The church has introduced a new series of scripture stories aimed at children. There are plenty of illustrations and the simplified stories pull from the scriptures and church history. They don’t shy from one of the most troubling chapters of Mormon history, polygamy. The simplified story portrays the origin of Mormon polygamy as beginning with …
Tag Archives: divorce
Sandra Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Sandra’s story is a powerful account of resilience amid a culture that, for her, enabled abuse. Growing up in the Mormon Church, Sandra’s experience was shaped by religious structures that were more protective of image than of truth or individual well-being. From a young age, she endured severe physical and emotional abuse from her mother, …
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Kate Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meet Kate, a woman who has faced incredible challenges as she navigated a profound faith transition. Kate was “born in the covenant” and spent her life in the Church. But at 45, her “proverbial Mormon shelf” came crashing down, triggered by a series of life changes that left her feeling lost, uprooted, and homeless—all tied …
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Ian Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meet Ian, a talented musician, devoted friend, and courageous soldier. Raised in a loving Mormon family, Ian navigated the complexities of faith and personal identity with remarkable resilience. Ian’s faith began to waver after his parents’ divorce, leading him to question church teachings and seek answers that never came. His doubts intensified as he encountered …
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Rosanna Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Growing up in Utah within a devout Mormon family, Rosana inherited her parents’ beliefs but soon found herself grappling with the suffocating pressures of conformity and cultural expectations. Despite her upbringing in a community steeped in faith, Rosana’s experience with church rituals and teachings left her feeling disconnected and disillusioned. The rigid standards imposed by …
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Relief Society President on Working Mothers and Living Prophets
Camille Johnson, Relief Society General President, made waves with a talk at the BYU Women’s Conference where she also talked about career, motherhood and following the living prophet. Her address is featured on the official Church instagram. She was born in 1962, earned her bachelor’s degree in 1985, married in 1987, and her law degree …
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Jim Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Jim’s upbringing in a remote Idaho town was deeply tied to the Mormon faith, where he committed himself to its principles from a young age. However, after decades of unwavering dedication and significant leadership roles within the Church, Jim found himself at a crossroads. A mid-life crisis prompted a profound reassessment of his beliefs, fueled …
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Hannah Maria Goddard, Lorenzo Snow’s Nearly Forgotten Wife
Lorenzo Snow, the 5th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a dutiful Mormon polygamist. He jumped right into the practice and went (according to some accounts) from single to husband of four wives in just 2 days! The official lists of his marriages show he was married to 9 (at …
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The Wives of Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow Lorenzo Snow was born April 3, 1814, in Ohio. He joined the church in June of 1836 at 22 years of age. In 1837, he was called on a mission, and while serving he missed the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society. He moved to Far West in the summer of 1838, and …
Brad Wilcox On Asking the Wrong Questions
Brad Wilcox, the Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency gave a Fireside address in Alpine, Utah on February 6, 2022. He made quite a fool of himself and his rhetoric about members asking the wrong questions. He ridiculed a normal and valid question and then posed a racist question instead. He also accuses …
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Mormons and Interracial Marriage
President Spencer W Kimball, as president of the church gave a speech at BYU about Marriage and Divorce in 1976. This talk is currently referenced frequently, nearly 50 years later, in church lesson manuals and by church leaders. In this talk, he spoke against interracial marriages. He advised against marriages between those from differing economic …
What is ‘Letter For My Wife’
Letter For My Wife is a document aggregating questions and doubts about the Mormon church written by a questioning Mormon to his wife. The letter is meant to discuss the questions and concerns with the church’s truth claims or truth crisis and this man’s testimony. The letter was started as a document in 2009, when …
Shane Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Shane’s journey unfolds as a poignant narrative of resilience, love, and profound self-discovery within the intricate tapestry of faith, family, and personal identity. A stalwart member of the LDS Church, Shane’s commitment to his beliefs and his family is evident in every chapter of his life. From the vibrant memories of a South Korean mission …
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BYU Counsels Divorcees to “Fill the holes that were once filled by sex”
The Covenant Intimacy Conversations discuss the challenging transition individuals may face when moving from a state of being sexually active to sexually inactive due to divorce or the death of a spouse. It states that while it may not be possible to fully replace the aspect of sexual intimacy lost through such life changes, individuals …
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Doc Wade Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Doc Wade, a retired Chiropractor and Country Music enthusiast, shares his faith transition story out of Mormonism. Born into the Mormon Church, he faithfully followed all the rituals and served a two-year mission. After a temple marriage and raising six sons, he faced challenges in his personal life, including a divorce after 25 years of …
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Meredith Was a Mormon, a Post-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meredith’s story is one of resilience and self-discovery. Born into a seemingly ideal fourth-generation Mormon family in Louisiana, she faced the unraveling of her parent’s marriage and the shattered illusion of eternal togetherness. Despite being raised in a strict environment, Meredith found her voice at 16 and challenged her imposed beliefs. She broke free from …
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Freidom was a Mormon | An Exmormon Story Spotlight
Freidom was a happy Mormon, or so she thought. Her questions were ignored, she was silenced, and her devotion was taken for granted. After experiencing a devastating divorce she realized that she was not cared for at all! Out of spite she checked out an exmormon channel on youtube and binged it. This led to …
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Judging Past Leaders by Today’s Standards
Church members and leaders enjoy the refrain that we can’t judge Joseph Smith (and other church leaders) by modern standards. Nobody today should criticize them for living according to the cultural norms of the day. People thought and did things differently back then. This expands beyond Mormon church leaders into politics etc. There are many …
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Gordon B Hinckley on Larry King Live | Interview Transcript 1998
Transcript of Larry King Live: Gordon Hinckley – Distinguished Religious Leader of the Mormons. Remember that time Hinckley was on Larry King in 1998? Looking back at the transcript, he said quite a few surprising things on air. Hinckley claimed that when people think of Mormons when polygamy is mentioned, they do it “mistakenly” and …
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Fanny Alger, Joseph Smith’s “dirty, nasty, filthy affair” Teen Bride
What Happened between Fanny Alger and Joseph Smith? As a young woman, Fanny Alger was a servant in Joseph Smith’s house. She lived with the family for a time while also serving as a maid. Joseph Smith and Fanny got very close. Multiple accounts exist of Emma Smith, Joseph’s wife catching Joseph celestializing (sexually involved) …
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Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Summary & Potential Next Steps
The report concludes with suggestions the mormon church can take to mitigate the further loss of members due to a faith crisis. This report shows that the church leaders are well aware of the fact that members are leaving and why they are leaving and shows us insight into how the church thinks it can plug this membership leak.
Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Faith Crisis Profiles
This faith crisis report next lists many anonymous faith crisis profiles each detailing the exit story of the member (along with precious statistics and demographics the church cares deeply about such as household income). Not to be confused with the actual faith crisis profiles shared on wasmormon.org.
Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Perpetual Cycle of Disaffection
The report also analyses a perpetual cycle of disaffiliated members, where a member finds troubling information and through the age of information and the internet confirms the troubling issue as true and feels betrayed by the church for not being honest, and ends up venting to a family member and causing the cycle to restart for them.
Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Faith Crisis Stages
The report defines the stages of such a faith crisis from a true believing member, through a catalyst and traumatization, and then either through a traumatized disbeliever and ex-mormon or a nuanced believer and then secular participant.