Up next in my series all about leaving Mormonism AND ExMormonism, I chat with my 
childhood friend Valerie all about her experiences growing up Mormon, Ricks College (yes, before it was BYU-I), converting and marrying her husband, and falling down the rabbit hole and leaving Mormonism. It’s a crash course, with some great wisdom at the end of the conversation. 
Please don’t miss all the photos I posted of our favorite childhood moments, can you believe I found photos to go along with the things Valerie brought up? Writing the names of all the guys we’ve kissed on the wall at girls camp? Check! The deer head someone used to 
terrorize us? Check! Attempting to dye our hair with kool-aid? You know it! Girls camp was where the memories were made! If you’d like to watch Val and I catch up on Growing Up 
Mormon, head on over to Patreon for the full video of this conversation!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- VIDEO of this chat on Patreon
- VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations
- Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 - Transition pieces found here
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Today I have some Post Mormon Confessions for you, things I am still carrying around with me that I’d like to work through and let go. First up, I still carry my temple recommend in my wallet, 7 years later. Why the heck do I do this?? Second, boobs. Yep, I’m gonna talk about growing up as a Mormon girl with boobs and how that wrecked me. That pic right there is me in 6th grade sporting my mom approved no cleavage Speedo. I’m the one holding my breath like I can’t smile underwater. Do you have some Post Mormon Confessions as well? I’d love to hear what yours are, and what they mean to you in your life. Also, don’t miss the upcoming topics, reach out and tell me about what they mean to you so I can include you in the next episode!
Lesley Butterfield, Bryce Blankenagel and I create a very strong case for why we all should care about the Strengthening Church Members Committee and their top secret files obtained through secret spies and online moles. We learned quite a few things during our call to the SCMC office, call in Episode 73, and we bring in current events that make these discoveries even more significant. The recent Vice piece chronicling the sex abuse case in West Virginia and how they focus on the LDS Church “Helpline” becomes a vital tie in. And did you catch the Panel of Women at the Women’s Conference at BYU who told all the women in the church how to submit when Priesthood leaders are being dismissive? Yuck! It is aaaaaalll related! Be sure and listen to Episode 75 as well, as this is a 2 part discussion. The videos for these episodes are already on Patreon, where subscribers got a super early release!
Today, 3 Mormons are back to call the Strengthening Church Members Committee. This Committee serves the church leadership as an Orwellian group of dutiful spies who track down the activities of members who have been deemed apostate. These files contain screenshots of online activities and other evidence of apostasy. Once a member gains the level of public attention that is deemed problematic to the LDS highest authority, the member’s local leaders, Bishops and Stake Presidents, are given the go-ahead to begin disciplinary action. As you may remember from MHH Ep57, myself, Lesley Butterfield and Bryce Blankenagel are still members of record and have not yet resigned for unique reasons. So we decided to call Elder Dyches this morning to obtain what information was found in our prospective SCMC member files. Listen in to see how it went and what new information we gained! Lesley asks specifically about what recourse members have who are abused by the very local ecclesiastical leaders that Church HQ refers us back to when we raise concern. Don’t miss Part 2 where we discuss this call and all the new information and its significance later today.
Part 2 brings 3 guests all with extensive experience and expertise, all unique and fascinating, with Cannabis! First up, learn all the benefits it can bring to your mental health, backed by scientific research! Best of all, learn what it can do to conquer an upbringing in Mormon sex shaming and unlock mind-blowing orgasms! Who doesn’t want amazing sex? Next, listen as Chelsea tells us what she has learned through decades of use and from being closely engaged in a local grower of cannabis in WA State. And last of all, a special friend I’ll call Candy because of her skills making the KanniKandi in her very own kitchen! If you missed the videos of my exploration with cannabis, head over to Patreon to check those out!
Gina Colvin and I make a case for Secular Lent as she teaches me about her own Lent practices and what she has learned during her deep dives into what Lent is all about. We share our own thoughts on what spirituality means to us as we have left Orthodox Mormonism behind. Be inspired by Gina’s philosophical views of the Liturgical year, the meaning behind each season, and the beauty within the rituals and meditations. What does fasting mean? Why may it be important even after we have left religion behind? As always, please enjoy the full video of this conversation on Patreon, just search Mormon Happy Hour or follow the links in the show notes. Gina Colvin also invites you to join her on March 30th in SLC as she hosts “Farewell to God: A Lenten Retreat” something that sounds a lot like a KonMari to God! Details in the show notes.
Laurie shares her PostMo love story that is a whirlwind of crazy, exciting and adorable! It involves a faith crisis, divorce, family relations and her conflict with Mormonism in her life. To round out the Love theme, Marie Kent and I explore the topic of Love vs. Lust with Spencer W. Kimball. It’s an epic battle between the three of us, and I’ll let you be the judge of who wins these arguments. Head on over to Patreon right now to watch TWO video episodes of the Six Minute Skinny Dip into Nutty Mormon History. First up, “Do Mormons Have Horns?” and best of all “Mormon Artifacts.” Are there Mormon Artifacts Imbued with Magical Powers?! YOU BETCHA! And the video of Laurie’s PostMo Love Story is there too, just waiting to brighten your day!
Happy Valentine’s Day from Mormon Happy Hour! Enjoy a special holiday gift of a Post-Mormon Love story! So often, the journey through to the other side of Mormonism involves changes in our romantic relationships. These changes can be painful, and they can also be full of growth and happiness. Today is Part 1 in a series of PostMo love stories I have gathered for you to celebrate the journey and what it can bring! Spoiler! The last part will be my own PostMo love story! Valentine’s Day is my new wedding anniversary after all! But before mine, please meet Elena, a friend of mine who is absolutely bursting with happiness, love, deep satisfaction and fulfillment, and just all around JOY! She’s hysterical, I love her to pieces, and I can’t wait for her to make your day as she has mine! And as always, I hope you watch Elena tell her story, it’s hysterical and she is magical! Please visit Patreon for access to this video and many others!
Celebrating two birthdays this week on MHH, no, not that one you’re thinking of that’s also happening this week. So to do that, I dug deep into the MHH material stash and brought out three gems to gift you! First up, the concluding Part III of John & Mary, advice from Spencer W. Kimball, in a segment with Marie Hill of Feminist Mormon Reading Roast. Next, Mithryn stops by to give us the real history behind beard cards at BYU and share some of the fascinating facial hair drama that still exists today. And to wrap it up, hear some behind the scenes info from Ryan McKnight, co-founder of MormonLeaks regarding the leaked audio of McKenna Denson confronting Joseph Bishop about sexually assaulting her at the MTC. Don’t forget to call in to the MHH voicemail, 435-494-1427. And if you’re feeling generous this season, those two birthdays mentioned are accepting gifts at the Mormon Happy Hour Patreon page and on Venmo! Cheers!
Happy Election Day! To celebrate this day of civic responsibility, join Colleen as she explores a group of women born out of Mormon roots who are passionately active in political activism and decency. MWEG was created in the aftermath of the tumultuous 2016 Election when so many were frustrated and disappointed with the political climate. Catherine Eslinger visits Mormon Happy Hour to share the past victories, including raising statements regarding issues such as separating refugee children at the border, and most recently concerning the investigation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. If you’d prefer to watch this guest interview instead of just listen, the full video is available on the Mormon Happy Hour Patreon Page.