A Bishop’s Family Questions Mormonism - Kelly and Kayla Mikesell - Mormon Stories 1438

Kelly and Kayla Mikesell are a dynamic step-mother/daughter pair. Only recently did Kelly start to investigate the troubling issues with Mormon history that had been eating away at her children. In an effort to learn, love, and empathize with her children, she investigated the church and grew in ways that surprised her and her family.

As Kelly chose love and understanding over dogma and compliance, she was able to open her heart to the members of her family in the LGBTQ community, including her step-daughter Kayla. Teenage years filled with the unimaginable amounts of shame and guilt, Kayla was able to grow into her own independent, confident adult, even winning Miss Salt Lake City and making her platform one of advocacy for the Utah Pride Center.

We are honored to interview two thoughtful, articulate women putting a lot on the line to speak out while Kelly’s husband still currently serves as her bishop!

Warning: this episode contains discussions of self-harm.

Show Notes:
-"Last Podcast on the Left" Mormonism episode: https://www.lastpodcastontheleft.com/...
-"Ghost of Eternal Polygamy" by Carolyn Pearson: https://carollynnpearson.com/ghostofe...
-Gift of the Mormon faith crisis: https://www.mormonfaithcrisis.com
-Jennifer Fife - https://www.finlayson-fife.com
-Donna Showalter Mormon Stories Podcast Episode: https://www.mormonstories.org/podcast...
-Leah and Cody Young Mormon Stories Podcast Episode: https://www.mormonstories.org/podcast...
-"Listen, Learn and Love" by Richard Ostler: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1462135773
-Follow Kayla on instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kayla.mikes...

Timecodes:
0:00 Kelly’s Mormon upbringing, struggles with processing emotions
12:05 Family member hinders Kelly’s ambition to be an astronaut
17:16 Discovering the doctrine of plural marriage as a child
28:18 Internalizing Mormon teachings and thought stopping as a teen about god
37:14 Kelly’s experience at Ricks College
41:01 Guarding virtue being the most important thing
50:14 Fighting with husband and self regulating emotions through self harm
54:54 Temple experience and Kelly feeling deeply uncomfortable with the nature of god
1:00:07 Kelly’s naivety coming to a head in her marriage, sexual and otherwise
1:18:32 Kelly’s son born with neuromuscular disorder
1:22:06 Kelly’s brother comes out as gay and her regretful ignorance to LGBT people
1:30:10 Kelly meets Kayla’s dad through the church
1:35:00 Kayla’s parents’ divorce and Kelly marrying her dad in the temple
1:45:05 Adjusting to life as a blended family, Kayla loses her relationship with her dad, has sex
2:06:15 How Kayla’s repentance process made her suicidal
2:11:35 Kayla’s older brother pulling her out of her depression, bringing new boyfriend to church
2:19:43 Going to Asia trip with boyfriend, engagement
2:27:39 Kayla starts to investigate the church’s truth claims
2:39:42 Kayla discovers her bisexuality
2:46:30 Coming out to as bisexual to her family
2:50:29 Kelly being the perfect Mormon mom and caring for her special needs son
3:02:24 A Primary child’s question spurs Kelly to research Polygamy
3:08:54 Kelly’s keeps notes of the questions of her children to research and find answers
3:23:02 Kayla shares some information about Joseph Smith with Kelly that starts her study
3:40:17 Kelly giving her husband an ultimatum when he wouldn’t discuss any church issues
3:48:50 Kelly realizing she had been so deceived
4:00:40 Kelly understanding she isn’t being tempted by satan and letting go of judgment
4:06:04 Family healing by giving up othrodox beliefs, a new parenting approach
4:18:31 Kayla’s involvement in the Utah Pride Center and winning Miss Salt Lake City