by Amber Elisabeth Sanders With dust upon their feet, They weep where grief and grace meet. Not less than because of a fall, But called by the Shepherd who knows all. Their hands shake holding the weight of the lost, Their prayers taste of salt as they count the cost. As priesthood keys rest in appointed hands, The power and healing flow through the lands. Nothing lacking from the mercy seat Where they kneel, undone, at His nail-scarred feet. Christ atones with blood and with tears, Silencing each and every one of their fears. They rise in the night with an ache in their chest, To sing Zion awake while the wounded still rest. They come to Him fractured, yet He heals each heart, As each woman rises to do her own part. They cradle the broken, they kindle the flame, To build up His kingdom in Jesus’ name. Amber Elisabeth Sanders lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is a member of the Shadow Mountain Ward in the Paradise Valley Stake. She writes from the messy middle of being a devoted wife of 18 years, a mother of three, and a ward missionary, relying daily on her anchor of faith. She is convinced that Christ is in the business of mending fractured hearts and trusting ordinary women to build Zion. Her words are written for anyone who has ever knelt at the mercy seat and stood back up to light a candle for someone else.

By Angie Ora Whittemore One morning my mom and I walk a remote island coast near her home. Watch your step, she tells me, these beaches are littered with glass. Shards of white and foam green lie amid discarded caps and lone shoes. We scan the sand before placing our feet. A quarter mile on now, I bend to examine these pieces and wait look the glass is rounded, smooth, opaque. There are no rough edges, no jags to pierce my skin. Decades of churning in the sea, weathered by rock and grain, and salt to turn it milky raw, allows the refining, the tolerance, the acceptance. Lord let this be me: let me cup my hands to the coarseness of life. The sickness, the seeming rejection, the hunger I have not yet sated. And Lord let me behold this refinement not just in others, but in myself. Hashlamah. Hashlamah is a Hebrew term meaning the surrender to or alignment with the will of God and the nature of reality. Angie Ora Whittemore lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband and three daughters. She is happiest near the ocean, where she finds balance, inspiration and play. As a committed friend of Jesus, she is drawn to the ways the Divine is manifest in the natural world and in everyday life.

by Candace White Whimpers of a four-year-old girl sequestered between the wall and her bureau light up heaven as a bright red beacon. “Help,” she cries, weakly but sincerely, like the offering of the remains of her piggy bank to cover the broken dish, the dolls on the floor, the postage stamps used as stickers, the inconvenience of her existence. The martinet is determined, a heat-seeking missile, and she knows if she is found before he moves on to other targets, the beatings will resume. “Help,” she cries—just one word from her little girl heart, from her little girl red mouth—onto the bureau with a white grease pencil. And then it comes. Not as expected, but as she needs, with the stillness and penetrating clarity only the Gods of heaven can offer. “He is only your earthly father, but I am your heavenly Father.” Candace White is a creator with a love for faith, history, travel, beauty, and lifelong learning. She believes some of life’s greatest treasures are found in unexpected places: a well-told story, a hard-earned lesson, a quiet act of kindness, a piece of art, lunch with a friend, or a glimpse of heaven in an ordinary day. She lives in a sunny corner of the world with her darling husband and their sweet dog.

The LDS Women Project (formerly the Mormon Women Project) is a platform to amplify the diverse voices, experiences, and wisdom of women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, showcasing that there's no single way to be an LDS woman and offering resources for more egalitarian worship. Find interviews, podcasts, essays, and special series exploring faith, culture, challenges, and spiritual growth, aiming to build connection and understanding within the community. Stories of Diversity & Faith FROM WOMEN OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS The LDS Women Project amplifies the voices, experiences, and faith journeys of Latter-day Saint women. Honoring the sacred journey GET INVOLVED Sisters Interviews Explore the diverse voices, experiences, and faith journeys of Latter-day Saint women. Discipleship Essays Engage with thoughtful reflections on faith, identity, & community. Written by LDS women for LDS women. Discover Resources Find empowering quotes, lesson supplements, & editorials that deepen understanding & strengthen faith. "I'm staying right here, to cultivate my bit of God's Kingdom so that both my sisters & brothers have fertile ground in which to grow. Are you with me?" Neylan McBaine, Women at Church In memoriam Carol Lynn Pearson: We Were Made for This Interview with Elizabeth Ostler Carol Lynn Pearson passed away on July 29, 2026. It was our great honor to interview her in 2023 for this project. We are grateful for her fierce advocacy, passionate writing, abundant humanity, and deep love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. She is already missed. READ MORE Wounded Souls AN ESSAY IN DISCIPLESHIP BY ELIZABETH OSTLER New Essay! There are people reading this who have dreams that have not been realized, expectations that haven’t been met. Others have experienced divorce, miscarriages, infertility, infidelity, homelessness, and job loss. Some of us have buried lovers, buried children, buried parents, buried sisters. When we find ourselves in these moments, we often ask, Why? READ MORE Support Us HELP US MAGNIFY WOMEN BY SHARING THEIR STORIES & CONTRIBUTIONS Because of you, we can inspire and enlighten people around the world. We depend on the kindness of donors like you to keep this work moving forward. Please consider making a donation to sustain The Latter-day Saint Women Project. DONATE Subscribe to our newsletter. YES, SIGN ME UP!

