All Out in the Open

This week’s ALL Together guest Malissa Larson knows firsthand the power of community. A former homeless youth and first-generation college graduate, she worked her way through school and now serves as a Neighborhood Specialist for the City of Phoenix, helping to connect and uplift communities.In the episode, Malissa discuses with Liz Macdonald and Michael Soto the importance of meeting people where they are—slowing down, speaking their language, and listening with intention. Real change comes from hope, not shame. By focusing on the dignity of others and finding safe spaces for ourselves, we can build bridges that lead to lasting impact.

OPEN Up: Charlie Bird and Ben Schilaty tackle the overwhelming noise surrounding LGBTQ+ topics in the Church and society, sharing personal stories of feeling excluded, politicized or dehumanized. Those experiences can bring a lot of loneliness but also a deeper, more complex faith.Loving God and loving our neighbor go hand in hand—Ben and Charlie ask us to ponder, what does it truly mean to love our LGBTQ+ neighbors? While individual acceptance doesn’t make up for structural exclusion, allies are needed to cut through the noise by standing up, sharing stories, and catching stones when necessary.

This week on IN the Scriptures, Clare Dalton sits down with Ady and Cora Johnson—returned missionaries, newlyweds, adventurers and active members of the Church. They dive into Doctrine and Covenants 29-40, exploring how God asks us to leave parts of our old selves behind. As we change, we may grieve the life we thought we’d live, but there is also incredible joy in becoming who we’re meant to be.

In this episode of OUT and About, Iese Wilson interviews Wallace Pelesasa—a fellow Samoan and gay Latter-Day Saint. Growing up in a large family, Wallace attended church mainly to appease his father. His testimony didn’t truly ignite until his military service, where he met people whose faith inspired him. As he built a relationship with God, Wallace also embraced his own identity and discovered his mission to build bridges between the LGBTQ+ community and his Samoan church congregation. His efforts remind us that true harmony comes when we embrace differences.  

This week on ALL Together, Liz Macdonald and Michael Soto sit down with Clare Dalton, host of IN the Scriptures and curator of the Gatherings curriculum, and Jen Dille, project manager at the Center for Action and Contemplation. Together Jen and Clare started monthly Ally Nights—safe spaces for learning, connection and support for LGBTQ+ individuals and those who love them. The episode explores what it means to be an ally and how our small, collective efforts can make a big difference. They also highlight the upcoming Gather Conference Arizona and Belong Youth Conference. We hope to see you at these great events!Gather Conference Arizona: https://www.gather-conference.com/regionalBelong Youth Conference: https://www.belongyouthconference.org

In this week’s OPEN Up episode, Ben Schilaty shares his experiences with grief after recently losing his mother to her long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He reflects on the incredible life she lived, the challenges she overcame, and the profound impact she had on those who loved her.Ben also reveals what has been helpful in the mourning process—including the simple but powerful question, “What does grief look like for you today?”

This week on IN the Scriptures, Clare Dalton and Becca Shumway dive into Doctrine and Covenants 18-28. These revelations shaped the early structure of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Clare and Becca explore how structure can be both a help and a hindrance to personal growth. In the episode, Becca shares her insights on faith, the ongoing restoration and what it means to truly see the worth of every soul. 

In this week’s OUT and About episode, Iese Wilson interviews Max Maneekam, a gay Latter-day Saint from Thailand now living in South Carolina with his husband.Max shares his journey of faith, from discovering the Church at age 12 to serving a mission in Ogden, Utah, to becoming the branch president of his Thai congregation at age 21 to attending BYU-Hawaii. As he has navigated religion and identity, he has been blessed to find unwavering support from his family, and he wants to be a resource for other LGBTQ+ members of the Church who face rejection, encouraging them to be brave, be yourself and know God loves you. 

In this ALL Together episode, Liz Macdonald and Michael Soto sit down with Pastor Stan Mitchell, a Christian pastor with a powerful journey of faith and inclusion. Growing up in a fear-based, exclusivist Christian tradition, he gradually expanded his understanding of God’s love and eventually played a role in his Nashville church’s decision to fully embrace LGBTQ+ members in 2015. Now, he travels extensively, helping Christian families and churches navigate faith and LGBTQ+ acceptance.Pastor Mitchell discusses the wounds that religious teachings can cause—not just for LGBTQ+ individuals but also for those who uphold exclusionary beliefs out of fear and conviction. Through Jesus’s parables and stories, he illustrates the need for compassion, listening, and standing in solidarity with the marginalized. He challenges allies to move beyond passive support, reminding us that if we’re not feeling the impact of the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community, we may not be standing close enough.

This month on OPEN Up, Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird sit down with Lisa Valentine Clark. Lisa is a mother of five and host of the podcasts “The Lisa Show” and “Council of Moms.”Lisa shares her experience with grief following the death of her husband. She discusses navigating life when it doesn’t go as planned, including finding connection and living in the present.