Meet The British Mormons | Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over

foreign [Music] the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often known as the Mormon church has over 16 million members worldwide their belief that Jesus appeared in America after the crucifixion has attracted both criticism and ridicule with a huge business Empire questions have also been raised about the church's financial and political ambitions in the UK there are nearly 200 000 British Latter-day Saints [Music] I'm on my way to Greater Manchester it's finds out why one British family have dedicated their lives to serving this controversial religion I haven't been to church in probably [Music] 25 years maybe when it comes to religion I don't believe in Gods I'm hoping this family are quite open and they're willing to talk me through everything and you know explain very clearly why this works for them thanks to you okay Preston's live on a quiet and pleasant Suburban street so far so normal [Music] hi nice to meet you thank you so much Lindsay thanks for having me you're very welcome hello hi are you okay hello I'm Stacy nice to meet you today nice to see you Mike nice to meet you what's your name Adam Charlie I'm JJ nice to see you all oh my God you're all so alike like carbon copies [Music] I'm sure it's a bit weird for you guys I always think that way to the family say yes like when we ring and say can we come and stay with you but why have you said yeah come in come hang out with us I think it's a good chance for us to talk about the things that we believe and you know to share that with other people and hopefully a slightly less scary environment than going knocking on people's doors or I mean I've met Mormons before am I okay to call you Mum yeah of course we we use as different terminology these days we the Church of Jesus Christ right of Latter-day Saints which is it's a long thing to say so it is hard can I set your code so can I get your drink that'd be ace thank you so much so what would you like to drink I don't have to your coffee no why don't you have to your coffee um because our health code at church we don't smoke we don't drink we don't drink tea or coffee and they're just not good for the body really okay I'll have some water so yeah so it's always been a way of life bow yeah my mum was a convert to the church and so I was raised in the church and Mark's parents and Grandparents were converts and so he was raised in the church as well so and if you've always always been religious since you were born yeah drilled into us from a young age what what are the differences for somebody who knows so little about um you know the church it's not that different just try and it's trying to be good really I was like yeah we we we're trained to follow Jesus Christ example a little of our neighbor to to try to find ways to help people be kind be tolerant yeah is it a commandment not to swear yeah ridiculate to not take the lord's name today I'm going to try my absolute best but sometimes I say oh God or things like that mouth is like a sewer this is good for me it's good for me okay well if I could just show you where you're going to be safe yeah perfect perfect this is Adam's bedrooms giving me your room it never looks like this yeah it's from that kid yeah I know I'm really surprised oh you love United he does so there's clean towels in the bathroom for you this I wasn't sure if you have toothpaste there's toothpaste there's shampoo whatever you need is in there thank you that Mark is the MD of an electrical components company while Lindsay is a stay-at-home mum the boys grew up in the area attending the local school first impressions they're a sweet family I think they're sweet kids as well I'm really interested in hearing how you balance a sort of typical normal Teenage life with being a responsible religious individual I can imagine that's hard at times oh look at this Lindsay okay if you want to sit down as a guest I think it's important to honor the rules of a household that doesn't stop me from putting my Unholy foot thank you ever so much nice look at this we're just gonna we're gonna bless the food oh my God okay I should have told you before that but yeah don't worry it's only crisp it's fine I'm almost horrendous guess anymore father we thank you that Stacy was able to come here today safely and that we're able to meet her and we think to eat this food and help us to all enjoy the rest of our evening in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen okay there you go well I try not to drop any more clangers I learn the family have Friday night plans where are we going tonight so there's it's it's kind of a Youth Event so the kind of the areas of the church that are close by they kind of take it in turns to hold one of these events dances so is this all through the church yeah so tonight we're going to Huddersfield nice so it's like a youth event for Mormon children yeah so are you looking forward to the dance Charlie yeah I came back with my cousins pretty much the guys can just get together and meet with friends so it's Martin just a party when all drinking oh [Music] an alcohol-free party in a church Hall might not be the average teenager's idea of a great night out hi hi surprised that just how Lively it turns out to be crazy busy oh wow attending are over 150 church-going kids aged between 14 and 18. it is the most innocent situation I've seen in a long time there's a