#667 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,7,8,9

My beautiful daughter was tormented by the questions asked by her bishop in the worthiness interviews. I did not know anything about this until you stood up against this horrific practice. I asked her if this had happened to her, and she told me some of the details. When she was twelve, the bishop asked…

#666 Rena Lesué CS: 1,2,3,4,5

On a Platter Originally printed in Gris-Gris, issue 6, (Jan. 2016), and again in The Exponent II, Part 1 (10 April 2018) and Part 2 (11 April 2018). At the beginning of our two-week residency in Barcelona, my writing cohort met for cocktails in the home of Bob Antoni, a West Indian writer whose fame,…

#664 Pamela M. CS: 1,2,3,4,7,8,9. Other: Secondary violation from questioning due to external sexual abuse from another priestood holder and ex family member

I’m telling this story in hopes that it will help many not go through what I have. My motive is not to shame anyone my motive is to bring to light what’s going on behind closed doors I would also like to add that what I’m about to say most people do not know about…

#663 Name Withheld. CS: 1,2,3,4,6,7,8

When I was seventeen, the stake executive secretary knocked on the door of my Sunday School class during the second hour. He said the Stake President would like to meet with me. Of course, my heart started to race and I began to sweat. I was nervous. The first thing that goes through your mind…

#662 Name Hidden. CS: 1,3,4,5,7,8

My mom had remarried,I was 15. I was trying to make friends in our new ward. I was sexually active. My mom set up an appointment with the bishop. My bishop told me that I would never find a “worthy husband” because “who would want Abc gum.” I struggled with self worth until leaving the…

#661 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,6,7,8

A very close friend told me that after she’d read just a few of these stories, it threw her into weeks of depression. After nearly 50 years she still hadn’t healed from the sexual abuse she suffered as a young teen. She’d never shared her story before; other than with her husband. My heart broke…

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

I have three major incidents in my life within the church that I feel strongly compelled to share. I want my story to be heard so that it can be a force of change among so many others. My story began sixteen years ago, at the age of six. I was molested by my primary…

#658 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,6,7

I have two stories. When I was preparing to serve a mission, I was asked insanely invasive questions by a well-meaning priesthood leader. I lied out of fear, but was dashed upon the rocks of detail. Asked about bestiality to necking (whatever the heck that is). Later, when choosing to marry my wife and going…

#657 Richard B. CS: 1,2,3,6,7. Other: Disproportionate fear of sexual diseases.

First, I must declare that I have OCD so fear of diseases and contamination has a psychological dimension, not just a religious one. I can’t blame the LDS church for all my problems. I was brought up in the LDS church in Wales by my mother. My father refused to be a member. One day…

#656 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,5,6,7

At 7/8 years old I was introduced to the sexual side of myself. I won’t tell that story, but as a young child, I only knew that what I was experiencing felt good. I wanted to recreate that feeling, so I started masturbating. I was taught in church, by leaders, that masturbating was a sin…