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"Growing up in the church, I had a lot of questions. They were either never properly answered or the answer gave me doubts and made me have even more questions about what the hell was going on." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
“Often in my reflections I thought that life was not worth possessing. In the midst of this anxiety of mind, I determined to obtain that which I had heard spoken so much of from the pulpit—a change of heart. To accomplish this, I spent much of my time reading the Bible, and praying; but notwithstanding my great anxiety to experience a change of heart, another matter would always interpose in all my meditations—if I remain a member of no church, all religious people will say I am of the world; and if I join some one of the different denominations, all the rest will say I am in error. No church will admit that I am right, except the one with which I am associated. This makes them witnesses against each other; and how can I decide in such a case as this, seeing they are all unlike the Church of Christ, as it existed in former days! While I remained at Tunbridge, I became acquainted with a young man by the name of Joseph Smith (Sr), to whom I was subsequently married.” - Lucy Mack Smith - History of the Prophet Joseph by his Mother Lucy Smith
“We know the circumstances under which the posterity of Cain were cursed with what we call negroid racial characteristics... If we had a full and true history of all races and nations, we would know the origins of all their distinctive characteristics. In the absence of such detailed information, however, we know only the general principle that all these changes from the physical and spiritual perfections of our common parents have been brought about by apostasy from the gospel truths.” - Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie, LDS Apostle
“Those who were less valiant in pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us as the negroes. Such spirits are sent to earth through the lineage of Cain, the mark put upon him for his rebellion against God and his murder of Abel being a black skin... Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty... The negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow therefrom, but this inequality is not of man's origin. It is the Lord's doing, is based on his eternal laws of justice...” - Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie, LDS Apostle
“As a result of his rebellion, Cain was cursed and told that "the earth" would not thereafter yield him its abundance as previously. In addition he became the first mortal to be cursed as a son of perdition. As a result of his mortal birth he is assured of a tangible body of flesh and bones in eternity, a fact which will enable him to rule over Satan. The Lord placed on Cain a mark of a dark skin, and he became the ancestor of the black race.” - Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie, LDS Apostle
"There are statements in our literature by the early brethren which we have interpreted to mean that the Negroes would not receive the priesthood in mortality. I have said the same things, and people write me letters and say, "You said such and such, and how is it now that we do such and such?" And all I can say to that is that it is time disbelieving people repented and got in line and believed in a living, modern prophet. Forget everything that I have said, or what President Brigham Young or whomsoever has said in days past that is contrary to the present revelation... [All the views and all the thoughts of the past] don't matter any more... It doesn't make a particle of difference what anybody ever said about the Negro matter before the first day of June of this year." - LDS Apostle, Bruce R. McConkie, BYU Devotional 1978
"Each year The Church spends about $40 million on welfare, humanitarian and other LDS Church-sponsored projects around the world and has done so for more than 30 years." - LDS Apostle, Dallin H. Oaks, 2016, University of Oxford
The state managed Utah DABS (Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services) liquor sales taxes contribute $43 million to local school lunch programs, benefitting Utah's children. In contrast, the LDS Church donates $40 million to global welfare projects. Thus, heathens in Utah are responsible for helping more in their local community than the corporate church contributes globally.
