Saints Unscripted

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as the Mormon Church or LDS Church), members are split up into 'wards' based on geographic location. If there is a high concentration of people that are singles and in the same age range, they are given the choice to go to a 'singles ward.' And that's where a lot of interesting things come into play... singles wards have a good mixture of people dying to get married, people who want to party it up in their single life, and people who don't have any desire to get married. Ever.   In this episode, David, Justin, and Mimi talk about what a singles ward is, why it's awesome, why it's horrible, and how to get out 😅 (Okay, not really the last one...)

In this episode, we got to interview two of the most loving individuals in the world. Leo joined us for an episode about growing up LDS, losing his faith, becoming atheist, and then coming back to the Church. Today, Leo's friend Dan has also joined us to talk about the reasons for faith crises as well as the most common myths.   It is very likely that EVERYONE will go through a faith crisis of some sort. Usually, the person experiencing difficulties has a desire to maintain their testimony but too many things are flying at them from every direction. It's hard to find stable ground when your once stable ground is now shaky.   We talk about the myths associated with faith crises and how believing them can be more detrimental to our success than they need to be.

David Snell, creator of the Sunday Pews and brilliant writer, talks about his constant conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. David has been a member of the Church for 18 years to date. He first expresses that everyone has to be converted to the gospel, regardless if they come from a Mormon family.   On David's LDS mission, he came in contact a very well-studied man who seemed to know signicantly more than David and his mission companion. The man tried to convince the two missionaries of the faults in the Mormon Church which caused David to ponder on his testimony of the gospel.   David concludes that conversion is ongoing and while it's important that we have questions, our daily effort will make all the difference in our relationship with the LDS Church.

On the first Sunday of every month (with some exceptions), the LDS Church holds a 'fast.' To fast is to go without something for a period of time. In the Mormon Church, "fasting" typically refers to giving up food and water for a 24-hour period (or for 2 consecutive meals). There is a principle of sacrifice involved in fasting that allows us to have a more clear communication with God.   Even in the Mormon faith, fasting may be up to personal interpretation. Mimi mentions a friend of hers who won't chew gum while fasting since he feels like doing so goes against his fast.   Justin talks about a time during his mission where he fasted too frequently and ended up less useful than if he just would have fasted once a month.   Fasting isn't only practiced by Mormons. Many religions practice fasting, though the practice itself might differ religion to religion. In this video, the 3 Mormons mention a list of religions who also observe a 'fast.'

You know when you love something SO MUCH that you want to share it with everyone? You know how religion is one of the most debated topics in history? Well what do you do when you want to share your religion with your friends but don’t want to lose your friendship with them since religion is such a controversial topic?   This is a VERY common concern among members of the Church. [Fun fact: When we say “Church,” we are referring to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise known as the Mormon Church or LDS Church. While we are called Mormons, the term is simply a nickname and isn’t representative of the official name of our Church.]   Members of the Church who love the gospel likely love their friends who aren’t members of the Church and will always love them… but also want to share their joy with their friends. So how do they invite their friends to Church without being too overbearing? In this episode, Kwaku, Mimi, and David talk about how to ask your friends to Church and how to avoid being too overbearing. You shouldn’t feel bad about sharing the gospel with your friends if your intentions are pure and are for their happiness — not to convert them but rather to help them learn more about what brings you so much peace and happiness.

In the Church of Jesus Christ (often called the Mormon Church), there are a lot of ideas about worthiness. The Church even has leaders conduct "worthiness interviews" that are intended to help members of the Church be worthy to enter the temple. Further, it is often said that one should be 'worthy' before taking the Sacrament on Sunday (partaking of bread and water). So how in the world do I know if I'm worthy?   In this episode we discuss what worthiness means, how sometimes we might be getting it wrong, and how to have more reassurance about our own worthiness.   This episode might surprise you!!

Do Mormons worship a different Jesus than the rest of Christianity? Welllll... This isn't an easy question to answer. Mormons believe in the Jesus Christ that came to earth as the Savior of the world. We believe in the Jesus that died on the cross, that suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Jesus that rose again on the third day. We believe in the Jesus who visited the Americas after his resurrection. We believe in the Jesus that is the Son of God, the Eternal Father.   If mainstream Christianity agrees with these points as qualifications to believe in the same Jesus, then yes, Mormons are Christians. But many mainstream Christians disagree that Mormons are Christians because of the difference in what we believe Jesus Christ did and who we believe Jesus Christ is.   Kwaku, David and Mimi have interesting thoughts that may answer your questions regarding Mormonism and Christianity.

The Mormon Church has long emphasized the dangers of pornography. But what is pornography? Are images, pictures, and other depictions of nudity included under the pornography umbrella?   In today's episode, we talk about the importance of understanding and appreciating art in order to better understand what is and what isn't pornography.   Justin explains that in his figure drawing class, he was required to do some figure drawing of women with very minimal clothing. He felt a little bit uncomfortable so he approached his professor with his concerns. His professor explained that figure drawing is an art and captures the beauty of the world. He encouraged Justin to look through a different lens when figuring drawing.   Overall, the hosts agree that nude art is not pornography (for the most part), though it very much depends on the maturity and education of the individual.

Saints Unscripted discuss what is appropriate for Mormons to do and wear for the Halloween season and also do hilarious impressions. Check it out!   Shelley doesn’t think that it should be such a big deal that when this time of the year rolls around, that girls should have pumpkin spice in everything, and wear leggings and Ugg boots!   Ian disagrees, because he looks forward to this time of year because he can have pumpkin pie, eat lots of candy, and wear his flannel shirts! He thinks that pumpkin flavored anything is awesome. Ian also believes that Mormons can celebrate Halloween and that there is nothing wrong with that. He also doesn’t think that watching a scary or thriller movie isn’t a big deal and that we shouldn’t worry about that. The Kwaku, Shelley, and Ian all agree that some Halloween costumes are inappropriate and shouldn’t be worn. Halloween shouldn’t be an excuse for people to start dressing immodestly and inappropriately.

Mormons are discouraged from getting tattoos. But what if you join the Church when you already have tattoos? And what if you get a tattoo while you're a member of the Church? Will God look at you differently if you have tattoos?   Al Fox has been nicknamed 'The Tattooed Mormon.' She was tattooed before she joined the LDS Church and is tattooed to this day. Why? Because, Al says, the atonement covers everything. She doesn't even notice her tattoos anymore and, according to a blessing she received, God doesn't notice her tattoos anymore either.   Al also talks about the rampant judging that happens among Mormons when they see others with tattoos. Upon moving to Utah, Al felt very judged for her appearance, to the point of covering up her tattoos with sleeves. She quickly decided that she shouldn't feel insecure, despite the rudeness of others. They would have to learn the lesson that she wished they already knew.