On today’s episode, we welcome two very special guests! Leopoldo Larcher and Emily Guincho are a father–daughter duo here to share their Italian Mormon story as the first family to join the LDS Church in Italy. Leopoldo details his experience of quickly being placed into leadership roles and bearing the responsibility of helping establish the structure of the Church in Italy. Over the years, he worked with many LDS Church leaders, from Ezra Taft Benson to Spencer W. Kimball. His daughter, Emily, joins us to share her own perspective on what it was like for her and her siblings to grow up in an environment dominated by church service and the immense pressure to represent Mormonism in their community. Together, Emily and Leopoldo reflect on what it meant to be Mormon pioneers in Italy, how their dedicated service affected their family life, and where they stand with the Church today. They also discuss what the LDS community looks like in Italy within a predominantly Catholic culture, and the challenges the Church faces as it attempts to establish a uniquely American institution in Europe. Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/italian-mormon-pioneers/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:48 Missionaries talk to Leopoldo and his new wife 00:11:21 What convinced him to convert? 00:17:51 Their family was the whole branch 00:30:46 Memories of Ezra Taft Benson coming to Italy 00:45:40 Learned to say “no” to positions 00:55:02 Emily sharing how her older siblings were affected by this 00:09:28 His wife lost her faith right before passing away 01:19:19 Church culture of honoring its pioneers 01:23:18 Emiy’s Mormon story begins 01:29:34 What were her dreams for her life as a teen? 01:35:37 Emily’s experience with her dad’s church service as a teen 01:38:24 Emily’s mission in Rochester, New York 01:47:43 Did she have any baptisms on her mission? 01:53:54 Questions about what she was taught on Mormon history 02:01:21 Finished BYU & got married in the Manti temple 02:03:46 Taught Italian in the MTC 02:16:58 When did their family’s faith start to crack? 02:22:57 Devastated to learn Joseph Smith was married to a 14-year-old 02:25:53 Did Mormon Stories take them out of the church? 02:34:55 What was it like for Leopoldo when his family lost their faith? 02:43:56 Why have Italians stopped converting to the church? 02:47:43 Construction of the LDS temple in Italy 02:58:29 Do Italian members understand the wealth of the church? 03:08:36 What has Emily’s life been like since leaving the church? 03:18:14 A lot of their LDS friendships have broken down 03:21:54 Leopoldo does not regret joining the church 03:25:07 Asking Emily about grief from the death of her mother 03:29:00 Conclusion & final questions ___________________ 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