In the Church there is a distinct line of authority. We serve where called by those who preside over us.Boyd K. Packer, The Relief Society, April 1985, General Conference
"We are not accustomed to speaking of women having the authority of the priesthood in their Church callings, but what other authority can it be? When a woman—young or old—is set apart to preach the gospel as a full-time missionary, she is given priesthood authority to perform a priesthood function. The same is true when a woman is set apart to function as an officer or teacher in a Church organization under the direction of one who holds the keys of the priesthood. Whoever functions in an office or calling received from one who holds priesthood keys exercises priesthood authority in performing her or his assigned duties." - Dallin H. Oaks, The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood, April 2014, General Conference
"We are not accustomed to speaking of women having the authority of the priesthood in their Church callings, but what other authority can it be?" Dallin H. Oaks - As quoted in the Worldwide Relief Society Devotional and Testimony Meeting by J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency
"There is no other religious organization in the world, that I know of, that has so broadly given power and authority to women." - J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, 2024
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"I’m from Indonesia and I was a Muslim and a Mormon. I grew up in a Muslim community just like being Mormon in Utah I think. From family, friends, school, everything in my life until 16 y/o was Muslim. I never enjoyed being Muslim but I was a good Muslim. I went to a Muslim school and studied the Arabish. I had very good grades and my teachers were impressed - they wanted me to memorize the whole Quran. I declined the offer." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"Then one day I discovered how the masonry handshakes are similar to the temple handshakes. I already felt so weird about the handshakes in the temple and to find out about it online was so upsetting. I dug deeper and that led me to so much ex-mormon literature. It was difficult leaving the church. I'd already caused damage to the people in my life. I already lost my childhood friends and family, and now encountered the same experience leaving the church. But, I’m glad I’m out while I'm still in my 30s. Now, my life is pretty simple – focusing on the goodness of everyday life without making it complicated to think about life after death. Do good things and be a decent human being without expecting anything in return. Love selflessly." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I met the missionaries. I wanted to know about Jesus since I was not religious at that time. I thought it was an answered prayer from God. Life in Hong Kong was lonely and the church introduced me to friends from Indonesia and other countries. The church was open every day besides Monday. Back then, I thought the church was the safest place in Hong Kong for a young girl like me. Four months later I got baptized. I broke the news to my parents and sister and they were miserable. I was angry too on my side. Why did they send me to another country to earn money for them? I'd decided to make use of my freedom and do whatever I wanted - they couldn't have anything to say because I sent them money every month." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I'd been so fanatic that I only made friends with members, but after my mission, I started to be open to people. Discrimination is very high in Hong Kong with my type of work and having no education. Even the local church members are very discriminative towards people like me. The branch I belonged to was mostly women who worked in Hong Kong as migrant workers like me. So, finding a husband was hard. No men were interested in us lowly workers. Many members did online dating and some are fortunate enough to find a member husband from the US. Some don’t or just stay single until they turn old and wait to married in the afterlife." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"After 3 years, it was getting difficult for me. I became disappointed that God sent me a non-member husband. I didn’t feel belonging in the new ward. I started to question the church doctrines – like the concept of families can be together forever. I didn’t get how are we going to be together when our children will have families of their own. Besides, I didn’t really want to be with my parents. I decided to be less active spiritually. I didn’t read the scriptures as often, and I wore my garments less often. In my head, I was tired of waiting for my husband to find interest in the church, while he was still so kind to me. And he is kind without expecting rewards from heaven. He is just kind, and it hit me so badly. Then I fell pregnant. I kept thinking about the future of my baby. What kind of life do I want her to have? And as I pictured it, I didn’t see the church as a happy place to stay." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I didn’t really understand the church doctrines at first, but I kept learning. I felt so safe and loved in the church. I paid my tithing diligently and generously. Four years later, I served a mission and was called back to my home country. The mission was easy for me because I was used to living abroad and had a hard life. On the mission, I learned to be less fanatic. I started to dare to question the church doctrines in my head, but I never brought it up to other members or leaders. I was scared of meeting someone I knew from my village and them finding out that I had changed my religion, so I didn’t tell anyone besides my parents. My sister told me to not come home to my village because they found out I changed religion and they would capture me and never let me go. So, after I finished my mission, I went back to Hong Kong as a tourist. Life was difficult with limited money, but luckily there was a member kind enough to let me stay there until I found a job." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I was afraid to be like those old ladies waiting for a priesthood holder to bring them to the temple, so I decided to just marry someone who loved me unconditionally. One year after my mission I married my husband. He is an atheist. I was hoping to bring him to the temple. I was very hopeful. I never forced him. He is very kind and always supported me with the church activities. He always took me and picked me up from church. Then we moved to his country." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
This is a spotlight on a profile shared at wasmormon.org. These are just the highlights, so please find the full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/. There are over a hundred more stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by users like you. Come check them out and consider sharing your own story at wasmormon.org!
