Stories of mormon faith transitions. Share your truth – own your story!
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"Mormons have not always seen their president as a prophet. Before 1955, every mention of the church's leader in Deseret News articles referred to him as "President." The honorific "Prophet" was reserved only for Joseph Smith, the church's founder, and prophets from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Yet during David O. McKays popular presidency from 1951 to 1970, church publications began occasionally referring to him as "Prophet." By the late 1960s,
"President" had become interchangeable, if not synonymous, with "Prophet," thanks to routine references to the latter in church publications and at General Conferences." - D. Michael Quinn, Historian on Mormonism - The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power
"The political consequences of such a transformation cannot be overstated. By strengthening the presidents role as God's mouthpiece on earth, rather than simply the administrative head of His church, the church's leadership strengthened its influence over all matters, including political issues, in the lives of Mormons." - Neil J. Young, "The ERA Is a Moral Issue": The Mormon Church, LDS Women, and the Defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment, 2007
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/dod13/. 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!
"I rationalized that if there is a God, he has to be only good. No one would worship a mean God. And if he is good, then he will not lie. Off and on over three days I paced back and forth, hands lifted toward the heavens, pleading with God to reveal himself if he were truly there. On the third day, confessing to be willing to give up everything I knew if I could just know if God was real—if he was really there, I received a most spectacularly miraculous, undeniable answer. God is real. Immediately following, my body steadily filled with a magnificent, beautifully comforting warmth which went deep into my bones. I was free!! And for the first time in my life, I felt love for myself." - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
I wanted to belong to a church with a living prophet. I wanted to be a member of God's true church. The missionary lessons just cover the basics which lie on the surface—all leading up to becoming a full tithe-paying member. I just gobbled up their sales pitch like gumdrops. These people had an answer for absolutely everything, including answering the questions on my Catholic "shelf." I was told I was a "Golden Convert." I felt so special to think my "heart had been prepared for the truth." - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
"Church leaders frequently admonished members to not listen to enemies of the church, so I didn't. I clearly understand why now, but at the time I was being obedient. One day my "baby sister," an evangelical, asked if I had read the "CES letter." Of course I had not. Various church leaders had admonished us not to read it. My sister wisely asked why church leaders would not want us to know what our enemies are saying so we could lovingly correct them? Fair enough. I read the CES letter." - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
That organization robbed my family of so much during all those years—so much of genuine joy and of truth. My husband remained faithful to his Catholic religion but our three children were raised in the Mormon church. My husband was tolerant, but always carried a resentment. I cannot imagine the emotional and spiritual pain he endured out of love for me and our boys. I held callings, most of the time several at once due to belonging to a branch. There was never a time I held fewer than 2 callings at the same time. I absolutely wanted to "magnify my callings". - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
"I started out dividing shelf items between doctrine and policies. Then I wrestled with policies not representing doctrine. I had questions about doctrine vs. policy, polygamy, members being embryonic gods, godhead vs. trinity, "heavenly mother," priesthood keys, "keys" in general, blacks and the priesthood, subservience of women, mission of the Holy Ghost, admittance to the church through baptism, why baptism was essential for membership, endless pursuit of "inactives" while at the same time the endless pursuit of reasons to disfellowship/excommunicate active members, why not all questions were "welcome," endless circular reasoning in describing church doctrine and policies..." - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
"When I first joined the Mormon church, I wasn't allowed to go to the temple because I was married to a nonmember. Once the rules were changed and I could go, I went as often as I could. The first encounter was bizarre, to say the least. At that time they still had the "blood oaths" as part of the endowment. I was instructed by local leaders that I just needed to go more often so I would understand the deeper meanings of the endowment. I went as often as I could but at the same time I was piling unanswered questions on my "shelf." As the years passed, my shelf became quite cluttered. I was building quite a heap." - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
"In my mind, there lingered that "living prophet" thing, and the Urim and Thummim God had preserved for thousands of years so an ancient book could be translated. But as I read the essay about the translation of the Book of Mormon I began to grow somewhat skeptical. Once I reached the part about the "seer stone," I actually stood up and said out loud, "Ouija board!! Run, Dodie, run!" A magic rock in a hat?? My overloaded shelf came crashing down—so devastating was the crash, it left a massive crater into which I fell. Down the rabbit hole I went, to a place where there was no God. I experienced a true psychotic break. I thought I had died and was living in hell." - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
"I love our natural world, and helping kids with math. In 1975 I was deceived into joining the Mormon church. I was a Mormon for 42 years." - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
"In response to this letter, the church published a series of Gospel Topic Essays. As I started to read those, I thought it peculiar that in defending themselves by way of the Church Essays, they actually further convicted the church. I was discovering the so-called enemies of the church were better at telling the truth than the church had been." - Dodie's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dod13/
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/gracefoster25/. 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!
