Posted by Christy on Jul 10, 2016 in Female, Profile |

My name is Chely, I was born in Cuba, raised in NYC. I joined the church at 16 in NYC because it made sense and felt right. I was a huge Osmond fan and I credit them for my exposure to Mormonism. I longed for a healthy ‘normal’ family and the Church seemed to be the answer for me. I have two children and two grandchildren.

I’m grateful to the Church which was like a second family helping me raise my children (I was a single mom at the time). There have been numerous times when my son was young, where I did lay my hands on my son’s head and blessed him with all the faith and love I could muster to be rid of whatever ailed him at the time (usually tummy aches). It came to me naturally, I didn’t hesitate and felt like God understood since there was no man in my home. I never spoke of it, embarrassed or shameful, not sure which but it for sure was not something you announced from the pulpit!!

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more and more aware of how church and society have brain washed me into thinking that I was not enough. The lists at church are endless of things we ‘should’ be doing. The feeling of not fitting in if you didn’t do it all can be suffocating. My life journey brought me here to Utah and to be honest, I’ve grown disillusioned and am disgusted with the ‘rose colored’ glasses, ‘all is well’, ‘just fast n pray about it’ Mormon culture here in Utah.

I’m a very spiritual person but not religious. I am a believer in our equality in a God’s eyes and to be perfectly honest my God does NOT match the LDS Church’s version of God. I believe in a living God that knows me intimately and loves me unconditionally. I am a part of her/him, no excommunication could EVER separate me from him/her!!! I am divine and believe in an all inclusive God not in an exclusive God.

I believe women should be given the opportunity to be ordained should they chose to be.