Episode 54 | She Loved the Mormon Temple… Then Everything Fell Apart

Support me on substack here ❤️: https://jadenjeffs.substack.com/Jaden interviews Alyssa, who grew up in a strict LDS home in Minnesota, moved to Utah for BYU, and later left the Mormon church. They discuss culture shock in Utah, hypocrisy and contradictions in LDS rules (coffee vs energy drinks, garments changing, dating and sexual standards), and how spiritual feelings—especially through music and the curated temple environment—can be interpreted as truth or manipulation. Alyssa explains she didn’t fully believe until her early 20s, recommitted during COVID by taking missionary lessons, repenting, getting endowed, and attending the temple weekly, then experienced a faith collapse after a major LDS breakup in 2024 that shifted her view of God, sealing, and “one true church” claims. She now attends a non-denominational church off and on, relates to agnosticism, and describes difficult but loving family dynamics, including conflict over tithing and her parents’ inability to see outside the LDS worldview.00:00 Faith Stakes Banter00:55 Meet Alyssa Ex Mormon02:37 Utah Bubble Culture Shock03:55 Strict LDS Childhood Rules06:19 Sex Talk And Purity Culture08:47 Belief Wavers Then BYU Reset13:25 Swearing And Family Dynamics17:09 Hypocrisy And Church History20:34 Coffee Monsters And Garments27:28 COVID Recommitment And Temple High32:24 Temple As Curated Spirituality36:17 Dating Non Member While Devout37:51 Covenants Over Everything38:21 Why Date Nonmembers42:14 Conversion Culture Gray Area45:20 Contradictions And Garments50:57 Black And White Mormon Identity54:25 FLDS Lens On Hypocrisy01:03:30 Breakup Catalyst Leaving01:10:48 Utah Dating Commitment Issues01:12:00 Strength Of Youth Dating Rules01:13:49 Mormon Dating Contradictions01:15:34 Why Parents Can’t Hear Doubt01:19:04 Tithing Sparks the Talk01:25:20 Is There One True Church01:28:00 What Mormonism Still Offers01:32:27 Utah Culture and Defending LDS01:36:23 Why People Join Religions01:38:24 Spiritual Manipulation Explained01:42:40 Life After Leaving the Church01:45:04 Final Thoughts and Farewell👇**SHOP MERCH HERE FROM JADEN**[fromjaden.com](http://fromjaden.com)👇 **FOLLOW + SUPPORT THE PODCAST**Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3GHUWDyJ5ZJ0QzVu8EihBH?si=hpDUxgqMR9CIkwei0Ghiew🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jaden-jeffs-podcast/id1795576157✉️ Newsletter (Substack): https://jadenjeffs.substack.com/👇 **MY Website**JadenJeffs.com👇 **SOCIALS**Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realjadenjeffs?igsh=cm9ybmY1dzk1dmNp&utm_source=qrTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jadenjeffs100?_r=1&_t=ZP-91rDt1rkLz5Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BtYdgFoS5/?mibextid=wwXIfr👇 **WATCH NEXT**➡️ Most Popular Videos: https://youtu.be/I-gZtaxMv9whttps://youtu.be/3WIYe15Ostshttps://youtu.be/rNKg83fMuN4➡️ Podcast Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk3w3VkHlWzRgsNC_wNeOBxa0AEBnpsCz&si=izu5YMpxghxqO13m👇 **BUSINESS**📩 Contact: [email protected] me a Coffee via Venmo ❤️ https://venmo.com/u/fitoj