Faith is like a little seed. If planted it will grow 😍. Thank you for all you are doing with this channel 🙏

I hope you are proud of yourselves for having made a grown man cry. I love each of you.

This is an excellent episode, I think Valerie is spot on. Anything that creates fear is not of God. I would love to see another episode with Valerie addressing when husband and wife are in a different space with the church.

Love that doesn’t try to change you changes you - very profound

This was a wonderful episode.

Thank you for this honest, loving, expansive conversation that promotes connection and inclusion. We need more of this 🤍

This was a powerful episode. My wife and I really benefited from it as we have a couple of free spirits among our children. I would love to have a transcript of this, but it doesn't appear to be offered. Thanks for your thought provoking and uplifting work.

Wonderful teachings! I would add that before completely abandoning theology that causes discomfort, consider revisiting it with a scholar's mind and a child's curiosity. Are we over or underemphasizing something?What lenses we are using to view the doctrine and how we are interpreting it? What does a holistic reading of the scriptures, prophets, and enlightened commentaries say on the matter? Can we harmonize this with both love and logic? In this way, I've discovered more enriching ways to approach the theology.

What if, as parents, as grandparents, as teachers, or as church leaders, we talked about and taught the "Why." Why live the gospel. Why do I believe? Why does living within the boundaries (commandments) that God sets work in my life. What experiences have I had, which can be shared with our families and friends, that have gotten me in this place of deep belief, and why are they so important to me? As Father Richard has said, each of will have an experience(s) that can transform us, and then we begin living our second half of life. But quite often, if we don't ever dig deep enough to figure out the "why" of it all, our second half may just be like our first half. But way too often, in the church, we just continue to repeat the same things and never experience the depth...and the simplicity...of the gospel.

There’s a lot to appreciate here, but there’s one thing that makes me uneasy. A couplet that resonates with me is, “If it’s not loving, it’s not true. And if it’s not true, it’s not loving.” What sometimes makes me uneasy about conversations like this is that the first half of this couplet is hammered relentlessly, and the second half is ignored. One example is the frequent tendency (including in this episode) to recite the “bear, mourn, and comfort” elements of Alma’s baptismal invitation, and conveniently ignore the “stand as witnesses at all times” part.

I really appreciated this episode and the advice to step away from or let go of things that feel psychologically harmful. Another podcast's focus on Korihor and the Zoramites seemed to (me to) really emphasize doctrinal purity. There are certainly blessings that come with "unity in Christ," but I also feel this mentality can lead to a culture that prioritizes being "defenders of the faith" over its members and their diverse gifts and thoughts. Is there an FM episode that takes on this subject?

Regarding the mention of fear regarding families being divided in different kingdoms of glory, perhaps someone can correct me or clarify the doctrine, if there is one, regarding eternal progression. I believe that a loving Heavenly Father will give each of us every opportunity to progress as much as we desire, even if that means progressing from one kingdom to another. I don't know if there is a definitive teaching about this though. When a loved one passes away, of course, it is devastating, but I think the eternal perspective makes that separation much easier for us to deal with. Similarly, I would be devastated if one of my children chose to leave the gospel teachings that have brought me such peace and joy, but I would hope to feel a measure of comfort in the sealing bond that we share and in the belief that we could be together eternally if they desired that.