1423: Giving up Major League Baseball for Mormonism - Marc Oslund Pt. 1

Join us today as we kick off our three-part interview with former baseball player and LDS seminary teacher, Marc Oslund. Fascinating for so many reasons, I believe this is one of the most important Mormon Stories Podcast episodes I've ever released. Marc was a heavily recruited high school baseball and football player in the L.A., California area. He converted to the Mormon church as a teen. He was drafted to the baseball Major Leagues three different times, and turned down those offers to go on an LDS mission and to BYU. He was an all-American baseball player at BYU. He served an LDS mission where he was often racked with guilt and shame - almost sent home for it. When his baseball career ended (due to post-mission injuries), he became a Mormon CES seminary teacher, and served from around 2013 to 2019 - while the Mormon church was trying to become more open/honest about its history, and deal with public activists like Kate Kelly, myself, Sam Young, Jeremy Runnells, etc. Even though he constantly had doubts/questions/concerns, his position as a seminary teacher caused major rifts in his marriage when his wife expressed occasional doubts, specifically about the Mormon temple ceremony. Marc became a liberal/progressive/Givens Mormon while a seminary teacher - but was punished by CES for his progressive stances. Marc ultimately lost his orthodox Mormon faith as a seminary teacher, and was pressured to quit his job. In part 1 of this incredible story, Marc talks about his upbringing in LA, his conversion to Mormonism, and why he gave up multiple opportunities to play major-league baseball in order to pursue a career in the Church Education System. This is a long one...probably deserves its own podcast...but it's really, really important. I hope you enjoy.