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My Husband and I moved to a place south of Salt Lake City in 1992. He was an active Mormon and I was one of five non-Mormon residents living in this small town. We rented a house from a married Mormon couple who were going on a mission for a year.
During our first week there my husband was out of town and the ladies of the church came over to introduce themselves. They appeared very friendly and offered to be there for me if I needed anything since my husband would be doing a lot of traveling. We had a very nice visit and I was happy that I had made some friends so fast.
They asked me if I would be working or staying home. I told them I was studying to be an herbalist specializing in Chinese Herbs. A few weeks past and I hadn't heard from any of them.
Almost everyday I walked my dog around the neighborhood and would sometimes see one or two of the women who had visited me drive by. I'd smile and wave, but they acted like they hadn't seen me when I know they did.
Six months went by during which time I was extremely depressed, always ill and on a lot of medication. My husband was away three weeks out of every month and I had no friends because I was being shunned by the whole town.
One day I received a phone call from one of the women who had greeted me to the neighborhood that first week we moved in. She wanted to come over to talk. When she arrived she first apologized for not calling sooner and wanted to tell me about it. She asked if I wondered why no one had ever called me since that visit six months ago. Of course, I said, and wanted to know what was going on. She said the town thought I was a witch. I asked her if she meant that they thought I was a witch witch, the kind who does black magic. She nodded then told me that the previous bishop declared that anyone who uses herbs is doing the work of the devil and everyone in the church will have nothing to do with them except pray for their soul.
When I heard this I moved to Salt Lake City to live with my mother-in-law even though we still had a few months left on our lease. Shortly after leaving that small town my depression and all of my illnesses went away and I no longer had to take medication. When my husband's work commitment to the company in Salt Lake City was over, we left Utah.
Page Modified: August 7, 2003