Mormon missions are mental prisons (with

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 12 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 575

  • @ZelphOntheShelf
    @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому +42

    Hi friends! This channel is kept alive by donations, so if you’d like to support us please consider becoming a monthly donor via PayPal or Patreon! Or you can send us a one-time Venmo donation :) all links in bio! 🤍

    • @MaxwellFagerlund
      @MaxwellFagerlund 7 місяців тому +1

      There is a peace inside the temple and I Know the Church is True

  • @michelleswapp7219
    @michelleswapp7219 7 місяців тому +216

    The lds idea that creation and childbirth are MASCULINE is infuriating. The temple creation story features three men creating everything while almost every other creation myth has a man and woman. When I gave birth to my first daughter, I was always sure to check my thoughts if I got too proud of myself for creating literal life, remembering I was merely a vessel, a "cocreator" with Heavenly Father. I just gave birth to my second and I felt so empowered in my feminity knowing that my body was creating this life, my body was housing it, and I was the only one delivering this baby into the world.

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому +28

      !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • @amyb.2968
      @amyb.2968 7 місяців тому +13

      HELL YEAH!! Our bodies are amazing. You did that!!

    • @shanejensen8484
      @shanejensen8484 7 місяців тому +1

      read the story in the DN (today or over the weekend) about the power of women and motherhood. Such an important message.

    • @charlesmendeley9823
      @charlesmendeley9823 7 місяців тому +6

      Excuse me? When I watched the temple ceremony on NewNameNoah, it was clear that the Earth was created by two gay art directors, Jehovah and Michael. „Let us go down, Michael.“ Look at the art world. What would we do without Michelangelo, Elton John, Freddy Mercury, David Archuleta? 🏳️‍🌈

    • @shanejensen8484
      @shanejensen8484 7 місяців тому

      Charles, I actually feel bad for you.

  • @saggguy7
    @saggguy7 7 місяців тому +256

    re: missions are low-key human trafficking - I'm a nevermo, but the more I learn about mormonism the more I think it actually all comes back to human trafficking. In the early days, they were luring starving single mothers from Europe to North America, forcing them to trek from the East Coast to Utah in the wintertime while intentionally abusing them and depriving them of proper resources, and dumping the survivors off in Utah to be married off as lifelong sexual and domestic servants to Brigham Young's buddies. It's always been about threatening people into various kinds of labor in order to line the pockets and inflate the egos of narcissistic creeps, they're just finding more socially acceptable ways to do it now.

    • @denz4133
      @denz4133 7 місяців тому +23

      You’re not wrong. IMO really it comes down to total control. Mind. Body. Conformity above all else.

    • @HaylieEllison
      @HaylieEllison 7 місяців тому +7

      Bingo!

    • @sheliabryant3997
      @sheliabryant3997 7 місяців тому +5

      @gage. Perfect. 🤯🤯
      Assessment.

    • @barbarad3869
      @barbarad3869 6 місяців тому

      Yeah. Mormonism aligns perfectly with the definition of cult, and those rise and thrive to serve the contorted ego of narcissistic leaders, and to support them financially. Money, power and control, there is no other reason for a cult to exist

    • @nute742
      @nute742 6 місяців тому

      Jesus told his apostles 2k years ago to spread his word to the world (going out, 2 in 2). There must have been some good things happen too (with no excuses for any members to do bad).

  • @neilbennett4439
    @neilbennett4439 7 місяців тому +432

    I just got back from my mission in Brazil, and I can safely say there’s 0 divine intervention in Mormon missionary work. It was so insanely normal, and I saw 0 miracles

    • @Titiandtheband
      @Titiandtheband 7 місяців тому +20

      This. Very much this.

    • @ScottJB
      @ScottJB 7 місяців тому +46

      "NoT eNoUgH fAiTh tHeN!"
      Seja bem-vindo à liberdade!

    • @denz4133
      @denz4133 7 місяців тому +15

      Welcome back to the real world.

    • @devinhildebrandt2709
      @devinhildebrandt2709 7 місяців тому +5

      That’s on you bud. I recently got home, I saw hundreds of miracles. Or you are misunderstanding what a miracle is.

    • @ScottJB
      @ScottJB 7 місяців тому

      @@devinhildebrandt2709 Did you see anyone do anything that is unquestionably a miracle on the level of the New Testament (the things the Bible says will be done by believers)? Instant, undeniable healing of major disabilities like blindness/deafness or paralysis? People bringing the dead back to life? No. No you did not. You maybe saw "MiRaCLeS" like people who stopped smoking overnight or whose heart changed or people who had special dreams, etc. Stuff that is either coincidence or at most rare but not supernatural. And if you try to say those things are miracles, you're moving the goal post away from miracles given in the scriptures.

  • @ktthehuman7931
    @ktthehuman7931 7 місяців тому +194

    My husband jokes that my tiktoks about leaving the church brought more people away from the church than he baptized on his mission, so it evens out. I’m sure all of you helped WAY more people leave than you brought in on your missions! ❤️

  • @QuinnPrice
    @QuinnPrice 7 місяців тому +285

    I served in Peru. They held my passport, ensuring I stayed. A year in, I was ready to leave. But I stayed and became a top baptizer. I grew a lot and I hated the whole experience. When asked if this was the best two years of my life, I laughed. What a lie.

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому +20

      🙃

    • @MaxwellFagerlund
      @MaxwellFagerlund 7 місяців тому +1

      I know the LDS church is true you can have a witness

    • @williamjablonsky5128
      @williamjablonsky5128 7 місяців тому +61

      Withholding your passport is a literal crime.

    • @amyb.2968
      @amyb.2968 7 місяців тому

      ​@williamjablonsky5128 yeah, that's just straight up human trafficking

    • @somewhere4132
      @somewhere4132 7 місяців тому +24

      My sister’s mission is also holding her passport. She’s just like “they’re being nice so we don’t loose it 😁”

  • @Jess-in5rg
    @Jess-in5rg 7 місяців тому +186

    I KID YOU NOT the moment I finished watching this video, TWO ADORABLE MORMON MISSIONARIES KNOCKED ON MY DOOR!!!!!! I was so stoked and talked with them for way too long, poor things. They were so sweet. Your video must have summoned them haha

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому +29

      Omg

    • @sheliabryant3997
      @sheliabryant3997 7 місяців тому +2

      @Jesd-. Wear them right out,
      did you,?
      BRAVA!

