Coffee & Cocoa: A Conversation About Reconstructing Your Family After They've Deconstructed Their Faith

What actually changes people's minds about the queer community? Not arguments. Not policy debates. Not conference talks. It's the minute you know someone you love is queer. In this episode, Kari and Kimberly discuss the intersection of the LDS church and the LGBTQ community and their journeys to allyship. They talk about the ways that the church culture felt incompatible with their experiences, ab...

In this episode, Kari and Kimberly take on purity culture. They talk about what they were taught about sex growing up in the LDS church and the lasting damage that sexual repression does to individuals, relationships, and families. They discuss the difference between protecting children and shaming them, the double standard between men and women, why repression doesn't work and what sexual integra...

Just a note before you listen: we do use the word "Mormon" a lot. We both grew up using the word and Kimberly left the church before 2018 when President Nelson gave his landmark talk. While we mean no offense, we understand that it might be uncomfortable for some, so we invite you to take that into consideration before listening.   What does Twilight have to do with the afterlife? More t...

Most LDS parents of children who have left the church are searching for one thing: how to bring their children back. Kari and Kimberly offer something better.   In this episode, Kari and Kimberly talk honestly about what it cost to get to where they are today and what they have learned loving each other across the faith divide. They discuss the grief, guilt and fear that can divide a family w...

After the last two episodes of telling their stories, Kari and Kimberly return to the present. What do they actually believe now, and where do they agree and disagree? Kari and Kimberly discuss: the existence of God, the nature of faith, how we know what we know, and what it means to hold beliefs responsibly when those beliefs affect the people around us. Kari still believes in a God who loves his...

Estrangement. It's the word nobody wants to say out loud, and the reality too many LDS families are quietly living. In this episode, Kari and Kimberly get into what actually causes families to break apart when a child leaves the church, and what it takes to find your way back to each other. They talk about the difference between protecting your child and controlling them, between holding your brea...

  Content note: This episode contains references to sexual assault and suicidal thoughts. Please take care of yourself as you listen.   In this episode Kimberly tells her faith story in complete for the very first time. She traces her faith journey from a baptism interview at age eight where she first understood she had a choice, through a turbulent adolescence shaped by strict rules, br...

Content note: This episode contains references to suicidal thoughts. Please take care of yourself as you listen.   Last week, Kimberly told her story. This week, it's Kari's turn. Kari grew up immersed in the LDS (then "Mormon") church and culture with pioneer ancestors, temple sealings, road shows, ward dinners... Her faith was so woven into her life that questioning it never crossed her min...

What do you get when a lifelong LDS mother and her daughter who left the church sit down to talk honestly about faith, family, and everything in between? Coffee and Cocoa. Kari is a family relationships coach who stayed in the church after all six of her children left. Kimberly is her daughter, who nearly cut off her entire family a decade ago but chose to fight for the relationship instead. Toget...