In this captivating interview, Alyssa shares poignant moments that shaped her perception of gender roles, societal expectations, and the struggle for self-worth within the Mormon context. The narrative explores her attempts to reconcile personal identity with the rigid doctrines of the Church, touching on themes of control, body autonomy, and the internal conflicts that arise when faith clashes with individual growth. Alyssa recounts her mission, marriage, and the disillusionment that eventually led to her departure from the Mormon Church. The interview offers a powerful reflection on the cost of leaving behind the familiar for the pursuit of personal authenticity. Listeners are invited to join this intimate journey of self-discovery, challenging societal norms, and finding empowerment outside the constraints of religious expectations. Alyssa’s new book, "How to Leave the Mormon Church" can be purchased here: https://a.co/d/aMFgG8D Pt 2: https://youtube.com/live/HEyxNLBNTN0 Episode Show Notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/portfolio-items/how-to-leave-the-mormon-church/ Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:17:42 Beginning her Mormon story in Montana 00:18:56 Gender discrepancy 00:25:55 Training kids to be baptized 00:31:00 Biology class 00:41:05 Not wanting to grow up, but to stay young and innocent, etc. - Reading McCurdy’s 00:56:35 Skipping class and going to the library with friends 01:00:00 Dating in High School 01:05:05 A Father’s Blessing, saying she will be an “English teacher” 01:21:35 Alyssa’s temple experience *01:28:02 The temple film was offensive 01:36:00 White handbook rules for missionaries 01:41:25 Parents going through a divorce during mission 01:52:00 Religious scrupulosity 01:54:20 Meeting her husband 02:03:00 Marrying her husband 02:10:00 Experiences as a teacher, smoke bombs, etc. 02:22:30 Summary of the Emmett Till story 03:00:00 Getting coffee for the first time after leaving the church, age 24j 03:07:08 Live a life that is led from within 03:27:50 Owning your own life outside of Mormonism (until 28:48) ___________________ 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 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join 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