    • @JanelleC
      @JanelleC 7 місяців тому +13

      Last time two young LDS young men showed up at my door and asked something along the lines of whether I’d like them to pray for a blessing over my home, I politely declined and informed them I had purposefully left Christianity and was extremely happy now bring a member of The Satanic Temple with its amazing Seven Tenets.
      One of the young men asked to clarify if TST was actually a non-theistic group which I confirmed. “Oh, cool, cool” he nodded while looking like he had no clue what to say next 😂 Awww. Wish I had had more time and energy to speak with them about the toxicity of religion and about our lord and savior Lucifer (TST says Satan but I like saying Lucifer also)

    • @barbarad3869
      @barbarad3869 6 місяців тому +9

      Would it be possible to counter-mission them? Like, handling them a pamphlet about cults, talking them about manipulation.. 😅

    • @jayburris6252
      @jayburris6252 6 місяців тому

      I’m saddest about my current rural address WITH a gate when I know that a visit from Mormon missionaries is highly unlikely.

  • @sisuriffs
    @sisuriffs 7 місяців тому +58

    Hearing about this mistreatment of such well-intentioned, bright, and vulnerable young people has made me sad.

  • @kate4781
    @kate4781 7 місяців тому +77

    When I was at university, a friend of mine had just gotten a quesidilla making machine and we were having a quesidilla-making little party. Towards the beginning of it, there was a knock on the door, and it was Mormon missionaries. We basically said, we don't want to hear what you have to say because we are happy with our faith but please come in if you'd like some quesidillas. We had a lot of choices for toppings and they were given free reign to use them.
    I was surprised at the time that they respected our no thank you while being soooo incredibly grateful for their made to order quesidillas. Learning about the food restrictions and general lack of choice makes me understand their reaction a bit better.

    • @s.a.4358
      @s.a.4358 2 місяці тому +2

      They were probably just grateful to get a kind welcome and food, considering missionaries need to work a lot of hours and often have very little disposable income.

  • @formerbabyfutureghost
    @formerbabyfutureghost 7 місяців тому +110

    “The Italy of the west” had me in tears lmaooo

  • @denz4133
    @denz4133 7 місяців тому +73

    My mission solidified the ‘us vs them’ mentality. People were dropped that weren’t progressing through the discussions fast enough. No explanation, no reason given. We’d just stop going to their house because they weren’t giving us the only thing we were there for.

    • @pandora8778
      @pandora8778 7 місяців тому +5

      Your "US vs THEM" comment has hit home with me! Explains why our whole family was so easily 'dropped' when we left 2 years ago - ZERO contact of concern for any of us. Amazing how abrupt leaving is.

    • @josephkennaley6845
      @josephkennaley6845 6 місяців тому

      if you didn't talk to them before dropping them then you were just doing it wrong. i was always taught that you have a conversation and come to a mutual decision instead of ghosting people

    • @bilindalaw-morley161
      @bilindalaw-morley161 5 місяців тому

      OMFG... that's...just....on par with everything else...

  • @heyitsme7334
    @heyitsme7334 7 місяців тому +129

    Finally, someone else whose faith crisis started with an incorrect prayer answer in the temple! It was the same for me! I was so convinced that God had trusted me with secret knowledge, but then it turned out wrong, and I could not figure out how to get around that, especially with it being in the temple and so clear! And then learning about problematic church history and not trusting prayer by that point, pushed me past the point of no return. Thank you for sharing your story!

  • @annadrift4
    @annadrift4 6 місяців тому +47

    An unintentional consequences of hearing all these exmormon stories is that I am now really nice to missionaries. But not enough that they waste their time coming back.

    • @katrinashaw2195
      @katrinashaw2195 6 місяців тому +9

      I tracked down some missionaries in a wallmart and confused the heck out of them cause of my random ex Mormon UA-cam hobbie 😂

    • @delftblue8801
      @delftblue8801 5 місяців тому +4

      I think now if I met some I would offer them a gift card for food or “supplies”.

    • @ninetailskwami
      @ninetailskwami 5 місяців тому +4

      lmao i grew up mormon and my family always invited them in to eat and preach and i hateeeeddddd it. so then i became bitter to missionaries. but when i hear these stories, it makes me want to invite them in in the future. but they will probably not come back based on what i say during the visit.

  • @sarahthegreatest
    @sarahthegreatest 7 місяців тому +118

    Am I seeing a hint of pink in your hair, Sam? If so, it's so cute!

    • @Aelffwynn
      @Aelffwynn 7 місяців тому +17

      I agree! Rose gold maybe? Adorable.

  • @rat_bat
    @rat_bat 6 місяців тому +30

    I am ethnically ashkenazi jewish and my patriarchal blessing put me in Ephraim 😭
    it was actually a shelf moment for me

    • @zoeb3573
      @zoeb3573 6 місяців тому

      So wait they just... pick it out for you... you don't have a say?
      I don't know why I'm surprised now that I write this, they kind of control everything else, but still... you'd think someone would know better than you if they're jewish or not

    • @drtaverner
      @drtaverner 6 місяців тому +3

      Wow. That's... wow.

    • @ninetailskwami
      @ninetailskwami 5 місяців тому

      💀💀 well that sure is one way to know mormonism is a lie lmfao

    • @eclipse-sh1qmZ3mOtcua
      @eclipse-sh1qmZ3mOtcua 5 місяців тому

      I guess that was the "Holy Ghost" speaking?

    • @georgianaaron4986
      @georgianaaron4986 3 місяці тому

      I had no idea there are jewish mormons. How does that happen?