"My parents were very poor. I dropped out of school when I was 14 and went to another city to work as a nanny. I was very sad and angry but I was happy to get away from my village. At 16, I was sent to Singapore to work as a nanny. My heart was broken because my parents sent me to another country. I was lucky I was not trafficked and sold to be a sex worker. During this time in Singapore, my belief in God shifted. I didn’t like how he made my life so miserable. Other children went to school and enjoyed their teenage life, I was working – and getting scolded by my boss if I made a mistake. What did you do when you were 14 and 16? I worked. Full-time." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"Singapore was hell for me. When my boss fired me on my 18th birthday, I went back to Indonesia with little money - I was afraid to go home. My parents only wanted to see my money. Four months later, I went to Hong Kong to work as a nanny again, but there my life began. I had holidays and my boss was nice. During holidays, I could go wherever I wanted. My English was very bad, so I liked to go to the library during holidays to read free books and play on the computer." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
“The restriction on the ordination and temple blessings of persons of African ancestry — almost invisible to me as I grew up in Utah — was a frequent subject of my conversations in my life in Chicago and Washington, D.C.” - President Dallin H. Oaks, 2018
'Be One' Celebration, 40 Years Since Priesthood Ban
“Institutionally, the Church reacted swiftly to the revelation on the priesthood. Ordinations and temple recommends came immediately. The reasons that had been given to try to explain the prior restrictions on members of African ancestry — even those previously voiced by revered Church leaders — were promptly and publicly disavowed.” - President Dallin H. Oaks, 2018
'Be One' Celebration, 40 Years Since Priesthood Ban
“Some, in their personal lives, continued the attitudes of racism that have been painful to so many throughout the world, including the past 40 years. Others have wanted to look back, concentrating attention on re-examining the past, including seeking reasons for the now-outdated restrictions...
To concern ourselves with what has not been revealed or with past explanations by those who were operating with limited understanding can only result in speculation and frustration. To all who have such concerns, we extend our love and this special invitation. Let us all look forward.” - President Dallin H. Oaks, 2018
'Be One' Celebration, 40 Years Since Priesthood Ban
"By entering and by your presence here, you consent to be photographed, filmed and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media throughout the universe in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice and name for any purposes whatsoever in connection with the campaign presently entitled: Light The World. You understand that tall photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent given by you by entering this area. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter this area." - Giving Machine Filming Notice, Light The World Ad Campaign - LDS Church
“The commandment to love our neighbors without discrimination is certain. But it must not be misunderstood. It applies generally. Selection of a marriage partner, on the other hand, involves specific and not general criteria...
The probabilities of a successful marriage are known to be much greater if both the husband and wife are united in their religion, language, culture, and ethnic background. Thus, in choosing your eternal companion, please be wise. It’s better not to fly in the face of constant head winds. Occasional squalls provide challenge enough.” - LDS President, Russell M. Nelson, 1995 BYU Devotional, A More Excellent Hope
“We recommend that people marry those who are of the same racial background generally, and of somewhat the same economic and social and educational background (some of those are not an absolute necessity, but preferred), and above all, the same religious background, without question” (Spencer W. Kimball, 1976 Devotional Speeches of the Year) Institute Eternal Marriage Student Manual: Marriage and Divorce 2002-2024
“We recommend that people marry those who are of the same racial background generally, and of somewhat the same economic and social and educational background (some of those are not an absolute necessity, but preferred), and above all, the same religious background, without question” (“Marriage and Divorce,” in 1976 Devotional Speeches of the Year [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1977], p. 144).Aaronic Priesthood, Manual 3, 1995. Chapter 31: Choosing an Eternal Companion
“I just couldn't believe that kind of the brazenness of this tax avoidance or tax evasion... These records tell a damning story about a religion that's actually run as a multinational corporation and now stands accused of not just breaching its own moral code, but also breaking the law.” - Ben Schneiders, Investigative Reporter, Asian Sydney Morning Herald, Mormon Church Accused of Ripping Off Taxpayers by Millions, 60 Minutes Australia
