Talking about sexual abuse at church
At the pulpit stood the newly called stake Relief Society president. "What do we need to be focusing on that we aren't yet?" Shakily, I write an answer. I look over at my husband. He sees what I've written and nods. Smiles. "Say it," he mouths. She's now calling on people from the crowd. A mic travels around a chapel stuffed full of two wards of adults. I raise my hand. The mic travels to me. My legs are shaking, but my voice is clear: "We need to talk about sexual abuse. We need to talk about it here at church. Shame is the first enemy of survivors. If we hear the stories of other people going through it, shame cannot survive that. We need to hear the stories." The Stake Presidency counselor at the meeting came to the mic. I steeled myself. I'd heard so many, many warnings. They won't listen to you, not really. "I promise you I'm going to follow up on this," he said, looking down at me from that pulpit. He did. We met and talked about what can be done to support survivors in our stake. The Stake Presidency invited me to give a talk in every ward, testifying of how Christ has healed me and that I did go through sexual abuse. They invited me to help facilitate emotional resilience classes. A place where I could learn how to belong to my church again. I spoke, and he listened. Ever since, when I tell my story, I am met with care, listening, and at least one other survivor will come up and say me too. We can talk about sexual abuse as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It happens to us just like it happens everywhere else. It's always happened throughout church history. I suspect it's always happened through human history. The worst thing we can do is ignore it. The best thing we can do is speak up.
Jesus Christ knows everything I've been through. He experienced it. He's laid on the floor beside me in pain, wishing the bad men would go away. I asked him: "How could you love me? How could you want to be near me?" He replied, "Look at your hands." I saw myself as I really was. A fledgling god. I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I find the Savior in the temple. I'm tied to him by covenant. I search for him in the stories of the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. I find him in many good books of wisdom. I'm directed to him by prophets. I feel him close in the warm, orange rising of the sun, or the sparkle of frost on winter grass. He is the sun filtered through forest pine branches. The creek water that fills my rubber boots. The first one to say "I love you" and mean it. I will spend my whole life learning to believe it.
Spiritual thoughts

"Hey. You can't push me away."
Love, the Lord.

How I see family history. Their stories live on in me. I have a very big family waiting for me on the other side.

I want to create whether or not anyone's looking. Just like how God creates sunsets.

"Bring them hither, and I will heal them. My bowels are filled with compassion towards them."

Grief moving through me--I felt I could, someday, in far, far eternity use grief like that to create oceans.

The Book of Mormon is missing pieces it "should" have had. Yet it's still a marvelous work.

God is a Creator. Joy and suffering are all the same thing. This is what it is to Create.

Grace means not having to prove good-enough-ness anymore. There's enough time, always enough.