In this emotional and gripping interview, Janae Thompson shares her journey as a Mormon woman and the struggles she faced in a religion that demanded perfection and conformity. From her early years in the Mormon church, to her time at BYU and beyond, Janae recounts the challenges of fitting into a narrow mold while dealing with her own personal struggles, including an eating disorder and the pressure to find an eternal companion. But it was the sudden death of her husband Grant that truly tested Janae's strength and resilience. Through her raw and honest reflections, Janae offers a powerful insight into loss, grief, and the search for meaning and purpose in the face of tragedy. Show Notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/mormon-widow-janae-thompson/ Part 2: https://youtu.be/L9Rlm3sQi2k 00:00:00 Intro & Intentions 00:05:15 Early Mormon years 00:13:00 Shame in adolescence 00:24:45 The problem with building your life as a Mormon woman around a man. 00:34:00 Initially not religious, Janae gains her testimony after getting into BYU Nauvoo program 00:54:00 Transferring to BYU, followed by dating struggles 01:01:30 Janae covers for her Bishop delaying her mission call by getting engaged 01:13:00 Janae breaks her engagement and moves to Arizona where she meets Grant 01:24:15 Temple and Wedding 01:28:00 Trying for a baby, miscarriage 01:31:30 Summarizing her 13 years with Grant 01:38:00 The birth of “The King of Random” (TKOR) 01:42:00 Progression of their marriage and Mormon faith 01:45:30 Pivoting to living a fuller, more intentional life - “Living” for the first time 01:48:00 Janae focuses on religion, Grant wants to find fun - a divide emerges 01:50:00 Grant's childhood and compulsivity in marriage 02:16:00 The day Grant died 02:30:30 Janae & children's react 02:42:00 How Grant died 02:47:30 Making decisions about the funeral, deciding to cremate 02:53:15 Reactions to Grant’s death, international news 02:55:00 Processing the loss of Grant 03:00:30 Telling the kids their dad has died 03:04:45 How to support someone who’s lost a loved one 03:08:30 Grant’s Mormon funeral, framing it as “a separation, graduation…see you soon…”God’s holding me right now” ABOUT US: Mormon Stories Podcast is the longest-running and most successful podcast in Mormonism - hosted by Dr. John Dehlin. At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We also occasionally interview scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. 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 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