These are personal accounts of the negative consequences that inappropriate interviews have had on people.
When I was in 5th or 6th grade, I had accidentally stumbled upon porn on the internet. I didn’t know what it was. I knew it was bad for me to be looking at though. It made me uncomfortable and I tried to forget about it. Fast forward to a week or so later, my…
When I was 19 years old, my boyfriend (at the time) and I ended up having intercourse. My boyfriend was overcome with guilt and called the bishop for us to go and confess. We sat together and he asked a few questions but was kind and polite. He asked me to step out so he…
A deeply inappropriate worthiness interview when I was 12 or 13 years old traumatized me when a bishop went through the “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet and asked me about every single item inside, including my media viewing habits, my friendships, masturbation, “necking/petting,” etc. It was overwhelming and terrifying. The sexual questions in particular…
During my interviews to be baptized, I was shamed for having been raped. Sorry to tell you, Bishop, it wasn’t my fault and there was nothing I could do to avert that predator’s attentions. But you wouldn’t know that, you aren’t a girl/woman. Shame on you for standing in judgement of the victim, not the…
When I was 8 years old and receiving my worthiness interview for baptism, I remember feeling uncomfortable. I didn’t know my bishop well beyond singing songs to him in sacrament meeting and making candy posters for him in primary. I was taught that he was safe, good, loved me, and had my best interests at…
I remember hitting myself at night when I came home from church in my early teens as I just couldn’t stay away from masturbation. I stopped for a year while living with my father. I then felt so guilty after a babysitting porn book relapse, that I told my father, who immediately had me into…
My husband is a retired police officer. There have been many times when he was investigating child abuse cases where bishops and other church leaders would not cooperate with the investigations. They stated this was a matter being handled within the church. They would not give any information. They were protecting the perpetrator, and the…
After high school, I moved out from my lovely LDS home in Texas to pursue an education at BYU in Provo, Utah at 18 years old. I grew up in a great LDS home, with faithful parents who taught me and instilled in me principles that I still believed in. I was taught that Bishops…
I went in for an interview to be allowed to go to the temple to be baptized for the dead when I was 12 years old. I was a shy and immature 12 year old. The stake president at the time was the interviewer and I had never had a conversation with him before. I…
I write this as more an appeal to all church leaders. I see a gross injustice done to teenagers and adults as bishops and stake president ask questions regarding masturbation. I wonder what it would be like to turn the tables ask a Bishop how he feels about this. I’m tired of the cover ups…