Lynn grew up in a large, devoted Mormon family, deeply connected to her great great grandfather, Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, and shaped by strong traditions and high expectations.
As a child, Lynn worked hard in school, followed strict family rules, and tried to live up to the “Mormon royalty” label placed on her by her community.
Then at 19, she left everything and everyone she knew and moved from Utah to Manhattan. I have an undergraduate degree in psychology and journalism and an MBA from NYU.
As she met people from outside her faith and started asking questions about her beliefs and the history she’d always been told.
After discovering new perspectives and truths, Lyn discovered that the church was based on fraud and deception and decided to leave the Mormon Church, knowing it meant she might lose her sense of belonging and family support.
Alone in New York, she struggled with doubt, loneliness, and her own identity, but slowly found support in therapy, self-help, and new friendships. Through self-reflection, Lynn learned to accept herself, heal from old wounds, and build a spiritual life that felt honest and meaningful rather than following rules.
Today, Lynn shares her experience to help others facing religious trauma, family estrangement, and big life changes, believing healing and connection are possible for everyone. She is the author of We Were Smiths: Escaping the Shadow of Joseph Smith’s Mormon Legacy, a memoir seeking publication.
Social Media
Lynsmithgregory.com, @lynsmithgregory on social media, Heretic Survivor: From Mormon to Me blog
*****
We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes.
Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.
If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contact
We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!
Warmly,
The Kintsugi Heroes team
YouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || Website
Theme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com