Hi. I'm Sheryl.
I was a Mormon. I am a truth-seeker.
About me
I was born into the church fourth generation on both sides of the family. I was born and raised in SLC. I was very interested in spirituality and started reading the KJV of the Bible when I was 11. I was sexually assaulted by a nonMormon boy when I was 13 who also spread lies about me sleeping around. My ward turned their back on me. I overheard one of my leaders tell the other girls not to be my friend. I got to hear the terrible gossip about me firsthand on a skiing trip when I was awake but they thought I was asleep. On the river trip later that year they tried to have an "accident" that would kill me. I served a mission that ended when my mission p[resident spent an hour telling me what a horrible person I was and how his mission would be perfect if I was not in it. I married in the temple and went on to have a wonderful son. I served on various committees and did the bulletin. I didn't' like Mormon's but I sure wasn't going to let them take away my eternal salvation. My opinion was that they were stuck with me whether they liked it or not. Eventually, I ended up in a ward that was unusually accepting. and I was called as the primary president. I only wanted to do exactly what Jesus would do for those kids so I sought to let Jesus run my life instead of me. I had several experiences that were designed by the Divine Source to help me understand that Mormonism was not what I thought it was. One of those experiences was asking to be allowed to attend whatever ward I felt comfortable in after that very accepting ward was broken up and the people I was closest to were in a different ward from me. It really showed that they followed rules and not Jesus. And yet, even then, my desire was only to help them understand how to be more like Jesus. I was still committed to what I believed was the true church. I was spending every Saturday morning in the temple because I enjoyed the peace and quiet and serenity of the temple and because I felt closer to Jesus there then anywhere else.
On my shelf
On the Mormon Spectrum
# Why I left More stories of 'Why I left' the Mormon church
I was in the Mormon celestial room enjoying the peace there and I asked the One I called Jesus at the time why I had never gotten any answers while I was in the celestial room. I had heard his voice many times elsewhere, directing me, and helping me with my callings, but never in the celestial room of the temple. Then this beautiful Being who loves me more then I can ever understand and who has been there with me all of my life protecting me and helping me not make bad decisions and who I love more than anything said, "Would you give me your membership in this church?" And I said, "Of course. It is yours. But I don 't understand why you ask." Over the next few days there were more things that happened that should never have happened and I fially asked, "But what about the Book of Mormon?" Into my life came B.H. Roberts book Studies on the Book of Mormon and then close on its heels came An Insiders View of Mormon Origins. At the end of that book I acknowledged everything I had always known about the problems with the things I believed as a Mormon, took off my garments for the last time, and became a wasMormon. Then the Being of Light that had guided me for so long told me, "show them the kindness they cannot show you."
Questions about Mormons My Answers to Questions about Mormonism
#Link to this answer of 'Has your struggle improved since you left?' by Sheryl Has your struggle improved since you left? See more answers about 'Has your struggle improved since you left?'
I have been surprised at how at peace I have been since I left. I was also surprised to discover that there is an undertone of judgementalism in Mormonism that dropped away as I left and let me value people in a whole new way.
#Link to this answer of 'How do you interpet your spiritual experiences in Mormonism?' by Sheryl How do you interpet your spiritual experiences in Mormonism? See more answers about 'How do you interpet your spiritual experiences in Mormonism?'
In the larger picture of the Divine Light now. The experiences were real even though the framework I was using a the time was fiction.
#Link to this answer of 'Is it selfish to not have contact with LDS families including parents?' by Sheryl Is it selfish to not have contact with LDS families including parents? See more answers about 'Is it selfish to not have contact with LDS families including parents?'
Boundaries are good. Good boundaries for anyone that is a negative influence in life are essential. Good boundaries are not selfish whether or not the person is Mormon.
#Link to this answer of 'Is the term Mormon a major victory for Satan?' by Sheryl Is the term Mormon a major victory for Satan? See more answers about 'Is the term Mormon a major victory for Satan?'
You know, I spent years as an active member of the church calling myself a Mormon and telling people I am a Mormon. It is just a term and one the church was very willing to embrace and encouraged us to embrace for many years.
#Link to this answer of 'Is there only one way to be an ex-Mormon?' by Sheryl Is there only one way to be an ex-Mormon? See more answers about 'Is there only one way to be an ex-Mormon?'
Definitely not. I am aware of some who are very angry, some who are still trying to make sense of things, and then there are others like me who are not angry I just outgrew the Mormon church spiritually because I was ready to find the truth.
#Link to this answer of 'Were you offended? Is that why you left?' by Sheryl Were you offended? Is that why you left? See more answers about 'Were you offended? Is that why you left?'
They probably think so, but no. If I had not had my Divine Helper help me to see Truth and leave I would never have left. There were certainly many offenses given but that is not why I left.
#Link to this answer of 'What are the blessings of your faith transition?' by Sheryl What are the blessings of your faith transition? See more answers about 'What are the blessings of your faith transition?'
The biggest blessing is not seeing people through the Mormon filter anymore. People are so much more amazing now that I can see them as they really are.
#Link to this answer of 'What did and do you feel about the Mormon Temple Ceremony?' by Sheryl What did and do you feel about the Mormon Temple Ceremony? See more answers about 'What did and do you feel about the Mormon Temple Ceremony?'
It was used by the Divine Light to steady me and help me through everything I went through and to open contemplation. I think it was good the way it changed before I left. But if you think about it the endowment gets you mostly sitting still and contemplating the universe and life for about 30 minutes. It was a generally positive meditative practice that was done with others with a time to pray for others at the end. The new initiatory was a very beautiful experience with language that encouraged positivity in my life. I missed my time in the temple on Saturday mornings the most after I left. It is unfortunate that in the Mormon framework enlightenment results in having to leave behind many of the practices that led to that enlightenment. But maybe that too is just part of the journey because no church or religion is actually true.
#Link to this answer of 'What do you call yourself now that you aren't mormon?' by Sheryl What do you call yourself now that you aren't mormon? See more answers about 'What do you call yourself now that you aren't mormon?'
Human. Though when talking to people in religions I am tending toward nondualist.
#Link to this answer of 'Why are you sharing your story?' by Sheryl Why are you sharing your story? See more answers about 'Why are you sharing your story?'
Because I believe it should be told.