Dec 7, 2011

5: Holly Welker’s Misadventures in Mormonhood

Holly Welker discusses her misadventures in the church with Greg Rockwell.

Anonymous

I want to know what the elders were doing while the sisters were cleaning their bathrooms.

mono

Probably playing Basketball: the Mormon Blood Sport, or going to the movies.

mono

Tom, I will miss your insights, comments and wisdom. Best wishes to you, about a year and a half ago you were gracious enough to talk to my son (Brian, from Raleigh NC), he thinks highly of you.
http://www.richardharris.no Richard of Norway

Hey! I lived in Thatcher too as a child. Pretty cool. Of course, I was only 8 but I remember it pretty well.

Tierza

Wow, me too. (Lived in Thatcher). I was there from 1978-1984 (ages 5-11). I thought Thatcher was awesome as a kid.

http://www.richardharris.no Richard of Norway

I love Greg’s voice. Very cool! Holly is pretty cool and has an interesting story but appears to be a bit too full of herself for my taste. Of course, the point of Voices is supposed to be to allow people to tell their story, so why I would complain about this is anybody’s guess. I’m just a petty jerk I guess.
DefyGravity

I liked Holly’s comment that as long as the church thinks it has the right to have and state opinions on what I do, I can do the same about what they do. Thanks Holly, that makes my continued presence in Mormon communities easier.

Greg Rockwell

Yes, that was a real moment as we were talking where I was able to see outside of the attempt at narrative control that the Church exerts.

I have used that thought on a few occasions now to explain why I am still allowed to have thoughts on Mormonism despite the fact that I am no longer “card carrying”.

Anonymous

Greg and Holly,

I very much enjoyed you’re “voices” and what they shared.

Holly, thanks for the “my mother was a small angry force of nature.” I immediately hit the pause button and enjoyed a short memory visit with my own mom who could fit that bill.

Thanks also for “if the Church disappeared … I would still want to understand my own life.”

And thanks also for the Larkin “strike” at the end. In that moment you could have been channeling my sister. I need to give her a call … its time to have a few laughs together.

JT
http://argeiphontes.blogspot.com/ Hermes

Good grief. “Be a servant, Holly!” That made me a little angry.
jason

Really enjoyed this episode and would like to read Holly’s missionary memoir, but have been unable to find it. Where is it available?

Anonymous

I actually quite liked this. I have heard of Holly and some of what I have heard has not been, unfortunately, flattering. I think that there are a lot of people in/out of the church who aren’t accustomed to a contrarian perspective. I didn’t hear Holly characterize herself this way, but I think that is how I would view her. It is a good thing .