Guest Bloggers

Adrienne Rivetti Jensen

Adrienne Rivetti Jensen is a homeschooling mom of three in Reston, Virginia. She is an openly agnostic Mormon, making her way back to activity after a six-year absence. Adrienne blogs in a shamelessly honest fashion about her faith issues, her desire to be active in the church, and her reconciliation of it all at AgnosticMormonMom.blogspot.com.

anna-mariewhite@sbcglobal.net

Cody Calderwood Mike Barker Paul Barker

Cody - was born and raised in Utah. He received his bachelors of science from BYU and later his DDS from the University of Maryland. He is a dentist in Park City, Utah and is busy saving the world one tooth at a time. He and his wife Lisa have four wild and crazy kids. He served his LDS Mission in the Mexico Hermosillo Mission. He has served in various capacities in his ward as scout master, ward mission leader, gospel doctrine teacher, and now in the elders quorum presidency. Paul - Born and raised in Northern California, Paul received his education at Ricks College and BYU with a BA in Spanish, minor in PE Coaching. Paul served his LDS mission during the years 94-96 in Rosario, Argentina. He now runs his own businesses from home in Utah County. He's married and has 3 boys. He is currently the ward cub master. Michael - was born and raised in Northern California. He received his education from Ricks College, Portland State University, and Oregon Health and Sciences University. He presently lives in Southern Oregon with his wife and two daughters working as a Physician Assistant in Orthopedic Surgery. He served his LDS Mission in Dallas Texas, Spanish Speaking. He is presently the Young Mens President in his ward.

beth.armstrong27@gmail.com

bethsbox@gmail.com

bisousmonamour@gmail.com

bkdropbox@gmail.com

bobbygilpin@gmail.com

bompar@gmail.com

Brant Gardner

Brant A. Gardner (M.A. State University of New York Albany) is the author of Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon and The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon, both published through Greg Kofford Books. He has contributed articles to Estudios de Cultura Nahuatl and Symbol and Meaning Beyond the Closed Community. He has presented papers at the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research conference as well as at Sunstone.

Camille

Camille grew up all over the country. She calls Oklahoma and Wyoming her home places. She received her education at Ricks College and the University of Wyoming where she earned her BS in Mathematics. She currently lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming where she is the mother of two little girls. She is in the Young Women’s organization as the Personal Progress Advisor and Teacher.

Carson Calderwood

Carson Calderwood, Born in Idaho, grew up in Utah to red neck father and TBM mother. Served mission in Argentina. Married smartest and most attractive woman at BYU. Raising four kids and three chickens in Maple Valley, Washington.

Carl Youngbload

Carrie Marsh

Carrie is a stay at home mom to 3 young children and is being watched over by twin boys. When she isn't making chicken nuggets and rocking babies to sleep, she likes to endulge her creative side, where she dabbles in a bit of everything. She has been married to her husband, Jon, for eight years and they enjoy working on house and yard projects together.

CeolaMcKay@gmail.com

Chris Brewer

Chris Brewer is an illustrator and active Latter Day Saint living in Herriman, UT with an awesome little family of 3 boys and one sassy matriarch. He is interested in new ideas, and everything that falls under the Arts. Chris has been following and contributing to Mormon discussion forums for several years. He will shortly begin contributing as a regular poster on the A Thoughtful Faith Blog.

cjpilch@yahoo.com

Clara Molina

Clara is a young heterodox mormon, and a vegetarian feminist, who was born and raised in Madrid, Spain. She is currently studying English Language and Literature, but also went through almost three years of Law School, before realizing studying and teaching literature is what she would love to do the rest of her life. She is a second generation LDS that grew up in an environment closely tied to catholicism (either through family or education, for she attended a Catholic high school), a religious tradition that respects and has profoundly enriched her life.

Cody Calderwood

Cody was born and raised in Utah. He received his bachelors of science from BYU and later his DDS from the University of Maryland. He is a dentist in Park City, Utah and is busy saving the world one tooth at a time. He and his wife Lisa have four wild and crazy kids. He served his LDS Mission in the Mexico Hermosillo Mission. He has served in various capacities in his ward as scout master, ward mission leader, gospel doctrine teacher, and now in the elders quorum presidency.

