My Amazing Metamorphosis

I had always tried to lead a Christlike life. I read the scriptures and listened to my religious leaders. I dutifully obeyed. I didn't question (very much). I wanted the same belief and obedience for our children. My husband and I frequently and regularly taught classes at church to the youth. We frequently took our kids to Utah to visit the church headquarters. We took them to early morning seminary everyday in high school (a one hour religious studies class). We took them to (very expensive) church youth camps during the summer. We took them to church dances and activities. As a family, we read scriptures in the mornings together, we prayed several times a day, we fasted once a month and we constantly reinforced the "truthfulness" of the church. When I loved others and showed compassion, it felt good, even Christlike. When I saw others teaching and caring for my family, it felt good. It felt good to go to church. It moved me to tears to sing hymns together. It f...

In the summer of 2011 our family decided to take a trip out East. We went for a family reunion in Navoo. We wanted to show our kids the sacred place where the Mormon began.  As we took our kids to the Pageant (where they act out parts from the Book of Mormon), we had to pass through loud protesters. They carried signs and handed out pamphlets filled with "anti-Mormon" literature.  We quietly walked on past. When we got home from our trip, my husband decided to do a little research. He did not want to be unprepared and without facts the next time we encountered protesters to our faith.  I will never forget how I felt when he asked me to come see something he had found on Wikipedia.  It was a detailed list of all of the (many) wives of Joseph Smith Jr. (the founder of the Mormon church). I was shocked. All of my life I had been raised Mormon. I had dutifully gone to church every Sunday. I had studied the scriptures and manuals. I had learned all ab...