  • @muggie_guava
    @muggie_guava 7 місяців тому +77

    first of all, yaaaay what a collab 💔💔💔
    and secondly, Sam's strawberry pink blonde is so pretty 😭🍓💕

  • @cassif19
    @cassif19 7 місяців тому +83

    The whole tribe thing looks like finding your Harry Potter house 😂

    • @thelexicon7294
      @thelexicon7294 7 місяців тому +10

      Spot on. A Harry Potter house, but instead of being rooted in one singular personality trait, it’s rooted in racism instead. 🥰

  • @Hyram
    @Hyram 5 місяців тому +7

    Collab of the century!! Love you all 🫶

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  5 місяців тому +2

      comment of the century!! the feeling is mutual! 😭❤️

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  5 місяців тому +3

      HI THIS IS SAM NOW, I LITERALLY OWE MY ENTIRE FACE TO YOU HYRUM YOU HAVE NO IDEA!!!!!!!!!

  • @thegreatcatcuss
    @thegreatcatcuss 6 місяців тому +16

    I’m now in a rabbit hole about Mormonism and this is so interesting, as someone with catholic religious trauma I am baffled by the things I learn about Mormonism😭

    • @nute742
      @nute742 6 місяців тому

      What questions or info that intrigues you (or interest you)? What more would you want to know about it?

    • @thegreatcatcuss
      @thegreatcatcuss 6 місяців тому

      @@nute742 i just like to get to know things, I just binge watched so much stuff that I don’t even have specific questions anymore😭

    • @nute742
      @nute742 6 місяців тому

      @@thegreatcatcuss Hello and thanks for you reply! (Its true, I watch a lot of stuff too) too much! (lol). But its interesting for sure. If you do have any questions on lds beliefs I can send you some videos that help explain. Here is a good one though: ua-cam.com/video/6n5vT0eHlI8/v-deo.html

    • @arantxatzeitel
      @arantxatzeitel 3 місяці тому

      Same here

  • @rebeccahecht3340
    @rebeccahecht3340 7 місяців тому +75

    I was Portuguese speaking on the east coast and we would call everyone fubeca too! I was told it was a compilation of “fumar, beber, and café” so like a member who wasn’t following the WoW (smoking, drinking, coffee)

    • @ScottJB
      @ScottJB 7 місяців тому +14

      I was in Portugal and apparently this is in every single Portuguese mission. I was amazed to eventually find out fubeca isn't a real word outside the church

    • @tannergilliland3257
      @tannergilliland3257 7 місяців тому +20

      what a fun lexicographic niche we’ve stumbled into 😂

    • @jaimephair8037
      @jaimephair8037 7 місяців тому +5

      Two years in Brazil, 20+ years ago, and nobody ever explained this to me #mindblown

    • @swake192
      @swake192 7 місяців тому +1

      I served in Cape Verde and we said fubeca too. What a weird thing

    • @laurenvcouto
      @laurenvcouto 6 місяців тому

      I thought he said FURRECA wrong but this is way funnier

  • @CallmeMelinanow
    @CallmeMelinanow 7 місяців тому +78

    Hey guys!! I am an EX Jehovah’s Witness, and I started following all three of you recently. Thanks to Dav and Bethany, lol! Your story really resonates with me, and I think I’m almost ready to tell my own story publicly. Thank you for what you do!!!❤❤❤

    • @smalcolm366
      @smalcolm366 7 місяців тому +5

      My sister joined the Jehovah's Witnesses, sigh. She doesn't speak to me now and told me I consorted with the Devil because I had a tarot reading. I had been so supportive to her prior to this when she was going through tough times. Very frustrating!

    • @CallmeMelinanow
      @CallmeMelinanow 7 місяців тому +5

      @@smalcolm366 they dehumanize outsider so much, that she feels you “deserve” the problems you have, but why would one of Jehovah’s true people ever have any hardship?? Oh, yeah, Satan! Smh. I’m so sorry, maybe she will see reality. Even the most devout cult member has seen reality and left. ❤️

    • @sauhirt8770
      @sauhirt8770 6 місяців тому +1

      me too! i see you posted it 1 day ago, that's so great! i'll make sure to watch your videos asap :)

    • @CallmeMelinanow
      @CallmeMelinanow 6 місяців тому +1

      @@sauhirt8770omg, thank you! I’m so nervous but I just need to try and see if it helps my healing journey! Thanks you!! ❤

    • @sauhirt8770
      @sauhirt8770 6 місяців тому

      @@CallmeMelinanow i understand, i hope it really helps you though! i only had time for part 1 so far but i loved listening to you :) i'm looking forward to watching the next parts! 🩷

  • @ethanperry8
    @ethanperry8 7 місяців тому +36

    I left my mission early after a year in Chile, and I can confidently say it was the worst time in my life. I still have "nightmares" where I'm back on my mission. Everything about the mission experience is horrible. White saviorism, participating in emotional manipulation, pharisaical rules, no access to mental health resources, isolation from the outside world, etc. Awful awful awful

    • @thuvu8605
      @thuvu8605 7 місяців тому +4

      Thank u for being brave enough to share, I mean not many returned missionaries have courage to speak out.

  • @LucasSchimmel
    @LucasSchimmel 2 місяці тому +9

    I'm Brazilian and I've never heard a gunshot and for a moment a thought very strange that a foreigner would have heard one, then I realised that as a missionary you're probably sent to the worst areas to try to convert people who were in situation of vulnerability.

  • @LagunaTrash
    @LagunaTrash 7 місяців тому +39

    A Mormon mission is not an easy thing to do at a pivotal time in life. I definitely regret it. It is not what I needed at that point in life. My kids will never be subject. I always offer the Elders and Sisters words of encouragement when I encounter them. Life is far better without a handbook. Thank you for shining a Light of Day that no one should fear.

    • @denz4133
      @denz4133 7 місяців тому

      I hate The White Bible (missionary handbook).

