This panel will explore Mormon women’s mediated and non-mediated experiences with their dead ancestors, as well as personal and cultural biases for and against communicating with the dead. Beynon and Gregory will discuss how their faith journeys have been shaped by both their work as mediums and their experience as Mormons. They will also discuss how they see their particular spiritual gifts contributing to Mormon culture. Bush and Daughtrey will explore the reasons contemporary Mormon women (such as they and others) pursue direct or indirect experiences with the dead outside of traditional Mormon practices, either through developing their own psychic gifts or through the mediation of a medium.

Carolyn Campbell, Deloris Beynon, Laura L. Bush, Doe Daughtrey, Pepper Gregory