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Why I attended the Mormon Church on Sunday

Sam Young 1st Sunday as excommunicantOn September 12, 2018, I was excommunicated from the Mormon Church, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On September 30th, I decided to attend LDS Sunday services for the first time as an excommunicated apostate.

Many have asked why I would return after being so callously kicked out.  The motivation is comprised of 2 elements.

ONE

The Church has abandoned me.  Fine.

However, I am not going to reciprocate by abandoning  children who are at risk.  I am not going to respond by abandoning my friends and family who have children in the cross-hairs of a dreadful policy.

Sure, I could go to any other church for my religious purposes.  However, these other churches have already stepped up and protected their children from one-on-one interviews and sexually explicit questions.  I have decided to go to the ONLY church where this battle is still being waged.  It is not my nature to run away from the weak and the vulnerable.

I plan to pursue the cause for our children as an active and believing ex-Mormon.

TWO

Mentally processing the excommunication has been an unexpected emotional roller-coaster.  Along with other members of my immediate family, I have experienced various stages of mourning.  Last week, I felt like completely withdrawing from the community that I have been a part of the past 6 decades.  My thoughts were to avoid all contact with Mormons.  Loneliness and defeat were becoming my unlikely companions.

Then a phone call from a country half-a-world away.  The caller ID displayed the name John Dehlin.  He was in Sweden at the time.  With my excommunication still fresh out of the envelope, he was checking to see how I was doing.  What a nice thing to do!  He experienced excommunication a couple of years back and understands first hand the sentiments that I was mired in.

I described my inclination to run from my former friends.  In turn, John said something like this, “Brother Sam, don’t do it.  Don’t let this determine your course.  Take your personality back.  Be who you have always been.”

YES!!!  That immediately resonated with the truth I was ready to embrace.  He wasn’t telling me to go back to church.  He was simply suggesting that to withdraw into myself would not be me.  Thank you, my good friend.

So, last Sunday, I attended the Mormon Church for 2 reasons, for the Children and for Me.

 

 

77 thoughts on “Why I attended the Mormon Church on Sunday”

  5. Yes, a ship captain is the last one to abandon a ship, of course. I think, you will abandon a ship sooner or later, because your family members are not idiots neither.

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    1. The above words are for your first reason of going to the Church. Regarding your 2nd reason, I once worked on Sundays (for several years, and then I settled down). This case was like adjustment to a marital divorce, and it took time to heal. In fact, it is a religious divorce.

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  8. So much admiration for the work you do, the whole of your heart that you put in, the courage and determination you show, and your willingness to stand u and sacrifice for a cause you believe in. You are a true pioneer.

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  9. Im so proud and glad you grabbed who you are and went your path. I admire you more than I can say in
    words! You are loved by more than you will ever be able to comprehend, this I promise you!

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      1. So Patty is most likely in Stake, and with you in spirit; and so are all your family and supporters…always backing you. Your friend Bill is always close by as we have observed …cool.

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  11. This is beautiful. I have been wondering how you are doing, Sam. Thanks for sharing. One of my daughters (TBM) has judged me for sharing your posts on facebook. She trusts that the Church knows exactly why you were excommunicated and knows best. She is a returned missionary and LOVES the church. I have told her that you are concerned about the children, but she thinks it is arrogance and wanting public attention. How can I explain this better to her? I will forward this message to her. It explains how you are feeling right now. Thanks for your courage. It has opened my awareness. Penni

    On Mon, Oct 1, 2018 at 9:19 PM Tocubit Is Invisible’s Cubit wrote:

    > Sam Young posted: “On September 12, 2018, I was excommunicated from the > Mormon Church, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day > Saints. On September 30th, I decided to attend LDS Sunday services for the > first time as an excommunicated apostate. Many have ask” >

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  13. Sam, your words make me very happy and relieved. Carry on, your work is so important and it will affect the lives of many people, especially unsuspecting children. Thank you! Chloe Patton

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  14. I’m curious as to how you are going to be supporting your cause by your returning to church? Do you feel your mere presence will influence leaders to do things your way? I honestly don’t get it. Church leaders will, and are obligated to, follow official church policy. So, either you give in to accepting that policy or you remain as an awkward presence that no one knows how to deal with which just creates more problems at church. Your mere presence isn’t going to change policy nor cause justice as you see it to become manifest. All it does is further amplify your displeasure with the church. People go to church to be healed, to change. You are going for political reasons. That’s wrong. Let people worship as one. Go somewhere else to worship if your main motivation is to be making your political statement.