  • @graceallen3287
    @graceallen3287 7 місяців тому +31

    I remember when my wards elders were both sick from the mould in the apartment and both had coughs for like 6 months that they refused to see a doctor about. And this is in the UK, we have free health care but they were worried it would take too much time

  • @imaginekudryavka9485
    @imaginekudryavka9485 7 місяців тому +33

    Amazing collab! I don't know why I'm so endlessly fascinated by Mormons. I'm Finnish and have never been religious. I didn't even get the light, watered down version that is modern evangelical Christianity. So the insane dynamics of high control groups is so foreign to me. And the internal logic is fucked up.
    I actually met two female missionaries in Finland once. They were just out on the street with their books and pamphlets. Us Finns don't make even eyecontact with strangers, let alone stop to chat. Maybe I was just curious (or maybe it was the Holy Spirit!) but I stopped. They spoke Finnish, a notoriously hard language, scarily well and they were super friendly and all smiles. That intense, wide-eyed cult smile. I used to spend time in the States because my late ex-fiance was American, so I was really happy to just speak to someone about America. They didn't push the religion too hard, no specifics. I did tell them that I'm an atheist but that I'm interested in religions. They handed me a copy of the Book of Mormon, which I own to this day. I even gave them my phone number and considered going for a coffee with them some day - and I know what you're thinking! As vulnerable as I was at time, I wasn't exactly at the risk of falling into a cult. Some other cult could've snatched me at the right time with the right message and sense of community, but not LDS. It would take a lot to get me to even believe in a higher power at all or in that cool carpenter dude, let alone Joseph Smith. I never met them again, though. I don't know if it would've been frustrating for them to get a person to come for a private date when they are obviously not even close to conversion and just want someone to talk to. Or are they just happy to be doing _something_ different with their time that is still officially an important part of their job?

  • @rochyroach
    @rochyroach 7 місяців тому +42

    The Italy mission food pics in the first 5 minutes 🤣🤣🤣

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому +13

      Haha thank you for noticing, I was struggling to edit so started wilding out 😂

    • @katherinejongsma5431
      @katherinejongsma5431 7 місяців тому +7

      Not the Lizzie McGuire Movie 😂

    • @702degrees
      @702degrees 7 місяців тому +2

      i’m crying i was about to come comment this LMFAO props to whoever edited that

  • @natchnieni0
    @natchnieni0 7 місяців тому +54

    🎶 I could have reveled in Gelato, but I got schlepped to Colorado...🎶

  • @Badjuju2
    @Badjuju2 7 місяців тому +48

    I feel so sad for missionaries that carry the guilt and regret of converting so many people.

    • @charlesmendeley9823
      @charlesmendeley9823 7 місяців тому +2

      Well, except many don’t. If you actually serve in Europe, numbers are depressingly low, and with a low retention rate, most are out even before the returned missionary is out.

    • @nute742
      @nute742 6 місяців тому

      Some people (that convert) will thank you the rest of their lives (and in the eternities) for sharing with them the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

    • @zoeb3573
      @zoeb3573 6 місяців тому

      @@nute742 the dude that wrote it made it up copying verses from the bible and other "holy" books, stitched it all up together haphazardly, and was a pedophile. If there are "eternities" out there, I think you can find a better one.

    • @georgianaaron4986
      @georgianaaron4986 3 місяці тому

      ​@@charlesmendeley9823why's that depressing?

    • @ThW5
      @ThW5 2 місяці тому

      @@georgianaaron4986 Charley obviously means depressing for the mormissionaries, who have not seen the truth about the Great Con Artist of Utah. (Heroclix joke)

  • @Ambermerith
    @Ambermerith 7 місяців тому +23

    My sister and I both left the church and over the past few weeks we’ve invited the local sister missionaries over for dinner to be able to feed them several times. We lucked out and they’re both super sweet and haven’t tried preaching at all, we just get together and have fun conversations about what movies, shows, music, and games we like, and what kinds of things they’re excited to get back into when they get home. I even got one of the games they recommended and have really enjoyed it. The first time they came over we gave them a small care package with some food, snacks, basic first aid items, period products, etc., and they told us thank you and said missionaries never get things like that and to please tell them if there’s anything they could help us with because they would literally do anything for us.
    On one hand, the way the church treats missionaries is horrible and it sucks that all these barely-no-longer-children are so deprived that a few pads and a box of macaroni feels like christmas to them. On the other, the new rule they’re trying to implement to keep missionaries from being fed by members (we get to pass as “inactives” because we haven’t removed our names yet) is a win win. The missionaries get food and a break, we (college students with not many friends) get to socialize with some super nice girls, and the church gets no converts out of it!
    It puts us in the perfect position to do what the church refuses to do: feed his sheep.

    • @shanejensen8484
      @shanejensen8484 7 місяців тому

      none of what you said is true. Where do you get your information.

    • @Ambermerith
      @Ambermerith 7 місяців тому +11

      @@shanejensen8484 this is quite possibly one of the funniest ways you could have replied. 90% of my comment was personal stories, you trying to tell me I wasn’t there for my own dinners with the missionaries?

    • @lizzybeary
      @lizzybeary 6 місяців тому +2

      That gives me an idea to see about having feminine care packages on hand in case i run into any lady missionaries. ​@Ambermerith

  • @harpyspeaks
    @harpyspeaks 7 місяців тому +446

    As an actual jew, this is so wild

    • @chloecagle6493
      @chloecagle6493 7 місяців тому +16

      same.

    • @Lucifersfursona
      @Lucifersfursona 7 місяців тому +16

      Oh god wtf is happening now 😭

    • @oooohokay
      @oooohokay 7 місяців тому +55

      Jewish viewers of Zelph unite lmao 🕎

    • @liv-bv3pl
      @liv-bv3pl 7 місяців тому +41

      Jewish zelph fans stand up 💀💜

    • @unitedgeekdom1
      @unitedgeekdom1 7 місяців тому +7

      Here

  • @rachelhansen2417
    @rachelhansen2417 7 місяців тому +20

    As someone who served a mission and just saw the title without seeing any of the video, ABSOLUTELY.

  • @peterhoyt2529
    @peterhoyt2529 7 місяців тому +28

    Oh man. I had forgotten about that rule about not saying anything negative about your mission to your family. The memories of sending repetitive ‘Things are great!’ e-mails when they really weren’t are flooding back, haha. 😅

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому +2

      😅😅😅

    • @oddcheese6384
      @oddcheese6384 7 місяців тому

      Yup, I was home for a whole year before I admitted to my family that I’d had a companion toward the beginning of my mission that drug me across the floor by my hair and broke my wrist. And several more years before I told them that another companion had molested me and held a knife to my throat.

