Today I am so excited to share my interview with the incredible Lexi McDonald – YouTube’s ExMo Lex! Tune in as we discuss Lexi’s personal Mormon story, her faith transition away from the LDS church, and the birth of her highly successful Social Media platform, ExMo Lex.
Despite a happy facade, Lexi struggled with anxiety and perfectionism as many young LDS people do. Subjected to the lessons specifically directed towards LDS teen girls hyper-focusing on modesty and sexual purity along with the belief that LDS men who serve missions were always trustworthy, Lexi blames herself when she is assaulted as a teen by a returned missionary. This turns into hyper-vigilance as a newlywed and mother, even going as far as to use a marker to “censor” cleavage on cartoon characters on a family board game!
Things started to unravel for Lexi when a trusted Bishop is arrested for sexually assaulting minors in her ward and when a close friend starts questioning the Church. Hoping to help her friend and shore up her own shaken testimony, Lexi starts researching LDS Church history and truth claims with devastating results. An early conversation with her father during this time wakes Lexi up to the harm silence causes and gives her the courage to start speaking out and speaking up.
Find Lexi on Social Media:
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20 Responses
Please keep NuanceHo!! I love her, and I love having a woman’s presence on these podcasts.
Agreed. She is welcome addition!
Also, I can’t get enough of hearing people talk about what a joke FAIRMORMON is. I mean seriously, their apologetics are so absurd I think that site is the ultimate anti-Mormon literature!!
I love this woman. I have seen her videos on Youtube and she has made a huge, positive difference in my life.
What she shows is that Mormons can be quite un-Christian in their own behaviors towards anyone who disagrees with them.
I have seen that myself. I believe the church is not what it says it is. Bottom line.
Former Convert
I really enjoy ExmoLex.
Lexi you are a beautiful person and I enjoyed the interview. However, I think you would benefit greatly from listening to John Larsen’s podcast called how to become an ex ex Mormon. The podcast is on Mormon expressions. Moving on is healthy and necessary. Wallowing in pain and speaking out to get back at your dad isn’t. Your using the same zeal you had in the church to try to get back at it . The faster you move on the healthier you will be
Thank you for the podcast! I find it interesting that some members who leave the Church become atheists or agnostics. One would think that if one believes in Christ as a member, one would also believe in Him as an ex-mo. Or did they only believe in the Church?
Well, a lot of former members not only look into the origins and history of Mormonism, but of Christianity and other world religions too. What they tend to find are that the theological and doctrinal problems that are an issue for Mormonism are also present in all other religions as well. It all starts to look man made whether it be Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Paganism, Satanism or anything in between.
Tina,
On this subject, on my journey, like Lexi, I studied in depth a lot of stuff so that when I found Mormonism was not true, I didn’t stop studying. I took online college lecture courses on the history of the Bible and life of Jesus, taught by professors of top divinity universities. I took a class on Judaism by a professor of Hebrew University in Jerusalem. I found that there was no prophecy in the Hebrew scriptures of the coming of Jesus and that Jews and Christians have different scriptures. If you are not afraid to ready study and learn, you will find that Christianity has similar problems as in Mormonism. There are so many scary scriptures in the Greek (Christian scriptures). Study will show you that Muslims like Jesus and that Muslims believe in the God of the Bible. P.C. Hodgell quote which I follow is: “That which can be destroyed by truth should be.” And good Mormons tell me that if truth destroys your testimony then you should not follow truth.
No one can prove that God does not exist, but no one can prove that God exists either. So my wife and I are agnostics/atheists and will continue to be even though we lost our family and community.
Hi Tina,
It is hard for me to tease out Christ from the LDS church. The only bible I’ve owned had Joseph Smith’s translation written into the verses.
Thank you Lexi for being a validating voice on my journey. I’m still bitter, as well, but I know it’s part of my processing and I know I won’t be in this place forever -but I still need to go through it. I think your ability to share and be vulnerable is admirable. Your story is similar to my story, bunch of little kids and loads of scrupulosity. I feel like, as parents, we’ve given our kids the best gift by leaving. Keep doing you, boo! Many are living a more beautiful life because of you!
That’s a great quote by j reuben.
“If we have the truth it cannot be harmed by investigation ,
If we have not the truth it ought to be harmed.”
Where is the audio only version?
We need audio version for our long walks / runs !
It’s there now!
Thank you JD!
This was a fantastic interview! Love ExMoLex! I can totally relate to everyone I know telling me that “that’s not how the church is” when it is literally IN THE HANDBOOK! ugh.
Loved Nuanceho’s input! Would love to see her in more interviews!
Will this be released as an mp3 file?
Lexi,
I’m only half way through but this helps me. When my only child (adopted as a baby from the Church) learned from me what i felt, she was like your dad. She later told me that at that moment she cried for days, but she never understood what I went through, losing my community, and after over 40 years as a super-active member, I had no family and friends except Mormons and I lost them. My daughter and her 5 kids are gone. She has blocked phone and e-mail communication.
My wife and I of over 50 years, were both Church employees for a time and receive a pension, which keeps us from resigning and speaking out too much as you do, for fear of losing what little income we have. And as seniors, we are basically internet and computer illiterate. I don’t understand how one subscribe and talks to people in communities. Mormon Stories is our only outlet and I can’t get on Facebook because of having changed our e-mail address and our old password is lost in cyberspace.
Thanks so much for your story. I haven’t been on M.S. much over the past year but will return, John.
I really enjoyed this interview. I found Lexi’s comments to be very thoughtful, truthful and honest. I don’t think she’s getting back at her dad or the church, and to suggest that she is, seems a little too much like trying to silence her.
People who leave the church and have the courage to speak out about the lies taught within it, should be applauded.
Benjamin, Utah?
I know it well. My late husband was born there.(He has been dead for 25 years, and the rest of the family has moved away.) I don’t know if it is still there, but his parents had the huge auction barn and seven acres there. Do they still drive their tractors down main street during Homecoming? They used to when I was going there. I am sure you know Clowards, Lundells, and Wrides who are old timers. I could totally relate to your upbringing, down to the ward house and cemetery. The view from the hill is gorgeous. We used to spend Memorial Day there.
I have been following you on YouTube for several months now, and enjoyed your interview.
Anne Cloward