Chrisy Ross is a delightful writer, mom, runner, and outdoors aficionado who has lived in an idyllic Mormon town near Salt Lake City since 2002. She and her husband and three sons are not Mormon. And they enjoy their small-town Utah life. Chrisy has written numerous articles for LDS Living about living in Utah as a non-Mormon.
As part of the Mormon Stories Book Club series, Heather Olson Beal—along with readers Brent D. Beal and Rebecca Mauldin—interviews Chrisy Ross about her book, To Mormons, with Love, and about her life as a non-Mormon in Utah.
When Chrisy Ross and her family moved to a small-town LDS community — one she affectionately refers to as Mayberry — she underestimated her readiness as a nonmember for what turned out to be a cultural immersion. Sure, she knew Mormons didn’t drink caffeine (cough), and they never swore (double cough), but life with family-centered folks would be cozy and wonderful. She could smell the fresh-baked bread just thinking about it.
Join her as she honestly, humorously and lovingly describes her quest to find someone with a real panty-line problem, requests her LDS friends baptize her — after she dies — and considers her dad’s suggestion to become a Jack Mormon. Although not a convert after reading the literature, Chrisy develops an understanding and respect for a widely misunderstood religion and has found a comfortable spot in her town, the community and the culture.
To read more of Chrisy’s work, click here.
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One Response
It’s very interesting to hear about this experience. It is the complete opposite of mine. My family is the only Mormon family in our town. My children are the only Mormons at school. Our lifestyle is so much more conservative than even the most conservative non-Mormons around. Often, abiding the social norms would be against the standards we’ve coveneted to live by. It is sometimes difficult to feel like we fit in. On the hottest summer day, I am the only woman in the group with sleeves and long shorts (and therefore the sweatiest). We are the only couple at the party without a drink. Sometimes, I want to accept the coffee offered by hospitable folks just to signify that I accept their kindness and want to be a part of them, but so far I haven’t.