Natasha, I’m so sorry your sweet dad flew half way around the world only to sit in a waiting room on your wedding day. I still see couples choose a temple wedding over a civil wedding and I wonder why???? Why wouldn’t they take advantage of an awful rule being kicked to the curb? Why wouldn’t they want everyone there? We need to apologize for this. But I know we never will. That’s the real tragedy.
Erin, thank you capturing the “make it make sense!” Exasperation around women and priesthood. Gah!!!! “It doesn’t mean what you think it does”, is exactly the right line! 🎯
Marlee, if I had a magic wand the first thing I would change is to have people believe the experiences of others. Hands down. It would create an avalanche of change. Can you article please be in the Liahona soon? 🙏🏽
Wow ladies every single one of these pieces touched me deeply.
Madi, your boat analogy is so deeply meaningful to me. How do I explain my journey with Jesus is to keep my eye on him and not worry about those behind me in the boat? Well, you did just that! Amazing! And loved hearing it in your voice.
Eliza, I loved your poem. Why oh why don’t we see what moms do at 2am as actual miracles on par with Jesus miracles? Keeping human alive is a miracle! As. One who has also made 5,000 meals, thank you.
Mattie Gardner, I need to write a version of your story too. I was so judgmental of those who snuck in to the back then quickly left. Why was I this one too? Partly my wiring, partly my conditioning. All the grace for you and me.
Mattie, your "Finding “Clarity” as a Wallflower" is so beautifully written. I love the way you thought through how to present your experience and the twist in the middle. It touched me deeply. Your story reminds me of my relationship (or non-relationship) with my current RS president. She is 15 years younger than me (abt. 25). We are from the same town far away from where we live now, but she grew up without religion, and I grew up LDS. She converted a few years ago. She is very enthusiastic about the institutional church. She loves and trusts the GAs and shares lots of follow the prophet rhetoric. She also shares messages that to me have anti-queer sentiments and anti-feminist sentiments (I guess this all goes together). She dropped out of college to have a family. Her courtship seemed hasty to me (I am definitely judgmental of her at moments). She is very particular about parenting techniques in a way that lead me feel fear of her judgment as a parent of two very alternative dressing teens who visibly don't enjoy church. Overall, she is very confident of everything she believes in and in her way. We do not connect well at all, and I find this painful because she reminds me of home, and happens to remind me a lot of one of my sisters. I wish she were an open-minded friend. And I keep thinking to me that in around 10-20 years, as she grows as a person and raises teens, there is a good chance she will know exactly what I am going through right now as she goes through her own transitions and reality checks. But for now, we are living in different universes and do not trust each other. I hate it.
Candice, I have no doubt that when life eventually throws her irreconcilable curveballs, that’s she will remember you and your nuanced ways. I hope she will reach out then. ❤️🩹
I love this courageous and creative issue. The boat analogy really works for me. Powerful visualizations of what so many of us are going through. I esp. like how Madi captures God showing up in the midst of church and trust in church failing you. That is my experience too.
Love the poem about Jesus and motherhood and the metaphor about the boats. SO GOOD
Love this so much
Natasha, I’m so sorry your sweet dad flew half way around the world only to sit in a waiting room on your wedding day. I still see couples choose a temple wedding over a civil wedding and I wonder why???? Why wouldn’t they take advantage of an awful rule being kicked to the curb? Why wouldn’t they want everyone there? We need to apologize for this. But I know we never will. That’s the real tragedy.
Part 2
Erin, thank you capturing the “make it make sense!” Exasperation around women and priesthood. Gah!!!! “It doesn’t mean what you think it does”, is exactly the right line! 🎯
Marlee, if I had a magic wand the first thing I would change is to have people believe the experiences of others. Hands down. It would create an avalanche of change. Can you article please be in the Liahona soon? 🙏🏽
Wow ladies every single one of these pieces touched me deeply.
Madi, your boat analogy is so deeply meaningful to me. How do I explain my journey with Jesus is to keep my eye on him and not worry about those behind me in the boat? Well, you did just that! Amazing! And loved hearing it in your voice.
Eliza, I loved your poem. Why oh why don’t we see what moms do at 2am as actual miracles on par with Jesus miracles? Keeping human alive is a miracle! As. One who has also made 5,000 meals, thank you.
Mattie Gardner, I need to write a version of your story too. I was so judgmental of those who snuck in to the back then quickly left. Why was I this one too? Partly my wiring, partly my conditioning. All the grace for you and me.
What an amazing, powerful issue! Thank you for sharing, dear ladies.
So honored to be featured alongside these absolutely stunning pieces! Each one struck such a chord in my soul. This community means the world to me 💕
Each of these stories and poems are so beautiful and poignant. Thank you all for sharing them with us! ❤️❤️❤️
Mattie, your "Finding “Clarity” as a Wallflower" is so beautifully written. I love the way you thought through how to present your experience and the twist in the middle. It touched me deeply. Your story reminds me of my relationship (or non-relationship) with my current RS president. She is 15 years younger than me (abt. 25). We are from the same town far away from where we live now, but she grew up without religion, and I grew up LDS. She converted a few years ago. She is very enthusiastic about the institutional church. She loves and trusts the GAs and shares lots of follow the prophet rhetoric. She also shares messages that to me have anti-queer sentiments and anti-feminist sentiments (I guess this all goes together). She dropped out of college to have a family. Her courtship seemed hasty to me (I am definitely judgmental of her at moments). She is very particular about parenting techniques in a way that lead me feel fear of her judgment as a parent of two very alternative dressing teens who visibly don't enjoy church. Overall, she is very confident of everything she believes in and in her way. We do not connect well at all, and I find this painful because she reminds me of home, and happens to remind me a lot of one of my sisters. I wish she were an open-minded friend. And I keep thinking to me that in around 10-20 years, as she grows as a person and raises teens, there is a good chance she will know exactly what I am going through right now as she goes through her own transitions and reality checks. But for now, we are living in different universes and do not trust each other. I hate it.
Candice, I have no doubt that when life eventually throws her irreconcilable curveballs, that’s she will remember you and your nuanced ways. I hope she will reach out then. ❤️🩹
I love this courageous and creative issue. The boat analogy really works for me. Powerful visualizations of what so many of us are going through. I esp. like how Madi captures God showing up in the midst of church and trust in church failing you. That is my experience too.
So so good!! These need spread all over social media somehow, they’re just so good! ❤️💥
So beautiful ladies! There are so many boats 🤍