Episode 645: Jim Kasen, New LDS Book, Recently Retired BYU Director

Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 839 Ratings

🗓️ 19 May 2023

⏱️ 76 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

My friend Jim Kasen (active LDS, mid 60’s, Same Sex Attraction) shares his story of his deep religious conversion/conviction; his anxiety; and his same sex attraction. Jim talks about how his Savior has been his constant rock in navigating the realities of his life including navigating difficult church experiences around his sexual orientation and why he stays a member of the Church. Jim has written a new book called “To Belong to Him” which I encourage everyone to read. In the book, Jim talks about the practical application of his relationship with the Savior as the foundation of his faith—and his way to move forward as a committed Latter-day Saint. The principles in Jim’s book apply to all of us. Jim’s book/story is a life of faith, courage, hope, and grace. I encourage everyone to listen to Jim’s podcast and read his book. Thank you, Jim, for all your work in our community as a clinical social worker, as the director of BYU University Relations, and as a kind and generous disciple of Christ. Podcast Links: Jim’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXTSC82N NorthStar June Conference: https://www.northstarsaints.org/2023-north-star-conference To Begin Again by Naomi Levy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345413830 Ministering to LGBTQ Latter-day Saints Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome listeners to another episode of Listen, Learn, and Love, hosted by Richard Osler.
0:09.5	My guest on today's podcast, joining me from his home, I think in Orem, Utah's, my friend Jim Kaysen.
0:16.8	Welcome to the podcast, Jim, and did we pronounce your last name right?
0:20.7	You did, and I feel very welcome.
0:22.9	Thank you.
0:24.3	We're going to talk.
0:25.7	I'd like to give just kind of an overview of who you're listening to.
0:30.0	You're listening to Jim Kaysen, as I said, he is in his mid-60s.
0:34.8	He has never been married.
0:36.7	He has same-sex attraction. He knew that from the age of three
0:41.0	and has had that part of his journey his entire life. From a career standpoint, he spent a lot of
0:48.5	time in social work. I'm even to back up. He served a mission in the Philippines in the mid-1970s, earned a master's and
0:57.0	social work from the University of Utah. And I'm kind of skipping. He'll fill in some of the
1:01.9	blanks. But in 22,000, he began working at BYU and spent the next two plus decades working at
1:10.3	BYU. And in June of 2022, retired as the director of
1:16.7	BYU University Relations.
1:19.5	And grateful on behalf of all our listeners for your wonderful service and work at BYU in many circles,
1:25.5	Jim has written a book called To Belong to Him by James C. Kason. We'll
1:31.9	link to that in the show notes at Amazon. It's Jim's story. And I'm just so honored when someone
1:38.7	steps forward and would like to share their story on the podcast. We said a prayer before we started as I've been visiting with Jim.
1:46.1	I just felt his story will help you.
1:49.3	If you're working the journey as an LGBTQ SSA Latter-day Saint,
	...

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