Listen, Learn & Love Hosted By Richard Ostler

My friend Tim Wright (RM from Spain, Age 29, Utah State Graduate) shares his story as a gay Latter-day Saints. Tim, who grew up in Morgan Utah, shares what led him to come out in May of 2021 and why coming out significantly improved his relationship with his Heavenly Father and his family. Tim, who is active in his LDS Ward, shares why he feels so much happier and a greater sense of belonging since coming out. If you are working through anger at God and/or wondering if it is time for you to come out, please listen to Tim’s story as he uses gospel principles and personal revelation to make his way forward full of hope. Thank you Tim for being on the podcast. You are a great man. Your story will help so many. ** Please Check Out My Book At: ** Deseret Book: www.deseretbook.com/p/listen-learn-and-love-embracing-lgbtq-latter-day-saints Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/1462135773

My friend Cheryl Hill shares her remarkable journey to be rebaptized into the Church in 2017 after nearly 30 years out of the Church. Cheryl talks about her relationship with Jesus which led her back into the Church in Georgia through many miraculous experience and incredible Church members. Cheryl is joined by her therapist, Jennifer Kuck, from Georgia (who flew to Utah for the podcast) and shares insights into Cheryl’s courage to deal with the pain/trauma of prior Church experiences that needed to be addressed to help Cheryl come back into the Church. Cheryl, who moved to Utah, is joined by her current Bishop, Nate Manning, who talks about helping Cheryl feel loved and welcome in the Ward. Bishop Manning and Cheryl talk about returning to the Temple and all the friends who supported Cheryl that day. This is a remarkable story of Cheryl's courage to rejoin the Church and the many people who love, believe in, and support Cheryl. Thank you Cheryl for being on the podcast. You are awesome. Y

My friend Chad Cannon (married father of four, active LDS, age 45) join us from near Idaho Falls to share his story. Chad talks about his 30 year journey with pornography use and how the 12-step addiction recovery program (focused on the Savior) was is path to hope and healing. Chad also shares insights into being the father of two LGBTQ children and also battling a life and death illness with leukemia. If you need hope in your life to end pornography use, please listen to Chad’s story and the role of our Savior and His atonement. Chad also had helpful insights in raising LGBTQ kids and also dealing with a serous illness. Thank you Chad for being on the podcast and sharing your story as you story will help so many. ** Please Check Out My Book At: ** Deseret Book: www.deseretbook.com/p/listen-learn-and-love-embracing-lgbtq-latter-day-saints Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/1462135773

My friend Jason Conforto, producer at Avalanche Studios, talks about why he and director, Dave Lindsay, decided to produce the documentary film Dog Valley, about the brutal murder of Gordon Church in Millard County, Utah in 1988. Jason shares the role his friend, Chad Anderson, played in researching and bringing this story to Avalanche Studios and producing the film with them. The movie honors the life of Gordon Church and brings awareness to his horrific death. It opens the door to what we can do to better support our fellow LGBTQ friends and create positive messages. Jason, who is an active LDS father with a gay son, also talks about how much better things are for his son 30+ years later and how much he loves and supports his son. You can purchase the film at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/dog-valley/id1582528103 Or you can find more information about the film at dogvalleymovie.com or Avalanche-studios.com Thank you Jason for being on the podcast. Thank you to Chad Anderson, Dave Lin

My friend Brenna Hoffman (married mother of new baby boy) shares her story of not belonging and never fully feeling accepted in Latter-day Saint culture. This feeling along with a negative experience in the temple and life-long questions led Brenna to conclude that her path was to leave the Church. Brenna shares her story, and talks about support from her convert husband (in a master’s program at BYU), family and friends, feeling accepted in non-LDS congregations and her spiritual impressions to return to the Church. Brenna has been sharing her experiences on social media, in testimony meeting in her BYU Ward, and in her community and has been met with love and support. She also talks about creating safe spaces and unity in our congregations so everyone can feel like they have a place in the Church. If you are trying to find a way to stay in the Church or are looking for better tools to help others, please listen to Brenna’s story. It is powerful, vulnerable and full of insights to help us better come to

My friend Becky Edwards joins us to talk about her run for U.S. Senate. Becky, who served 10 years in the Utah House of Representatives, talks about why she is running, past legislative successes, the importance of listening, and principles to bring us together. Becky also talks about the story of her yellow couch—now a key element of her campaign. I start the podcast with our family connection to Becky and John Edwards. During their recent missionary service in Samoa, Becky became the answer to our family prayers for our missionary son Ben who served in Samoa in 2019-2020. Thank you Becky for being on the podcast and sharing your vision for Utah. Thanks for sharing why you are running and the values you believe will help bring us together and reduce divisiveness. Please check out Becky’s campaign at www.BeckyForUtah.com or follow her on social media @BeckyForUtah

