Mormon Land

At least four aspects of the just-completed General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stood out:

• The Easter weekend focus on the death, resurrection and Atonement of Jesus Christ.

• A solemn assembly combined with Dallin H. Oaks’ first conference sermon as the 18th church president.

• A record number of convert baptisms in 2025.

• The choice of an African woman to lead the faith’s Primary organization for children.

Oaks gave a powerful talk about peace, definitely a timely topic. And the elevation of the first African as head of any of the faith’s global organizations was historic. But the weekend falling on Easter meant that most of the talks began to sound alike — even repetitive — and quite similar to what you might hear at any Christian church on that sacred holiday.

That begs a number of questions: Is it time to rethink the structure and substance of these semiannual gatherings? Are there too many sessions? Are they too long? Does the Saturday evening session need to return? What about a women’s meeting? What about the speeches themselves, especially since they will form the basis of Relief Society and priesthood quorum lessons (occurring every Sunday starting in September)?

On this week’s show, Margaret Olsen Hemming, co-editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, and Sam Brunson, a law professor and Latter-day Saint blogger with By Common Consent, address those questions and more.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently announced that women could now serve in Sunday school presidencies, a position that has traditionally been filled by men.

Allowing women to oversee the teaching of scriptures and church doctrine to members was seen by many as a further move toward gender equity.

The news, though, came with a caveat: If a woman were named as president, her two counselors would also have to be women. Same with men. That element caused much consternation at a change that might have brought unalloyed delight.

So was this a big stride or simply a little step? What are the implications, if any, for the global faith?

Discussing those questions and more are Emily Jensen, web editor for Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, and LaShawn Williams, a clinical social worker in Orem with a private practice and current president of the Mormon Mental Health Association.

It has been the month of breaking news surrounding reality television in Utah. From Season 4 of 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' premiering, to Taylor Frankie Paul's 'Bachelorette' season being cancelled, to Jessi from 'Secret Lives' getting divorced to then sending flowers to a friend for kissing her ex-husband...there is a lot to unpack!

On this 'Mormons in Media' crossover, we discuss what ties back to religion and what is just drama. Plus, we talk about deconstructing religion on missions and GLP-1 addiction and how that ties back into the "Utah beauty standard." Will certain things stay black and white or are we entering a grey area?

Mitt Romney may be the most famous Mormon politician, but the title of highest-ranking elected Latter-day Saint in U.S. history belongs not to a rich Utah Republican with a patrician background and deep ties in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but rather to a self-made Nevada Democrat with hardscrabble roots who converted to the faith.

His name: Harry Reid. Passionately partisan, fiercely loyal and discreetly devout, Reid, who died in 2021, rose to majority leader in the U.S. Senate, where the onetime boxer fought for landmark Democratic victories on Obamacare, financial reforms and an economic stimulus package.

He was ruthless and religious — LBJ without the swearing.

Learn more about the real Harry Reid from political journalist Jon Ralston, author of the recently released biography, “The Game Changer: How Harry Reid Remade the Rules and Showed Democrats How to Fight.”

As a young man, Troy Williams wore a missionary name tag for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Great Britain — all the while fighting against the growing realization he was gay.

Afterward, he interned with the Utah Eagle Forum and learned the ways of backroom politicking at the feet of one of the state’s most effective conservative lobbyists, Gayle Ruzicka.

Thus, an advocate was born.

After embracing his sexual orientation, Williams rose to executive director of Equality Utah, the state’s preeminent LGBTQ+ rights group, and suddenly found himself on the opposite side from his onetime mentor.

Though he no longer labored for his former faith, Williams soon was working with it, helping to bring about the landmark Utah Compromise, which safeguarded religious liberty while barring housing and workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

More breakthroughs followed, including the church’s endorsement of the Respect for Marriage Act, codifying civil same-sex marriage. Now, after more than a decade at Equality Utah’s helm, Williams is stepping down.

On this week’s show, he discusses his incredible personal and political journey.