Join us as we meet Jeff & Larissa Kindred and follow their stories growing up as Latter-day Saints. Jeff's story includes a grooming scoutmaster, his love of sports, attending Snow College, and serving a mission in Jackson, Mississippi where he dealt with scrupulosity around diet & exercise, becoming AP, and wrestling with racism in the Church culture & scripture. Larissa's story involves her Japanese-American heritage, and gives a brief introduction on the history of anti-Japanese sentiment in Utah, including having been home to a Japanese "Work" Camp in Topaz. Larissa tells of the struggles her grandparents faced assimilating into Utah Culture and dealing with the loss of their own. Larissa also describes racism she experienced growing up in American Fork, UT and Mormon culture's ideals matching white beauty standards. And this is just the beginning! Jeff and Larissa have a lot of experiences that many current and former Mormons will relate to and experiences that will be new for many to hear. Larissa Kindred: https://www.instagram.com/lkindred/ https://twitter.com/exmo_mama Jeff Kindred: https://twitter.com/jeff_kindred Episode Show Notes: https://mormonstories.org/podcast/a-japanese-american-mormon-story-jeff-and-larissa-kindred/ Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction, Intentions 00:05:00 Jeff’s early years & High School in Mormon family 00:23:45 Mission call to Jackson, Mississippi & deep racism in Mormonism 00:46:00 Plusses and minuses of orthodox Mormonism, external validation 00:47:15 Larissa’s Mormon (Huntingtons) and Japanese-American heritage 00:50:00 Anti-Japanese sentiment in U.S., Utah, Topaz (Internment Camps) 01:03:00 Mormon culture is white culture, privilege, invisible identity 01:13:15 Family is baptized, including Larissa’s father, in attempt to assimilate into Mormon community 01:14:00 Dad serves a mission in Sacramento. He is initially not given a lineage in his Patriarchal Blessing but gets later addendum: “Adopted in the house of Abraham” 01:18:00 Larissa’s mother and father get married despite racist grandparents 01:21:00 Larissa’s early years in American Fork, “passing” as “ethnically ambiguous” and microaggressions in school, beauty standards, worthiness, etc. 01:27:45 Larissa’s parents divorce, home “without priesthood” 01:31:15 Larissa’s mother gets help from ward to finish nursing school, welfare food & poverty themes. Mother doubles down on Church & conservative teachings around feminism & sexuality. 01:45:30 Modesty, Larissa’s awareness of her sexuality & weird bishop interviews 01:52:15 More on LDS racism and different “gradations” for races. 01:57:00 Graduates from seminary, gets young women medallion, goes to Weber State, then UVU. 02:02:00 Richard G. Scott speaks at UVU and Larissa decides to refocus her efforts to become active 02:05:00 One of her previous boyfriend’s family members make her feel “trashy” before meeting current husband, Jeff. 02:30:00 Dating, Larissa letting go of mission desires, deciding to get married 02:38:00 Being a performance counselor dancer at EFY, Jeff proposes 02:42:30 Larissa’s Temple experience 02:45:00 First year of marriage was all about Jeff’s medical career. Larissa doesn’t feel she really chose this life. 02:49:00 Visions for their Mormon dream Episode Show Notes: https://mormonstories.org/podcast/a-japanese-american-mormon-story-jeff-and-larissa-kindred/ _________________________ ABOUT US: Mormon Stories Podcast is the longest-running and most successful podcast in Mormonism - hosted by Dr. John Dehlin. Our overall mission is to: 1) Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology, 2) Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis, and 3) Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions. Mormon Stories Podcast is a product of the Open Stories Foundation - a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to supporting Mormons in religious transition. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Our Platforms: Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: MormonStories@gmail.com PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 #MormonStories #Mormon #lds