I mentally ran from the church shortly after, but was forced into Sunday attendance by my parents for another year. After that year ended, I refused to step foot in a church building again, and so far, I have not. - Grace's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/gracefoster25/
The church has been absolutley dishonest with its own history. I was never taught most of the truth and was taught lies instead. - Grace's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/gracefoster25/
As I read, I discovered the ways the church harmed those like me, from excommunication to the conversion therapy led at BYU by Dallin Oaks. As I kept reading I saw more and more that I was in a very very dark religious group. - Grace's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/gracefoster25/
After a near suicide attempt at age 13, I started reading online “anti Mormon websites” to try and discover why god would hate me so much as to make me gay. - Grace's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/gracefoster25/
I thought if I just didn’t accept what I was, it would go away and I’d go to Heaven. I spent years “praying the gay” out of me with only more self hatred growing inside me. - Grace's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/gracefoster25/
I denied who I was for years because I believed god hated people like me. - Grace's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/gracefoster25/
I knew I was gay at age 9 and grew up being told my entire life that I was sinful. I was a Mormon. - Grace's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/gracefoster25/
Elder Kyle S. McKay presents a $2M "gift" to build a FamilySearch Resource Center at the First American Museum. After considering concerns and due to strings attached to the grant, FAM rejects the Church Sponsored Family History Center and returned the funds. “The agreement between the First Americans Museum and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints related to a grant in the amount of $2 million for the creation of a Family History Resource Center will be discontinued. FAM will return the grant funds and will suspend plans to develop the center until further notice... FAM values the perspectives of our Native constituencies. Thank you to those who voiced concerns in a respectful manner about the project.” “Concerns: Were there strings attached? Might the center be staffed by missionaries proselytizing to patrons? Would their deceased ancestors would be baptized vicariously?”
"By raising your hand to sustain, you make a promise. You make a promise with God, whose servants these are, that you will sustain them.These are imperfect human beings, as are you. Keeping your promises will take unshakable faith that the Lord called them. Keeping those promises will also bring eternal happiness. Not keeping them will bring sorrow to you and to those you love—and even losses beyond your power to imagine." - LDS Apostle, Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, The Power of Sustaining Faith, April 2019 General Conference
On January 19, 1845, Brigham Young sealed Lorenzo Snow to Hannah Maria Goddard (b. 1828), sister of his legal wife and his cousin. After the sealing, but prior to consummating the union, Lorenzo left on a mission. In April 1849, Joseph E. Johnson became intimately involved with Hannah who became pregnant with his child (Joseph Eugene Johnson born January 3, 1850). Upon learning of the incident, Lorenzo Snow relinquished his earthly claim to Hannah as his wife and she married Johnson. Johnson, already married, was disciplined by the church and quickly rebaptized as a polygamist. Lorenzo allowed her to be sealed to Johnson in 1861. - Hannah Maria Goddard, Forgotten Teenage Bride and Divorcee of Lorenzo Snow
“I plead with you in the name
of the Lord, and I pray that every man, woman and child who has means shall pay one tenth of their income as a tithing.” - Lorenzo Snow, 1899, LDS Church President.
Often quoted by the modern church but replacing “who has means” with an ellipsis “...” which changes the meaning of the quotation.
Lorenzo Snow and his Nine Wives and their respective ages on the wedding day. The Plural Wives of LDS Church President Lorenzo Snow | April 3, 1814 – October 10, 1901
Lorenzo Snow
5th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his 9 wives - The Plural Wives of LDS Church President Lorenzo Snow | April 3, 1814 – October 10, 1901
Lorenzo Snow and his Nine Wives and their respective ages on the wedding day along with the age difference between the groom and bride. The Plural Wives of LDS Church President Lorenzo Snow | April 3, 1814 – October 10, 1901
The Plural Wives of LDS Church President Lorenzo Snow | April 3, 1814 – October 10, 1901 - Lorenzo Snow's offspring from each plural marriage
The Plural Wives of LDS Church President Lorenzo Snow | April 3, 1814 – October 10, 1901 - Lorenzo's age at time of marriage and the duration of each marriage
Instead of asking, "How come women are not ordained to the priesthood?" Maybe we're asking the wrong question. Maybe we should be asking, "Why don't they need to be." - Brad Wilcox, 2022 (actual quote)
Instead of saying, "How come the blacks didn't get the priesthood until 1978?" Maybe what we should be asking is, "Why did the whites and other races have to wait until 1829?" - Brad Wilcox, 2022 (actual quote)
Instead of asking, "Why don't women have the priesthood?" Maybe we should be asking "How come most men in the church don't have priesthood keys?" - Brad Wilcox, 2022 (actual quote)
Girls, listen closely, because I don’t know that you’ll ever have somebody explain it quite this point blank again... “How come the girls don’t have the priesthood?” What the heck are they talking about? Your life exudes priesthood; it’s surrounded by priesthood; it emanates priesthood. “How come women don’t have priesthood keys?” Well, how come most men in the church don’t have priesthood keys? Priesthood keys are an organizational structure. It’s how God’s house is a house of order. So not everybody needs them; just those who are part of this organizational structure... "How come [women are] not ordained to the priesthood?” Maybe we’re asking the wrong question.
