon Stories a 2nd run. My focus for 2010 (and beyond?) will be: Empathy and Support for Those Struggling w/ a Faith Crisis: First and foremost, I want to help to build greater understanding, empathy and support within the broader LDS culture for those struggling with an LDS-related faith crisis. I envision interviewing many who have struggled with their faith — and to put forward several examples of people who have found joy on the other side of the struggle (regardless of whether they landed in or out of the church). The goal...
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Lately I’ve been feeling a very strong pull to bring Mormon Stories back.  If I were to do so, I would target few areas I feel really strongly about:
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Outside of family, my greatest pleasure in life is helping people through tough LDS transitions. If you are in a pinch, please do email me.  I will help in any way I can. If I can’t help you directly, I might be able to point you in some good directions.
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I remain an active, temple recommend-holding member of the LDS Church.  My wife and I currently teach in the primary and really, really enjoy it. I love both the church and its members deeply — and sincerely hope to see the Church strengthen and prosper in the coming years. That said I consider myself a heterodox, (largely) orthoprax, universalistic Mormon (“Open Mormon” for short). What this means to me is: Orthoprax: I generally take the commandments of the church pretty seriously in my own life.  I’ve still never tried alcohol or tobacco, for example.  I attend church weekly, fulfill...
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A comprehensive directory of all my interviews, presentations and writings can now be found here.
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If any of you are struggling in your relationship with the church, and resonate with some or all of the bullets below… Your study of LDS church history is causing you to question your testimony and/or commitment to the church Recent current events (like the FLDS thing in Texas, the Mitt Romney thing, or the Gay Marriage ballot initiative in California) have awakened in you discomfort w/ the church You find yourself bored and/or frustrated in church — because you do not feel as though you are able to have honest/candid discussions, or that the conversations/lessons are meaningful/relevant to...
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This explains what a podcast (like Mormon Stories) is:
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Welcome to Mormon Stories Podcast — the most popular LDS/Mormon-themed podcast on the Internet (between 4,000 and 6,000 listeners per episode) For those of you looking for some interesting, Mormon-related content to try out your new Christmas iPods — allow me to explain what Mormon Stories podcast is, and how to listen: Why do you do this? Hopefully these essays will help explain it. About the podcast: What is a podcast? A podcast is like a combination radio/TV show, but better because you can download it to your iPod (or MP3 player) and listen to/watch it whenever and wherever...
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As an act of obedience to Elder Ballard, I’m looking into the option of turning Mormon Matters into a group blog (like T&S, BCC, the Cultural Hall and FMH). Our slant would be:
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Stephen M and his comments about the recent PR film put out by the church entitled “Mormon Myths and Reality” inspired this post. Today’s LDS Doctrine and Covenants Section 132:61 reads: “And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse aanother, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him...
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