My friend Dylan Stegall (Age 23, Texan, RM for Chile Santiago East) shares his journey as gay Latter-day Saint. Dylan talks about being aware of this part about him before his mission but staying really busy/productive and kind of pushing it down. Dylan talks about his successful and enjoyable mission. Dylan talks about trying to date woman at BYU-Idaho and how he gradually came to feel that is not his path. Dylan shares starting to come out to others and then a deeply spiritual experience where Dylan has God how he felt about Dylan’s sexual orientation. That powerful experience let Dylan to come out in this Facebook post in August of 2021 https://www.facebook.com/dylan.stegall.3/posts/1199150057217305. Dylan talks about what is it like to be out at BYU-Idaho (mostly good experiences) and what BYU-Idaho is doing to including calling a chief inclusion officer (see https://byuicomm.org/byuiscroll/6-months-as-chief-inclusion-officer/). BYU-Idaho had a booth at the Rexburg Pride this past Summe

My friends Garrett and Sallie Ferguson, married parents of 4 kids, join us from the Dallas area to share their story. They first shared in 2013 as part of the Voices of Hope project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s36K2ilFsnY. They give us an update on their lives since 2013 and what they are doing to bring more understanding to LGBTQ/SSA Latter-day Saints through their co-work as managers of the Voices of Hope project. That project has recently expanded into a podcast as part of North Star (see northstarlds.org). Thank you for being on the podcast Garrett and Sallie and all the great work you are doing to bring us together and increase understanding. ** Please Check Out My Book At: ** Deseret Book: www.deseretbook.com/p/listen-learn-and-love-embracing-lgbtq-latter-day-saints Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/1462135773

My friend Jakob Schramm (Age 23, RM from the Mexico Monterrey West Mission, Mechanical Engineering at University of Utah and Utah Valley University) shares his journey as a gay Latter-day Saint. Jakob talks the journey to understand and accept this part of himself and then the thoughtful and methodical process to figure out his best path forward. Jakob talks about working through two suicidal times of his life and how he is now in a much better place thanks to the support he is receiving from others. Jakob is honest about his relationship with the LDS Church and is not yet sure how to reconcile his membership in the Church and his sexuality, though he still maintains a relationship with God. Thank you for being on the podcast Jakob. You are a good man doing your best to find your best path forward. Thanks for being you and all the good you bring into this world. ** Please Check Out My Book At: ** Deseret Book: www.deseretbook.com/p/listen-learn-and-love-embracing-lgbtq-latter-day-saints Amazon: www

My friend Jamison Manwaring (RM from Eastern Canada, Business Owner, Age 40) shares his journey as a gay Latter-day Saint. Jamison talks about his efforts to make deals with God to not be gay during his closeted years growing up in Idaho Falls and coming out to his Mission President who listened without judgement. Jamison talks about difficult and painful years in his 20’s and early 30’s trying to find a way to find a way forward in a healthy and sustainable way as he navigated his sexuality and faith. Jamison talks about working for Goldman Sachs in New York and how the supportive culture for its LGBTQ employees to helped Jamison better accept himself and come out in a more extended way in 2013 on Facebook (www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Thj42lMf4). Jamison is now a business owner in the Phoenix area (https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2020/07/17/valley-exec-went-from-wall-street-to-main-street.html) Jamison talks about dating men and why he feels that is the best path forward for him. Jamison

My friend Ed Axley (married father of four, business owner, RM from Costa Rica) share the unique aspects of our restored doctrine that led to his baptism into the Church at age 18. Ed also shares four insightful ways to respond when people open with their life situations. Ed concludes with helping each of us see ourselves as beloved children of Heavenly Parents and to never feel shame or less of ourselves—even in our worst moments. Thank you Ed for being on the podcast. You bring hope, wonderful perspective and a love for all of Heavenly Parents children.

My friend Andrea Lystrup is a licensed marriage and family therapist joining us to share insights on several important topics including 1) creating Zion within our Church; 2) tools to better love each other; 3) how to balance the tension between law and love; 4) working through pain when something said at Church is hurtful; 5) how to get through trauma/pain which is interfering with your relationship with God and ability to access your spirituality; and 6) advice for LDS couples in mixed-faith marriage. Thank you Andrea for being on the podcast. I was deeply moved by your insights and expertise to help bring us together and help/heal ourselves and others. You are doing great and needed work. Your can connect with Andrea at https://www.andrealystrup.com/ and Instagram @askandreamft

My friend Marcus Hayden, age 19 and preparing for a mission, shares his story as a gay Latter-day Saint. Marcus starts with the excellent talk he gave in his BYU YSA Ward this summer based on Elder Gong’s talk “Room in the Inn” (https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/16gong?lang=eng). Marcus does a great job of taking the principles from Elder Gong’s talk and applying them in real-life situations in our congregations. Marcus then shares his story coming out at age 13 to his parents, at age 14 to his Bishop and out to a broader circle after he graduated from High School. Marcus talks about the excellent support he is receiving from his parents, community, friends and local leaders. Marcus then talks about his decision to serve a mission and why being gay is a good thing as a missionary representing the Savior to help others come unto Christ through our restored Church. Thank you Marcus for being on the podcast. You have a beautiful and unique life mission to help othe