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    1. Thanks for your always refreshing comments. They are welcome here. People have criticized my methods from day one. I’m not here to debate my methods. My mission is to protect our children from abusive practices. I don’t consider the safety of our kids as a political issue. Jesus Christ was plain and forthright in his teachings. I would be a hypocrite if I turned a blind eye to what the Mormon church does to our kids. You are right that the church should be a place of healing no of harming. My object is to eliminate the ‘harming’ part.

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      1. So whats your plan then? You gonna set up a table or booth outside the bishops offices and hand out pamphlets or offer free pre-interview counseling? You cant just go in there with metaphorical six guns on your side and clean house. You are of the obvious position that the prophets of the Lord dont know what they are doing, that what you are doing is right and theyy are wrong. And you want to come to church to protect children? How do you think we view that? As a political move. And because LDS are generally nice and courteous they will put up with you to some extent. The truth of it is though, as long as you stand in defiance to our beloved prophets we are going to view you as apostate and your presence at church will be seen as merely political and disruptive.

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      2. I invite you to come visit my ward while I’m there. No politics of disruption will be observed. These are my friends. Stand in defiance of the prophets? Where is Jesus Christ in you words. I made a covenant to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ at all times. There was nothing in my covenants to stand as a witness for the apostles. I made a covenant to mourn with those who mourn. Not to stand on the sidelines and watch as we cause children to mourn. You keep talking about the church and the prophet and leaving Christ and the children out of the equation. That’s not me.

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    2. I do hope you will find the compassion within you. This was an un-Christian response. Jesus didn’t differ between churchgoers and ” apostates and if you are not protecting children as Sam does, Shame on you
      .

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  15. Why are you allowed to go if you are excommunicated? There is no difference in before? I am not a Mormon, just saying who cares about excommunication if you are allowed to still go?

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    1. Excommunicated persons can attend (unless, of course, they’re disruptive), but they can’t pray in front of the congregation, teach classes, take the sacrament, etc. But he can attend, listen, sing, pray silently, and fellowship with members.

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    1. Dear Cameron, usually I delete comments where I’m called a liar, rapist, child molester on my own blog. I’m going to let your’s stay for the time being. I believe in the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. If that doesn’t qualify as a believing member, then the Mormon Church is a fraud. President Nelson just received the super important revelation reminding us that the correct name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I believe in Jesus Christ.

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  17. What did you think would happen, apostate? You publicly opposed the Church, its policies and its leaders.

    Your unrepentant attitude is not helping. This crying act of yours is just that: an act. You knew what the wages of your sin would be.

    I am glad you were excommunicated. Shame on you for your evil actions.

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    1. Hi Michael, I don’t publicly oppose the church or it’s leaders. I publicly oppose ONE policy. Not policies. I’m publicly working to make our church better. If that is not standing up for the church and its leaders, I don’t know what is. I don’t consider sitting in silence as being supportive.

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      2. Not appropriate to question the church in ANY manner. I have NEVER made a commitment, covenant or promise to that effect. That is a horrid teaching.

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      3. I read both positive and negative comments here. As much as I am interested in the people saying positive comments, I am also interested in the people saying negative comments here. I can see the negative friends do not tend to reason (D&C 50 : 10-12).

        For my past years, I have seen such friends from different contexts (or backgrounds). I have seen, some were in control of Church funds and exploited the welfares of Church members and frontline staff, some earned a very well-off wages from Church employments or projects, some did not gain any monetary benefits from Church, and yet lacked much reasoning-ability, and some infatuate with a belief for some reasons. Are there any other backgrounds I might have missed? I am sure I have just seen a small portion.

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      4. You DID make a promise. How soon you forget, speaking out against those appointed of the Lord to lead over us. I never question anything and I have taught my children the same.

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    2. Michael, you’re talking like a true cult member. Only in a cult (like Scientology, or North Korea, etc) is it considered evil to even question policies. You obviously don’t know Sam. He radiates love, compassion, and humility. How does this serve you or your God to be all judgey towards Sam? You seem intent on saying hurtful things. That reflects more on you than it does on Sam.

