In this powerful, raw, and emotional conversation, Nathan Hinckley and his daughter Kayli open up about their journey through Mormonism — from deep devotion to painful disillusionment — and how faith, family, and unexpected truths collided at one of the most sacred moments: Kayli’s wedding. From early seminary mornings and dreams of the Celestial Kingdom to patriarchal blessings, church culture clashes, and a heartbreaking faith crisis — this interview pulls no punches. Nathan, a once-devoted bishop and father, shares how his spiritual unraveling sent shockwaves through his family, culminating in a moment that changed everything at his daughter's temple wedding. How do you break the news to your family that you no longer believe — when your whole life has been built around it? How did Kayli handle growing up as a “perfect Mormon girl,” only to find herself questioning it all before adulthood? Topics explored: -Growing up Mormon in Tennessee -Spiritual perfectionism & scrupulosity -Patriarchal expectations vs self-identity -Leaving the Church and breaking generational cycles -Family dynamics around faith, control, and truth Show note can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/my-dad-ruined-my-mormon-wedding/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:41 How the Hinckley’s end up in Tennessee 00:22:29 Kayli’s upbringing on “the compound” also called “The Mormon Holler” by non-members 00:26:15 Mormon garment mindset and wearing bikinis 00:36:10 Kayli learning the word “feminist” 00:42:45 Scrupulosity around beauty and appearance or just the rules? 01:07:56 Persecution complex, throwing rocks at a tree 01:22:00 Getting her patriarchal blessing 01:27:49 Dating non-members and finding a husband 01:46:45 How was Kayli’s testimony during this time? 01:57:03 Still born sister that she wanted to see in heaven 02:04:16 Nathan losing his testimony 02:13:40 Nathan was asked to take a survey for the Church on the Gospel Topics Essays 02:27:30 Nathan struggles with his testimony 02:36:17 Kayli goes down the rabbit hole while parents on vacation 02:39:59 I was one person before, and in the next moment I was a different person 02:50:38 Why didn’t Nathan just hide it or fake it 02:55:51 Nathan began writing and posting things publicly 03:01:01 Kayli removed her name from the Church pretty quickly 03:05:26 “An Old Friend of Mine” song 03:14:30 How did Ethan respond to Kayli’s deep dive into the church? ___________________ 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 as well as 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 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝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 Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join 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