Corbin Volluz

Corbin Volluz lives in the beautiful foothills of the Cascade Mountains in western Washington state. He has been practicing law for 23-years with a focus on criminal defense and personal injury. Corbin joined the LDS Church in June of 1978, shortly after the lifting of the priesthood ban, and has been studying Mormonism ever since. He has been published in several venues, including the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies and BYU-Studies.

cutediapermama@gmail.com

dan.c.watt@gmail.com

Danielle Mooney

Danielle Mooney is an active Latter-day Saint living in Boston with her husband. She is a student at Wellesley College and will graduate this spring with a degree in French cultural studies. She is one of the co-founders of the Mormon Feminist Action Board--a group that seeks to build community and advocates for equality in the LDS church. You can find the group on Facebook. In her free time, Danielle reads too many books and watches too much tv. She desperately wants a puppy.

Dayle and June Rust

Dayle and June have been married for 19 years and have three children. We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We live in Charlotte, North Carolina. June is a school teacher of 20 years and teaches literacy to emergent readers who struggle. Dayle is a School Psychologist of 25 years who evaluates students with special needs. They formed Eliza's Quest Foods, LLC and have a business partner, Thomas Luallen who is a food scientist. Tom's expertise has been significant in re-introducing Postum to consumers.

dchafen@yahoo.com

David Dixon

Derek Lee

Derek Lee was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from BYU in 2008. He served in the California San Fernando Mission (Spanish-speaking) and currently resides in Calgary with his wife and daughter, where he works as an engineer in the oil and gas industry. He is also currently serving in his ward as a counsellor in the Elders quorum presidency.

David Nicolay

David Nicolay is the man and does man things. Also, he was born and raised in Kansas where he attended a community college almost long enough to obtain an Associates Degree. Almost. He and his wife have 2 children so far and live in Salt Lake City where he works for an internet service provider.

dicktroeh@troeh.com

doesperry08@yahoo.com

Dr. Tom Roberts

Tom Roberts holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from Triune Biblical University, a M.Th. from Covenant Bible College and Seminary, Federal Way, Washington as well as an M. Div. and Ph.D. in Theology from the Hellenic Orthodox University in Athens, Greece. He believes that his mission is to make biblical knowledge more widely known among the general public. Formerly, Tom has been a professional singer, a lay pastor and a D.J. He is currently an ordained Priest for Christ’s Catholic Church and Academic Dean of St Elias Seminary and Graduate School. Tom resides with his wife and son in Weiser, Idaho.

drummer1968@hotmail.com

Edward Jones

EdwardJ is an attorney and amateur musician living in Washington, DC. His interests range from Buddhist meditation and minimalist art to Mozart's music, the poetry of Walt Whitman, and Catherine Deneuve's films. He studied classics with Margaret Toscano, for whom he wrote a small volume of poetry. He is working on a theological project called The Mystical Body of God the Mother. EdwardJ blogs at www.gailymormon.com.

elijahfielding@gmail.com

ellennorth@yahoo.com

EOR

Emmett O. Rabs joined The Church in 1995 and is a divorcee. She lives in NY, is a full-time student, has 2 cats, and enjoys deli sandwiches and laughing.

Francis Williamson

Francis was born and brought up in England where his parents were converted and became members of the LDS church long before he was old enough to be baptised. He is no longer personally affiliated with any religious denomination.

Garrett Hall

Garrett was raised in Wyoming. He graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in Spanish after serving a mission in the Chile Santiago West Mission. He married Tamara and they have 3 children together. They moved to Medford Oregon where Garrett owns a State Farm Agency. He is currently the Stake Young Men's Second Counselor.

Geoff Nelson

Geoff was born in Northern Utah and raised primarily in Central California. He received a BS in Biomedical Physics from Fresno State, a MS in Bioengineering from Stanford, where he is currently working to complete his PhD. He served his LDS Mission in Donetsk Ukraine. He's married and has two boys and two girls. He is currently the Family History Sunday School Teacher in his ward.