Maybe we should be asking, “Why don’t they need to be”. - Brad Wilcox, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, Tri-Stake Fireside in Alpine, Utah, February 6, 2022
Some lady walked up to me that I didn’t even known, and she’s like, “Oh, Why don't you give women the priesthood?” And I said, “Good to meet you, too.” And then I asked, “What’s the priesthood?”, and she said, “…Well, I don’t know, but I think the women should have it”. Seriously? “I don’t know, but the women should have it”? What’s, malaria? “I don’t know, but the women should have it”. - Brad Wilcox, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, Tri-Stake Fireside in Alpine, Utah, February 6, 2022
Instead of asking, "Why is Brad Wilcox so foolish?" Maybe what we should be asking is, "Why does God choose such foolish men to lead the church?"
Instead of asking, "Why is Brax Wilcox so foolish?" Maybe what we should be asking is, "Why are all church leaders so foolish?"
Instead of asking "Why did God command Joseph Smith to marry a 14-year-old (just shy of her fifteenth birthday)?" Maybe the question we should be asking is "Why did God make him wait until she was 14?"
wasmormon-jim-06
I was fortunate to travel the world with my work. I've read all the major scriptures. I wanted to leave a global perspective on humanity's creation of religions and provide an alternative. So I wrote my alternative. I realize it's an uphill battle. After 20 years of reading stuff they told me not to read, in my retirement, I wanted to do more than complain. I wrote "A Song Of Humanity: A science-based alternative to the world's religions". - Jim's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/jajisee/
So, I started over again reading widely in history, cosmology, physics, astronomy, chemistry, psychology, anthropology, archeology, evolution, evolutionary psychology, management, religion, physiology, brain chemistry, genetics, childhood development, and other related fields. When I joined I was going to be "all in". I have come to believe that there are billions of defenseless children around the world being indoctrinated by the narcissistic fantasies of Bronze Age goatherds--despite what we've learned over the last 200 years. - Jim's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/jajisee/
Members tried to drag me out of my bed to church (literally). My wife spent three years thinking and feeling about what was going on. My four children were confused. My wife eventually stopped going--and now says she's happier than she's ever been. So am I. The full(er) details of my life and into-and-out-of-faith journey are included in my book. I admire those who were able to "see clearly" earlier than I. Who knows what other paths one might have walked? That said, I just do not believe in believing in things that aren't accurate/true. My motto is "In Truth We Trust." I wish I'd figured this out at age 15, not 48. - Jim's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/jajisee/
From my baptism at age 12, I had a shelf of "unanswered questions" in my head. That shelf grew and grew over time. When things piled up at age 48 so high at home, work and church so that I could see tomorrow things were going to get worse, not better, I contemplated ending my life. I was released. Soon thereafter I was sitting in sacrament meeting listening to my former high counselors speak on "Be Ye Therefore Perfect Even As Your Father in Heave is Perfect" and "Even Your Thoughts Will Condemn You" and my body began to shake and tremble. I got up and walked out and never went back. - Jim's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/jajisee/
I was born in Idaho in a tiny remote town, my parents later divorced, Mom remarried an inactive Mormon, I was nudged into the Church at age 12, became devout, gave 100% (mission, branch president, high counselor, stake president) and that nearly killed me, so I was either going to die or do something else. After 35 years of devotion with numerous major callings, I had a near-death mid-life crisis and decided I had to start over with a "zero-based budgeting" approach to my beliefs. I was a Mormon. - Jim's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/jajisee/
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/dianne-ormond/. 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!
I emphasize that my decision is not the result of sin, or taking offense, or any other stereotypical justification, but simply that the church is not what it claims to be, and all evidence falsifies the church. The church is good at instilling ethics and values, so it is disturbing when it doesn't follow its own teachings on honesty. After eight years of intensive research and documentation of all sides, I choose to no longer belong to an organization that deceives its members. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
![Girls, listen closely, because I don’t know that you’ll ever have somebody explain it quite this point blank again... “How come the girls don’t have the priesthood?” What the heck are they talking about? Your life exudes priesthood; it’s surrounded by priesthood; it emanates priesthood. “How come women don’t have priesthood keys?” Well, how come most men in the church don’t have priesthood keys? Priesthood keys are an organizational structure. It’s how God’s house is a house of order. So not everybody needs them; just those who are part of this organizational structure... "How come [women are] not ordained to the priesthood?” Maybe we’re asking the wrong question. Maybe we should be asking, “Why don’t they need to be”. - Brad Wilcox, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, Tri-Stake Fireside in Alpine, Utah, February 6, 2022 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/brad-wilcox-wrong-questions-girls-and-priesthood-women-dont-need-priesthood.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
