#841 Name Hidden. CS: 1,3,8,9

Growing up, I was always the “perfect” Mormon girl; Molly if you will. I never swore, never broke commandments, and certainly never thought the church could ever make mistakes. EVER. From the moment I raised my hand in primary when our teach asked, “who wants to go on a mission?” I knew I would serve…

#840 Stephanie B. CS: 1,3,6

ONE of many disturbing things that happened to my son by himself behind closed doors with our bishop (besides the fact that he was even in there, as I had told the bishop it wasn’t allowed just weeks earlier after my experience with this and other bishops) My son was 11, nearing his 12th birthday…

#839 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,7. Other: Left the church because of my experiences

When I was about 13, a new bishop was called to my ward. From my very first encounter with him, he made me dread going to church. To everyone else he was a happy, jovial, fun-loving goofy guy, but to me (and from what I remember, other young women – my friends and classmates) he…

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

I was born and raised in the church and had both fantastic Bishops and then Bishops and other leaders that made my skin crawl. I was asked if I masturbated during Bishopric’s interviews and although I had I ALWAYS lied. The guilt from being “sinful” enough to masturbate was bad enough but when you add…

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

My mother went to the bishop when we were young and my fathers abuse escalated. She was threatened with excommunication for attacking the priesthood and warned not to continue in that attack on the church. Because the church was more interested in protecting the image of the priesthood they chose to silence my family by…

#836 Name Hidden. CS: 1,6,7

My father was my Church authority all during high school and I had to do these interviews with him. It was excruciatingly humiliating and, in retrospect, I think it was awful for him to be put in that position as well. He was not a perfect father or husband and, being in the “mission field,”…

#835 Ashley M. CS: 1,2,3,4,7

In the year 1991, when I was 16, in Portland, OR…..I was date raped. I said NO. Several times. It was not consensual. At the time, I didn’t even understand what that was and that it was rape. Call me naive at that age, but I didn’t. Those topics just weren’t discussed in my family…

#833 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9

My church upbringing taught me that sex was something to feel guilt and shame for. Starting around age 12 My Bishops regularly asked sexually explicit questions regarding my sins. I was sexually abused from the ages of 8 to 11 by a family member who was also a member of my ward. The perpetrator’s father…

#832 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,4,7

My bishop was not a pleasant man. At 12 years old, my parents drove me to his home for my first temple recommend interview. My parents made themselves comfortable in his living room while I was led into a dark, cramped, hoaders-esque home office. I remember he had a dog, a border collie, and I…