Hi!
I was a mormon.
About me
I was raised by devout, active LDS parents in good standing; my “father” served as bishop for years. I left the church the moment I legally could. Since then, I’ve become a mother, discovered fulfilling hobbies, and fallen in love with coffee.
On my shelf
On the Mormon Spectrum
# Why I left More stories of 'Why I left' the Mormon church
I was born to parents active in the church. When I was a toddler, my father was called as bishop. Our rural area received church manuals months or years after members in Utah did. I grew up knowing early church history—polygamy, young brides, and controversial issues like the Book of Abraham papyri. I knew I’d eventually wear garments and saw my mother’s temple dress and green robe. None of it felt sacred or consistent with what I read in books, at school, or online. I left at 17–18.
Ten years later, a family member revealed that the man I called Dad wasn’t my biological father. A DNA test confirmed it: I met my bio dad and discovered I’m Ashkenazi Jewish. That shattered the final shelf.
As I think back to receiving my patriarchal blessing—being promised I’d “grow in the church and have many children”—it’s ironic that G_d apparently didn’t inspire the patriarch to mention I was Jewish and would soon leave.
Questions about Mormons My Answers to Questions about Mormonism
#Link to this answer of 'Can you describe the type of faith you had prior to your loss of faith?' by insider_exit Can you describe the type of faith you had prior to your loss of faith? See more answers about 'Can you describe the type of faith you had prior to your loss of faith?'
I never had faith in Joseph Smith or any of his stories. As a child, I cried because I knew the church wasn’t true, yet I felt crushing guilt for bearing false testimony to my family and congregation. I struggled to believe in Jesus at all, while my belief in the God of the Bible somehow remained unshaken.