The LDS Women Project started with one sister telling her story to another. We have interviewed over 250 Latter-day Saint women in more than 25 countries. Our stories are our heritage. We are part of a journal-keeping culture, a blogging culture, a memorializing culture that treasures the stories of those who have gone before us. Interviews The LDS Women Project started with one sister telling her story to another. We have interviewed over 250 LDS women in more than 25 countries. Our stories are our heritage. We are part of a journal-keeping culture, a blogging culture, a memorializing culture that treasures the stories of those who have gone before us. As we each work to build a relationship with Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Parents, we hope these stories from Latter-day Saint sisters will inspire every woman to make deliberate and meaningful choices in her life as she seeks to fulfill her individual mission on this earth. If you would like to nominate someone to be interviewed by one of our producers, please email us at interviews@ldswomenproject.com Trina Caudle: THE CENTRALITY OF RELATIONSHIP Trina Caudle is a writer and editor with emphasis on personal stories and relationships. She brings that talent and skill set to the LDS Women Project as our Interviews Editor. Elizabeth Ostler May 15 12 min read GATHERING OF TRIBES, Gathering of Tribes: Cindy Quinney, Shane Manning & Amber Irwin Gathering Of Tribes is a nonprofit organization founded to support Native American and First Nations Latter-day Saints in the US and Canada by working collaboratively with the Church to nurture faith in Christ, support family history work, and celebrate cultural identity. The impetus of the LDS Women Project was to refute the idea that being a Latter-day Saint woman had to look one certain way, and to demonstrate that our diversity is our strength. Gathering Tribes exemplifi Elizabeth Ostler Sep 12, 2025 16 min read NOTHING STOPPING HER FROM LOVING HER SON, Karla Autrey Karla Autrey’s son came out to her as gay after he completed his mission. She did not understand at first how to accept his sexual orientation but has poured herself into learning unconditional love for her son and providing support to our LGBTQ members. Trina Caudle Jun 14, 2025 13 min read PERSONAL INTEGRITY, Neylan McBaine Neylan McBaine founded the LDS Women Project and published the first interview in September 2009. She has since worked on multiple projects such as publishing the book “Women at Church” in 2014 and leading the non-profit Better Days 2020. She continues to promote women’s visibility and empowerment in the Latter-day Saint sphere. Elizabeth Ostler Apr 11, 2025 14 min read KIRTLAND COUSINS, Susan Jackson Susan Jackson shares her story of growing up in Utah, raising a large family, and volunteering extensively, including teaching seminary and serving in various Church roles while living across the U.S. and internationally. She also details her unique experience volunteering at the Kirtland Temple with Community of Christ, the deep relationships she built there, and her emotional response to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchasing the site. Trina Caudle Mar 15, 2025 15 min read WISDOM AND TIME, Georgina Bringas Georgina is an artist from Mexico City, Mexico, where the stereotype of an artist does not necessarily align with gospel living. She works to portray gospel principles through abstract art. Jenny Willmore Feb 14, 2025 10 min read WOMEN ON THE STAND, Amy Watkins Jensen Amy Watkins Jensen lives in a California stake with a practice of having women leaders sit on the stand in ward and stake meetings to increase the visibility of women and partnership among all leaders. In 2023, the Area President instructed the California stakes to end women leaders sitting on the stand. Amy began the Instagram account “Women on the Stand” in response. Trina Caudle Jan 4, 2025 14 min read MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS, Audrey Chaves Aubrey Chaves experienced a personal faith crisis as a young married adult relating to Church history and polygamy, and wondered if she should continue to be a member. Through a lot of questions and exploration, she expanded her faith and transformed her spiritual life. She now hosts the Faith Matters podcast with her husband, Tim. Trina Caudle Dec 6, 2024 15 min read TRUSTING IN THE LORD, Wendy Gonzalez Wendy Gonzalez shares her family’s story of emigrating from Venezuela to the United States. Jenny Willmore Oct 23, 2024 6 min read MIRRORING THE FATHER’S LOVE, Nalweyiso Barbara Katende Ojera Barbara Katende is a Latter-day Saint in Uganda and shared her personal history and testimony with the LDS Women Project. Trina Caudle Sep 22, 2024 7 min read MAKING MORMONISM HER OWN, Allie Bradford Brown Alice (Allie) Bradford Brown grew up in Provo, Utah as the daughter of a BYU professor and a homemaker, and the granddaughter of a Latter-day Saint feminist icon. But stereotypes have not been her path as she forges her own way through life. Allie is also the Director of Fundraising for the LDS Women Project. Trina Caudle Aug 30, 2024 12 min read GO FAR, STAY LONG, LOOK DEEP, Marci McPhee Marci McPhee retired to care for her mother, who passed away sooner than expected. She consulted with the Lord about what to do next and has felt called to a new location every couple of years to provide community service and to learn. Trina Caudle Nov 10, 2023 15 min read 1 2 3 4 5