    • @virginianielsen3480
      @virginianielsen3480 7 місяців тому +2

      I had a boyfriend who served a mission while I was at home deconstructing. I was the only one who knew what a toll it took on him but knew I couldn’t convince him to leave (the mission or the church) so sadly he just toughed it out and we parted ways after. Us breaking up would’ve happened either way lol but it still hurts knowing what he and other friends of mine put themselves through for a church that doesn’t care about them 😢

  • @stevielm
    @stevielm 7 місяців тому +21

    Dude it’s Alyssa! Love her. This is peak UA-cam material here. ❤

  • @MSuc9kc
    @MSuc9kc 22 дні тому +1

    Came from Alyssa's channel and love the dynamic of all your personalities. I'm not Mormon or ex Mormon but find these videos so interesting and can draw some parallels as an ex christian.

  • @SilentThundersnow
    @SilentThundersnow 6 місяців тому +30

    'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of Plausible Deniability.'
    That's my favorite phrase from now on. LoL😂😂😂

  • @snappa_tv
    @snappa_tv 7 місяців тому +17

    It’s funny. The day this video released my sister came home from her mission. She is completely different. I feel like they stole her from me…

  • @icancat185
    @icancat185 7 місяців тому +25

    I was raised as a fairly lax Catholic, but your videos have been so helpful for reflecting on my religious trauma. Thank you!

    • @Peeledfruit
      @Peeledfruit 7 місяців тому +2

      I was raised traditional conservative catholic, I found parallels at least with faith crisis and learning how to love myself just as me without religion. (No shame to anyone that’s still religious). But the Catholic Church consumed my little kid brain and now I’m so much happier without it! Creators like these help so much ❤

  • @erintucker934
    @erintucker934 7 місяців тому +16

    Alyssa + Sam + Tanner = a holy trinity ❤ love y'all

    • @chlyri
      @chlyri 7 місяців тому +4

      nah, they're an unholy trinity.

  • @Anonymousman-pt7nc
    @Anonymousman-pt7nc Місяць тому +2

    Naughtiest thing in my mission, an Elder had 2 Ipads and 3 Burner Phones all to himself, the ZLs confiscated one and patted themselves on the back, he just looked at me and said "welp that sucks", and pulled out another burner

  • @HaylieEllison
    @HaylieEllison 7 місяців тому +22

    My mission was the worst experience of my life. I felt like a used car salesman and was mentally and emotionally abused by the other missionaries around me. It was not a spiritual experience whatsoever. Also, my companion was an actual sociopath and didn’t get along with any companion she was paired with. I had to bike in the winter in Utah in 2022, when it was an unusually cold winter for Utah. The temp was constantly in the negatives, and since the member we lived with was overly frugal, he never turned on the heater or the hot water. So after biking all day in the snow we’d have to come home and take a cold shower. We also had to buy space heaters with our own money. Also, when I told my MP that I had depression, he threatened to send me home. I had two therapy sessions and my mission therapist warned me to quit setting appointments with him, because I think he was afraid I would be sent home.

    • @lunalimi9798
      @lunalimi9798 7 місяців тому +1

      That sounds absolutely awful😔 I'm so sorry you had to go through that, I hope now you are in a better environment.

  • @calanm7880
    @calanm7880 7 місяців тому +25

    Tuned in live. The eating carb pizza slices every night as Jesus would led to 1) Tanner mimicking “I’m so full of carb I’m literally becoming bread & wine” 2) Alyssa quickly quipping “Jesus Crust” …. As a Scottish exvangelical I literally cried with laughing!

    • @davidjanbaz7728
      @davidjanbaz7728 7 місяців тому +2

      They claim the elements of the Sacrament don't matter: you could use oats and milk in Scotland: LOL 😂 from an American Evangelical.

    • @calanm7880
      @calanm7880 7 місяців тому +2

      @@davidjanbaz7728 well the great Reformation debate on the nature of Communion occupied Luther, Calvin and Zwingli: and caused no end of debate as to what were key aspects (I lost hours reliving those).
      I like your suggestion of milk & oats, which of course combined make the most heavenly food of porridge.
      We evangelical Highland Presbyterians lived on “Crowdie & cream and the Shorter Catechism” [Crowdie is an amazing Viking dry soft cheese which is amazing on oatcakes]. Glad you’re enjoying Zelph

  • @Henri_Hilarious
    @Henri_Hilarious Місяць тому +1

    The 3 of you should have a podcast together!

  • @danieldubei
    @danieldubei 7 місяців тому +12

    It's really fascinating watching people talk about their missions from a real perspective, and not the "talk" you give about your mission when you come back and report to the ward. It's coming up on 30 years since I went on my mission, and while I'm done with the church itself, I have mostly good feelings about my mission experience. I should maybe do a video someday about it, because I kept a very detailed journal, which I go back to from time to time.

  • @jaydehansen
    @jaydehansen 7 місяців тому +34

    Maybe this is because I'm on the west coast but we NEVER would have fed missionaries takeout pizza 🤣 we always had tacos or some kind of "burrito bowls" or something and they always thanked my mom for not feeding them lasagna 🤣

  • @rebekahrutledge1633
    @rebekahrutledge1633 7 місяців тому +18

    Your explanation for why only men get the priesthood reminded me of conversations with my dad about it. He told me that since women are more spiritual anyway, men need more motivation to become better. He said that if women had the priesthood men would not want to be as righteous, so in the end, giving women the priesthood would hurt everyone because there would be less worthy males.

    • @pneuma_23-rb4dx
      @pneuma_23-rb4dx 7 місяців тому +6

      omg I remember hearing this kind of rational explained to me. Justification of things is so cringe.

    • @chlyri
      @chlyri 7 місяців тому +12

      benevolent sexism at its finest.

  • @KALAPANAPOCHIHANALEI
    @KALAPANAPOCHIHANALEI 7 місяців тому +15

    My spouse and I were just telling my never-mo friend about our missions and the church. Let's just say she was flabbergasted😅

    • @nute742
      @nute742 6 місяців тому

      In a good way?