Tuck Shop you know there have been soft drinks and they're all dancing around to very sort of pleasant inoffensive pop songs I don't probably come to something like this when I was 12 30 17 no chance I was down the town like proper town when I was 17. I was clapping when I was 15. sticking socks down my padded bra that I'd Rob from CNA you know this was not what I was doing no [Applause] the church has strict rules regarding Chastity I.E no sex before marriage lots of Adam's closest mates aren't with the church so I'm curious how he copes with the restrictions Anthony told me through the dating scene here like how does it all work it's not they make it seem like it's different but it's really not too dissimilar like just like a standard date or attempt to cinema yeah literally it's just the same like all my good mates it's just been the same as me other than your drink or obviously a few other stuff but she and you say they're obviously other stuff um I suspect they have some of them have been a bit more intimate with the girls yeah that's the main thing is that something that you think about do you feel a bit gutted that you can't participate honestly yeah yeah everyone's gonna feel like that nobody like all right it's just it's the way you've made it it's a natural feeling so so you need to wait until you find a girl that you're willing to marry before you can think about having sex exactly how does it to stick to your guns depends what situations you get yourself into room right yeah it can be hard because that is honestly nothing else except me but that's natural that's the only thing but sandwich me I suppose yeah [Music] resisting temptation is high on the church agenda as well as forbidding sex before marriage passionate kissing is discouraged masturbation is considered a Temptation Of Satan I'm left wondering what else there might be about the Church of Jesus Christ that Adam might be struggling with thing [Music] it's Saturday morning and I'm waking up in the Preston household last night I went to a church dance designed to help teenagers meet other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I'm tired of Silence it catches up doesn't it yeah the kids were so sweet they came up banding over to me [Music] young people are expected by the church to help spread their version of Christianity around the world I'm wondering how this might impact Lindsay's eldest son Adam who I feel may be struggling with some of the church's restrictions turns out he's gone to play football Adam plays for the under-19's local Waterloo team and Mark manages the team and it's the last game of their season today it's a big part of all of our Lives it kind of that in church really football Church football Church yeah [Music] Emily are involved in activities both in and out of the Church community Adam is the soul Latter-Day Saint in his team but only recently has his faith started to make him stand out from the crowd so how long have you guys known Adam for I went primary school with him so I've known him for quite a while actually we're both like FIFA so we'll play all the time yeah he's good at it as well glad to not drink not smoke not have sex not do anything that way with the with a girl very hard because everyone around is doing it I don't know it does it at all would you struggle Finn honestly it wouldn't be a good moment I don't think so [Music] I was planning on joining his mates at Uni changes in the air So Adam um finishes College in a couple of weeks and he's decided to serve a mission for church for two years wow so how do you feel about that well for young men in the church it's really important that they serve a mission what does that means so he will go and volunteer for two years um anywhere in the world it can be the remissions all over the world in Africa Russia Hong Kong and the apostles will decide where to send that person it's a really difficult thing to do because as you know not a lot of people are interested in religion and it's getting less so and I get approached all the time sometimes I knock on the door yeah my mum used to say don't know it's probably quite hard to say being sent off on a mission sounds kind of exciting until you hear the finer details what will happen when he gets there they're out from 10 till nine at night so they get a short break for lunch and then an hour spreading the university yeah when they're on a mission they kind of they won't take the phone with them they won't have contact they won't use social media you'll just have a mission phone that is used to contact his mission president or with the other missionaries and the members but he won't be going on Twitter and checking the sports news which is going to be a massive thing for him to give up he has to sacrifice all of that yeah yeah is that unnecessarily strict or do you think I don't think so I think whilst it's hard and and it is a struggle but but for those that do it it's a massive growth experience for them was it his decision it absolutely is we would always say to him it is completely our choice it has to be our choice so it's quite an exciting time in our family wow that's huge yeah I mean a huge Revelation that Adam's going on this mission for two years you know this isn't about him going on a gap year and living his best life this is about him sacrificing and being selfless in his mother's words such an enormous ask I think of the young kids and making it your life goal to convert people