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  19. If I think of Captain Sam Young while singing this hymn (lyrics below), pleading with God while I do so that He not forget the LDS children for whom Captain Young has so valiantly fought and continues to do so, then the old meanings when I was Mormon recede and I am caught up in a beautiful pomp of hope. Though our LDS missionaries are dwindling from palm and pine lands, and the tumult and shouting is dying as more and more people withdraw from Mormonism, both the tumult that Captain Sam raised like a triumphant banner during the past several months, as well as the tumult that made the LDS Church a once-promising religion, like the United Kingdom was dying when this hymn written, still I plead that WE not forget that Captain Sam leads a great battle that is not won yet. Then is my hope renewed. Lest we forget, lest we . . . forget.

    1. God of our fathers, known of old,
    Lord of our far-flung battle line,
    Beneath whose awful hand we hold
    Dominion over palm and pine:
    Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
    Lest we forget, lest we forget.
    2. The tumult and the shouting dies;
    The captains and the kings depart.
    Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
    An humble and a contrite heart.
    Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
    Lest we forget, lest we forget.
    3. Far-called, our navies melt away;
    On dune and headland sinks the fire.
    Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
    Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
    Judge of the nations, spare us yet,
    Lest we forget, lest we forget.
    Text: Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936
    Music: Leroy J. Robertson, 1896-1971. (c) 1948 IRI

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  20. Hey Sam, Michael Scott wants his quote back:

    “Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not. I like to be liked. I enjoy being liked. I have to be liked, but it’s not like this compulsive need to be liked, like my need to be praised.”

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  21. Remember, Lavina Fielding Anderson hasn’t missed a Sunday since her excommunication in 1993. And this year, her husband’s funeral was at her ward building. She has always been welcomed by the ward and the bishop.

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    1. Michael Crook, Stop attacking the messenger and address the message.

      Are you willing to accept further instances of sexual abuse within your church like those catalogued by Sam? What mitigations do you propose? I ask because the policy adjustment made by LDS leaders was pretty ineffectual.

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    2. Okay I’m done in responding to you. Our interests appear to have little in common. You want to protect leaders and the church. I want to protect the children. I’ll leave your comments. But not willing to spend any more time with you.

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    3. Michael,
      Please be kind. Please love one another as Jesus loves you. Please do not judge least ye be judged. Please follow the Lord’s example to minister to all our brothers and sisters. Please replace all that anger with love and peace in your your heart.

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  25. Dear Sam,
    As you know I’m a Post-Mo, but i think John Dehlin gave you good advice. If Mormons are still your tribe, then be with them, and good for you for putting the children first. You are loved in both Mormon and Post-Mormon circles, so your community is bigger than ever.

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  26. Good for you Sam. Now that the messenger has been shot, maybe the members will address the message: One on one closed door interviews about sexual chastity have created an environment where significant abuse has occured and likely will again.

    Do the remaining LDS members accept further victims (which could be someone they know) or do they advocate for sensible mitigations?

    What mitigations are sensible? Obtain background checks for child/youth leaders. Require two-deep leadership. Provide abuse prevention training for children, parents and leaders. And absolutely stop one on one chastity interviews.

    It’s one thing for a member to confess a chastity concern of their own volition. It’s entirely another for a religious authority figure to make inquiries into matters of sexuality. Leaders should be trained not to ask these questions and to refer members who express concerns about their sexuality to licensed professionals. Leaders and members should be trained to report sexual abuse to authorities, not sweep it under the rug to protect the image of the church.

    As you said Sam, it’s not about your excommunication. It’s about the message. Stay on message!!
    Godspeed!!

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    1. (What mitigations are sensible?) Any mitigations can be sensible, only when Church practices what it represents or teaches. There is a long history of a culture of money-corruption and power/status-greed, and thus no intentions (and thus no ways) to heal any sins inside Church, including sex offenses. There has been a culture of this Church, to bring up our generations to love money/lusts and use people (rather than use money and love people).

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  27. Sam,
    Thank you for your courage, commitment to the children and love for the Lord. You are in my prayers daily. I would be honored to have you in my ward.

