I went in for an interview to be allowed to go to the temple to be baptized for the dead when I was 12 years old. I was a shy and immature 12 year old. The stake president at the time was the interviewer and I had never had a conversation with him before. I didn’t know him and he didn’t know me.
He specifically asked me if I masturbated. I didn’t even know what that meant! Then he explained it to me. I can still feel how embarrassed and ashamed I felt. I just started crying and felt horrible. I never told anyone. I never went for another interview for anything. By the age of 15, I refused to go to church even though my mom threatened to ground me. It was around that time I started to question the LDS doctrine and realized it is not ‘the’ true church. It is based on lies and abuse of women and children. Mind you, this was 50 years ago. I’ve heard and seen in the community that policies and teachings have changed in some ways. Although I am no longer a member, I still believe the question I was asked and the ensuing conversation was wrong! We teach children these days that if it feels icky, then it is and to tell someone. No adult man, who is not family, should ever be alone in a room with a child. From the stories I’ve read, I feel I am one of the lucky ones who wasn’t physically abused.