to your faith to be able to execute that You've Really Got to Believe In what you're preaching I imagine sending young people out on recruitment drives around the world is vital for the church to prevent their numbers from falling Adam will soon start attending missionary school and learn how to recruit new church members from the street hiya how are you have you ever spoken on missionaries by chance well could we pass along a card at least it's really helped our lives and that's why we want you to have that as well they these two overseas missionaries currently lived in Manchester agreed to meet hi Hi how are you very well how are you doing I'm Stacy nice to meet you nice to see you nice to meet you how'd you do good where are you from from Idaho oh yeah in the states I'm from Ghana I'm amazing and how's it been for you it's good to be here and to serve other people so I love it and how do you tend to operate I'd say a good conversation is when someone will sit and talk to you for about 10 or 15 minutes and and they want to meet up with us again a bad conversation could probably be them screaming at you screaming yeah or they won't talk to you at all I don't talk to you so Adam is you've just signed up to be a missionary yeah yeah so I guess we're just hoping to Shadow you if that's cool sure thing yeah okay cool Adam you've got to see if you've got this in you [Music] right hi Miss how are you no have you ever met us before have a great day [Music] hello how are you have you spoken to missionaries before no all right enjoy your day though what's your knees do in action Are you full of dreads or are you excited I don't feel any Creator or anything like that it's whatever happens this is how it was meant to be so if you get punched in the face by a drunk angry man yeah I'm not sure I'll let her go down hey ma'am how are you I've got to say this is my worst nightmare it's probably the hardest job in the world though white people keep making new Bibles all the time like this one these new words are there new stuff very good question while away missionaries will spend all day 365 days of the year studying and spreading the word of the Gospel permitted to call home once a week [Music] not everyone does the distance well have a great day yeah the number of missionaries returning home early has increased dramatically there's many of them citing mental health issues what's the hardest part of being away from home for so long um I do miss my family and I would want to go back and spend some time with them but I know this is important and you say it's really important why why do you have to be here doing what you're doing why I'm here is because I've seen the blessings that come from the message that we share with people do you really believe that in your gut in your heart yeah yeah I do not now I'm brainwashed like that but I've seen it I've experienced it in my own life well critics what for news that profession won't they they're brainwashed these kids have been manipulated they've been molded I guess you know 19 20 year olds 18 year olds just living their whole life behind just to come do something like this to the outsider is crazy you know but I don't think I've been brainwashed [Music] yours is crunch I left those in a little bit longer honestly the garlic bread some like it crunchy some don't like it crunchy seriously I had on you're a good friend attending it yeah learning to disconnect from family is one of the toughest tests for young missionaries the heavenly father we're grateful for the many blessings they were having but the trial of overcoming the isolation is considered key to cementing a relationship with God we say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen thank you ever so much Linds thank you so Stacy yeah when you're growing up it is your your parents religious at all or Kelly I suppose I've got quite a complicated relationship with religion generally speaking if there was this sort of other being looking after us or why is there so much pain it's good it's good to be curious what are your thoughts on bigger topics like you know homophobic um rhetoric yeah I mean what's your Church's take on things like that so we we're not we're not homophobic but there are things that if you were practicing that lifestyle you you couldn't be baptized because you're not living the standard of morality that we would expect um but there are gay members of the church and and as long as they aren't practicing and that then everything Remains the Same so if you're a Mormon and you're a gay man yeah if you were to be married would it be okay to go on and have sex no still not we don't recognize marriage between same-sex couples we believe as part of the Ten Commandments that yeah marriage is between a man and a woman suppose for me that feels like quite a stone age mentality because I think Love Is Love and I think on the one hand the church says you know you love you don't judge but actually we sort of do judge a little bit if you're gay yeah you don't want to be on before but do you no and I honestly don't dolphin sounds yeah the church came first it does I can see why it might come off but it's an eternal principle it's not something you choose no it's nuts you don't make a change it's just in your brain right if there is this God that loves us all unconditionally does he really care if a lad snug in another Lads like has he not got bigger things to worry about exactly it's not really a