1976 was when I turned 12 years old. That year my bishop had a priesthood interview with me so I could become a deacon. My bishop was a kind man, but asked me if I had troubles with masturbation? I did not understand the word, but figured I needed to say yes. I was that…
How does one obtain perfection? I clung to the pamphlet “For the Strength of Youth”. I lived and died to follow the rules laid out before me. But I was weak. I gave in to the temptations of the flesh. It started when I was 12 and I would find myself in and out of…
My first memory of my father abusing me was when I was 3 years old. He molested me in the bathtub. I knew it wasn’t the first time it happened, and it didn’t feel good. He said things to me I’m not quite sure I understood but it was in a rhythmic tone, like a…
* 1960’s-1970’s- (3 to 18 yrs. Old) I was trafficked as a child – sexually abused and tortured by members of Polygamist groups, as well as other perpetrators and pedophiles within the communities of Bluffdale, Riverton, and throughout the Salt Lake Valley. This child trafficking occurred in homes, church buildings, basements, school buildings and other…
I don’t think that I had any bishops that had ill intentions. It never occurred to me that anything that happened could have even been construed as wrong. It was how it was since I had been raised. My bishops were good men, and I feel that they were tactful and understanding. There was only…
My wife and I were very TBM several years ago when the bishop, a marriage and family therapist of 20+ years asked him before his baptism interview, with both of us in the room about masturbation and touching himself. A 7 year old! We were both in shock but did not know what to say…
I was raised in the church. I was seventh generation Mormon – something often boasted about in our family. We were the picture perfect LDS family. Every Sunday you’d find us planted in our pew 20 minutes before sacrament started so we could listen to the prelude music and “get spiritually readied.” My family was…
I was 11 when I discovered masturbation while changing into my pajamas one night. I continued to do it almost every night before I went to sleep, as it felt really good and helped me fall asleep more quickly. Several months later, my father called me into his room for a monthly interview; we had…
As a young woman, I struggled with boys. I was backwards and shy, and lacked confidence in myself, especially when it came to boys. I was nineteen before I ever had my first kiss, and it went from first kiss to almost having intercourse in one evening. I still struggled in confidence with boys though,…
I was born and raised in the Mormon Church along with my older sister and older brother. The brainwashing began for me at a very early age. Monthly testimony meetings and being led to believe that the bishop had a direct line of communication with the Lord molded my brain to believe that the Bishop…