I grew up in an abusive household where I was regularly subject to physical, emotional and mental abuse. One day when I was 12, I was experimenting with myself not knowing what I was doing was bad and my parents walked in. My parents then sent me to the bishop, unfortunately the first of nearly…
Nearly twenty years ago, a bishop that had been an explorer adviser in a ward I grew up in, had told my parents that I was not good enough and had been giving me and them positive motivation books that he thought I needed to have. This man had always “put me down” in front…
When I was applying to BYUH, I had the Stake President ask me if I obeyed the law of chasity. I replied yes. Then he asked if I was a virgin. I told him I was raped and I was not. Then he told me to go back to my bishop to speak with him…
I was born in 1950’s, growing up in Salt Lake Valley. In 1964 at the age of 13, the Bishop came to our Deacon’s Quorum meeting as a “Special Guest Teacher”. He gave a lecture about Masturbation. Several of the Boys, one in particular, spoke up and said what is that? I don’t know what…
When I was about 16 years old, I remember my bishop called our class of 20+ people to get there temple recommends. We had to all line up in the hallway and he called us one by one to get them renewed. I knew I wasn’t worthy of one and it would be awkward to…
I had a rough childhood. I was molested at age 5 by a stranger and grew up in an emotionally and physically abusive home. As a teenager I rebelled and sought freedom and love from outside sources. As a result, I ended up making bad choices. One night I snuck out with a group of…
I masturbated as a child, like many children do, and didn’t learn the word for it until I was a beehive and given the “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet. Realizing that I’d been doing something bad for as long as I could remember gave me a complex for years and years that bred shame…
When I was 19, I began college at BYU-I. I had reconnected with my high school sweetheart and we wanted to get married. The year before, I had been in a serious relationship with a different man and we had had sex. I didn’t have any issues or regrets from it but knew it would…
When I was 12 or 13 we had a youth caroling activity where the young men and young women rode on a trailer on hay bells with blankets to keep us warm and we would go around our stakes boundaries and sing Christmas carols to the neighbors. One of the young men who was a…
I’ll start from my earliest memories. I do not share this to brag. I do not share this to cause pain or hurt (although I’m sure it will do both). I share this to show the other side. To show that the LDS church does cover up these types of things. I feel my bishops…