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  28. Sam, I don’t doubt that your friends at church are nice to you and you back. I just find it awkward really because your excommunication was all about your feelings towards the Lord’s annointed prophets and apostles. The genuine feelings we all have to help our youth is noble and I don’t doubt you do want the best. I’ve been around the youth working with them for twenty years and I know the current system in the Lord’s church is the best. I have seen many a troubled youth go and meet with the bishop and work out the path of happiness for them. The youth in the focus of this great debate of interviews are not innocent little children. The majority of them are well aware of their sexuality and the new pleasures they are finding out about. Many of our youth are falling into those rampant temptations that are so prevailent now. And those who do fall into that darkness need some help. Breaking The law of chastity is probably the #1 sin our youth are getting caught up in. I remember a decade ago I was at Scout camp with my young men and one night as I was walking by their tent I could hear all of them talking and discussing very x-rated material. I was very shocked. So I called them out and we had a good discussion for an hour about this problem. The truth of it is our youth are being hit so hard with vulgarity, x-rated material, and all forms of immoral behavior. My son who graduated High school a few years back was on one of the sports teams and their school came under the national spotlight for a hazing incident on one of their sports teams that involved very crude and immoral behavior that was widespread. People went to jail over it, lost scholarships, entire carreer paths changed, families hurt and destroyed. What do we really need to do with our youth? Stop pretending they are innocent and perfect and need shielding. We have to address the problem of rampant immorality with our youth, it’s not a game.
    I would love to meet you and talk but I wouldn’t do it at your church building. I know our prophets are led by God. We are one of the only religions that’s actively trying to help our youth with chastity problems.
    The way I see it is we both want to protect our youth, we just have different opinions on how that should happen. And I don’t really have any problem with that. The point of contact that’s in the crosshairs is that we are at opposite ends of the rope on how we view and support church leadership. And it’s that one thing that throws a monkey wrench into the whole thing. Because of that I think it a great disservice for you to continue to go to church with an agenda to defy church leadership and demand policy change. It’s not healthy for any part of the situation. It’s just disruptive. You know they arent going to just capitulate to your demands. But, it’s for that very fact that you say the things you do. You are driven off your excommunication, it’s what you truly wanted. But, you want now to parade around your excommunication as a brand of honor to claim the accolades of man. A mere puppet now, doing the devil’s bidding.

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    1. Dear Robert,

      I have seen such a presentation written on all the non-verbal faces who were employed with good salary by Church. I have checked such a presentation is endorsed in the General Authorities. The whole Church is saying DO NOT ROCK THE BOAT PLEASE. I do not believe persons claiming walking with God would tend to behave like this way.

      Your message just said: Church represents God. Yet, Church does not do what it represents, as a matter of fact.

      Even though your message is very polite in wording, and endorses Church, such wording in the context of Church’s behavior, is exactly the message Prophlet Joseph got in his First Vision, re: worship in lips, far away in heart.

      No reasoning at all in your letters (D&C 50 : 10-12). Am I correct?

      Regards,
      Bill

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    2. How judgemental and uncivil. Jesus is not happy with your brand of expression. Where is the love in your admonishments.? All I see is nastiness.

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    3. Started out reasonably, Robert, then went on a disgraceful attack in your last sentence. Unloving, self-righteous and sounding like you are scared of change. Man up.

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  29. Typo Errors:
    I have seen such your presentation written on all the non-verbal faces who were employed with good salary by Church. I have checked such presentations are endorsed in the General Authorities.

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  30. Bill,
    By your fruits ye shall know. So, what are the fruits of an interview with the bishop? Generally speaking the fruits are that the person comes away with a renewed sense of self esteem, positive feelings, and empowerment to overcome life’s trials. It’s utter nonsense to believe that interviews are destroying youth or setting them up for moral failure. It is very rare a bishop abuses his authority and power to take advantage of youth. No matter what, in any organization that interacts with youth, you will have those who take advantage of their position. The reality is that personal worthiness interviews with bishops create an overwhelming positive change in people. If this were not true you would see everyone jumping on board with Sam Young. The reality is that very very few are siding with Sam on this and generally, they are ones who were diseffected anyway to begin with. Just looking at Sam’s posts over the years and it’s a no brainier that he has had various issues over the years against the church. This was just one more, or another way, to throw another dart at the church. The truth is Sam has been disaffected for a while against church leadership. It’s that whole “pile it on” attitude. Why would Sam still choose to attend a church he hates? To prove his point, to make a statement, above all though- his following is great enough now his pride is involved and he likes the hero worship status he now has.