“It's a large set of Corporations that have, as a sideline, a religion... I mean it's just so obvious. That's where the fundamental modeling of the Mormon church, to me, is just wrong, as a religious institution. It cannot justify itself as a religion because it is profit-taking rather than profit-distributing.” - Neville Rocco, Australian Barrister, Former Mormon Bishop
Mormon Church Accused of Ripping Off Taxpayers by Millions, 60 Minutes Australia
“[The church is] acting like a big Corporation that's reducing its outlays and cheating the tax man, and we just thought, "but, that's that's not what the church is meant to be." It was very hard to reconcile that... I'll be just very straightforward. I want my tithing money back. I paid it under false pretenses.” - Trevor & Sue Given, Former Australian Mormon
Mormon Church Accused of Ripping Off Taxpayers by Millions, 60 Minutes Australia
“The alleged tax dodging strategy is even clearer when you look at how much Mormon money is given to charity in Australia compared to the rest of the world. Here there are just 60,000 Mormons yet together apparently they give 93 Million dollars a year to charity. But outside Australia, where tax deductibility for tithing isn't an issue the church's 16 million members combined give only 25 million dollars a year to charity. That makes Australian Mormons the most generous on the planet.” - Mormon Church Accused of Ripping Off Taxpayers by Millions, 60 Minutes Australia
Mormon-Australia-Shell-Charity-chart
“Accusations of lightening the pockets of the Australian tax office by 400 million dollars. The church's members claim very generous tax benefits, while other religions in Australia go without. It's alleged the Mormon books are actually being cooked in a massive tax dodge. Handed out on doorsteps around the world, [The Book of Mormon] promises to answer all of life's great questions. But we're throwing open a set of books the
Mormons would rather nobody reads – their financial books.” - Mormon Church Accused of Ripping Off Taxpayers by Millions, 60 Minutes Australia
“There are large trees called Indian laurel... Recently many of these trees were attacked by a disease... When this fungus attacks, the effects are not seen for some years. However, the fungus gradually rots the roots of those beautiful trees, and they begin to die... and the trees must be cut down. Like the fungus that enters these trees, doubts can invade our thoughts. If we let them grow, over time they can affect our roots and rot our foundation of faith until we too may be cut down.” - LDS Seventy, Elder Hugo Montoya, Ensign, June 2017
"So-called friends can introduce doubt by asking hurtful questions. Internet sites can generate doubt by presenting information out of context. But doubts especially intensify when we ourselves, feeling abandoned or overwhelmed, question the burdens we bear." - LDS Seventy, Elder Hugo Montoya, Ensign, June 2017
"Let us not doubt that this work is true. Whenever we are tried with doubts, let us ponder our spiritual experiences. Doing so will help us to erase the doubts. This is particularly true for those who have returned from full-time missionary service and then allowed doubts to creep in, for longtime members who have grown tired of enduring, and for recent converts who initially felt great joy but have not nourished their faith." - LDS Seventy, Elder Hugo Montoya, Ensign, June 2017
"Asking Heavenly Father, who’s commanded his prophet to command you to go, whether or not you should go, seems like – not a very good thing to be asking God. Right?" - Kevin W. Pearson, LDS General Authority
"Do NOT pray about whether or not you should go on a mission!! DUMB QUESTION!!" - Kevin W. Pearson, LDS General Authority
"I read memoirs of other people leaving their childhood religions and searched for how they made sense of their life afterward. I learned about cults and how we humans justify our beliefs. I learned about how we make decisions — about how susceptible we are to biases, fallacies, and overconfidence. I dove into evolutionary psychology to understand human nature from a broader perspective, learning how group behaviors, snap judgments, and intuition can be both adaptive and maladaptive." - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"I let go of claiming, as many religious people had in the past, that my feelings confer ultimate truth. I let go of certainty. I made no claim to know if there was an afterlife or a supreme being. I don’t believe suffering is a lesson from God to help us grow. Sometimes bad things just happen, and there is no supernatural explanation. People experience injustice and needless suffering. Leaving the church created a greater urgency in me to learn about injustice, social policy, and community action. If God isn’t here to end world hunger, slow climate change, or welcome asylum seekers at the border, who is?" - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"We, humans, evolved with the capacity for empathy. Communities that were cooperative were more likely to survive and reproduce. We have mirror neurons that allow us to