I grew up Mormon. I've been trying to find a way to share my story because the faith crisis I had at 13 changed my life. Mormonism, or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is a uniquely American religion. I want to share my story while also providing the information I uncovered along the way.

When we are in these kinds of organizations, it might be hard to think of them as harmful. We're told it's the truth, and any challenges faced with the information we are given could be overcome by prayer and conversations with church leaders. In praryer, we ultimately confirm our bias. If we wnat the church to be true, it will be confirmed when we pray like Mormons. When we talk to church leaders, troubles are explained away with apologetic non-answers that discourage us from asking further questions; or we are referred to scripture, which functions largely like prayer. For questions that directly challenge the institution, it is impossible to find honest answers directly from the institution.

It is discouraged by the Mormon church to seek information about the church from sources that are not published by the church. This steers people away from doing their own research and seeking primary resources. They will tell you that you need to read "faith promoting" material. They say any information that contradicts the church is written by malicious people who hate the church. However, this information is often provided by the most dedicated Mormons who are searching for the truth. Members propose these questions because they want to make sure they are making the right decision for their family. and want nothing more but to stay so they can be with their family.