problem we do believe that we were sent here to to kind of be tried and tested and it's not going to be easy we believe that the majority of the of the world will go to heaven that there will be different maybe levels don't understand it that's the thing it makes serious sense the reason you give that struggish reasons there are some things we don't understand fully and we might not what we trust we trust that we have a profit like it made us our weapons to be here we are yeah how do you meet gay people and say but you can't really begin yeah that's such a good point and I'm certain you know when you're out on the streets trying to convince people that Mormonism is true and right for everyone they're going to say to you will I have an issue with homophobia how are you going to respond because it sounds like you echoed that thought you've asked a problem even if I knew God was real I wouldn't kind of want to be a part of that if he was homophobic because you don't kind of want to be are you two sing -sex relationships we are in different places you know and I think actually Adam probably sides with me on that topic I get the feeling that there are times where Adam questions his faith and I think that's a healthy thing to do [Music] you know I don't think you should follow things blindly and just accept everything that you're told and fed [Music] do I just follow those in the boot ad two weeks time Adam Will finds out where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be posting him for his two-year mission [Music] it could be anywhere in the world Russia China Zimbabwe or Northern England he has no say in the matter hello how are you wherever Adam ends up Dad Mark wants him to look the part so what works for you so yeah something conservative but it can also look nice there's nothing wrong with that yeah yeah you'd much rather get approached by us want a nice fitted suit that looks good than just someone in a massive random sequence you won't just have a massive random suit but it's not about the clothes you wear I can't help like we've set up five times but you're going teaching people about the gospel and about Jesus how do you not agree I sense there's a difference of opinion I think this looks Smart in a clean suit and you'd rather be approached by someone who looks smarter it's we think that to have our young men kind of address similarly and to not have a really really nice flash suit detract from the kind of message that they're trying to give I don't think it's faster though smart I feel like your dad's saying it's important to come across as being grounded and humble and I look all right that makes sense you look more than all right you're gonna look great you look Fab yeah yeah try it on quickly then but yeah let's see it anyway that'll be good Adam's commitment to a mission is a huge deal for his parents and I've been wondering just how much of the decision to serve was his was he gently nudged or has he come to this conclusion himself even from primary so primary at church you know three years old we sing songs one of them is is called I hope they call me on a mission so yes there's there's some encouragement it's what we hope for we know that it's a blessing in his life it'll be a blessing in our life so yeah there's the gentle nudging but it has to be his choice oh my word see I love it out it's a really really nice suit just unfortunately it's um it's not right for your mission the attention will be drawn to the suit it needs to be drawn to the kind of message okay Primary School it's been exposed to the idea that going on a mission is the right thing to do so was it really his decision it doesn't sound like you're desperate to sort of leave home for two years because you think you'll benefit greatly they are probably will as well but that's kind of a bonus I suppose that's what my secondary isn't it yeah I think I think the best mindset to have is to want to help other people are you going because you want to help others or are you going because you think your parents would be delighted if you did that's actually it sounds I know my parents will be happy but I don't care about that honestly at this stage in my life with a choice like this I don't to put it bluntly I don't care what they say if I can give up that bit of time in my life to kind of change somebody's life I suppose for the better then I think it's probably worth it it may be that you go out there and and you totally love it or you might get there and think this isn't working for me yeah not everybody's capable of that I suppose but stuff to see if I am really and hope that I am definitely father for that we're able to get everything done today that we needed to do and they're able to stay safe in the process having grown up in a household that was far from God-fearing it's hard for me to understand what a 17 year old would sacrifice two years for any religion amen right guys get ready it's Sunday morning and everyone is busy getting ready for church [Music] even me when I was 17 Sunday mornings were probably a tight right off I certainly wasn't getting up to go to church [Music] it's probably calling out the bed at 3pm come on then Jay you're a vision thank you [Music] the Church of Jesus Christ has built lavish temples all over the world funded largely by members who are expected to donate 10 of their income this gives the church an annual revenue in the billions and being a religion it operates tax-free with little