feel what we perceive another person to be experiencing. I don’t know what the meaning of life is. But I know despair and loneliness. I know shared pain. I don’t want anyone to go through needless suffering." - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"It made sense to me to keep the parts of the gospel that advocated for service and love. But if it wasn’t capital T True, how could I excuse the church’s stance on LGBTQ members, the role of women, or the church’s history of racism? My platitudes that "God works in mysterious ways" and "It’ll all make sense in the end," were only comforting when I believed the church was ultimately run by God. After my shelf broke, meaning after I acknowledged all the things I couldn’t make sense of in Mormonism and everything fell apart, I wasn’t sure what I believed in." - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"The more I contemplated, the weaker my belief in Christianity became. Human behavior is so much more than choice and willpower. It stems from our evolution — it’s influenced by what our parents ate while pregnant with us and whether they smoked or not. It’s influenced by the genes we didn’t choose and the zip codes we were born into. It’s affected by hormones, neurotransmitters, pollution, toxins, trauma, and an endless list of other factors. Once I immersed myself in the complexities of the brain, studied the origin of behavior, and read the history of how mental illness has been treated, I saw how little conscious control we really have over our behaviors." - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"You may not have experienced a so-called "faith crisis" but put yourself in my shoes for a minute. I know this is difficult for my critics, but imagine you’re in a situation where you’ve somehow come to know with certainty that your childhood religion isn’t true. If it’s easier, imagine you grew up in a completely different religion like Scientology or Islam. What would you do once you learned it wasn’t what you thought?" - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
!["There are statements in our literature by the early brethren which we have interpreted to mean that the Negroes would not receive the priesthood in mortality. I have said the same things, and people write me letters and say, "You said such and such, and how is it now that we do such and such?" And all I can say to that is that it is time disbelieving people repented and got in line and believed in a living, modern prophet. Forget everything that I have said, or what President Brigham Young or whomsoever has said in days past that is contrary to the present revelation... [All the views and all the thoughts of the past] don't matter any more... It doesn't make a particle of difference what anybody ever said about the Negro matter before the first day of June of this year." - LDS Apostle, Bruce R. McConkie, BYU Devotional 1978 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/mormon-doctrine-it-doesnt-make-a-particle-of-difference-what-anybody-ever-said-about-blacks.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
![“We recommend that people marry those who are of the same racial background generally, and of somewhat the same economic and social and educational background (some of those are not an absolute necessity, but preferred), and above all, the same religious background, without question” (“Marriage and Divorce,” in 1976 Devotional Speeches of the Year [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1977], p. 144). Aaronic Priesthood, Manual 3, 1995. Chapter 31: Choosing an Eternal Companion | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/aaronic-priesthood-manual-1995-2013-interracial-marriage.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
![“[The church is] acting like a big Corporation that's reducing its outlays and cheating the tax man, and we just thought, "but, that's that's not what the church is meant to be." It was very hard to reconcile that... I'll be just very straightforward. I want my tithing money back. I paid it under false pretenses.” - Trevor & Sue Given, Former Australian Mormon Mormon Church Accused of Ripping Off Taxpayers by Millions, 60 Minutes Australia | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Trevor-Given-60-minutes-acting-like-a-big-corporation-I-want-my-tithing-back-I-paid-it-under-false-pretenses.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
![“Accusations of lightening the pockets of the Australian tax office by 400 million dollars. The church's members claim very generous tax benefits, while other religions in Australia go without. It's alleged the Mormon books are actually being cooked in a massive tax dodge. Handed out on doorsteps around the world, [The Book of Mormon] promises to answer all of life's great questions. But we're throwing open a set of books the Mormons would rather nobody reads – their financial books.” - Mormon Church Accused of Ripping Off Taxpayers by Millions, 60 Minutes Australia | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/60-Minutes-Australia-cooking-the-book-of-mormon.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
