On June 11, 2011, members of the Mormon Stories community held their 2nd regional conference in Salt Lake City. At the close of this conference, attendees were invited to share their “testimonies” of truth, whether traditional or non-traditional from an LDS perspective.

24 Comments

  1. DuzTruthMatter July 8, 2011 at 11:53 am - Reply

    I’m so very grateful that I don’t have to hear the phrase “I’m so grateful” fifty times each and every first Sunday of the month.  Where else in life do you even hear the word GRATEFUL?

    • iamse7en July 8, 2011 at 3:44 pm - Reply

      Yeah, it’s so wrong to be thankful for so many things and use the word grateful to express it. What idiots. We are so much better than they are.

      • DuzTruthMatter July 11, 2011 at 2:34 pm - Reply

        I am so humbled and grateful that you took the time to reply.  I am truly blessed.

    • Vin July 8, 2011 at 10:42 pm - Reply

      I heard plenty of thanksgiving in this particular meeting. I’d actually rather hear feelings of gratitude expressed than rigid dogma.

  2. Eric July 8, 2011 at 5:20 pm - Reply

    I loved that testimony in the middle where the girl said she goes to church a lot of Sundays.  But then she quits every Sunday after church because, argh, they said this or that.  That’s so how it is!

  3. Lietta Ruger July 8, 2011 at 8:12 pm - Reply

    A lot of healing happened for many at this conference, and I earnestly hope the courage people have shown in sharing their experiences and stories will go some distance in bridge building inside and outside the community of LDS/Mormonism.  It is encouraging to hear so many finding their own voice, which I believe is part of the process that strengthens personal identity within a faith.  As one woman said, she was able to process much more quickly because of this community than she would have been able to without it.  She acknowledged recognizing that it may have been many years of processing alone were it not for this community.  Community of people processing, the human condition.  And that we do share in common with all of our fellow human beings.    I look forward to being able to attend next year. 

  4. JCH July 8, 2011 at 8:58 pm - Reply

    I kept waiting for John D. to stand up and ask some of the testimony bearers to sit down because they were too TBM.

    So let’s start a church, but let’s not call it a church.  Interesting!  Looks like you’re already starting to pass the plate, however.  How progressive.    I guess we cannot keep the paid clergy though without a little support.

    • Vin July 8, 2011 at 10:40 pm - Reply

      Apparently you are unfamiliar with John and his motives, as well as why anyone would possibly enjoy a religious meeting outside formal LDS settings.

      • JCH July 9, 2011 at 5:20 am - Reply

        Actions speak louder than words.  Sounds like they may even have a name for it.  The Church of Uncorrelated Mormon-Unitarian-Agnostics unless you want to be an Atheist Pioneer Saints.  All you need for membership is to donate to Mormon Stories and have an LDS background  or like to hang out with LDS.

      • JCH July 9, 2011 at 10:18 pm - Reply

        If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.  Guess what?  It’s a duck.  I just wish they would be honest about it.  By the way here’s where you can go to get started with the Church of Uncorrelated Mormon-Unitarian-Agnostics unless you want to be an Atheist Pioneer Saints.

        https://www.universalministries.com/doctrine.html

        Good luck in your new venture and may God Speed.

        • Vin July 12, 2011 at 6:23 pm - Reply

          Perhaps your unresolved issues could be remedied via a good therapist…

          Is the Mormon Historical Association a new religion? After all, they gather on a regular basis to discuss religion. I’m not sure why you’re trolling so hard.

      • Linda November 25, 2011 at 5:19 pm - Reply

        Please tell us what John’s motives are.  To pay his bills?

    • Sophia July 11, 2011 at 2:05 am - Reply

      JCH, your comment was the funniest ever and while they say there is truth in every jest in this case the jest is very much on you. Mormon stories is just fans of a broader scope of fellow mormons. I am sure J. Dehlin is very much aware I haven’t donated a penny to mormon stories, and not because I don’t want to, but because I can’t yet I still have access to it. The same cannot be said for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that my husband and I have donated 10% to since we were children in primary on any increase! Now that that has stopped, we are not able to access our blessings. Quite amazing…. the perspective.  Don’t worry, be happy. Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack…. our Mormon Stories church doesn’t quite meet near enough. One gathering and we are charged with being a church!? Now I know how Joseph Smith must have felt in the early years. Nasty mob always trying to thwart the work of God. Good grief it never ends. And yet, it is just proving all the New Age psychos correct that we are seeing a mirror everywhere we look. 