  • @ritamariekelley4077
    @ritamariekelley4077 7 місяців тому +6

    As a never Mo, I continue to be amazed at the level of control and manipulation. I cannot imagine being on a mission without getting seriously ill from the pressure and being constantly monitored, not to mention the cognitive dissonance of forcing it upon others. I really enjoyed this vid and learned a lot. Well done!

    • @blusheep2
      @blusheep2 7 місяців тому

      No one is forcing anything on anybody, and these are 18 year old kids that have never been in the world and often sent to far away countries. Of course they are going to keep a tight reign on them.

  • @randomname4726
    @randomname4726 7 місяців тому +21

    It's so gross that they expect you to be married by 21. And it just makes me think of child brides. I'm 38 and between 19 and 22, you are just a big teenager.

  • @Toothnut_Hamsterfolder
    @Toothnut_Hamsterfolder 7 місяців тому +8

    Super loved this! Alyssa's story about the tribe of Judah had me rolling.
    So happy for Zelph that you're now in hd, so cool! I'm a headphone user, so the upgrade to your sound is amazing!

  • @BloopBlarpBleep
    @BloopBlarpBleep 7 місяців тому +11

    From personal experience, I can say that Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and other long term service programs for younger people may not be run by high control religious groups, but they are definitely run by medium-control institutions, so take a look at those programs with a critical lens before jumping in. There really aren’t enough opportunities for young people to learn and grow and explore outside of restrictive institutions.

    • @skiak004
      @skiak004 3 місяці тому

      I disagree about the Peace Corps- can you provide an example?

  • @meghanhodgkin5888
    @meghanhodgkin5888 7 місяців тому +9

    Please do more videos together! This was very enjoyable and informative. You all have a great vibe together ❤ As a never-Mormon, I’m so interested in learning about high demand religions. I’ve watched hours of Zelph & it never gets tiring ❤

  • @AJ-ib4oy
    @AJ-ib4oy 7 місяців тому +17

    OMG, someone else also thinks that missions are a form of human trafficking!!! I’ve never heard that anywhere else. I thought that was just me.

    • @charlesmendeley9823
      @charlesmendeley9823 7 місяців тому

      I think the full recognition started from Scientology, where the „sea org“, basically their one billion year missionaries are trafficked, and Mormons saw more and more parallels.

  • @nicolafigini784
    @nicolafigini784 7 місяців тому +27

    A great collaboration. I hope you three do more videos together.

  • @somewhere4132
    @somewhere4132 7 місяців тому +6

    My little sister who I am very close to is currently on a mission. She’s learning a foreign language as well. She’s half way through but has struggled the whole time. This past week she told me how angry at herself she is for how sad she’s been feeling. She’s received mental health “counseling” since being there but it hasn’t seemed to help (I’m shook). She told me she doesn’t feel like she has express any negative emotion even in a journal to herself. Nothing is for her, not even her emotions. I really miss her. Even though we talk ever week, it’s not really her.
    I wish I could help her, but I think she feels guilty even talking to me cause I’m no longer a member

  • @MagnaManBen
    @MagnaManBen 7 місяців тому +10

    Watching your video, I kept thinking about my mission in the early ‘70s. Things were so different back then, and I’m wondering if the super strict rules you had to deal with were a result of some of the things I did. 😂 I lost all my papers and photos and journals when I had a stint of homelessness 20 years ago. I wish I still had those.

  • @Songbird_Sings
    @Songbird_Sings 7 місяців тому +20

    All of you helped me deconvert! Thank you! ❤😊

  • @msly07
    @msly07 7 місяців тому +14

    I watched The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping on Netflix the other night which was wild. What those kids went through was so horrific and a mission was not the same, but when I turned it off and tried to go to bed I had a full on panic attack thinking about the parallels to my Russia Samara mission 😵.

  • @robin-jq4kx
    @robin-jq4kx 7 місяців тому +4

    i found you guys through all the girl defined stuff that’s happened the last bit. i’ve been binging your guys’ channel the past couple weeks and im currently watching the ruby franke 20/20 episode through tiktok parts (im in canada so no abc or hulu) & i was so hyped to see you guys. i watched this video when it came out but i had to come back and comment. i’m in no way connected to religion or anything but i love listening to your guys’ input and experiences. you two deserve way more subscribers on here!! keep it up :) much love from canada :))

  • @bethanybarden1953
    @bethanybarden1953 7 місяців тому +8

    Love the stories of little moments where you bent the rules but in such wholesome ways! The Sonic story reminds me of the time my companion and I decided to visit every 7-11 in town on free slurpee day and turn it into a contacting exercise. As long as we talked to more people than we did at the last 7-11, we could go to the next one. We had way too much sugar that day, but we did make it to every one in our town. That was probably one of the best/most fun days of my mission, tbh.

  • @irishgirl81498
    @irishgirl81498 7 місяців тому +6

    The collab I've been waiting for! ❤

  • @peterhoyt2529
    @peterhoyt2529 7 місяців тому +12

    With my first mission president’s wife the missionaries knew that if they called her about any medical needs is that she would tell them to, ‘Take some aspirin and get some rest.’ That rarely actually applied especially when we weren’t really allowed to do the rest part. 😂

  • @oscarguerrero178
    @oscarguerrero178 7 місяців тому +5

    OMG I just watched Alyssa's BYU video as my first full video of hers last night!

  • @hank_430
    @hank_430 7 місяців тому +2

    Great convo! Really great to hear more stories and learn more.
    (Random: baker’s dozen is 13; one extra is made for the baker for tasting before selling the dozen)

    • @bilindalaw-morley161
      @bilindalaw-morley161 5 місяців тому

      Are you just sharing trivia randomly? Tell me you're ADHD without telling me...

  • @ScottJB
    @ScottJB 7 місяців тому +18

    If God told you you'd serve a mission in Italy and you then were called to Denver you either A) weren't faithful enough, B) were mistaken (but def not about other spiritual witnesses), C) the person who decided Denver misused their agency, or D) Heavenly Father has dementia, BUT THE CHURCH IS STILL TRUE.

    • @meghanhodgkin5888
      @meghanhodgkin5888 7 місяців тому +1

      Yikes, Scott. I sincerely hope someday you open your mind & stop spreading such false & harmful ideology. Good luck on your path!

