Among the Believers

Growing up in Utah, I wanted to be Mormon. I wasn't.

Every summer, my sister and I looked on as our neighborhood friends prepared for Pioneer Trek, a week-long excursion into the Utah mountains complete with carriages and 19th century Mormon pioneer-era clothing.

“Mom, dad, can I go on Pioneer Trek next month?”

I knew the answer would be no. The answer was always no. I was young, growing up on a quiet tree-…