From EFY Singer to Ex-Mormon EFY Director - Ep. 1464

For anyone familiar with the music of  "Especially For Youth" LDS seminars, this singer’s name should ring a bell. After her career touring with Broadway's Footloose, releasing several studio albums and books, starting her organization The Ivy Foundation, and raising two children, she recently changed tunes, choosing to leave the Mormon church.

Join John and Carah as they talk with her about her Mormon upbringing, her career inside and outside the Church, her faith crisis, and her new venture “Especially for Truth,” a week-long summer seminar for post-Mormon teens.

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Show Notes:

Clark Johnson Mormon Stories interview:
Mormon Stories #518: Clark Johnsen - ...

Whitney Houston Documentary:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5740866/

Poverty Inc:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4595114/...

Tom Phillips Mormon Stories interview:
Second Anointing Exposed Part 1 of 2 ...

Leah and Cody Young Mormon Stories interview:
From LDS Fear Into Joy - Leah, Cody, ...

Marriage on a Tightrope Allan and Kattie Mount:
https://marriageonatightrope.org/

Encircle:
https://encircletogether.org/

7 Cups Counseling:
https://www.7cups.com/

Gift of the Mormon Faith Crisis website:
https://www.mormonfaithcrisis.com/cat...

Mormon Enlightenment FB: Facebook: 1832289780190232

Mormon Stories FB group: Facebook: 165132026831611

Faith Journey Meetups FB: Facebook: 1290631704424963

00:00 Introducing Jessie and her new events
09:10 Cognitive dissonance as a child and Provo upbringing
17:30 Jessie’s mom leaves the church
26:40 Being bullied and becoming a bully as a teen
33:43 Changing behavior at a leadership camp
37:20 Comment about mother estrangement
38:27 Jessie’s music career
46:30 Holding in the tension of a sexual assault
54:00 Choosing to change singing paths
1:02:24 “Heartsell” in LDS music
1:31:05 Footloose tour, LGBTQ awakening
1:39:00 Jessie’s pursuit for a balanced life
1:47:03 Traveling to Africa
1:52:00 Becoming a public speaker
2:10:00 Pressure to get married
2:15:16 Temple experience
2:19:45 Feeling like a humanist
2:28:00 Jessie’s marriage
2:31:38 Jessie’s faith started eroding
2:41:00 Choosing authenticity, speaking up for LGBTQ youth
3:01:00 Trying to believe
3:08:00 Jessie telling husband she can’t do it anymore
3:15:35 Where Jessie got her strength and resilience
3:24:17 Jessie sings “Defying Gravity”
3:36:52 Responding to criticism
3:42:44 Jessie’s shelf breakers
4:09:09 Questions
4:19:26 Faith crisis lightning round
4:27:29 Morality
4:31:00 Post-Mormon community
4:40:28 Living without religion
4:55:14 Singing a new version of EFY song
4:58:00 Youth and women’s events