Oh, Sister!

cw: discussion of gender dynamics through LDS gender binary framework; mention of violence and m*rder

Today we’re learning about the stark differences between how the LDS Church teaches their young women and young men. I analyze the youth lesson manual topics to compare and contrast the emphasis given to preparing for a future of family life, and I discuss the heavy implications the “gender divide” differences have on the development of Mormon girls and boys alike.

In week forty-seven my journal entries include whining about a faithful saint getting too “Kolob” in our surface-level lesson with an investigator, watching an inspirational Ward Council training video to cheer up after a depressing visit, and entering the home of an insistent adult man on a dark and stormy night...

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Internet Archive: Aaronic Priesthood Manual 3 

Internet Archive: Young Women Manual 3 

Internet Archive: Preparing to Become an Eternal Companion 

Internet Archive: Hastening the Work: Ward Council Training

Internet Archive: Hastening the Work: Ward Mission Leaders

YouTube: The Ward Mission Leader in the Work of Salvation

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #southdakotarapidcitymission #NdbM #northdakotabismarckmission #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister #mormonmissionary #deconstruction

cw: Reading through and discussing my own patriarchal blessing—discretion advised for believing Latter-day Saints. Skip through if you don’t want to hear it!

I’ve had this on the backburner and I decided today is the day. I’m reading through my patriarchal blessing and discussing the specific ways it harmed my development, before and during my mission.

In week forty-six my journal entries include multiple instances of divine guidance, comforting a family about their son who was refusing to serve as a missionary, and referring to myself as an Elder Sister.

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Make a one-time donation on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/allychristiansen

This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #southdakotarapidcitymission #NdbM #northdakotabismarckmission #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister #mormonmissionary #deconstruction

cw: discussion of theological arguments for racism

It’s season 3! I’ve wanted to discuss the LDS Church’s theological relationship with race, with regards to Black people in particular. Today, I finally decided how to start this topic—by reading from the Book of Mormon. 

In week forty-five my journal entries include picking up and moving to my third area, saying goodbye to my old trainee and meeting my new one, and thanking the Lord for His tender mercies when I discover a local sunflower field.

Support me monthly on patreon:D patreon.com/AllyChristiansen

Make a one-time donation on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/allychristiansen

This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

LDS Gospel Topics Essays: Race and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Learn More: 

The Black Menaces: https://www.theblackmenaces.org/home 

Mormon Stories: Channel Achenbach

Wikipedia: Black people and Mormonism

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #southdakotarapidcitymission #NdbM #northdakotabismarckmission #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister #mormonmissionary #deconstruction

cw: mention of diet culture/restrictive eating, mention of food insecurity

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but whenever I’m writing about something sad in my journal as a missionary, there’s always some sort of faithful spin, some positive element, some way to see God’s hand in it all. This was a learned, cultural response. I didn’t just make this up on my own—I knew that part of being a valiant example of Christ, a light on the hill, was showing my faith through my absolute belief in God’s plan and will and timing. Today I’m starting things off with a reflection on the Mormon tendency to avoid feeling grief and loss, from regular daily life to the big moments like funerals.

In week forty-four my journal entries include reprimanding myself for putting off God’s instructions for our area, blaming myself for being too negative, and reminding myself to be diligent—aka, obedient and positive—every single day.

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This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

LDS General Handbook: 29.5 Funeral Services (Where Customary)

Alyssa Grenfell: The Dark World of Mormon Funerals

Learn More: 

Heidi Priebe: What to do About Heartbreak (Grief)

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #southdakotarapidcitymission #NdbM #northdakotabismarckmission #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister #mormonmissionary #deconstruction

cw: mention of pornography

We open today with a discussion on the strong culture for “kindness” and against contention. From the hymns we sing in Sunday services to missionary guidelines on living like Christ, it’s no wonder that I struggled with honest communication on my mission! I believe that this cultural refusal to tolerate conflict ruins true relational authenticity at best, and in worst case scenarios is a key element of the social leniency towards perpetrators of abuse.

In week forty-three my journal entries include finally going on a fun group P-day activity, helping a tragically overwhelmed Young Women’s leader prepare for Girl’s Camp, and experiencing one of God’s greatest miracles—finding my lost wallet!

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This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

LDS Hymnal #232: Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words

Current Missionary Preach My Gospel Manual: Chapter 6, Patience

Heidi Priebe: How People Pleasing Kills Intimacy (And Honest Conflict Builds It)

Alyssa Grenfell’s interview of Heather Gay: Discussing “Surviving Mormonism”

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #southdakotarapidcitymission #NdbM #northdakotabismarckmission #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister #mormonmissionary #deconstruction

cw: discussion of stalking, discussion of ableism/exploitation of disabled people

Following last week’s introduction to our new mission president, this week I open with a brief introduction to the leaked 2006 official Mission President’s Handbook. There were too many wild topics I couldn’t even cover, so you should definitely go check it out yourself but I do point out the instructions related to missionaries who want to go home early....!!!!!

In week forty-two my journal entries include comparing a nicotine addiction to wanting to eat chocolate (face palm), preparing our golden investigator for her baptism, and totally nailing my first official meeting with the new Mission President.