    • @ScottJB
      @ScottJB 7 місяців тому +13

      @@meghanhodgkin5888 was that not extremely obvious satire or are you offended by satire towards the church?

  • @KristanShuford
    @KristanShuford 19 днів тому

    I wasn’t raised Mormon, but I was brought up in an insular religious community, so I find ex-mormon content really interesting. Thanks for the super candid chat!

  • @TheNickhis
    @TheNickhis 7 місяців тому +8

    Fun fact about me is I requested Norway in my mission application, and was called to Norway. At the time I saw it as a sign from God, to become closer to my ancestors etc etc. I even got a letter from D Todd Christofferson who had met my parents at a stake conference and he told me how special it was and that he himself has ancestry from there. At any rate, I was glad I was called there because I'm obsessed with scandinavian stuff (kinda was in the annoying white alt-right way at the time? but don't worry I have changed my ways lmao) and would have been bored out of my fucking mind otherwise, especially considering how miserable and ineffective proselytizing is over there. At least exploring culture was some kind of escape and something to stretch my brain with. Not to mention awesome hiking opportunities everywhere.

  • @ladrac198
    @ladrac198 7 місяців тому +2

    I also hated the sight and sound rule, but I'm SO glad we had our own apartments where we could chill out and be ourselves just a bit and turn on the missionary persona when we left the apartment. I even lived in a 4-man apartment a couple times and that was the best.

  • @djdalad
    @djdalad 7 місяців тому +7

    My companion and I watched Twilight with a member on my mission haha

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому +4

      It’s by a Mormon so it’s fine!!!! ✨

  • @darcey55
    @darcey55 7 місяців тому +8

    My patriarch felt the need to add something to my blessing AFTER he gave it to me (when he was typing it up) about how I need to do my genealogy to find out I have Native American ancestry… I was tribe of Ephraim in my blessing but at that particular time in late summer I had a dark tan and I have brown hair and eyes. Most of my genealogy is done back to the 1500s and no native ancestry… though that would be cool

  • @theeight-roadwanderer6286
    @theeight-roadwanderer6286 7 місяців тому +3

    I didn't mean to one up you tanner but in my Argentina mission we weren't even given two hours for lunch. We just had one hour for lunch and that was it

  • @robynryan7473
    @robynryan7473 7 місяців тому +2

    I attended a fairly strict evangelical/fundamental church where the leadership discouraged me from going to therapy as they didn't approve of secular based therapy. Subsequently they had no problem "black-sheeping" me because the counseling based program they wanted me a part of was called "Setting Captives Free" where the leadership had to closely monitor my sessions. I realized after awhile that the place was whack and I needed to leave. The church eventually folds but not before messing with other members lives and pushing more away. I am so glad I am no longer attending a church like that again.

  • @flutenanyidk1806
    @flutenanyidk1806 7 місяців тому +2

    We had a missionary growing up that insisted on eating chicken that was pink in the middle even after my mom offered to cook it more thoroughly multiple times because he didn’t want to be rude. My mom was obviously super embarrassed and felt horrible for serving ANYONE pink chicken, let alone them insisting on eating it.
    I hope he didn’t get sick.

  • @emophase2224
    @emophase2224 2 місяці тому +2

    Fubeca is such an incredible word, and you know that when someone accused you of being a fubeca, that shit stuck

  • @VanessaChats
    @VanessaChats 3 місяці тому +2

    The more I learn about the mormon missions the less surprised I am that MLMs take such a stronghold on Mormons (especially the women) and the reason why they'll forever exist.

  • @gabygalvan-perez146
    @gabygalvan-perez146 7 місяців тому +6

    The selective hearing I had as a missionary to find the right moment to plug in doctrine/lessons was the worst, and I wished to just chat with people without having to insert Mormonism. It’s not a weight I hold on my present self now deconstructed, but overall just heavy.

  • @bethan.gruffydd
    @bethan.gruffydd 6 місяців тому +1

    Really great episode, but especially love the discussion in the last 30 minutes, wow!

  • @cookieaddictions
    @cookieaddictions 7 місяців тому +4

    As a Jewish person when you started talking about the 12 tribes I was like “I thought we’re all Judah?” 🤨 I guess I was right, lol

  • @nikitatavernitilitvynova
    @nikitatavernitilitvynova 5 місяців тому +1

    I said in a different comment that I'm not Christian. However I used to volunteer for a Catholic based non profit over here in Italy and it felt amazing. Even though I didn't align spiritually it was still an opportunity to grow and do good. We didn't outright push the gospel onto people but we did good almost in the name of religion. Kind of like "Religion wants me to be a kind hearted man so that's who I'll be" and that alone can give your that growth you're looking for. Expecially if you're a believer or something. I think I volunteered twice at the Christmas market selling second hand toys. And I felt so good reading the news seeing how much money we raised to be donated in the form of food and medicine for African kids. And it was really nice to see the kiddos other people helped, be there and want to help too. Basically some teens like me would go in poorer areas of the city and they had classes for children of immigrants to help them do their homeworks. Again no religion was pushed directly onto them despite the organization is church based and has Christian values and foundaments.

  • @NessawiththeRose
    @NessawiththeRose 7 місяців тому +2

    The coming togetherness of it all is making me cry

  • @delftblue8801
    @delftblue8801 5 місяців тому +1

    It reminded me of an occasion decades ago when a grandmother type (JW?) came to our door with her 7/8 year old granddaughter and let the child run the spiel. I just didn’t have the heart to squash this little one with a “thanks but no thanks. I listened to her run through to the end and she seemed so happy to have done it. Wonder where she is today? 👧🏼

  • @pocketsizeforyourtravelcon3325
    @pocketsizeforyourtravelcon3325 7 місяців тому +6

    I was raised Methodist so I find this whole Mormon culture and doctrine fascinating. But in a “that’s definitely a cult” kinda way 😅

  • @ldjd3698
    @ldjd3698 7 місяців тому +5

    I also had a companion pray that Heavenly Father would forgive me for having a 48 hr flu (eruptions from both ends) because I had wasted His sacred time and squandered opportunities for teaching and saving souls! Yeah... we were only companions for 10 days... it felt like 10 months. 😅

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому

      Noooooo 😅

    • @s.a.4358
      @s.a.4358 2 місяці тому

      How dare you be sick and have diarrhoea instead of saving poor souls!! 😅

  • @bekah748
    @bekah748 7 місяців тому +3

    20:27 OMG I JUST REMEMBER SOMETHING. When I got my patriarchal blessing the guy asked what color my eyes were, and I thought it was so random. I was only 14 so it was all so confusing for me💀 that’s makes sm more sense why he asked that

  • @hopeyygirl7040
    @hopeyygirl7040 7 місяців тому +1

    Protestant Evangelical theology obsessed Christian here - this was fascinating. Thanks for the insight Mormonism is insane.

