At Last She Said It Cynthia Winward, Susan Hinckley

“What could a Relief Society lesson on racism look like?” “What do you wish other members of the Church knew about what it’s like to be a Black Latter-day Saint in 2023?” Cynthia asked Tamu Smith these questions and more as they visited in Cynthia’s kitchen with the recorder running. In Episode 154, Tamu shares her personal insights and answers in a wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation between two good friends.

Embracing our journey means accepting that every individual’s path is different. While some Latter-day Saint women think about why they stay, others will be thinking about why they make the choice not to. In Episode 153, two women who found stepping away from church engagement to be the right choice for them share their personal stories. It's a conversation about why leaving is not as easy as some members may think, and why staying is not always the best option.

For some Latter-day Saint women, embracing the journey may include reckoning with difficult aspects of the church experience that are specific to women. Some may choose to leave when they find their personal cost exceeds their benefit. In Episode 152, Susan and Cynthia muddy the water around the decision to 'stay' with a frank discussion about things a woman may have to accept, ignore, or sacrifice in order to make that choice.

Every Latter-day Saint woman is on her own journey of faith. We describe it using all kinds of language, and some days the path ahead seems a lot clearer than other days. We each carry our own baggage, our own maps, our own stories of how we came to be where and who we are. Learning to relax into change in this part of our lives can be difficult in a religion where we hear phrases like ‘immovable faith,’ ‘knowing with every fiber of our being,’ and ‘unchanging doctrine.’ In Episode 151, Cynthia and Susan are joined by Aubrey Chaves for a conversation about movement. It’s about reclaiming personal authority, following spiritual energy, and embracing our individual path.

Season 7 begins with a series of conversations exploring reasons some women continue to find spiritual value participating in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and some do not. Every individual has her own faith story, and in Episode 150, Cynthia and Susan ask themselves and each other the question listeners continue to ask more than any other: Why do you stay?

Where are you turning for peace these days? It can feel elusive on a shifting path! In bonus Episode 149, Cynthia and Susan revisit an earlier conversation to compare notes and discuss things they’re still learning when it comes to the ongoing challenge of ‘making and doing’ personal peace.