As the COVID pandemic begins to slow in Spring of 2021, we are seeing a surge in vocal Mormon church members being summoned to disciplinary councils for excommunication on the charges of apostasy. Last week Natasha Helfer was excommunicated from the Mormon church for nothing less than advocating for ethical mental health and sexuality.
Today we interview Neesha and Kyle Brost, who were recently threatened with excommunication by their Mormon leaders for posting videos to their very popular TikTok channel.
This is Neesha and Kyle’s Mormon Story
Hi Kyle, I have had ulcerative colitis for close to a decade now. I can’t imagine trying to deal with that on a mission, especially with the limited medical treatments available at the time. Happy to hear yours in remission. Best wishes for that to continue. My has been manageable for years now, thanks to Asacol and then Lialda. I haven’t had Predisone for a very long time, which I’m grateful for.
Thank you! Biologics worked phenomenally for me, for which I am incredibly grateful. So glad to hear that you have found ways to manage yours as well.
This is one of the best and most important MSPs ever!!! I wish the church would wake up to what their centuries-old teachings on sexuality, particularly masturbation, have done to people. I am in my sixties and my life was put on a bad trajectory by the time I was 16 because of this and it never really recovered. Relationships and marriage were sabotaged because of this. Finally at this stage of life I found good therapy to help me put it all in perspective.
I mean I discovered masturbation because of how I loved the feeling I got when my good priesthood FATHER touched me like that. Then when I found out I was sinning, the shame consumed me. I was WELL into adulthood before I really realized that my father had sexually abused me. Then that was more shame I carried because I thought that was my fault too. Good god, they finally have people like Natasha Helfer who could help people like us, who dared speak about how many people these teachings have damaged, who could challenge them to do better, and they have to silence her. My life would have been so different if I’d had someone like her to talk to in my youth. Or anytime through my years. Instead my bishops, the only people I talked to, compounded the problems. Thank you Kyle and Neesha for your courage to do what you do. Please people, keep speaking out. For my grandchildren who are now LDS teens!
Thank you for your support and encouragement. Also, for sharing some of your own story here. These things are so important to talk about, so that as you said, we don’t compound the problems, but instead find meaningful solutions.
Given what we now know about who the real Joseph Smith was (someone morally bankrupt who was a criminal, charlatan, scam artist and deceiver) as well as what the ‘church’ really is (an obscenely wealthy, highly corrupt, tax-free real estate corporation masquerading as a religion), being ex’d nowadays is a badge of honor!
Exactly! This is spot-on.
There is so much info about this awful cult, its still head-shaking that people 1) stay in it and 2) join! Unreal.
A very powerful, moving, amazing, loving couple
Thank you, we genuinely appreciate that.
Great interview, thanks very much to all three of you!
One thing though, in the midst of all the conversation about Kyle’s mission, no one ever mentioned where he went. At least I’m pretty sure they didn’t. I know it could be said it doesn’t matter, but as a member listening to people discussing Mormon missions I always think it helps my perspective to know where the mission took place.
Thank you for your support. Kyle served in the Santa Rosa California mission.
Cool. Thanks for responding, although I’m sure no one is still looking at this after a few months.
Coincidentally we have a few things in common.
I went to California too, although So Cal, as I went to the Anaheim mission.
Also, I grew up in northern Oklahoma and we were in a/the Wichita Stake for most of my early years.
This was a very touching, amazing story. I’m the nuanced, still figuring it out Mormon. I’m grateful for how they explained there belief in the church. This was the first time I heard it explained this way and felt I could relate. I was also from a very poor, divorced messed up family. Church and Jesus Christ was everything growing up in my very small Mormon, judging community. I hate that it has to be so hard. Thank for all you do and sharing these stories and especially those who are strong enough to share their story.
Thank you for your support and kind words. It means a lot to know that others can relate to and see themselves in parts of our story. We genuinely wish the best for you in your own journey.
This was a great interview! I’m so happy to see that you guys survived your experience. My marriage did not and I’m glad to see when some people make it through!
Wow! I was in a mixed faith marriage, for about 4 years. I was the believing spouse. One day, I said to myself “do I believe in the church or do I want want to save my marriage?” I picked my marriage! That day I went to my husband and asked him more about why he left. I didn’t know why my husband left. I never asked. I was afraid of what the answer might be. . He didn’t want to tell me because it hurt him so much. And he didn’t know if I would leave him or not. The pain he went through when he found out the truth was unbearable for him sometimes. He has a very high demanding stressful job. So, when he was feeling pain because of the church. He would just tell us he had a bad day! Somedays were pretty bad! At first I was angry he didn’t share what he was going through with me. But, then after talking to him and while I was doing my own research about the church. My journey needed to be mine. I needed to figure things out on my own. I needed to decide if the church was true or not. Not him telling me. I need to start thinking for myself. Because in certain things I wasn’t.
I was able to relate to so much of your life story. It made me realize that I need to work on some of my relationships in my life. I need to try to mend some burned bridges. I’ve been out of the church for 3 years this July. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. But, also one of the hardest and most painful!
Thank you!!!!