Gina Colvin

Gina lives with her husband Nathan and their six boys amidst the earthquake rubble of Christchurch New Zealand. She has a PhD in journalism and lectures at the University of Canterbury in the College of Education. She has called herself to be the Stake heretic, but on her off days she conservatively performs the job of the Gospel Doctrine teacher.

glittergulch4ever@yahoo.com

gloriadelayton@gmail.com

Gregory Prince

Gregory A. Prince is an American pathology researcher, businessman, author, and historian of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. After graduating as valedictorian from Dixie College (St. George, Utah), he served a two-year mission in Brazil. Upon returning to the United States, Prince attended graduate school at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1975 he and his wife, JaLynn Rasmussen, moved to Washington D.C., for a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Prince was one of several leading figures in Mormon studies interviewed for the PBS documentary The Mormons.

Jonathan Griffith

Jonathan is a dedicated bike commuter and former dog musher. When he isn't spending time under the fluorescent glow of office lights, he and his wife spend as much time as possible playing in the mountains. He is an Elder's Quorum instructor in his ward.

Heidi Doggett

Heidi Doggett graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater and a minor in Anthropology. She dedicates much of her time to research and writing on the topics of feminism and the LDS church, as well as running No Dead Beetles; a blog she named after a nature show where a mother beetle worked herself to death trying to feed her offspring. She lives in California with her spouse and two children.

jack@coworkutah.com

Jenne Alderks

Jenne Erigero Alderks is a convert from Unitarian Universalism, a BYU graduate, wife, mother and professional birth attendant and parent educator. A panelist on the podcast Daughters of Mormonism, Jenne has shared extensively about her faith in Heavenly Mother.

James Carroll

James is a member of the board of directors for the the Mormon Transhumanist Association. He has a PhD in computer science, and a minor in Ancient Near Eastern history. As a graduate student he taught Pearl of Great Price, Isaiah, and the Book of Mormon in the BYU Ancient Scripture department. He is currently working at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, doing ensemble machine learning research and computer assisted radiographic analysis for nuclear stockpile stewardship. His interests include machine learning, statistics, linguistics, consciousness, comparative ritual, and photography.

janamanna@hotmail.com

Jared Mooney

Jared Mooney is a professional recording engineer, and amateur theology and church history buff from Boston, Massachusetts. He teaches Elders Quorum in the Boston First Ward and strives to broaden the tent of Mormonism and to make the church or more joyful and welcoming place for “all God’s critters”.

Jared Anderson

jbrimhall@yahoo.com

Jean Bodie

Jean was born in 1944 in England. I’m a mother of 5 children, grandmother to 13, have 1 great grandchild with another due in August. I joined the Church in 1967 and the rest is history. She served in the Edmonton temple in two separate callings as an ordinance worker and as a cleaning supervisor. She also served a faithful mission to South Africa with Jim in 2002 to 2003. After fund raising, we returned in 2005 to 2006 to set up micro credit loans so that the members could start businesses to support their families. Jean is still a fund raiser with the Grandmothers to Grandmother’s Campaign under the Stephen Lewis Foundation. NGO effort to combat poverty and support African grandmothers raising their AIDS orphaned grandchildren.

Jeff Barber

jennidcox@gmail.com

Jenny

Jennifer Maruri lives in Provo, Utah, and is a wife and mother of 3 young children. She works full time as an RN, and is an active member of her church. She considers herself an aficionado of news and talk radio, and enjoys fitness and outdoor activities.

jercan2@gmail.com

jerry.myer@tinker.af.mil

JessGJones2094@gmail.com

Jessica Finnigan

Jessica is completing an advanced Diploma in Religious Studies at the University of Cambridge. She earned a Bachelors from BYU in Marriage, Family, and Human Development. She is married to her best friend and they have 4 daughters. She serves as the Relief Society Secretary in her Ward. And in her spare time loves to swim.

