#683 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,5,7,8

When I was a member of the church at 12 years old, I was accused of masturbation by my parents and the bishop. I was only a deacon and had no idea what masturbation was at the time. I protested and insisted I was not guilty…but I was forced to undergo church discipline at only…

#682 Christian D. CS: 1,2,3,4,6,7,8

I discovered self-love at age 11. It was sorta an accident, but I really enjoyed it. I knew it must be wrong because my mother caught me once and we had a meeting with the Bishop that lasted an hour. We talked about playing with the special present before Christmas, and that I shouldn’t arise…

#680 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,7,8. Other: Domestic abuse relations later in life

My daughter went in to repent to the bishop. She had a sexual relationship with a man when she was 14 and he was 18. This went on for several months and was found out about by her parents and turned in to the authorities. She also had relations with another boy afterwards and wanted…

#676 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3

Prompted to ask my , now adult children, if any of them experienced inappropriate questions or behavior in their Bishop interviews years ago?…. This is the response from my (now adult) youngest son…. “All those questions were “normal” to me growing up inside the church- its just how things were done. Having left the church,…

#675 Wade R. CS: 1,2,3,4,6,7,8

During my developmental years as a teen I often struggled with depression. I was weighed down with guilt and tore myself apart with self-loathing. I was conflicted, frustrated, embarrassed, confused, and suffering. My source of pain was due to my personal sexual sins. These minuscule sins included very infrequently masturbating (never to completion) and sometimes…

#673 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,7,8,9

I always dreaded the interviews. Even when my dad was the bishop. That probably made it worse honestly. I knew it was abnormal for kids my age to be exposed to this type of questioning but it’s not like I had any choice to go. Throughout my youth and early adult life I struggled with…

#672 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,5,7

First of all I am no longer a member, having resigned 2 months after being released as a YSA Bishop in the Pacific Northwest. In 1999 while serving as a Bishops Counselor, I was interviewing youth for an upcoming temple trip. In the course of my interviews I was asked to follow the handbook of…

#671 Name Hidden. CS: 2,3,5,7,8,9

When I was 12 years old I was sexually abused by my dad. He was serving in a bishopric at the time. And he had earlier served as a bishop. After I was 18 and finally told someone the words from my stake president was to “forgive and forget”. My dad was not released from…

#669 Jodi H-E. CS: 1,3,7. Other: This is just one of the experiences that I had and I will share more as I feel like I can.

Bishop T. of East Layton, Utah is one of the bishops who shamed me. He was more instrumental in my exit from the church then anyone else was. He used shame as a weapon. I was 21 years old and inactive and I did something that “church” deems as wrong and somebody told on me…