  • @ladybird5000
    @ladybird5000 7 місяців тому +8

    your hair looks amazing Sam!!!

  • @eiluvart0416
    @eiluvart0416 7 місяців тому +4

    ZELPH + ALYSSA IS THE BEST THING EVERRRRRR

  • @lovelaine4475
    @lovelaine4475 7 місяців тому

    I’ve been casually watching The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping and finally got around to watching the last episode. Things suddenly became Mormon and it made me think of you two.

  • @mxidis88
    @mxidis88 7 місяців тому +4

    this episode was a banger...love it

  • @jadam3175
    @jadam3175 7 місяців тому +3

    Love this collab, also Sam your hair is so cute!

  • @charlesmendeley9823
    @charlesmendeley9823 7 місяців тому +2

    When Tanner played hide and seek, he was emulating the first Saints. Here is the story: as you know, the original temple ceremony didn't have a movie, but was a real life role play involving the people to be endowed. In the garden of Eden, the initiates would literally play hide and seek with Elohim, hiding behind potted bushes or sofas of the temple room. This would cause great excitement with 19th century ladies, who would giggle or laugh. one time, Ann Eliza Young was thus laughing out loud, causing Heber C. Kimball to get angry with her. Some supposed this is the origin of the oath banning loud laughter.
    So Tanner restored a part of the original temple endowment.

    • @ZelphOntheShelf
      @ZelphOntheShelf  7 місяців тому +2

      WHAT?!

    • @charlesmendeley9823
      @charlesmendeley9823 7 місяців тому

      @@ZelphOntheShelf Here is my source (the link gets deleted): on the channel Analyzing Mormonism, the live video about the temple, at 2:05:50.

  • @yara-um6tx
    @yara-um6tx 7 місяців тому +11

    Lmao this sounds like Harry Potter sorting hat situation 😂😂😂

  • @alexfoster5454
    @alexfoster5454 7 місяців тому +2

    When my fav ex mormon creators meet:D this is the best

  • @AbiGodinha
    @AbiGodinha 16 днів тому

    Portuguese speaker here. Fubeca is totally a widely used Brazilian Portuguese word outside of the LDS Church or the missionaries’ communities. It has a variety of meanings, but mostly it’s a hard strike on a person. However, it can also be a person who doesn’t fulfill their obligations, a failure, a washed-up or flaky sort. Among other things!

  • @risafey
    @risafey 7 місяців тому +5

    After hearing this, if missionaries came to my house, would they accept healthy or refreshing snacks if I gave it to them? I wouldn't convert or want to debate them, but this sounds brutal 😳

    • @bendyrland7213
      @bendyrland7213 7 місяців тому

      I think they would appreciate it.

    • @SantaRPG
      @SantaRPG 6 місяців тому

      yes! you can also request them to come to your house through the church of jesus christ website. If anyone is willing to invite them over and feed them, you're giving them much needed relief

    • @drtaverner
      @drtaverner 6 місяців тому

      If I took them out for a meal, and we talked the whole time, would that time count against their dinner break?

    • @SantaRPG
      @SantaRPG 6 місяців тому

      @@drtaverner bold of you to assume they get a dinner break. Its better to feed them because its likely theyre fasting or just eating ramen

    • @drtaverner
      @drtaverner 6 місяців тому

      @@SantaRPG They did mention meal breaks in the video, which I'm going from. I wish I'd known about the tiny allowance and meals when I was hanging out with a pair a few years back.

  • @sinisterhug1394
    @sinisterhug1394 7 місяців тому +3

    I love all three of you wonderful humans! All gorgeous AF!
    I ended up serving my mission in Kansas/Missouri & what a ride of indoctrination that was… I’ll see y’all in the pearly white gates of white Mormon heaven 🤝 👩‍🍳😂

  • @katraylor
    @katraylor 4 місяці тому +1

    When I was a teenager, I definitely wanted to serve a mission, and then I deprogrammed and belatedly realized that what I actually wanted to do was travel and live outside the US. It didn't occur to me at the time that you could do that without proselytizing. : P

  • @electra424
    @electra424 7 місяців тому +3

    Wow I just subscribed to Alyssa a few days ago and here she is on Zelph! Manifesting Bethy & Dav collab next.....
    p.s. Sam your HAIR 😍😍😍

  • @PossiblyKayla
    @PossiblyKayla 6 місяців тому +1

    My best friend always struggled with stress and anxiety in high school and when she went on her mission it was so bad, she started she actually started having this like chronic pain, seizures, muscle spasms, terrifying stuff. She came home after just a few months, got a little under control. I actually rushed my wedding when she came back so that she could attend and then she decided to go back out there and had to leave before my wedding 🤦🏻‍♀️ I was really upset because I actually needed time and I shouldn’t have gotten married. Not her fault really but the timeframe pressured me. And then she didn’t even get to go.
    Anyways, she talked to me about going back and I begged her to wait. I kept telling her she needed more time then just a few months, she needs lots of therapy, maybe a mission isn’t even for you. And I was right, she had to come back a few months later again and she isn’t allowed to serve a mission now. I feel so bad for her and all missionaries really. It’s not human nature to suppress ourselves that much.
    Honestly surprised but relieved the members around her didn’t think she was possessed or something. I didn’t think Mormons believed in possession but apparently some do and it’s in the doctrine 🫣

  • @JaredBishop777
    @JaredBishop777 7 місяців тому +2

    Mormonism the gift that keeps on giving