Latter Day Struggles

441: The Politics of Jesus: Not Subtle, Not Silent, Not Neutral

08 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part VII of VII]This final episode of this series is our response to the point of view ...

BONUS EPISODE: Do you Want to Make a Difference? Join us!

05 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Hey listeners of the Latter Day Struggles podcast! Join Val in this bonus episode as she answers audience questions that w...

439: Religious Silence is Complicity in Times of Social Unrest

01 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part VI of VII]In this episode Val & Nathan break down what religious institutional...

437: Whose Life is Worth Protecting? Politics & Religion Weight in 2026

25 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part V of VII]In this episode exploring the intersection of religion and politics, Val ...

435: Why Some Religions Drag their Feet even when the Rest of Society is Ready to Embody More Love?

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part IV of VII]In this episode Val & Nathan continue to build a case that it is imp...

433: On Churches of Legitimacy & Churches of Transformation

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part III of VII]In this episode Val & Nathan go more "macro" and explain ...

431: LDS Strategic Political Engagement & the Upholding of Traditional Male Power Structures

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part II of VII]In this episode Val & Nathan walk through the last several decades a...

BONUS EPISODE: Tired of Feel Stuck, Angry & Alone?

02 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this Bonus Episode, Val answers some piling up questions about the power of healing that uniquely happens in the Latter D...

429: Mormonism & Political Neutrality in Times of Social Unrest

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part I of VII]Anyone else noticing religious leaders from some faith traditions through...

427: When Normal Growth Feels Like Rebellion

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: An Exploration of the Idea of "Normal" within the LDS Church [Part II of II] In this episode Val br...

425: When LDS "Normal" isn't very Normal

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: An Exploration of the Idea of "Normal" within the LDS Church In this fun collaboration with Casey...

423: If the Ensign Peak Fund isn't Your Donation Destination of Choice...

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Valerie introduces you to Mark Crego, fellow Latter-day Saint seeker, whose own many-decades-long faith jour...

BONUS EPISODE: Community Healing: How our Greatest Wounds & our Greatest Healing Happens through Human Relationship

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Hey Latter Day Struggles! Due to your many requests—we are dropping a Latter Day Struggles series in “audiobook” form...

421: Why No Mixed-Gender Sunday School Presidencies? A Gender Equality Slippery-Slope Speculation

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this follow up episode on recent LDS news that women are now allowed to serve in Sunday School presidencies, Val & Na...

419: Formal Patriarchy & Inevitable Harm

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part II of II]In this episode Val & Nathan lay out a several reasons...

BONUS EPISODE: Women in Ward Sunday School Presidencies: Progress, Breadcrumbs, or the “Near Enemy”?”

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode I respond to your requests to explore the March 2026 Church news release announcing that women can now serve...

417: Confronting Men's Violence Against Women & Girls in the LDS Church

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part I of II] In this episode I read to you a shocking and brilliant ar...

415: Presenting our Utah-Based Latter Day Struggles Faith Expansion Specialist

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!One thing that Val is always juggling is how to do it all and maintain her sense of humor, high commitment to play, and over...

BONUS: How the World ACTUALLY Changes

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!We've heard it a thousand times...and probably have said it a few times ourselves. "The ________will never chang...

413: Complexity of Clark Gilbert Call to the Q12

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Val is joined by Jana Riess, author and researcher of the LDS spectrum of experience and Jason Bergman, form...

411: Inaugural Live Fellowship Recording

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Join us for this one-time-only recording of our FIRST Latter Day Struggles "Live Fellowship"! What is this, you ...

409: The Family Proclamation: Living Document or Unchanging Doctrine?

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: What does the Family Proclamation Mean to You? [Episode II of II]This episode of Latter Day Struggles continue...

407: Is the Family Proclamation a Commentary or a Revelation?

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: What does the Family Proclamation Mean to You? [Episode I of II]Welcome to this two-part series where Valeri...

405: Announcing: Biweekly LIVE Fellowship! More Healing & New Connection

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Have you ever listened to a Latter Day Struggles episode and wanted nothing more than to talk about it but no one is around ...

403: A Tribute to our Former Bishop, Ken Glenn

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this first episode of 2026 (also found on YouTube by the way!) Nathan & I pause to honor the impact that Ken Glenn ha...