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Make a one-time donation on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/allychristiansen

This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

Official LDS Mission President’s Handbook: leaked 2006 edition

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #southdakotarapidcitymission #NdbM #northdakotabismarckmission #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister #mormonmissionary #deconstruction

cw: discussion of homophobia; discussion of stalking; swearing 

This week my entire mission experienced all of the upheaval and excitement that came with the cyclical ending of President Allen’s reign, as he finished his time in the presiding chair and passed the baton to his replacement, President Partridge. I open the episode with an analysis of the MTC training for Mission Presidents—the 2015 Seminar for New Mission Presidents. Of course, their wives are in attendance, too...

In week forty-one, my journal entries include attending a special Church meeting to hear the Lord’s direction for His Church after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in the U.S., calling out the Elders in our district for participating in romantically treacherous and rule-breaking service projects, and once again dealing with a scary instance of stalking.

Support me monthly on patreon:D patreon.com/AllyChristiansen

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This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

Mormon Leaks on WayBack Machine: 2015 Seminar for New Mission Presidents 

Lundy Bancroft: Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men

Marie and Robert Lund: Ensign, March 2015 The Savior’s Respect for Women 

Church Newsroom: Official Church Response to Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage

Mormon Dialogue Forum, 12 July 2015: My Sunday: That Meeting About You Know, Marriage Things?

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #southdakotarapidcitymission #NdbM #northdakotabismarckmission #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister #mormonmissionary #deconstruction

cw: swearing; mention of sexual assaults, violence, threats of violence; discussion of systemic enslavement and abuse of Indigenous people; discussion of discrimination against and harmful stereotypes of Indigenous people

As a Sister Missionary I believed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, MY Church, was an entirely positive force for good in the world, and that included the Church’s relationship with Indigenous Americans. Today I am working on setting the record straight by sharing a small portion of Church history they never taught me—how the Mormon Church harmed Indigenous people in the past, and how it continues to harm people today. I’ll give examples of how contemporary Prophets spoke about Indigenous people, as well as the practices they initiated and endorsed as head of the Church.  I will conclude with an honest account from our own time, sharing the words of an Exmormon Native American woman.

In week forty, my journal entries include celebrating the 4th of July with the added miracle of intuiting God’s ban on missionaries attending the rodeo, receiving the sweetest praise for my Christlike example of “loving others more than I love myself” and “never stopping to care for myself,” and finally, missing a much-yearned for temple Endowment session but, through the grace of God, getting a chance to learn a big spiritual lesson and have things work out for the best anyway.

Protect Missing & Murdered Indigenous People: https://www.niwrc.org/donate 

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(Write in the notes to send this towards today’s featured guest and I will get it to her, and if I can’t get in touch with her I will send the money instead to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center)

This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

Her original post: Reddit, “Exmo Native American here” 

1852 Utah Legislative Session, Brigham Young, p. 108-110 

1960 General Conference, Spencer W. Kimball, “The Day of the Lamanites” 

Wikipedia: LDS Indian Placement Program

Wikipedia: Native American People and Mormonism

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #NdbM #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister #NoMoreMMIW #NoMoreMMIP #MMIW #MMIP 

I open today’s episode with a reflection on my loss of community. I wish the rituals around life milestones that I grew up with were for everyone, rather than only for the worthy in-group. One of the devastating realities of losing faith in Mormonism is the included loss of community, due to the church’s essential theological teachings that those who leave the faith are unredeemable and corrupted.

In week thirty-nine, my journal entries include reuniting with my trainer as she stops by to say hi on her mission tour, writing a talk for Sacrament Meeting that explains why missionary work is so important, and smiling through the awkward meeting of a fake “fellow Saint” from a different branch of Mormonism.

Support me monthly on patreon:D patreon.com/AllyChristiansen

Make a one-time donation on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/allychristiansen

This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #NdbM #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister

cw: discussion of emergency weather (tornadoes, thunder storm)

From primary and onwards, LDS Church goers are consistently reminded to obey their church leaders to find safety, happiness, and freedom. I kick things off today with a quick overview of the messaging missionaries get on this topic, and then of course I have to talk about how I think always following your church leaders is a terribly unhealthy practice.

In week thirty-eight, my journal entries include celebrating my twentieth birthday, repeatedly gaslighting my companion that things were actually fine and great, and leaving a safe basement during an active tornado warning due to my absolute confidence in my Mission President’s counsel.

Support me monthly on patreon:D patreon.com/AllyChristiansen

Make a one-time donation on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/allychristiansen

This project is very rewarding and very time consuming. Your financial support makes this possible, thank you!

Ronald A. Rasband:  Standing with the Leaders of the Church

Missionary “White” Handbook: Introduction

Preach My Gospel (current edition): Obedience

Written, read, edited, & produced by Ally Finlinson Christiansen.

Music credits:

Clown Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/677166/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

mandolin sample from porch.wav by Jackie-makes-noiz -- https://freesound.org/s/545744/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Church Music by Seth_Makes_Sounds -- https://freesound.org/s/678022/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

#sistermissionary #sdrcm #NdbM #postmormon #exmormon #ohsister