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    1. You are a good example of a person saying universally-true words without any contexts. Based on the following example of your letter, my opinion is, “No reasoning at all. Just your advertisements”. (It is just my opinion, and I can be wrong. It is not my facts.)

      “By your fruits ye shall know. So, what are the fruits of an interview with the bishop?
      It’s utter nonsense to believe that the person comes away with a renewed sense of self esteem, positive feelings, and empowerment to overcome life’s trials.
      “Generally speaking the fruits are that interviews are destroying youth or setting them up for moral failure.
      “The reality is that a bishop abuses his authority and power to take advantage of youth.
      No matter what, in any organization that interacts with youth, you will have everyone jumping on board with Sam Young.
      “It is very rare personal worthiness interviews with bishops create an overwhelming positive change in people. If this were not true you would see those who take advantage of their position.”

      I just moved your words around, without adding or deleting any of your words, to become a completely opposite essay. It is what I mean “universally-true words without any contexts”, “advertisements”.

      “We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion (D&C 121:39).” I would refer “no reasoning, due to worship in lips and far away in heart” as exercising unrighteous dominion. Please correct me if I am wrong.

      The message (leave the Church, do not rock the boat) is not “virtue, persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, unfeigned love, or pure knowledge” as shown in D&C 121:41&42. If you or any Church representatives had possessed either one of the 7 above elements, I would have extended my apologies for slander. Again, please correct me if I am wrong.

      41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
      42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile

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      1. Bill, okay, so where are tge tens of thousands of followers or even droves of them following Sam Young? If what you are saying is true why is there no mass exodus? In my own ward nobody has even brought up the name Sam Young. No one in my stake is making an issue of bishop interviews. Those I talk with in other areas also do not see a problem as you claim. That which Sam Young makes out to be everyday occurences in every ward are just either lies or a great distortion of reality.

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      2. (Bill, okay, so)
        I am glad you are learning to reason(D&C 50:10-12).

        (where are the tens of thousands of followers or even droves of them following Sam Young?)
        The so-called Sam’s beliefs/behaviors are those of many others in the world, as a matter of fact. Is Sam their follower, or are they Sam’s followers, or are Sam and they the followers of humanity? It is up to you to reason. May I say the world is very big enough beyond our imagination. https://www.lds.org/topics/kingdoms-of-glory?lang=eng

        (If what you are saying is true why is there no mass exodus?)
        When we said Church members increased, we were talking about active and inactive members. We do not have any statistics about active and inactive members, and neither do you. Am I correct?

        (In my own ward nobody has even brought up the name Sam Young.)
        Bring up or not bring up? Did you or your own ward bring up the money-corruption in Area or Stakes or Wards of Hong Kong or Singapore? Did you or your own ward bring up the General Authorities’ attitudes about the money-corruption and the related exploitation of Church members’ welfares there? Did you or your own ward have some connections with the world outside of your ward? We tend to be ignorant of a faraway world, and of course, it is up to you to believe how knowledgeable we are.

        (No one in my stake is making an issue of bishop interviews.)
        Do you know how many in your stake have so much free time to make an issue of bishop interviews, after work, children and spouse responsibilities? Do you know, even how many in your stake have so much free time to care about the Church members’ porn issues and domestic abuse issues and familial sexual abuse issues? We do not even have enough time to hold a second job, in order to pay for our family’s health insurance premiums. It is up to you to understand the reality, no matter whether or not you or I were born with a silver spoon.

        (Those I talk with in other areas also do not see a problem as you claim.)
        I did not follow “a problem as you claim”. What is the problem I claim? I probably forgot what problem. Please see it as an honest question and I do not do traps.

