Mormon Stories Podcast

Stephen Urquhart was raised in Houston, Texas, where he and his family converted to the LDS church after the suicide of his older brother.  After serving an LDS mission in Brazil, Steve married Sara Stanley and graduated from BYU Law School -- ultimately settling in St. George, Utah. After developing a successful law career in St. George, Stephen served for 16 years in the Utah State Legislature, representing Washington County. In total, Stephen served 8 years in the Utah House of Representatives, and 8 years in the Utah Senate.  During this vast legislative career, Stephen championed legislation on several issues crucial to Utahns, including: public land use, water rights, death penalty, increasing citizen access to legal services, numerous initiatives to improve K-12 and higher education in Utah, and most recently -- anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation (LGBT), as well as the legalization of medical marijuana. In this two-part episode, Stephen discusses: Part 1: His early years in the LDS Church, and his legal and legislative careers in Utah. Part 2: His experiences and reflections on the powerful influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the Utah legislative process, and his loss of LDS faith after witnessing the negative impact of LDS LGBT policies on several people close to him.

Stephen Urquhart was raised in Houston, Texas, where he and his family converted to the LDS church after the suicide of his older brother.  After serving an LDS mission in Brazil, Steve married Sara Stanley and graduated from BYU Law School -- ultimately settling in St. George, Utah. After developing a successful law career in St. George, Stephen served for 16 years in the Utah State Legislature, representing Washington County. In total, Stephen served 8 years in the Utah House of Representatives, and 8 years in the Utah Senate.  During this vast legislative career, Stephen championed legislation on several issues crucial to Utahns, including: public land use, water rights, death penalty, increasing citizen access to legal services, numerous initiatives to improve K-12 and higher education in Utah, and most recently -- anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation (LGBT), as well as the legalization of medical marijuana. In this two-part episode, Stephen discusses: Part 1: His early years in the LDS Church, and his legal and legislative careers in Utah. Part 2: His experiences and reflections on the powerful influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the Utah legislative process, and his loss of LDS faith after witnessing the negative impact of LDS LGBT policies on several people close to him.

Lance Allred's Mormon story is fascinating for so many reasons. He is the grandson of assassinated Mormon fundamentalist prophet Rulon Allred. He was born deaf, and stands 6'11" tall. He was a star basketball player for East High school (SLC, Utah), and played college basketball both at the University of Utah and Weber State University. Lance developed scrupulosity (religious OCD), at least partially as a result of both perfectionism, and guilt/shame relating to matters of sexuality. NCAA legend Rick Marjerus was fired as University of Utah basketball coach because of his verbal abuse of Lance. After college, Lance went on to play 10 years of professional basketball (mostly overseas), including playing a year for the Cleveland Cavaliers with Lebron James (pre-Miami), amongst other teams (he even met Larry Bird!). Lance become a popular public speaker, perhaps most recently known for his "What is Your Polygamy" TEDx talk. Lance has fascinating insights on faith, doubt, and disbelief. Lance's web site can be found here: http://www.lanceallred41.com

Lance Allred's Mormon story is fascinating for so many reasons. He is the grandson of assassinated Mormon fundamentalist prophet Rulon Allred. He was born deaf, and stands 6'11" tall. He was a star basketball player for East High school (SLC, Utah), and played college basketball both at the University of Utah and Weber State University. Lance developed scrupulosity (religious OCD), at least partially as a result of both perfectionism, and guilt/shame relating to matters of sexuality. NCAA legend Rick Marjerus was fired as University of Utah basketball coach because of his verbal abuse of Lance. After college, Lance went on to play 10 years of professional basketball (mostly overseas), including playing a year for the Cleveland Cavaliers with Lebron James (pre-Miami), amongst other teams (he even met Larry Bird!). Lance become a popular public speaker, perhaps most recently known for his "What is Your Polygamy" TEDx talk. Lance has fascinating insights on faith, doubt, and disbelief. Lance's web site can be found here: http://www.lanceallred41.com

Rulon Clark Allred (March 29, 1906 – May 10, 1977) was a homeopath and chiropractor in Salt Lake City and the founder/leader of what is now the Apostolic United Brethren, a breakaway sect of polygamous Mormon fundamentalists in Utah, Colorado, Montana, and Arizona, United States. He was murdered on the orders of Ervil LeBaron, the head of a rival polygamous sect (Wikipedia). Vance Allred is Rulon's Allred's son, and at one point was a chief apologist for Mormon fundamentalist polygamy, and was being groomed to succeed his father as prophet of the AUB. In this three part series, Vance Allred discusses: Part 1: His father's rise to power, via the founding of the Apostolic United Brethren, and Vance's early years as the son of a polygamist prophet. Part 2: The events leading up to Rulon Allred's assassination, and Vance's candid critique of his father's work, and  Part 3: The sexual abuse in the AUB that led Vance to leave the AUB, and the events that led Vance to join the LDS church (requiring an interview with two LDS apostles).  Finally, Vance discusses the factors that led to him becoming inactive LDS.

