Impact: I was divorced after 10 years.  I was married in the Mesa, AZ temple.  Fast forward 6 years later.  I remarried and started the paperwork to be sealed to my current wife in the Mesa, AZ temple.  My stake president at that time noticed I checkmarked the box for sealing CLEARANCE, not CANCELATION.  He reminded me that if my ex repented, the Lord would remember her sins no more and the sealing between us would stay valid.  He asked my current wife if she liked the idea of me being sealed to both of them.  She obviously said no.  I said, no.  He agreed and checked the CANCELLATION box. A few months later, I got a sealing CLEARANCE letter not a CANCELLATION.  I didn’t want to ruin our planned sealing date so I didn’t say anything.

I absolutely hate polygamy.  I hate the idea.  I think it is deplorable.  I want nothing to do with it.  I had no clue how polygamy began or was administered back in the day but this issue forced me to learn the history of polygamy as I am forced to live the “spiritual principle”.  The huge issue I have is that my free will has been thrown aside and I am forced to be a spiritual polygamist.  In the Declaration #1 in the D&C, the Church confirmed it no long performs plural marriages in the temples.  Not true!  The day my current wife and I were sealed IN THE TEMPLE…was the day I became a spiritual polygamist on paper with the Church.  What happened to free-agency?

President Hinckley in an interview with Larry King on CNN outright stated to the world that polygamy “is not doctrinal.”   So, we have a current prophet saying it isn’t doctrinal and an official declaration stating the church isn’t practicing plural marriage in the temple,  all the while…my free agency is not honored.

This is truly one of a few issues I have had with Priesthood authority that has caused a faith crisis in my life.  I did not sign up to be a polygamist.  I am not sure what to do with this other than attempt an appeal to the Brethren.  I am just worried about being blacklisted for questioning their decisions and authority.  We shall see what happens when one questions and pushes too much.

That’s part of my story…  There is more…I’ll leave that for another post.

Name: Randy

Date: 16 Jul 2014

Impact Topic: Polygamy