come, come ye saints

In modern public discourse, there are largely two contrasting depictions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, colloquially known as the Mormon Church: satirical takes on the cultural oddities (such as The Book of Mormon Broadway play or South Park) and polygamist fundamentalists, with little in between except for Mitt Romney, Steve Young, and the Osmonds. I left the faith at 16 and have had to deal with the rift it caused in my family for the better part of half my life. While I have little desire to be affiliated with or connected to a faith which I renounced, I recognize that most of the parts of myself that I consider to be positive character traits come directly from my upbringing within that culture. It was my parent’s values—which in turn were the Church’s values—which helped make me the person I am today. My aim is to bridge the gap between these two extremes and offer a nuanced approach to the culture and social aspects of an oft misunderstood faith. All of the people in these images are my immediate and extended family and have eagerly agreed to participate in my endeavor. Most are devout, some are wavering, and few—if any—have left. Their stance in the church is secondary to their affiliation, which is an identity that cannot be easily shed, no matter how far one wishes to stray from the church and its culture. While I do not partake of the sacrament, nor did I go on a mission, I will inevitably always be at least some part Mormon. With these images I aim to be neither Mormon apologist nor critic. I offer no theological answers nor cultural condemnations, and instead urge the viewer to meet these people where they are as friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. The people in these images span from Utah and Arizona down to Chihuahua, Mexico, where there the Mormon Church has a long and vibrant history, much of which is tied to my own family history. Hopefully those within the church will be able to see themselves, their family, and their peers in these images; those outside of it will hopefully learn something new about their fellow citizens. It is a faith and a culture which exudes Americana and wears it proudly on it’s chest, even though it exists at the edges of what most consider to be “American”.