John Hamer

John C. Hamer is a historian, map-maker, illustrator, and publisher. He has created maps for dozens of books and articles in Latter Day Saint studies, including the LDS Church's Joseph Smith Paper's Project, and Mark Scherer's new history of Community of Christ, the first two volumes of which were published April 2013. A former president of the John Whitmer Historical Association, John is co-editor of “Scattering of the Saints: Schism within Mormonism” and co-author of “Community of Christ: An Illustrated History.” He is currently writing a book on Restoration scripture entitled, “The River of Revelation: Community of Christ Scripture in Context.” John lives in Toronto, Canada, where he's the Outreach Coordinator for the downtown congregation of Community of Christ.

Joel Kotkin

Joel Kotkin is executive editor of NewGeography.com and is a distinguished presidential fellow in urban futures at Chapman University, and contributing editor to the City Journal in New York. He is author of The City: A Global History. His newest book is The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050, released in February, 2010.

jon@wrestlefattie.com

Bishop Joshua Wallace

Jeremy Timothy

Born in Provo and raised in Sugar City, Idaho, Jeremy received his education at Utah State University and attended Medical School at St. Louis University receiving his MD. he then specialized in Pediatric Neurology, which he now practices in Mesa, Arizona. Jeremy served his LDS mission form 1992-1994 in Northern Ohio. He has been married to the love of his life now 15 years with 3 wonderful children. Years ago, he blogged as "Doc" at mormonmd.wordpress.com. He has been coaxed out of retirement and anonymity.

junecjr56@aol.com

jvab96@gmail.com

Katey M

Katey is a student at BYU Hawaii. She studies marketing.

katpeterson@gmail.com

Kimberly Brinkerhoff

Kimberly is a book publicist, a mother of three children and stepmother of two, and a wife to a man she loves so much that she married him twice. She lives with her family in North Carolina.

KC Kern

Kelly Anderson

Kelly Andersen is a friend of rationalfaiths' Mike Barker.

kgtofslc@Hotmail.com

krittylu55@gmail.com

kurtnielsen@pacbell.net

Kylan Rice

Kylan Rice is majoring in English at BYU.

Laura Compton

Leah Silverman

Leah Marie has lived all over the country, and currently resides in Virginia, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She earned a BA in Political Science at BYU, and a Masters in Public Administration at Boise State. She works part time as an adjunct professor of politics and is also a Certified Lactation Counselor. She is wife to an English professor, and mother to 2.66 children (two boys and a fetus, joining the family in Aug 2013).

Leslie Nelson

Leslie Nelson works and lives near Seattle, WA, with 5 great kids, 1 husband and 1 dog. If she had any spare time she would knit, read, or play chess (and lose to her teenage sons). She blogs at lesliesillusions.blogspot.com

L Thomas

Mr. Thomas is an Engineering graduate student. He lives with his wife and son in Colorado where he is a ward organist.

maeganjuice@yahoo.com

marc.ward@wasatchlabs.net

Marian Edmonds

I am the Executive Director of OUTreach Resource Center, located in Ogden Utah. We work to "save lives of LGBT individuals and transform communities" - which means that my days are filled with challenges and joys as we try to keep all youth safe with their families and not victims of suicide or homelessness. I have a Masters of Divinity Degree from Eden Theological Seminary, and have worked as a pastor and chaplain. My background also includes degrees in marketing and organizational leadership and I have been involved in church and not-for-profit work for the past 20 years. I grew up in Southern Maine, and spent most of my adult life in New York's Hudson Valley. I now live in Pleasant View, Utah, have four children, and am engaged to Tori Allen, with a wedding date of June 30 in New York.

marycreeves@yahoo.com

matejoh@gmail.com

Matthew Kern

Matt Kern was born in Provo, grew up in Orem, and moved way out to Pleasant Grove, Utah. He is a new father and has been married and sealed for over 4 years. He served a mission in McAllen, Texas, 2005-2007, on the frontera with Mexico where he gained an addiction to gospel study and theological reasoning. Thanks to awesome resources like Rationalfaiths, Matt went through Fowler's stages of faith 3-5 in right around 6 months. He is currently serving as Deacons Advisor and Scoutmaster in his ward.

mattyfrancom@gmail.com

mckenna.delton@gmail.com

Melody Newey

Melody is a mom, Nana, nurse and probably other things. She teaches Sunday School in her Provo, Utah ward, grows a respectable garden, hikes the trails of the Rocky Mountains year 'round and writes sometimes. Her poetry has appeared in Segullah, The Exponent, Utah Sings Volume VIII: An anthology of contemporary verse by Utah poets and in Utah Voices 2012. She recently convinced her three grown children and their spouses to compose Six-word Memoirs at monthly family dinners in her home--this is perhaps her most noteworthy literary achievement.