  5. Lizanell Boman July 8, 2011 at 9:57 pm - Reply

    Mike re: the Daily Show.  They have a Mormon writer!  She’s also a standup comedian.  Her name is Jenna Kim Jones and I think she’s from Provo.  She’s young though and she doesn’t usually appear on air.  So if you want a ‘senior’ Mormon correspondent, she won’t qualify, but she does bring in her perspective.  Check her out here!  https://www.jennakimjones.com/

    (I am in no way affiliated with Jenna, I just find her entertaining and wanted to share!)

  6. […] recently attended a conference in Salt Lake City about exploring Mormon identity (see video footage here, or a news write-up here, or another attendee’s perspective here). My main motive for […]

  7. 46 August 6, 2011 at 5:38 am - Reply

    Great job everyone.  Although I am disappointed with the Al Gore comment.  Calling him a prophet made me laugh out loud.  I study climate change and graduate degrees in that area, and I can say that Al Gore provides nothing but the doctrines of liberal politics mingled with science.  Sorry, I had to complain about that.

  8. Fatwhitetrash August 10, 2011 at 9:44 pm - Reply

    seriously people get over yourselves and your bitterness. Fix your life and embrace living righteously as opposed to blaming their bitterness on the Church. This meeting reminds me of a AA meeting where everyone rips on everyone and everything except accept their own mistakes.

  9. ShogunofHarlem August 16, 2011 at 10:45 pm - Reply

    I suppose I’m an orthodox Mormon, fairly proud of it – leadership callings, all of that. I loved hearing these comments. I love that Mormon Stories has captured such honest expressions. All religious organizations should aspire to promote an atmosphere where this kind of expression is welcome.

  10. Michael August 26, 2011 at 9:07 pm - Reply

    I am about half way through watching this video and I am very frustrated.  A testimony HAS TO be centered in Christ, like our faith and I have yet to see anyone testify of Christ.  The Gospel of Christ is simple and we do not need all these types of distractions.  We just need to stay close to God and keep the commandments.

  11. Michael August 26, 2011 at 9:10 pm - Reply

    I am LDS and I know the church is true.  If we have a spiritual witness of Christ and His Gospel and His Church, we need to bear our testimonies in Sacrament Meeting and there is no need to question the LDS Church.  We are lead by a true prophet and Christ is the head of the church.

  12. Kathy Broadbent September 13, 2011 at 11:15 pm - Reply

    Very interested in knowing if there is an existing support group in the St. Louis area?  Thanks.

  13. kb September 13, 2011 at 11:19 pm - Reply

    moderator: How do I remove my name from the post.  Didn’t know it would post it. should have listed something not so revealing. Can/will you remove my name? 

  14. SPE October 25, 2011 at 6:04 pm - Reply

    I have to say, it is refreshing to see a woman conducting a meeting like this, that isn’t a Relief Society meeting. And for Michael, this is NOT a Church meeting nor is it a traditional testimony meeting. It was an opportunity for people to express themselves in whatever manner they choose about what they choose.

  15. Anonymous January 6, 2012 at 10:46 am - Reply

    I’d get up and tell the story about when we were young mormons, how our parents would stop us in the middle of getting our cereal ready to tell us “It’s fast Sunday! No eating!”  Which at such a young age we had ZERO appreciation or understanding about what “fast Sunday” meant other than being hungry and miserable.  I often “testify” to my experience with mormon church and my childhood solution to “fast Sundays”:  Cat food.  The cat and dog food was kept in my bedroom which was also the wash-room, and mud-room.  (hey at least I had a CONCRETE floor, not a dirt one!)  So I quickly found that cat food tasted much better than dog food.

    The color of red my dad’s head turns when I tell this story at family gatherings is akin to a firetruck.  Going to church reminds me of eating cat food.  Great anecdote to get people off of “encouraging” me to “come back”.

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