Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Episodes

Mentioned books

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Jan 30, 2022 • 1h 4min

Episode 500: Alexander Solis La Torre, Creating Safe Spaces and a Culture of Belonging

My friend Alexander Solis La Torre (Worldwide Unified Co-founder, RM, active LDS, senior BYU student) joins us to share powerful and thoughtful insights on fostering belonging and creating safe spaces in our congregations. This podcast is an expanded version of the devotional Alexander gave on High Five Live: “A LONGING FOR BELONGING: Keys to Building a Safe Community & Becoming a Safe Person” (see https://www.facebook.com/HiFiveLive/videos/419121603010367), which is one of the finest sermons on this topic I’ve ever heard. Alexander is a co-founder and admin of Worldwide Unified, the interfaith Facebook group that gathered more than half a million people from 32 religions and 99 countries in one week to fast in April 2020, following President Nelson’s invitation in General Conference (check out https://www.facebook.com/groups/534352464165662). If you want to improve the culture of your congregation to be a safe place for everyone, please listen to this podcast. Alexander has gospel-based principles and insights that help accomplish this goal. And if you don’t feel you belong, Alexander—who also feels this way at times—will help you and give you more hope. If you’d like to read Alexander’s notes from the podcast, please this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/g0ha2ke1aol4eoo/A%20Longing%20for%20Belonging%20by%20Alexander%20Solis%20La%20Torre%20Episode%20500.pdf?dl=0 Thank you, Alexander, for being on the podcast and all your great work in our Church to teach out how to build safe places so that more people feel like they are needed and belong.
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Jan 25, 2022 • 1h 28min

Episode 499: Iese Wilson, Gay Latter-Day Saint, Groundbreaking Work at BYU-Hawaii

My friend Iese Wilson (RM, Age 28, Graduating BYU-H) bravely shares his story. Iese starts with reaching out to the President of BYU-Hawaii to share his story as a gay student and the resulting positive meeting (along with others from BYU-H administration) that occurred. Iese also talks about the many closeted BYU-H students who have reached out to him and shares about the complexity of coming another country/culture and being LGBTQ in The Church. Iese also talks about his supportive Bishop and Stake President which led to a packed Stake Fireside about supporting LGBTQ Latter-day Saints (where Becky, Scott, and their son Xian Mackintosh spoke). This led to Iese’s story being shared in the official BYU-Hawaii magazine (https://issuu.com/kealakai/docs/whole.nobleeds/48). Iese then shares his story of coming out to himself, friends, family and in a Church talk; the things he is learning; the personal revelation he is receiving, and thoughts about his future. Thank you Iese for being on the podcast and all your great work to build harmony, create Zion and bring us together as the same human family. ** 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 ** Want to develop church-supported LGBTQ activities in your local area? Please join our FB group below ** https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143
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Jan 20, 2022 • 1h 4min

Episode 498: Brooke Anderson, Lesbian Latter-day Saint

My friend Brooke Anderson (RM, Masters student at BYU, Author) shares her story. Brooke talks about her journey to understand and then accept her sexual orientation (which included a annulled marriage). Brooke talks about working through anger with God and the Church and why she remains a committed and believing member of the Church. She also talks about why she is sharing her sexual orientation with others including her book “Through My Lens” available at Barns and Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/through-my-lens-brooke-anderson/1140786213) Brooke talks about helpful friends and ward members who have supported her in her journey and what we can do to better support LGBTQ Latter-day Saints as we work to create Zion. Thank you Brooke for being on the podcast and your courage to share you story. You are awesome and our world better place with you and your contributions. I encourage everyone to check out this episode and Brooke’s book. ** Want to develop church-supported LGBTQ activities in your local area? Please join our FB group below ** https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143
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Jan 15, 2022 • 1h 28min

Episode 497: Brittany(cisgender)& Maeve(transgender) Sechrist, Married LDS Couple

My friends Brittany and Maeve Sechrist (married with three children) share their story with Maeve coming out to Brittany as transgender in July of 2021. Maeve shares feeling gender dysphoria for many years and what led her to finally come out to her wife. Brittany shares her reaction and subsequent journey to love, learn and support Maeve and how their marriage is strong, healthy and full of hope. Brittany and Maeve share the things they are learning, commitment to the Church, personal revelation, expectations for allies, and hope for their future. Their story is a beautiful love story. If you want to learn about and better support transgender Latter-day Saints, please listen to this podcast. It helped me and I believe will help you. If you are transgender and need hope for your future, this podcast will help you. Thank you Brittany and Maeve for being on the podcast and the courage to share your story. Great job my friends! ** 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 ** Want to develop church-supported LGBTQ activities in your local area? Please join our FB group below ** https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143
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Jan 11, 2022 • 1h 9min

Episode 496: Rebecca Snedegar, Recently Divorced, Former Husband is Gay, Maintaining Friendship

My friend Rebecca Snedegar (Active LDS, RM, Mother) bravely shares her story of her 7 year marriage ending when her husband Ammon came out as gay. Rebecca talks about both the pain of having her marriage end and compassion for her husband (who was always faithful) as they both concluded their best paths forward were to separate. Rebecca (who remains friends with her former husband and his family) talks about how her testimony of the Church remains strong and growing, how she is handling the divorce, the role of therapy and her hopes for the future. Rebecca also talks about The Current Bush (talk by Hugh B Brown https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/1973/01/the-currant-bush?lang=eng) and how this process is helping her be stronger and grow in ways that are part of her mortal plan. If you are going through a divorce (or wanting to help someone on this road), please listen to Rebecca’s podcast. She has wonderful and helpful insights. And if you are wondering where God is during a divorce (or not saving a marriage), Rebecca’s insights will help you. Thank you Rebecca for being on the podcast and your insights to keep us together as the same human family. ** 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 ** Want to develop church-supported LGBTQ activities in your local area? Please join our FB group below ** https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143
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Jan 7, 2022 • 32min