Micah

Micah Nickolaisen is a photographer and active, faithful Latter-Day Saint living in Chandler, Arizona. You can read more of his thoughts and story at FaithfulHeretic.com. Micah also manages and hosts the new Open Stories Foundation podcast A Thoughtful Faith

Michael Haycock

Michael Haycock is an MA student in Religion, including Mormon Studies, at Claremont Graduate University. He is interested in the intersections of religion with political culture, the development of social norms, and questions of sex and gender.

mike.spurgin@gmail.com

mike@npicompanies.com

mjensen16@gmail.com

Melissa Prince

Melissa graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS in Zoology and Composite Teaching. She grew up in the Western US and South Korea and currently lives in Provo, UT. She served her mission in Busan, South Korea. Melissa is currently the Relief Society secretary.

newportele@hotmail.com

nojunkmail@mail2online.com

Patricia Williams

Patricia was born and raised in Idaho. She attended BYU where she met her husband. They have five children, and twelve grandchildren. She and her husband live in Southern Oregon near their daughter and her family, Cathy and Mike Barker. She is currently a Primary teacher, and works part time in a pediatric dental office.

phenriod@cox.net

pullaviipale@gmail.com

Rachel Hunt

Rachel is a Ph.D. student in philosophy of religion and theology at Claremont Graduate University. While her true academic love is Søren Kierkegaard, she also shares affection for feminist theology (particularly of the Mormon variety). She has a bachelors in philosophy and a masters in library science (from Brigham Young University and Simmons College respectively). Rachel served her mission in Sacramento, California. Rachel is a permanent blogger at the-exponent.com

rachid_liya@hotmail.fr

Russell Crosby

Russell currently resides in the red hills of Southern Utah with his wife and four daughters. He is the CEO of a Nevada based superfood company. He served a full time mission in Texas and has enjoyed various church leadership positions including YM President, High Priest Group Leader, and Bishopric counselor. He is now serving the primary children.

Robert Rees

Rock Waterman

Rock Waterman lives in Carmichael, California with his wife, Connie. He describes himself as a devout latter-day Saint with an obsessive interest in LDS history and theology.

roque_moreno@hotmail.com

rwbailey22@hotmail.com

Ryan Thomas

I'm from Hurricane, Utah, where I currently live with my wife Brenda and two boys. I studied the Bible and ancient Near East at Harvard Divinity School and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. One of my favorite things to do is hike with my family in beautiful southern Utah!

Sam Tomlinson

Elder Sam Tomlinson is serving in the Sao Paulo Interlagos, Brazil Mission

Sara Burlingame

CrazyWomanCreek is the online name of Sara Burlingame, Sara has been a blogger at feministMormonhousewives.org since 2009 when she wiled her way into Lisa Butterworth's heart with her atheist charm, love of Mormon feminism and bribes of home canned pickles. When she isn't blogging, canning, thrifting/dumpster- diving, parenting her three heathen boys or kissing her wildly handsome partner, Jason, she works at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne as their Director of Religious Education. (It's like being Primary and YW's president only they pay you.) Sara has never been a Mormon, it is unlikely that she will ever be one but she considers herself a heartfelt ally to Mormon feminism.

