I was born into a dogmatically LDS home, where my father and mother lived to remain worthy according to the rituals and ideals of the church. It was equally important that we as their children did so. The first time I remember being taken in to discuss my sexuality with a bishop was when I…
I was about 15. I was sitting with the Stake President for a recommend to do baptisms for the dead. HE asked me if I had ever had sexual relations. I said no. He asked me if I was masturbating. I said no. I was mortified. He was my dad’s best friend! I could never…
Growing up I wholeheartedly believed the Mormon Church on everything. When I was in 8th grade I masturbated for the first time, I didn’t even know what it was. But I confessed to my father who was bishop at the time and so I didn’t take the sacrament for that week. I highly respected my…
When I was 17, I was forced to meet with my bishop because I was pregnant and not married. I cannot remember everything about the conversation as I am now 59 years old but the one thing that was said to me at that time will always be a sad memory for me. I knew…
My story is about mental health. The experiences I had as a young woman with depression and anxiety in the church were traumatizing and heartbreaking. There’s a history of mental disorders in my family history, including depression, bipolar, and anxiety. I’ve been going to therapy for a variety of reasons since I was about nine…
I was sexually assaulted and raped in a church bathroom by a friend. I told my bishop right away in his office. He recorded it, I believe. I was given a book on forgiveness, made to not take sacrament for a month to forgive him for what he did to me. My guardians were never…
I’ve been mormon all my life. I was a strong extremely Molly Mormon in a very Mormon family. Until I went and broke the rules by getting a boyfriend at age 15. We dated for a year and a half, things escalated and when they first started to I felt horrible. I went into the…
My story happened when I was 20 years old. I had not really attended church meetings from the time I turned 18 and moved away from home. One random Sunday while staying at my parent’s home, I attended church meetings in their ward. This was not normally something I would do, but I did it…
When I was twelve I began meeting with my bishop to seek forgiveness for masturbating. The guilt and shame I felt daily was crippling and I just wanted it to go away. As a young girl in the church, I was constantly reminded that my temptations were completely unnatural and that only men were supposed…
When I was 12 years old, I had sexual feelings from touching my vagina. I told my LDS Bishop about these feelings and he threatened to Excommunicate me from the Church if I didn’t stop. He and his wife were good friends of my parents. His attitudes only made me continue the behavior and to…