This week on Mormon Stories News, we take a closer look at the people, controversies, and events making waves across Mormonism. We begin with the story of a disturbing abuse case involving a former LDS Priest Quorum Specialist accused of sexually abusing his nephew. The case has prompted conversations about trust, access to youth, safeguarding policies, and whether church members are adequately trained to recognize and prevent abuse within families and congregations. We also examine a rare public apology from General Authority Seventy Kyle McKay. McKay recently acknowledged that previous statements he made regarding Church history were offensive and offered a correction. We discuss what was said and why the apology matters. Can AI replace God? That's the question Elder Gerrit W. Gong recently addressed in a viral Church-produced video. We break down his comments, the Church's growing concern over artificial intelligence, and whether AI is becoming a competing source of information, guidance, and authority for members navigating faith questions. Next, we turn to the appointment of Jay Jorgensen to the Utah Supreme Court. Jorgensen's nomination has sparked discussion because of his employment with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his statements regarding whether he would recuse himself from Church-related cases. We examine the concerns surrounding judicial independence, conflicts of interest, and public confidence in the courts. We dive into the growing controversy surrounding Jeff Strong's book Torn. Strong's work has generated significant discussion among Latter-day Saints by examining why many members become disaffected or leave the Church. Recent responses from prominent LDS commentators argue that Strong's research methodology is flawed and that he misrepresents faithful members' experiences. We finish with a brief snippet from Rebecca Bibliotecca about the ongoing temple drama in Fairview Texas. What are your thoughts on this week's stories? Join the conversation in the comments. Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/kyle-mckay-apologizes-mormon-comeback-mormon-news/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:03:39 - Mormon making a comeback 00:05:41 - (Clip) Nelson on the name of the Church 00:12:34 - (Clip) I’m a Mormon 00:28:09 - Abuse of a 14 year old Nephew 00:43:03 - Mormon leader apologizes 00:50:26 - Apology letter 00:55:37 - (Clip) Can AI replace God? 01:07:13 - Recusal not needed 01:13:34 - Reactions to Torn by Jeff Strong 01:27:53 - The Borrowed Wisdom of “Torn” 01:33:20 - Beyond “church culture” 01:39:45 - William Clayton journals 01:46:59 - Parker Kingson’s rape charge was dismissed 01:47:54 - Sign campaign for temple steeple 01:48:58 - (Clip) Fairview sign thief 01:51:13 - Closing remarks _______________ At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117