SCOTT GULLEDGE / Scroll
A pile of anti-Mormon literature shows the abundance of material created to inform others of the supposed evils and errors of the LDS religion.

Anti-Mormon literature leads to family breakup

TINA DEAN DEA05004@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

Anti-Mormon literature has been a part of the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since it was first established. Just as early Saints had to cope with the misconceptions of a misinformed public, so do members of the Church 200 years later. 

 For Michelle Bond Hock, a resident of Bountiful, Utah, the affects of anti-Mormon literature are something that her family deals with every day of their lives.

 When Hock first married Kevin Bond in the Salt Lake Temple, it seemed like the perfect relationship. Kevin was a returned missionary whose father worked for the Church Educational System and whose mother was a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He was introduced to anti-Mormon literature by his older brother. 

“I think Kevin thought he was above being affected by [the literature],” Hock said. “He was wrong. Kevin got really into it, trying to explain things away and prove things to his brother. His biggest problem was that he tried to use his intellect and not the Spirit.”

What started out as a determination to prove the literature wrong ended up as the loss of Bond’s testimony of the gospel. He spent years immersed in anti-Mormon literature and the anti-Mormon community. 

“He was profiled in a book entitled something like ‘Ex-Mormons: Why We Left,’” Hock said. 

Bond also sought to lead his small family away from the gospel. 

“He gave me an ultimatum: Stay with him and keep our young family together or stay with the Church. I chose to keep our family together and left the Church. [Our son] Matthew was raised in a home where he went from church to church. His dad was never happy with one for very long,” Hock said. 

Eventually, Hock’s marriage and family life were destroyed. After Bond attempted suicide several times, Hock filed for divorce. Matthew was 12 years old at the time, and had a six-year-old sister named Hannah and a six-month-old brother named Christopher.

Although Hock was not involved in the Church and doubted its truthfulness after reading arguments against Joseph Smith, Matthew decided to take the discussions and was baptized at age 14. His mother attended the baptism and felt the Spirit and agreed to continue meeting with the missionaries to hear the discussions.

“By fall I had accepted the challenge to be re-baptized.  My daughter Hannah and I were baptized on the same day … A little over 4 years ago I remarried.  I had my temple marriage to Bond cancelled and had permission to have my children sealed to us,” Hock said.

Although Hock has found happiness once again in her life, it was not an easy road to travel.

“Rebuilding your testimony, your life in the church, everything is not an easy process.  It takes time and patience and unconditional love and acceptance from those around you.  I feel like I lost 10 years of my life.  Do not take anti-Mormon literature lightly,” Hock said.

Matthew went on to become a missionary in Mexico and now attends the University of Utah.