Rulon Clark Allred (March 29, 1906 – May 10, 1977) was a homeopath and chiropractor in Salt Lake City and the founder/leader of what is now the Apostolic United Brethren, a breakaway sect of polygamous Mormon fundamentalists in Utah, Colorado, Montana, and Arizona, United States. He was murdered on the orders of Ervil LeBaron, the head of a rival polygamous sect (Wikipedia). Vance Allred is Rulon's Allred's son, and at one point was a chief apologist for Mormon fundamentalist polygamy, and was being groomed to succeed his father as prophet of the AUB. In this three part series, Vance Allred discusses: Part 1: His father's rise to power, via the founding of the Apostolic United Brethren, and Vance's early years as the son of a polygamist prophet. Part 2: The events leading up to Rulon Allred's assassination, and Vance's candid critique of his father's work, and  Part 3: The sexual abuse in the AUB that led Vance to leave the AUB, and the events that led Vance to join the LDS church (requiring an interview with two LDS apostles).  Finally, Vance discusses the factors that led to him becoming inactive LDS.

Rulon Clark Allred (March 29, 1906 – May 10, 1977) was a homeopath and chiropractor in Salt Lake City and the founder/leader of what is now the Apostolic United Brethren, a breakaway sect of polygamous Mormon fundamentalists in Utah, Colorado, Montana, and Arizona, United States. He was murdered on the orders of Ervil LeBaron, the head of a rival polygamous sect (Wikipedia). Vance Allred is Rulon's Allred's son, and at one point was a chief apologist for Mormon fundamentalist polygamy, and was being groomed to succeed his father as prophet of the AUB. In this three part series, Vance Allred discusses: Part 1: His father's rise to power, via the founding of the Apostolic United Brethren, and Vance's early years as the son of a polygamist prophet. Part 2: The events leading up to Rulon Allred's assassination, and Vance's candid critique of his father's work, and  Part 3: The sexual abuse in the AUB that led Vance to leave the AUB, and the events that led Vance to join the LDS church (requiring an interview with two LDS apostles).  Finally, Vance discusses the factors that led to him becoming inactive LDS.

Jesse Stay worked for three years as leader of the LDS Church's social media initiatives. He was the first LDS Church employee with the name "social media" in his title.  His work primarily involved formulating the early Facebook and Twitter strategies for the church (including for LDS general authorities).  Jesse also provided social media support to various LDS Church departments including the missionary department, public relations, genealogy, the Joseph Smith Papers project, and the "I'm a Mormon" PR campaign. In this two-part episode, Jesse discusses: Part 1: The evolution of Jesse's LDS testimony, as he became aware of factual LDS history, saw the inner-workings of LDS Church headquarters, and as he struggled with the LDS church's November LGBT policy and its direct impact on family and friends. Part 2: Jesse discusses in-depth his experiences working two years for the LDS church as Senior Advisor of Social Media, and for one year as Director of Social Media at Deseret Digital Media. Currently, Jesse is the founder and principal of Stay N Alive, a social media advertising and marketing agency. 

Jesse Stay worked for three years as leader of the LDS Church's social media initiatives. He was the first LDS Church employee with the name "social media" in his title.  His work primarily involved formulating the early Facebook and Twitter strategies for the church (including for LDS general authorities).  Jesse also provided social media support to various LDS Church departments including the missionary department, public relations, genealogy, the Joseph Smith Papers project, and the "I'm a Mormon" PR campaign. In this two-part episode, Jesse discusses: Part 1: The evolution of Jesse's LDS testimony, as he became aware of factual LDS history, saw the inner-workings of LDS Church headquarters, and as he struggled with the LDS church's November LGBT policy and its direct impact on family and friends. Part 2: Jesse discusses in-depth his experiences working two years for the LDS church as Senior Advisor of Social Media, and for one year as Director of Social Media at Deseret Digital Media. Currently, Jesse is the founder and principal of Stay N Alive, a social media advertising and marketing agency. 

Amy McPhie Allebest is a lifelong member of the Church, a returned missionary, a temple-married wife and mother of four, and a graduate student at Stanford University. Last month, her article "Dear Mormon Man..." went viral and caught Mormon Stories' attention as a unique voice in Mormon Feminism.    In this episode, we discuss Amy's trajectory from her unquestioningly trusting childhood through her tumultuous, prolonged faith transition, brought on by the problematic language of the temple and a deep dive into Church History, to her current commitment to remain active in the Church despite her rejection of Patriarchy.   Check out more of Amy's writing in this month's Exponent II, and on http://mormondom.com, a publication on Medium.com.