Richard Ostler

My name is Richard Ostler (twitter: @papaostler) and am a native of Salt Lake City. I have degrees from the University of Utah and Brigham Young University (business). I married by best friend and eternal companion Sheila Juergens of Houston, Texas in 1990 and we are the parents of six great children and two grandchildren and live near Cottonwood High School in Salt Lake City. I believe deeply in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and want it to work for a wider group.

The name ‘Papa Ostler’ resulting from being introduced to Twitter by my High School age son Matt in 2010. I wanted the high school age kids to know I wasn’t their age as I interacted with them … hence the name Papa Ostler.

I served as a YSA Bishop in the West Valley City/Magna area of Salt Lake (released in 2016) and met some of the finest people I will ever know. In addition to meeting with wonderful active members of my Ward, I reached out and connected via social media (mostly via the private messaging features of FB and Twitter) with many of our inactive members and their non-member friends. Over time, many felt comfortable meeting with me and sharing their stories. Through hundreds of interviews and ‘listening to understand’, I was able to ‘see’ the church from the eyes of those outside of active Latter-day Saints. Many feel the church is their ‘spiritual home’ but feel uncomfortable attending for a variety of reasons such as work-in-progress testimonies, concerns about church history, feeling unworthy because of past or current sin, don't fit the cultural mold, role of women, are LGBTQ and/or feel God's LGBTQ childen should be more welcomed in our congregations, etc.

This podcast, from a deeply believing/committed Latter-day Saint, is designed to 'Have a Conversation' about some of the more complicated issues in our church to help all of us 'listen, learn and love' so we can minister in a more effective way to all of Heavenly Father’s children.

Some podcasts will me 'going solo' and other podcasts will be guests helping us to better understand God's LGBTQ children as taught by President M. Russell Ballard 'Mormon leaders, along with the rank and file, need to listen to and understand what LGBT members are feeling and experiencing (Nov 2017 BYU Devotional).'

With love, Richard 'Papa' Ostler ❤

Richard Ostler’s tracks

• Episode 101: Williamson Sintyl, Survivor of Haiti Earthquake, RM, Married, Founder of Arise by Richard Ostler
• Episode 100: Jane Clayson Johnson, Journalist, Latter-day Saint, Author of ‘Silent Souls Weeping’ by Richard Ostler
• Episode 99: Kayden Carlos, RM, Temple Marriage, Former Drug Dealer, Disciple of Christ by Richard Ostler
• Episode 98: Arianna Rees, Active LDS, Mid-Twenties, Writer, Great Insights into the Gospel by Richard Ostler
• Episode 97: Ryan Reese, Age 26, RM, Active LDS, Dealing with Curveballs by Richard Ostler
• Episode 96: Charlie Bird, Former BYU Cosmo, RM, Gay Latter-day-Saint by Richard Ostler
• Episode 95: Julie Lee, Host of ‘I See You’ Podcast, Helping Others with Emotional Challenges by Richard Ostler
• Episode 94: Jenny Mathews, Married Mother of 4 in her 30’s, Active LDS, Gay Father by Richard Ostler
• Episode 93: Jackson & Zeke Richards, Active LDS, Their Brother Connor in a Same-Sex Marriage by Richard Ostler
• Episode 92: Jeff and Sarah Case, Married parents of three, Active LDS, Mixed-Orientation Marriage by Richard Ostler