I’d really love for anyone to come and ask questions about my life as a Mormon woman. Have I been exempt from challenges? No, hardly. The gospel is a resource in times of difficulty and when the fire gets really really hot, not an exemption from those trials. I’ve learned that we don’t need to bow out or duck down but that our testimonies can stand the heat, and I want the world to know that I know who I am, what I stand for, why I stand for it (and what I don’t stand for ).

I’d ask the press to talk with us, individuals, not as official spokespersons, but as real, genuine livers of the faith, to find out what you’d like to know about us. Peer into our lives. Avoid the temptation to share controversy for the sake of hoping you get better bylines or exposure. Find us. Ask us. I’d be happy to talk with you about my life, the temple, my conversion, my faith–as an ordinary member of the Church. Having lived it for 30 years, I have at least one valid perspective.

Thanks for coming. Let me know your thoughts.

Karen