401: A Response to Dallin Oaks' Desire for LDS Girls to Marry Younger

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode I respond to your requests to explore President Dallin Oaks' desire that LDS girls get married younger....

399: This Classic Episode Put Latter Day Struggles on the Map of Faith Crisis Healing

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!With well over a million downloads since its first drop in March of 2022, the Latter Day Struggles podcast has established i...

397: What Happens When Only One Kind of Latter-day Saint is Allowed to Exist in the Church

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part III of III]In this episode Valerie welcomes back friend...

396: UNLOCKED for All Listeners: Shifting the Focus from Abortion to Preventing Unwanted Pregnancy!

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!As we begin 2026 and the fourth year of the Latter Day Struggles Podcast, we wanted to say THANK YOU to ALL supporters of th...

395: We Need to Stop Calling Growth a Sin in the LDS Church

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part II of III]In today's episode Valerie and guest res...

393: Quiet Conflict: What the Research Reveals About Active LDS Members

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part I of III] The data is rolling in and Wow…if you want...

391: Why Mental Health Workers Became the Black Sheep of the 21st Century Church

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode of Latter Day Struggles, Valerie and guest Maxine Hanks dive into the complexities of reform and personal we...

389: Faith & Feminism: Valerie's Vision & Maxine’s Musings

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this part one of a two-part conversation, Valerie is joined by Maxine Hanks for a deeply personal and reflective conversa...

BONUS EPISODE: Why the LDS Church is Vulnerable to Underreporting of Child S*x Abuse & What to Do

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In today's BONUS EPISODE Val breaks down some ideas around why the LDS Church is uniquely vulnerable to the underreport...

387: Mission Eligibility Age Dropped to 18 for LDS Young Women: A Conversation with Dr. Julie Hanks

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Join Valerie and therapist colleague Dr. Julie Hanks in this recording of a recent “Instagram Live” where they explored ...

385: Honoring Relationships AND your Nervous System Over the Holidays

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!If Episode 384 (the one right before this one!) addresses the larger psychological question of why the holidays & family...

383: Why We Care So Much about Transcending & Including Mormonism

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Are you curious about what has happened in the minds and hearts of the Hamakers eight months post-resignation from the LDS c...

381: Polygamy is Having its Mormon Moment (Again) in 2025

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Unpacking LDS Polygamy Developments in 2025 [Part II of II]Join Valerie and Jana Spangler as they finish their...

379: When Mormon Polygamy Comes to Primary in 2025

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Join Valerie and her guest Jana Spangler in the next two Monday episodes as they delve into the complexities of polygamy wit...

377: When One's Soul has the Audacity to Grow, Right there in Church

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: A Two-Hundred Year Old Mirror: How the Faith Expansion Journey has Always Made Christian Leadership Sweat! [Ep...

375: When God Refuses to Be Church-Correlated

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: A Two-Hundred Year Old Mirror: How the Faith Expansion Journey has Always Made Christian Leadership Sweat! [Ep...

373: What Caterpillars Can Teach us about Blind Conformity

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spir...

371: To Find Divinity, Look No Further than the Mirror

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spir...

369: Drowning in the Shallows: Fabricated Fellowship Explored

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spir...

367: Faith on Fire: A Family’s Tragedy Becomes a Faith System’s Invitation to Awaken

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spir...

365: Soul Sisters Unite: Q&A w/ Valerie & Dr. Julie Hanks about Their Faith Journeys

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Join Dr. Julie Hanks & Valerie in a heartfelt audience Q&A addressing their shared passion as therapists working wit...

363: The Beautiful Simplicity of Minding our Own Underwear Drawers

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this eye-opening episode Valerie is a guest on the Inside Out Podcast with Ian Wilkes and Jim Bennett, where they dive de...

361: I'm Sharing My Life with This Stranger?

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this heartwarming episode, Val is the guest on the Therapy Brothers podcast hosted by brothers & fellow relationship ...

359: Holy Betrayal: When Men Betray Patriarchal Privilege

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Valerie is the guest on the podcast Black & White & Gold hosted by Carly and Rob Allred where they e...

357: Hands Off My Soul!

