The Mormon Church Called Me Chosen... and Cursed

Ember Hudson shares the deeply personal story of growing up as a Native American woman in the LDS Church, where Mormon teachings about Indigenous people left her struggling with identity, worth, and belonging. Raised between her tribal heritage and a predominantly white Mormon community, she recounts how doctrines surrounding the Lamanites, rac*st interpretations of skin color, and repeated messages that she needed to "repent more" caused years of emotional and spiritual conflict. The conversation also explores the LDS Church's historical treatment of Native Americans, including the Indian Placement Program, cultural assimilation, tokenization, and the lasting impact of portraying Indigenous peoples through the lens of the Book of Mormon. Her story is a powerful examination of reclaiming identity, healing from religious trauma, and rediscovering a cultural heritage that she believes was never meant to be erased. Follow and support Ember! TT:   / wayward_lamanite   @wayward_lamanite also on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. website is: www.waywardlamanite.com Ember’s book “Wayward Lamanite” https://a.co/d/07WMI5OT Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/c4ltycot #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Chapter Marks 00:00:00 – Intro - The Bishop Who Said My Skin Was Becoming "Righteous" 00:02:02 – Growing Up Native American in a White Mormon Ward 00:04:12 – Ember's ChiIdhood and Background 00:07:05 – The Book of Mormon's Claims About Native Americans Begin to Unravel 00:10:33 – When Church Leaders Tied My Worth to Her Skin Color 00:13:13 – The Dark Legacy of the LDS Indian Placement Program 00:17:29 – Living Between Native Culture and Mormon Expectations 00:24:00 – Why She Believed She Was Born Spiritually Behind Everyone Else 00:23:53 – Patriarchal blessing 00:30:32 – Native Spirituality Gave Her More Peace Than Mormonism Ever Did 00:31:34 – Two belief systems clashing 00:34:24 – Ember’s Mother's Conversion and her Family's Mormon History 00:39:14 – How Ember's Mother Becoming Mormon Affected Her Family 00:41:05 – Tokenism, Pageants, and Performing Native Identity for the Church 00:47:36 – The Moment Mormonism Started Falling Apart for Ember 00:48:41 – Deconstruction 00:51:20 – Her Terrifying First Temple Experience 00:53:20 – Leaving the Church to Protect Her Daughter's Identity 00:55:19 – How Ember Has Been Able to Reconnect With Her Culture 00:58:10 – Finding Healing After Mormonism and Reclaiming Her Heritage 01:05:35 — Why She's Finally Speaking Out About Mormonism's Native History 01:10:05 — The Massacres, Cover-Ups, and History Most Members Never Learn 01:20:01 — Linda, listen Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!    / @cultstoconsciousnessclips   Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! https://cults-to-consciousness-shop.f... Patreon   / cultstoconsciousness   Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness   / cultstoconsciousness   Host Instagram @sheliseann   / sheliseann   Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_   / jonathan.rosales_   TikTok @cults.to.consciousness   / cults.to.consciousness   Twitter @cultstocon   / cultstocon   **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**