I grew up with many LDS friends, as I lived in a rural community whose people were very "good" or "bad". My family was Christian, and did not believe in the Mormons. My folks were good about teaching us culture and to respect others believes. They encouraged us to have LDS friends and even took us to Temple Square in SLC for the pure history and beauty.

Now I always swore I would never date a LDS guy simply because our belief system would not align. I also wouldn't date a guy with blue spiked hair and earrings for the same reason. Well I went to college and met a man who was inactive. I didn't worry about it too much because he drank, cussed, fooled around with me...basically all the very un mormon things to do.

Well needless to say, we fell hard for each other, and started to look at our long term plans. Mind you he is rooming with his best friend who is preparing for his mission at the time. My husband-to-be's family did not like me, and was convienced I was bad for him.

Terrible fights took place between him, his family, and his best friend. Over time he began to go to the LDS church again. We finally decided that one of us would have to change religions, so we began trying the others. As it so happened, I ended up joining the LDS church.

I began going in February. Went to my first conference in April and baptised the next week. I was called as a counseler to the Beehives and was active in our Ward. Now this whole time my husband to be is being bugged about going on his mission, but his family didn't really know he was going through meetings with the bishop to become worthy again. I ended up being the one who pulled things together, getting us to church, YSA, and our morning scriptures.

Things were going along, his family still upset we were together. We began discussing our marriage, but couldn't decide who it was more important was there, my folks or his. After a long time, my hubby to be told me that if he couldn't have me for all eternity, he didn't want me at all.

It is now October, and are taking my YW on a temple trip in SLC. We decide that we will pray in the temple and that will be our final decision. We walked out of the temple "engaged."

This disappointed my family because they wouldn't be able to attend. His family because he didn't serve a "honorable mission like his brothers."  His father, who was suppose to be his escort, refused to come! Much drama and horrible conversations took place, but the more that was said, the more we drew together.

May 01, 2008 we took out our endowments together in the Logan Temple. We had never been so freaked out in our lives, but with all the expectations, nerves, uncertainty, and our sealing scheduled for tomorrow, we just grinned and bared it. Through the whole ceremony though, we just looked at each other, and our eyes asked, "what are we doing?!?!?!" Him growing up in the church, and my just barely a year in.

My sister-in-law to be came up to me in the Celestrial Room and began a conversation with "I'm sorry about...With this family, that is never a good sign. I just told her I was not interested in discussing it right now. Well her waterworks started, and I was now the bad guy. Everything settled down, we got out of the temple and went to the Olive Garden for our celebration dinner.  

I tried to apologize to the sister-in-law to be, just to smooth things over. Everything was ok, then at the top of her lungs, she started yelling that I was not the center of attention, and called me a bunch of awful names. She jerked her 3 year old up off the floor and huffed out side crying. Next thing I know, her husband comes back in the door like he is going to hit me. My fiance gets between me and him. He yells and calls me a bunch of terrible names. I have never been so embarressed in my life. These are good, devoute Mormons though, mind you.

The next morning, my fiance and I both woke to the thought of, do I have to get up? ON OUR WEDDING DAY!!! The last thing we wanted to do was see his psyco family, we just wanted to get married. We got through our sealing, took our pictures, and began our long drive back to Elko, NV.

That night we had a ring ceremony and reception, which of course, they ruined too.

My new husband and I hadn't even left Logan before we began to voice our concerns to each other about the endowment session. We began to see how the Church has been referred to as a cult. We took our time though thinking about things. About 2 months after, we made our final decision that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was not for us, and we didn't need the eternal promise if we had regularly attend that endowment session. How could that be one of the highest exaltations? That's when the garments came off.

Four months after we were married, we are happy and a little more relaxed. We never did tell his folks, but his mom saw him out in public in a sleeveless top, so I am sure she has figured it out. And ya, some of our old LDS friends treat us differently, but I guess they weren't friends worth keeping in the first place. We get the pitty calls, but just say thanks, but no thanks. I am just glad the stress of watching over your shoulder is over. Our garments are in a rubbermaid under the bed, the temple bags in the back corner of our closet, never to be used again.

We alienated my folks from one of the biggest days of our lives, when they were really the only support system we had. My husband regrets our decision to go to the temple for that reason more than I do! 

Nothing they taught in our temple prep class could have ever prepared me for the strange covenents we agreed to that day.