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Valerie is guest on the Parrish the Thought podcast where Brian Parrish interviews Val on the resistance she...

355: Finding Myself in the Wilderness of LDS: A Tale of Vulnerability & Bravery

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode, Valerie shares an inspiring journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth with The Wholeness Network. Th...

353: Introducing Latter Day Struggles 2.0: Transcending & Including Mormonism

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this exciting solo episode, Valerie reflects on the profound personal growth she has experienced over the past few months...

351: Mormon Momma Turned Maverick

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Val is a guest on the Join Latter Day Digest podcast & what unfolds is the very unlikely story that led ...

349: LIVE Q&A Recording: Val Talks Politics, Polarization & Peacemaking

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Missed the LIVE Q&A where Val recently answered the flood of questions that have come in on the heels of her & Natha...

347: Public Voices: Navigating an LDS Culture of Quiet Dissent

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Valerie is the guest on the thought-provoking Inside Out Podcast, one of the first podcasts to interview he...

345: Heavenly Momma Drama: Navigating Fear & Embodying Faith

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Val is a guest on the wonderful In Her Image Podcast to discuss the complex emotional journey of awakening t...

343: Not Fragile Like a Flower, Fragile Like a Bomb

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Valerie is interviewed by her good friends and fellow podcasters Susan Hinckley and Cynthia Wynward and the ...

341: Candid Conversation about Current LDS Patriarchal Structure & its Correlation to Child Abuse Risk

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: In-depth Exploration of Patriarchy & its Correlation to Violence & Abuse [Part VIII of X]Join Val &amp...

339: Patriarchal Church Structures & Heightened Risk of Violence/Abuse in Marriage

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: In-depth Exploration of Patriarchy & its Correlation to Violence & Abuse [Part VIIof X]In today's...

337: Patriarchy & its Connection to LGBTQ+ Violence and Abuse

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: In-depth Exploration of Patriarchy & its Correlation to Violence & Abuse [Part V of X]In this episode ...

335: Patriarchy and the Deeply Embedded "Female Fear Factory"

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: In-depth Exploration of Patriarchy & its Correlation to Violence & Abuse [Part III of X]In this jaw-dr...

333: Patriarchy & Harm: Proven Connections to Abuse & Violence

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: In-depth Exploration of Patriarchy and its Correlation to Violence & Abuse [Part I of X]In this opening ep...

331: Why Very Few Shout: "The Emperor Has No Clothes!"

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Living in a World of Hypernormalization [Part I of II]In this episode Val shares an update about how she is pr...

329: The Official Faith Crisis Report: A Backstage Pass with Greg Prince

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: The 21st Century LDS Church's Ongoing Struggle to Respond to the Realities of Faith & Trust Crisis [P...

327: Jesus Eats with "Outcasts" to Embody that HE Knows No Outcast

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Transcending Church Rules on the PathTowards Genuine Christlike Discipleship w/Russ Hinckley Part III of IVW...

325: Why Jesus Likely Couldn't Care Less about Church Handbooks & Creeds

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Transcending Church Rules on the Path Towards Genuine Christlike Discipleship w/Russ Hinckley Part I of IVWe...

323: Sometimes Love Uses a Microphone

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Valerie is invited to be a guest on "Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt," a podcast where she shares many ...

321: The Feminine Divine in the Mormon Cosmos with Kathryn Sonntag & Taylor Petrey

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: A Look into the Minds of Creators of The Mother Tree & Queering Kinship in the Mormon Cosmos [Part I of II...

319: "Queering" Ideas about Heavenly Mother in the Mormon Cosmos

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: A Deep Dive into the Fascinating Cosmos Found in Taylor Petrey's Queering Kinship in the Mormon Cosmos [P...

317: Ideas on a Heaven Large Enough for All Loving Connection

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: A Deep Dive into the Fascinating Cosmos Found in Taylor Petrey's Queering Kinship in the Mormon Cosmos ...

315: Forgive Them, For They Know Not What They Do

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Valerie & Nathan Hamaker Forced Resignation from the LDS Church [Part III of III] In this final episode d...

313: Not Willing to be Burned at the Stake Center

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Valerie & Nathan Hamaker Forced Resignation from the LDS Church [Part I of III] Please join Valerie &...