        (That which Sam Young makes out to be everyday occurences in every ward are just either lies or a great distortion of reality.)
        I can see you care about if it is a very common reality in Church. I do not know how often it is in USA. You can be right, when we are without any statistics. On the other hand, do you count Mormon culture as a factor or a reality? If you do, you might like to appreciate the Mormon cultures are different in different countries, but the attitudes of the General Authorities prevails every corner in Mormon cultures. After I see, I tend to think Mormons practice a culture, not necessarily gospels, as shown in our 4 books of scriptures. I think but I can be wrong. It is up to you to define your reality, and I say this, because not only I respect you, but also it is reality that everybody defines they own reality.

        I am learning to reason with you. Please feel free to correct me, if I am wrong.

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      4. I did not follow how your comment is following (or related to) my comment. Next, may I say your comment is without reasoning as much as those of negative persons here? Without reasoning, every one is blind and hurting others, no matter oneself is an angel or a devil. I might have offended you, and my apologies in advance.

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      1. Assuming your these words are not for me, may I still ask you to please elaborate? Reasoning, facts or examples are very useful to open our eyes and minds. Otherwise, we positive ones will be in the same morality/culture/value as much as the negative ones are. If both positives ones and negative ones are in the same culture, how can they open the eyes of each other. Please correct me if I am wrong in my this logic.

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      2. Edited:
        If both positives ones and negative ones are in the same culture, how can we open their eyes, or how can they open our eyes?

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    3. Robert, You are also being known by your fruits which are rotting. When you and David crook come off of your high horses, remember to tuck and roll so you don’t get hurt.

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      1. Livingroom, If your comment was directed at me, I believe that it”s just as simple as the Bible has commanded, Love your neighbour as yourself. Love is in our actions and words. Love is seeing what Sam is really trying to do which is to protect children. Ascribing awful motives to him is the epitome of un-lovingness. If, instead of mocking and denouncing, his detractors were able to put their egos in their pockets and admit even a possibility that he is doing what his heart is guiding him to do, it would open a reasoned and caring dialogue. Taking a stand based on policy is just not reasonable. Policies can be changed. Policies can be re-thought and found to be wrong. Bishops, prophets etc. are just people and, therefore, fallible.

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      2. Yes, I wrote a message to you, after your reply to my one comment was out of my topic/points. You seemed to mix up me (Bill/LivingRoom) with Robert, if I am correct.
        ———————————————————-

        Additionally, I did not see you used any facts to support your opinion/principle.

        Your this message was full of good principles (I believe, good principles), but your principles were NOT facts or examples. The principles were your opinion, without facts.

        I wanted to say the blind members or leaders of Church spoke their opinion in this same way of no factual supports. It was up to you whether you were aware of the same mentality like them.

        I thought reasoning with facts were very important, based on D&C 50:10-12.

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  32. Freedom of the mind requires not only (or not even especially) the absence of legal constraints, but also the presence of alternative thoughts. The most successful tyranny is not the one that uses force to assure uniformity, but the one that removes the awareness of other possibilities.
    – Allan Bloom, American philosopher

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  33. I admire you so much for your dedication to faith. I believe the church still has a chance to do the right thing and that in general they are a great force of love and service on this planet. However, most people would be bitter from this type of excommunication sentence and turn their back on the church as they have had their back turned on them. Attending church proves to everyone that you are a faithful, dutiful servant of God in every way. Their judgement on you matters little if you continue your life as before. No one who follows your story actually believes you won’t reap all the benefits of the Kingdom of Heaven after this life. Therefore, keep being the best advocate for right! You are fighting for children and being true to yourself.

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  34. Love you and your family and have many memories of our time working. I too was excommunicated but way back in the 1980’s. At that time very few people requested to have their name removed from the church rolls because I just did now have a valid testimony. I was told that the only way to resign and have my name removed was to be excommunicated, and I would need to send a letter with my request. I did and had to go to a bishops court, there to be found guilty, and they would submit papers for Excommunication to be followed by a formal letter certifying my status. The reason I stated was that I simply did not have a valid testimony. The church was not on trial, I was! I complied with the request and never looked back. The churches curse never effected me in any way. I still have many friends, some are Mormon. My children respect me, my Jobs have done well, retirement is good, My wife still talks to me and we live, laugh and are happy. I have become a proliferate creator of intense biblical Mormon related and biblical study videos, Have many friends both in and out of the Church, and life is pretty darn good. You can do it!

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