Taken at summer camp years ago.

He's sitting between her and another camp mate, with the sun shining brilliantly across their faces, especially his.

He passed in 2015.

The church did all in its power to alienate my daughter from me. It's with mixed emotions that I look at this framed photo of her and him.

I will keep it because it's one of the few pics of my daughter I have left.

And as a reminder of how ripped the church tore my family apart.

Going through a cedar blanket chest this afternoon I haven't peeked in for a few years. It's like taking a trip down Memory Lane. Christmas tablecloths, children's holiday clothing, etc. Afghans my late grandma had crocheted ... the cedar lining has preserved them so that they haven't gotten musty or moth bitten.

I've had mixed feelings about keeping the cedar chest. Because of its preservation qualities of family heirlooms, I have decided to keep it for now. :)

Amyjo Wrote:
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> I will keep it because it's one of the few pics of
> my daughter I have left.

I think you are estranged from her right?

This is one of my fears - the church will come between me and my children when they are fully independent of me. The myths they promote don't include non-believers and people who don't like it.

I'm glad you've something of hers except it has that guy in it. It is a picture of your child with a devil if I've ever heard of one. He has a talk of walking into the darkness to find the light.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/08/move-forward-in-faith?lang=eng

Who knows what he "had to do" for his faith. He definitely and defiantly promoted making intellectual and sexual orientation enemies for his church.

The man who does wrong thinking he is right. That is the real devil.

I was saying to someone else it wasn't Packer I held animosity against, but the church and the layleaders that tried to undermine my parental authority.

Then I realized that it is people like Packer who perpetuated the lie for a lifetime. He was either dumb as an ox, or knew damn good and well the church is a total fabrication. Yet he deceived millions, not the least of them young, impressionable children.

That makes him complicit.

My daughter has been estranged from her family for several years now. It's beyond heartbreaking. I hope you don't have to go through that with any of yours. When you're raising children you never think for a moment they'll desert their home and family as adults. You protect them from any/all seen and unseen dangers to get them to adulthood and beyond. You love them, educate them, and want only the best for them.

It was a shock to say the least. The church hid my daughter from me, literally, in her last months prior to emigrating to Israel. Between what they did when she was in high school, and then post-college sealed the deal for me that the church is a cult, plain as day and dark as night.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2017 05:54PM by Amyjo.

Amyjo Wrote:
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> Between what they
> did when she was in high school, and then
> post-college sealed the deal for me that the
> church is a cult, plain as day and dark as night.

And light as dark. Packer was just showing her how to step into the darkness.

Amyjo, if you'll scan the pic and e-mail it to me, I'd be more than happy to photoshop Boyd out of it.
:)

Oh thanks, that's sweet of you to offer. It made me laugh so much I nearly cried.

I don't have a scanner or I might. It's in a really nice frame the women from girl's camp put it in for daughter. Now she's in Israel, and doesn't seem to apparently miss any of her childhood mementos - or her family. That makes me very sad for her and for our family.

The church did its best to divide us. For me it's a reminder of how evil it is, and how innocent and trusting my daughter once was. She was my sunshine. She still is in my heart.

As for what the church did to her and our relationship, there is no forgiveness. There can be no forgiveness for evil.

Amyjo Wrote:
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> As for what the church did to her and our
> relationship, there is no forgiveness. There can
> be no forgiveness for evil.

Amen to that.

I've said here before I wrote to him once about my "gay boyfriend." The letter I received in return was the most horrible thing I've ever read. I had to burn it.

The church is working hard on alienating my daughter from me, too. A lady in her 60s is one of the worst ones.

I wanted to make a joke about Packer's name but after reading your post all I want to do is offer you hugs. Fuck the church for distancing her from you. TSCC destroys families.

Yeah, I get Boyd. A dirty, evil bloodsucker. No question. No doubt. Your daughter and all that's happened between you. Get that in spades.

Life is like a pencil. Six sides. Turn it for a new perspective.

I love you. So please consider my thoughts. If I'm wrong, so be it.

The picture you mention is your daughter with an evil man. But, it's your daughter. Fruit of your loins. She came through labor or a c-section. Tremendous pain either way. Hard ass work being pregnant and finally getting the 'Cracker Jacks' prize.

What if you just fell in love with the girl? What if you were able to stop being angry? What if you just told her how special she is to you? What if you do what it takes as her mom to just be there? What if you just loved her in every way and left religion out of it? What if you just loved what you have in common? Blah, blah, blah...

What if you resisted every urge to feel sorry for yourself? What if every effort of your life was focused on finding peace and serenity?

These are questions I ask myself, so I get it, too.

You are a wonderful person. Someone who loves and wants to be loved. Can you come to terms with love and let everything else go? In the Baghavad Gita I learned to just do the right action with no need for a return. What if you put a plan in place to do some expression of love just once a week? No conditions. No expectations.

Please know that I have similar struggles. In reality, we all do. Death is on the menu. What spiritual love will you take in the end?

Just my crazy ass thoughts.

teddy

Thanks for some great insights.

I love my daughter dearly. I was not a perfect parent, but I doubt she can question my love for her. I was a devoted parent. A bit over reaching. That was in part because of her being born premature, and my only girl. What parents aren't overly protective of their daughters?

Overcompensated in my parenting skills. Tried to be the parent to my children I used to wish for when I was growing up. In some respects that backfired. Maybe doting parents skip a generation in my family, dunno.

Will look up the Baghavad Gita. I need all the insights and positive energy can generate. You may be an old soul who "gets it."

Thanks again. :)

I have some issues with my daughter, too. I'm going to work on what you have said to do.