Sara Katherine Staheli Hanks

Sara Katherine Staheli Hanks grew up in southwest Utah. She is a writer, reader, and researcher. She lives with her husband, a cat, and a rapidly-growing fetus in Bothell, Washington and serves as a Sunday School teacher for the 16-18 age group in her ward.

sdunroe@gmail.com

Sharon Jagger

Sharon has liven in England all her life and brought up in the Mormon faith. She's had a long career in the insurance industry and married her husband at age 25. The two have been happily married for 28 years . They have two children (one with downs syndrome) ages 17 and 14. The girls came along 10 and 12 years after Sharon and her husband were married; so not your typical Mormon. Sharon is a stay at home mum with a painting and decorating business on the side . She loves waliking , reading and playing golf .

Shawn Blue

Shawn is a graduate of Southern Oregon University with a BS in Bio-medical Sciences. He is currently pursuing post graduate schools to become a Nurse Practitioner. He is married to a beautiful wife and has three kids that he loves very much and spends much of his free time with. His current day-job is spent as a Medical Assistant for a local clinic.Shawn is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder-Day Saints holding the callings of 2nd counselor in the Young Men's Presidency and Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America. He served the church in the Mexico Monterrey West Mission. Shawn's hobbies include sports, hunting, and music just to name a few.

Scott H

slarsen@bresnan.net

Tamera LeBeau

Tana

Born and raised in Southern Oregon to goodish parents, Tana has read more books than most people will ever own. Tana also loves the outdoors, staying active, and enjoying friends. When not coaxing her daughter out of her bedroom for some light, she can be found playing volleyball, basketball, or taking pictures. If she ever disappears don't go looking in Costa Rica *wink*.

taradiane9@gmail.com

the.garden.mom@live.com

Thomas Hatton

Thomas has lived all over the place, but calls Kentucky his home. He served as a missionary in the Dominican Republic West Mission. He graduated from Transylvania University with a degree in Spanish and Latin American/ Caribbean Studies, and currently works with migrant families and children in southeastern Kentucky as an educational administrator. He is the father of a beautiful boy, and the husband of an amazing, wonderful wife. In his free time, Thomas loves to read, draw pictures in MS Paint, and sing heavy metal from the 80's.

tr3joyce@yahoo.com

Tresa Edmunds

Tresa Edmunds blogs at feministmormonhousewives.org as Reese Dixon. ReeseDixon.com as herself, and everywhere else as a mouthy broad.

Trevor Price

I'm a heterodox Mormon who's lived my whole life in northern Utah, apart from a mission in Spain. I love exploring our theology and finding in it new ways to bring meaning to my life. In the church I'm a freshly minted Young Men's counselor. I have been married four years and my wife and I recently became parents to a precious little girl.

Walter van Beek

Walter van Beek has held many positions outside and inside the church. He was president of the Dutch Anthropological Association twice (1975-1978, 1984-1987), and, following his lifelong fascination with the mind sport of draughts, from 1992 – 2003 was president of the World Draughts and Checkers Federation (FMJD), and, from 2003-2007 even president of the African Draughts Confederation (Africa is very strong in draughts), and is now ‘president for life’ of the FMJD. In that sports arena he was surprised to see very few Mormons in international sports bodies. In the church he has served in many functions and capacities, among which are his three times as branch president. He was stake president of the Rotterdam Stake, and is presently on the high council of that stake, while also teaching Institute and Sunday School. He is also member of the national Public Affairs Committee of the church in the Netherlands, and often translates for General Conference. In 2008 he received an official royal distinction for his various services, as ‘Ridder in the Orde van Oranje Nassau’ (‘Ridder’ means ‘knight’, a distinction comparable in the USA with a Congressional Medal).

william.e.wiltfong.civ@mail.mil

winston63@comcast.net

Zina Petersen

Zina Petersen teaches courses in early British literature and language. She received her graduate degrees from The Catholic University of America in 1992 and 1997. Her research interests include the literary history of Christianity, mysticism, women's religious and spiritual writings, Chaucer, Malory and King Arthur traditions. She also follows developments in popular Medievalism, which, as distinct from Medieval Studies, is the exploration of the uses and interpretation of the Middle Ages (for instance, the pre-Raphaelites or twentieth-century fantasy as a "medievalistic" genre). She is the faculty advisor for the Quill and the Sword medieval club.