Dear leaders of the LDS Church, I am from Sandy Utah and I was raised Mormon (12th Ward of the Granite Stake). Starting at age 12 I felt a lot of guilt and shame for doing things that are completely normal and healthy during sexual development because of the detailed and sexually explicit questions that…
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…
Before I start, I want to make it clear that I am still a faithful member of the LDS church. I love and believe it with all of my heart. When I was 12 I went to apply for a temple recommend. The questions were pretty straight forward. I was asked many sexual questions such…
My first girlfriend and I started dating during high school. We quickly grew very passionate of one another and began sexually experimenting. My parents didn’t afford me a lot of privacy growing up, and they quickly became aware of some very intimate details of our relationship. My parents then shared these details with both my…
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…
I was being interviewed for my upcoming temple marriage by my bishop at BYU-I in 2011. My fiancé and I had gotten physical on numerous occasions (never had sex but close) and when I ended up confessing to him the only question I remember was “did you climax?”. I was so shocked and hurt by…
To preface my experiences-I am an active male member of the church and am currently in my thirties. I have a strong testimony concerning the gospel and it’s doctrine. I developed a strong testimony of Joseph Smith and the restoration in my youth which then helped me develop an unshakable testimony in my Lord and…