Mormon Marriages

In this week's episode of the Podcast, we interviewed Bryce and Nellie Jurgensmeier (aka the Jurgy's) about their life and marriage as a full-time traveling RV family. A health scare in 2015 pushed them to finally pursue their dreams and adventure the world. They hope to not only create memories for themselves, but to inspire others to get out on adventures, too! Enjoy!

In this episode of the podcast, we sat down with Kim and Treagan White to talk about how living with cancer has transformed their marriage. They shared with us the ups and the downs, the beauty and the tragedy, the heartache and the joy. It’s been a complete rollercoaster of a ride for them. They shared with us the difficult lessons they’ve learned and the new outlook they have on life. In Kim's own words, "Life sucks sometimes, and that’s the honest truth. But, it’s the crappy parts - that type of devastation and that type of pain - that allows you to experience the purest form of joy in your entire life.”

"You come to know God through behavior, not ideas. It’s the way you act in our marriage that is a reflection of how much you understand God."

In this week's episode of the podcast, we take a question from a listener just like you! She expressed a concern with constantly feeling frustrated with her partner and what she could do to be more patient and understanding. Something we can all relate to at one point or another in our relationships! We discuss ways to make sure your own tank is full, how gratitude and compliments can help inspire change, and how to become aware of the stories you are telling yourself. We hope you enjoy! Make sure to reach out to us if you want your own questions answered on the show.

Every hero's journey begins in a similar way. Whether physically or metaphorically, the hero leaves behind the comfort and convenience of his or her home/old life to embark on an adventure in the unknown. Jake and Kristin Hodson did exactly this. They recognized that their lives were rapidly slipping from their control and they had to act fast to regain intentionality. They left behind the three deadly C's - consumption, convenience, and comfort - to spend a year living in Costa Rica with their family. Check out this week's episode to see how it has changed their lives so far!

In this week's episode of the podcast, we sit down with Marriage and Family Therapist Daniel Burgess to tackle the topic of sex, intimacy and masturbation in the context of a Celestial Marriage. The "M" word has become something similar to "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" in the lives of members of the church. Simply saying the word "masturbation" can bring up uncomfortable and awkward feelings. However, as Brené Brown so eloquently puts it, "Shame needs three things to grow exponentially in our lives: secret, silence, and judgement." In this episode, we take a step outside many of our comfort zones to discuss how masturbation fits (or does not fit) into the lives and marriages of members. If you have judgements, or strong opinions or feelings about masturbation, we invite you to listen to the podcast in its entirety before making a judgement about the conversation.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, we sit down with Celeste and Rich Davis from the Marriage Laboratory to talk about the importance of continuously experimenting in our marriages.

In this week's episode, Nate and Angilyn open up a little bit about their journeys of faith and their journeys toward each other. Take a listen to see how they've gotten where they're at in their marriage.

Josh and KC Brothers met on Tinder and have been messaging each other ever since! Early on in their relationship, they had discussions about their roles as stewards--not only of the Earth, but of each other. This led them to start making small changes in the way they live that would have a positive impact in their relationship with their home, their attachment to material goods, their food, their bodies, and each other. They discovered that no one was showing them how to start living a more conscious lifestyle--so they began documenting all of the baby steps it takes to get there in the hopes that others might be able to follow their trail as they became inspired to make similar changes. In this episode of the podcast, Josh and KC talk with us about how this project is going and how it is helping them to create a celestial marriage. Enjoy!

In this episode of the podcast, Nick and Chelsea Homer give us a glimpse into the realities of a mixed-faith marriage, a controversial dynamic in the Mormon culture. They open up about the hardships and difficulties they faced in the beginning of their journey - how many would justify and even encourage them to go their separate ways. Despite the extra challenges a difference in beliefs has added to their marriage, they've chosen to move in closer instead of further apart. Through time, love, seeking to understand, and mutual respect, Nick and Chelsea have created a marriage that is not defined by what they believe, but rather who they are as individuals and as a couple. Though there's not a "one-size-fits-all" solution to this experience, they show us that it's not only possible to stay together, it's possible to create something extraordinary in the process.

We have been cautioned in the scriptures and by latter-day prophets to avoid unrighteous dominion in our marriages... but what exactly does that mean? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks and talk about what unrighteous dominion is, how it can hurt a relationship, and how to avoid it in the future. It's an important conversation, and we hope you enjoy it!

In this episode we sit down with Merrilee Boyack tot alk about what it REALLY means to create a Celestial Marriage. Her insights are incredible. Our goal with Mormon Marriages is to show people what a Celestial Marriage can look like, and give them tools, tips, and resources to create their own. Mediocre love isn't good enough. We want SO much better for you.

In the church, we often talk about Celestial Marriage as if it's something that happens to us instead of something you create. The problem we've noticed is that most people don't know how to create a Celestial Marriage because they've never seen one. Our goal with Mormon Marriages is to show people what a Celestial Marriage can look like, and give them tools, tips, and resources to create their own. Mediocre love isn't good enough. We want SO much better for you.

Marriage can be amazing and stressful and challenging and rewarding all at once. And the church can make life easier, and it sometimes makes it harder. It's easy to forget when you're a leader that the programs and organizations and structure of the church are meant to support and sustain the family and not the other way around. In this episode, we talk with the Francom's about how to manage the added stress on your marriage when you have a leadership calling in the church. They also talk about their struggle with infirtility, and how they manage conflict.

Nothing is more powerful than knowing what you want, and being 100% committed to getting it. People who have extraordinary marriages all share this common trait. They are CLEAR about what kind of marriage they want, and they are COMMITTED to creating that life, every single day.