Tag: Sacred Stories

I will face all those who have harmed me, for they could not destroy me–#558

TearsThis is the most recent Sacred Story of a Sacred Child.  It is truly a sacred story.

She recounts a very unfortunate part of her life and follows it up by sharing an email exchange with her former Stake President.  Their back and forth is filled with wisdom, insight and compassion.

Over the past months, I have met and interacted with many wonderful people whose childhoods were filled with trauma & tragedy.  Their stories are now recorded for the world to read and understand.  In almost every case, I have been amazed at how capable, strong and confident these people are.  They appear to be completely past the disasters of their youth.  #558 helped me better understand the reality of the unseen inside vs. the impression gleaned from the outside.  Here are two sentences that shed new light for me.  These words are contained in an email to her stake president.

My strength and goodness are different from my healing. I know it could take my entire lifetime to feel “healed” and even then I will still have the painful memories.

Here’s another stunning insight shared with her stake president.

I believe the problem lies in the belief that you are responsible for fixing the problem you may have unintentionally contributed to. What I really needed for healing is for you to say: I see you, I hear you, you are important, you have always been good, I’m sorry.”  Which you did all this, but you still offered a solution. The solution lies within myself and in trauma healing.  What is most empowering and healing is being supported in finding my own resolutions from within.

My dear #558, I’m going to use you own words to speak to you:  Your voice matters. Your life matters. Your future matters.

I believe you.  I see you.  I am here for you.

Thank you, my friend.

#558’s entire story can be read HERE.  It’s lengthy, but more than worth the effort.

The Historic March for the Children

Lion Protecting CubsToday, we officially announce our March for the Children.

This event will be historic in the annals of Mormon history.  These are our kids.  We have an obligation to protect all children in our society.  And PROTECT…THEM…WE…WILL!!!

Date:  March 30, 2018 (Good Friday)

Time:  12:00pm – 3:00pm

Place: Salt Lake City and County Building, 451 State Street, Salt Lake City 84101

We will gather at the park adjacent to the Salt Lake City/County Building.  A five block march will ensue to the LDS Church Office Building.  There, we will deliver the signatures that have been recorded on the Protect-The-Children Petition.  We will also present the book of Sacred Stories of Sacred Children, accounts of lives damaged from inappropriate childhood interviews.

In our petition to Protect the Children—

We call on the LDS Church to immediately cease the practice of subjecting children to questions about masturbation, orgasm, ejaculation, sexual positions or anything else of a sexual nature. This applies to all children up to and including age 17. There should be no one-on-one interviews with children. A parent or another adult of the child’s choosing is to be present.

We call on the LDS Church to publicly disavow this practice.

We call on the LDS Church to ensure that all congregational leaders, as well the general membership, are informed that this practice is prohibited.

Attendance Goal

We are shooting for 1,000.

At this moment, there are 14,659 signatures on the petition.  Close to 7,000 are from Utah.  There are people who plan to fly and drive in from all over the country.

Our petition goal was 10,000 names.  At the outset, it seemed impossible.  Nope.  It was totally possible.

Having 100 survivors come forward with stories seemed unlikely.  Over 2,000 survivors have now shared their stories.  330 have put them out in the open for the world to see exactly what we are doing to our kids.

1,000 marchers?  Is that even possible?  When I gave this estimate to the city permit department, they were pretty skeptical.  LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN.  Not for numbers sake.  For our children’s sake.  The bigger the numbers, the more likely will be the outcome we are looking for.

And exactly what are we looking for:

  • Protecting of our children by eliminating one-on-one interviews where sexual questions are posed.
  • Facilitating the healing of those children who have been harmed.
  • Protecting our bishops from risksing their reputations.
  • Protecting the good name of the Church.  The world recognizes the danger we are putting our children in.  It harms our reputation when we harm our children.

Registration

Please register for the event on Facebook or Eventbrite or both.  At the moment, 32 have signed up.   Only 968 to go!  We are almost there.

BTW, you don’t need to sign-up.  You don’t need tickets.  The sign-ups will help us and the city make the appropriate preparations.

I’m anxious to meet you as we converge on the common cause for our children.

***Please Share the sign-up page far and wide***

 

Links

Sign the Petition

Share Your Story

See the Stories

Read the Stories

 

Sacred Stories–Graveyard of Our Children’s Innocence

Cross

A few years ago, my wife and I, along with two of our daughters, visited the American Cemetery on the beaches of Normandy.  I was struck with somber reverence.  Row after row of rectangular headstones representing the sacrifice of one life after another.

It was December.  The sky was gray.  The weather cold and blustery.  The tour guide walked us through the gravestones recounting stories of the fallen.  I teared up frequently as I pondered what happened so long ago.  It was an honor to walk among the noble.

These are sacred stories.

Today, there’s another location that’s scattered with sacred stories.  Row after row of white rectangles recounting the lost innocence of one child after another.  Childhoods sacrificed by shame and self-loathing.  Their worth was demolished behind closed and lonely chapel doors.

At first blush, these children’s stories don’t sound noble.  Oh…but they are.  They are so noble.  Their innocence crushed by inappropriate shame.  Now as adults, they’ve had the courage to share their hurt and pain on a white rectangle in a computer pane.

These children’s somber stories will help other victims heal.  Others now know they are not alone.  Others now know as a child they were wronged.  The authors of these stories should also know that they are heroes.  It’s they who will stop these wrongs in the future.

I’ve read every last word of every last story.  I’ve shed many a tear as I’ve pondered what happened so long ago.  It is an honor to walk among these noble.

These are sacred stories.

Gently I now ask, if you have a sacred story of childhood shame inflicted behind the closed doors of the bishops walls, I invite you to share….but only if you are ready.

Share Your Story

Read the Stories

See the Stories

P.S. To the 202 of you who have shared your tender and vulnerable stories, thank you my friends.  I see you.  I hear you.  I love you.