Episode 495: Brandon Kellogg, New Book “Honorably Excused”

My friend Brandon Kellogg joins us to talk about his new book “Honorably Excused” (available at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P8LY87Y/). Brandon talks about his own journey to serve a mission (check out Episode 266 for more of his story) and how we should create more support and understanding for Latter-day Saints who feel their path is to not serve a mission. I encourage everyone to check out this episode and Brandon’s book. Thank you Brandon for being on the podcast and your insights to improve our culture so more feel welcome, a feeling of belonging and needed.
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Jan 4, 2022 • 1h 13min

Episode 494: Justice Burt, Gay, Age 20, Convert

My friend Justice Burt shares his story of coming out as gay in middle school (which was a generally positive experience), being atheist/agnostic during middle/school early high school, and then his journey to join the Church. It is a unique and remarkable story. Justice talks about being gay and how he originally felt that was not compatible to being in a Christian religion. Justice talks about his friends and their love and support that gradually created a shift in Justice to be open to learning more. That eventually led to Justice’s baptism in December 2019. It is a powerful conversation story. Justice also shares, during the isolation of COVID, the experience of falling back into bad habits and coming close to leaving the Church altogether. Despite that, Justice talks about how he was always able to feel the Spirit and how he has been able to return to full activity in the Church. Justice closes with his “queer testimony”. Thank you Justice for being on the podcast. You are a great man with tremendous courage to be honest, open and authentic. Respect. You story will help so many and you have a great life ahead of you!
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Jan 1, 2022 • 1h 24min

Episode 493: Taylor Kerby: LDS Author of New Book on Scrupulosity

My friend Taylor Kerby (active LDS, Two Masters Degrees, PhD candidate) talks about his new book called “Scrupulous: My Obsessive Compulsion for God” which is at Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Scrupulous-My-Obsessive-Compulsion-God-ebook/dp/B09NFLLPMD). In the podcast Taylor bravely talks about his own journey with Scrupulosity discussing what it is, how it put him in a difficult place, and what he did to overcome it. Taylor, who has a Masters Degree in Religion from Clairmont, goes further to talk about what we can do to help more Latter-days Saints feel at home, create Zions, and feel good enough in our congregations—and what we can do to better create Zions. I was deeply moved by Taylor’s insights into our restored doctrine and Christ’s teachings—and how to apply those in our own lives and the loves of others to bring hope and healing. I encourage everyone to listen to the podcast and read Taylor’s book. Taylor has wonderful and helping insights. I learned much listening to him.
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Dec 29, 2021 • 1h 18min

Episode 492: Ginger Price, Resigned from Church, Positive Experience Sharing Her Journey

Episode 492: Ginger Price, Resigned from Church, Positive Experience Sharing Her Journey with Stake Presidency/Bishops My friend Ginger McKnight Price (married mother of four, RM) shares her journey with serving a mission (good experience) and then the events that led her to resign from the Church in 2018. Ginger is open, vulnerable and honest. She is not asking others to leave or not believe in the Church but shares the pain of having her faith shift and losing her community and a sense of belonging. Ginger talks about a social media post of an active Latter-day Saint saying kind things about those who leave the church that led to a friendship of understanding. Ginger then moved to from Alaska to Utah and was surprised to learn she was moving into the stake boundaries of this Latter-day Saint, Ed Hegemann who is serving as Stake President and is the Utah State Institute Director. President Heggeman invited Ginger to share her experience with the entire Stake Presidency and 8 Bishops. Ginger later wrote: “For the first time in twenty years, my perception of Mormon men shifted for the better. As I shared my story and answered questions, I felt nothing but a strong sense of love and genuine interest in how these men could do better at loving and treating others who are, or have experienced, a loss of belief in Mormonism.” She adds “I hoped for, but wasn’t quite sure just how cathartic and healing this hour and a half experience would be. The cleansing that come was absolutely purifying”. See Ginger’s post on this experience here: https://www.facebook.com/ginger.mcknightprice/posts/10160234772359575 Thank you President Hegmann for your leadership, ability to listen, and making this healing experience possible. Thank you Ginger for being on the podcast and having the courage to share your experience. Your story helps Church members better minister to those with questions about their faith or step away from the Church. You are strong, honest, vulnerable and have a great heart full of love and grace. You continue to make the world a better place and help bring us together as the same human family.
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Dec 26, 2021 • 1h 8min

Episode 491: Dr. Lacey Bagley, LMFT (she/her), Queer LDS, Owner of Celebrate Therapy

My friend Dr. Lacey (she/her; married mother of two) shares her story as a queer Latter-day Saint. Lacey talks about growing up as a Latter-day Saint and remaining a practicing member of the Church, following her impressions to change her career path (which includes getting a masters degree and PhD in marriage and family therapy), finding her husband Evan (who loves and supports Lacey), coming out as queer, and then opening a queer clinical practice for queer client. Dr. Lacey also shared helpful insights for Latter-day Saint parents raising LGBTQIA+ children and the role therapists (practicing ethical therapy) have in helping their children find their best path forward. If you are LGBTQIA+ or a parent of an LGBTQIA+ child, please listen to this podcast. Dr. Lacey has wonderful insights and experiences to help us all do better. You can reach Dr. Lacey at https://www.celebratetherapy.org or lacey@celebratetherapy.org. You can also find a directory of Queer Mormon Therapists online at https://www.queermormontherapists.com. Thank you for being on the podcast Dr. Bagley and your good work (as well as everyone at Celebrate Therapy) to help bring more understanding and hope. ** 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 ** Want to develop church-supported LGBTQ activities in your local area? Please join our FB group below ** https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143

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