My friend Liv Mendoza Haynes, who spoke with the Relief Society General Presidency at BYU Women’s Conference, shares her story. Liv (who is a convert, RM, Lawyer, Young Woman’s President and expectant mother), shares her journey which included coming out as queer church-wide at Women’s Conference in April 2021 as part of the Relief Society goal to help everyone belong (see https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-04-29/byu-womens-conference-relief-society-a-safe-place-belonging-211785 and https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/04/29/help-all-women-including/). Liv talks about being queer and why they label works for her, advice to other queer/LGBTQ women, advice to parents of LGBTQ children, supporting all types of marriages, better sitting with people in their pain, how to better mourn, develop compassion on not judge. Liv also explains why being queer is not a problem. She believes this is how her Heavenly Parents intended for her to be created. It is a beautiful part of her identi

My friend Colette Dalton (Masters of Social Work from BYU, worked for the Church, now therapist at Symmentry Solutions) share her journey as a gay/queer Latter-day Saints. Colette shares her journey to understand her sexual orientation, navigating being queer and a Church employee and her work as a therapist. If you are a queer women or parent of a queer daughter, Colette’s insights will help you. And if you are someone who wants to better understand queer Latter-day Saints to help them move forward, or someone working though suicidal ideation, or wanting to strengthen your relationships, Colette’s insights will help you. Thank you Colette for being on the podcast. Your good heart, story and clinical experience helps so many

My friend Kendall Harward (Ghana, West Africa RM) bravely shares his story. Kendall talks about life before his mission pushing down this aspect of his essence, talking to his Bishop, and going on his mission believing feelings of being gay was a phase that ended. Kendall bravely talks about realizing being gay was still part of him during his mission and how he navigated the complexity of his situation including overwhelming shame for his feelings. Kendall talks about returning home hoping he would marry a woman and fulfill his hope for a family and life within the Church. Kendall talks about dating women and how he feels that is not going to be his path. He talks about dating men, going through the church repentance process, and his recent positive of loving experience with his Bishop and Stake President and his desire to stay connected to his local ward. Kendall also talks about the need for self-care and how seeing a therapist and taking care of himself is needed and not selfish and invites ev

My friend Stuart Barrett (RM from Nebraska, age 26) bravely shared his experience being disfellowshipped in a Facebook post (see https://www.facebook.com/1344601875/posts/10225731849786709/) and returned to full Church activity. Stuart talks about why he is open about this chapter of his life, why he is a better person for going through the process, efforts to reduce shame and desire to give hope to others. If you want to go through the repentance process or help others, please listen to Stuart’s podcast. He is brave, honest, vulnerable and authentic. His story will help you. Also, if you are suicidal, Stuart has insights that will give you more hope and desire to stay. Thank you Stuart for being on the podcast. Respect. Your facebook post and doing the podcast helps 100s and 100s.

My friend Devan Jensen, president of the Latter-day Saint Publishing and Media Association (ldspma.org), joins us to introduce the organization and invite listeners to their upcoming conference at BYU October 7-9, 2021. The association is for Latter-day Saints in publishing or media or independently sharing content through blogs, podcasts, or social media (membership is free). Those who join can network or find resources to help efforts to reach a wider audience (such as writing a book, developing a podcast, better using social media, etc). On the podcast, Devan talks about the organization’s purpose and the upcoming conference (student discount code of Student2021 and all others code of Friend2021; good through September 30). Devan also shares principles and insights to find common ground. If you are a Latter-day Saint developing content, please listen to this podcast and check out this organization. They are providing a needed resource. Thank you, Devan, for being on the podcast and for all your grea

In this solo episode following the events at BYU on August 23rd, I share thoughts for my LGBTQ Latter-day Saints friends, thoughts about my friend Matt Easton, thoughts for fellow Latter-day Saints who are LGBTQ allies, thoughts for local leaders wanting to talk about supporting LGBTQ Latter-day Saints in their local areas, and insights for those in a faith crisis who want to stay in the Church. In the podcast I reference a Questions from the Closet episode (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-do-i-do-if-im-hurt-by-something-a-church-leader-says/id1504990147?i=1000532985270), David Archuleta (https://www.instagram.com/p/CTFK5tsDXbD/, Facebook group for active Latter-day Saints working to implement church supported LGBTQ discussions/activities in their area (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143) and a chapter about getting through a faith-crisis from my upcoming book (https://www.dropbox.com/s/rei464khsydwdsb/Chapter%2010%20Ministering%20To%20Those%20With%20Questions.pdf?dl=0) I hope

My friend Mindi Holmgren and Justin Holmgren join us to share about the sudden death of their husband/brother at age 35. Corey, who drowned in the community swimming pool on January 19th 2019, was a Military Chaplain and LMFT working at Lifestar in Murray, Utah who helped hundreds during his lifetime. Mindi and Corey are the parents of four—with their last child born 6 weeks after Corey’s death. Mindi and Justin share about Corey’s life work (which one of Corey’s clients, Tate LeBaron spoke about in Episode 422), how to help those with a sudden and tragic family death, what to say and not to say, and how they are making their way forward. They also talk about how their testimony has deepened and their thoughts about the plan of salvation to bring hope and the Atonement of Jesus Christ to help bring healing. They also talk about how there is sometimes no answers and how to live with faith during mortality. The Holmgren family has started a non-profit organization in Corey’s name. Check it out at c