This series focuses on the experiences and insights of active Latter-day Saint women married to men who are not members of the Church, or to men who have left the Church. Each story is a generous and vulnerable offering. Mixed-Faith Marriage This series focuses on the experiences and insights of active Latter-day Saint women married to men who are not members of the Church, or to men who have left the Church. Each story is a generous and vulnerable offering. Meant To Be I was the girl who dreamed of getting married at 18 in the temple and having six kids. I did not imagine I’d ever be still single and old enough to serve a mission. Lucky for me, the Lord had different plans for me—I think the Lord knew that I needed a little more preparation for what he had in store for me and my life. I ended up serving a mission in Salt Lake City, and spent the entire time on the east side, serving in suburban areas much like the one I grew up in. Anonymous Dec 18, 2018 5 min read A Sense of Freedom I was raised a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I sang songs about marrying in the temple in primary. I learned that a “celestial marriage” meant that I would marry a man who held the Priesthood, and was worthy of that Priesthood as a member of the same church. Both of my parents were members and I remember walking to church together, sharing traditions of reading scriptures together (sometimes), family prayer (sometimes), and praying before every me Anonymous Dec 14, 2018 3 min read Supporting His Journey As I reflect back on those impressionable years between the ages of 12-18, I fondly recall having very real desires and aspirations to heed the counsel of my young women leaders, when the time was right, to choose a man who could take me to the temple. And I did. My first marriage was in fact a temple marriage. But like many temples marriages, unfortunately mine ended in divorce. I was six months pregnant with our son when I separated from my then husband. Tiffany Nevares Dec 11, 2018 3 min read Sifting Through Unmet Expectations I asked a friend for a blessing when I was considering getting engaged to my husband. I was told that I had made countless good decisions in my life leading up to that point, and that God trusted my ability to make a good decision here too. Melissa Marshall Dec 7, 2018 4 min read Practicing Heavenly Vision Perhaps my patriarchal blessing was subtly preparing me for this life; at age 14, I was told that I would be the spiritual leader of my home. As this was given 30 years ago, that was a surprise. It was just assumed that the father in the family would be the leader. McArthur Krishna Dec 5, 2018 4 min read Mourning and Hope My husband and I have been married for nine years. The Church was extremely important to him when we were dating and engaged, and during the first few years of our marriage. He loved serving in the church, attending the temple, and especially had a deep testimony of the importance of reading your scriptures regularly and paying tithing. Anonymous Dec 3, 2018 4 min read My Personal Equation My husband and I met while we were both new teachers at an inner-city high school in Las Vegas. We were young, inexperienced, and frustrated. We were transplants: Christian from Kentucky, I from Utah/Oregon. We fell in love quickly. He was my life raft at a time when I was doggie-paddling across a turbulent ocean. Kim Cowart Nov 27, 2018 3 min read Between Me and the Lord My first boyfriend was a poster child for the church: intelligent, active, and preparing to serve a mission. He’d shaken the hand of the prophet and held several youth leadership roles. He sexually assaulted me before and after his mission. He now serves as a bishop. Anonymous Nov 26, 2018 3 min read A Celestial Relationship This story is about me—which feels odd because whenever I have written it before I’ve made it about my husband. We met at BYU, fell madly in love and were married in the Oakland Temple. We finished school, moved to Washington State, and started a busy life with children, callings, careers, and life. We have been a good match. I always credit his kindness and consideration and encouragement. Jennifer Barnhart Nov 24, 2018 5 min read Evolving Charity I never thought I was in a mixed-faith marriage because I believed my faith was the one and only true faith, and that my non-LDS husband was just a missionary work in progress. My insistence that my worldview is the only valid worldview is probably one of the primary reasons why I am in my third marriage. Kim Powers Nov 23, 2018 3 min read Not a Last Resort Interfaith marriages are often underrepresented in LDS discourse on dating, marriage, and eternal life. Although I’ve often heard marriages like mine described as “backup” options, for me it has been a joy formed through much prayer, study, and lived experience. Julianne Weis Nov 20, 2018 4 min read A Changing Marriage We were waiting for our early morning flight for our family’s long-awaited trip to Disneyland. My husband came walking down the concourse with a Starbucks drink in hand. Our 10-year-old daughter asked what he was drinking, and he replied, “a caramel macchiato.” I inwardly fumed, as I was exhausted by preparing our family of seven for a big trip and this was the venue my husband used to tell our children he drank coffee. M. Leavitt Nov 19, 2018 3 min read 1 2