The last 5 years

[Meilingkie]

So in 2011 it started to fall apart for me.
The shelf collapsed while serving in the bishopric.
I read RSR, No Man Knows, The Quinn-books, the lot.
Mormon Stories happened as well, and it took me all the way from 1 to level 72 while playing WOW.
But all of it shook me, while doing this my best friend became a member of the Stakepresidency.
Meaning I lost a buddy who could no longer talk to me freely and openly.
Our local FB-group went from supportive to negative to people who tried to stay in Church.
Many friends I had there fell away and did not understand me.

Least of all my DW understood me.
Why is history such a problem for you? It happened, let it go !!
For me it was important, because when the foundation is wrong, the entire building collapses.
We had our arguments, rows, and almost split up.
But we stayed put, stayed together for the kids and for financial reasons.
In 2014 it stabilized, our finances improved a lot, and I could cut down on work, and got on meds to cope with my periodic depressions.

Then we turned a corner for good when my best friend was released from the Stakepresidency, and I found him in a deep depression.
Really deep, and what he told me shook me, and my wife to the very core.
Fraud with fastofferings on a massive scale destroyed the last vestiges of faith in the Church my wife had.
Because the past was the past, but the present was just as bad and she finally had a credible witness who laid it all bare for us.
Some-one she trusts, and he had the paperwork to back it all up.
A man whos integrity is totally 110% known. Not because of what he says, but because of what he does.

So this now leaves us as cultural mormons at best.
My DW has pants to church day every Sunday since she´s married.
Utah is her version of Hell, and she has a dislike for every person who believe he has "authoritah".
It took me 17 years to figure that out.

[SeeNoEvil]

Meilingkie thanks for your story. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you being in the bishopric and having your shelf fall. Where is your wife on this? Do you see the time when the both of you will resign?

Curious on the scandal. Last we heard the SP rounded up certain individuals including you and summed them to his office for a talking to... pumping you for information. What is the update on that?

[slk]

Sounds like it has been pretty rough over there and I'm sorry to hear. Glad to see your DW is coming around. Yes, Utah does suck as far as TBMs. I hear some rural areas across the border here are night and day.

[GoodBoy]

I knew some pieces of your story, but it's good to have it summarized like that!