accountability of how it spends its members money [Music] the service being held today is in a chapel and in far more humble surroundings foreign Latter-Day Saints are essentially Christian but in their version Jesus continued his teachings in America after his resurrection these new scriptures were compiled as the Book of Mormon first published in the 19th century in New York the church has since been converting people to what they consider to be the only true word of God the Prestons are clearly model followers of the Faith with the whole family involved in the service good morning brothers and sisters it's good to see you all here on this sabbath morning I will first hear from Brother Adam Preston good morning brothers and sisters my talk today is based on whatever the Ballard talks from our general conference entitled the true pure and simple Gospel of Jesus Christ so some aspects of the church don't sit right with me a lot of what I'm hearing seems to come from a good place we keep doing our best I try to help people then allies will be better for it will be blessed and so will dares of the religion that I get and I sort of echo you know the idea of being charitable and not putting yourself first all the time and being kind and just trying to be a decent person with like a moral compass I think everyone wants to be a bit more like that right [Music] Adam wants me to meet someone who's been crucial in making up his mind to become a missionary so you were the deciding factor Mark tell me and you've convert it yes yeah so you were born into religion for 12 years I was stuck in addiction what was that what were you struggling with mainly amphetamine when you were using every day oh yeah I was just living under a tap Hall and you know just on the street just in the woods did you or did missionaries approach you you know a few exchange of pleasantries they finished with um can we give you this book which was the Book of Mormon all I want is some self-respect back all I want is to be part of a community and the moment I've turned to heavenly father in Jesus Christ he's given me those ten pounds impressive story and he did the help me out quite a lot to be fair we've moved my mind up if I was going to go on a mission or not I believe we all have a calling and if mine was just without them should go keep doing what you're doing go out and find people like who I was you can make the difference [Music] Mark's tale is truly touching a success story of Street recruitment for the church equally important to converting people is preventing young members from straying [Music] [Applause] back at the Preston households I'm confronted by an army of extended family so Mark tell me who's who so this is my brother Matt how are you Matt nice to see you and this is his wife Naomi and these are all your children so you've got eight kids yes eight eight yeah it's more in the Army than me it must be absolutely exhausted how are you nice to see you I see you at church earlier and this is your dad how are you thank you are you okay Adam's Grandad is perhaps his biggest supporter for his commitment to the church when he told me because he came here with a suit up he knows I'm dead so he leaves over to my ear he leaves always and your heart what started to cry Adam's not the only member of the family about to leave home to spread the faith his cousins Jake and Camilla will also shortly be going on missions so Camilla you're going on your mission yeah tell me where you're going um so I'm going to the Alpine German speaking Mission what's the overriding emotion probably excitement at this stage I think as it gets closer then it'll probably turn into a little bit of nervous nervousness how are you feeling um just nervous because I have no idea where I'm going like Camilla Knowles could go anywhere I'm feeling quite apprehensive how are you feeling listening to your cousins claima makes it better to be honest it kind of reassures me a bit that I've made the right decision I think am I making you cry you're getting upset come talk to us why are you getting upset oh just I'm really proud of them I think it's a massive an acid thing that they sacrifice a lot to go and also I've watched not just Adam but these guys grow up and they're in my family and uh but it does reassure me the way it reassures Adam that they thought that they're doing it all together is a really really wonderful example to welding masses of younger cousins that they have I'm Gonna Leave a big hole in the family all of them it's astonishing how all-encompassing the faith is within the family generation after generation fulfilling an obligation to the church and if it's a blue I'm going to come into this setup and try and figure out where it's coming from I think it's fair to say that Lindsay probably is the driving force I mean she's so desperate to make sure that all of her kids are on the same page her religion is her life I think Lindsay thinks that if Adam goes on this Mission or will be well and and she believes in he will have this Epiphany all be clear and he'll come back recharged and a man which is what uni does for so many people and parents break the heart when the kids leave for uni the difference is they can pick up the phone whenever they want you know and they can still have a somewhat normal life [Music] how would you feel about having a a go at just staying a little short prayer yourself uh yeah yeah okay everyone close your eyes dear heavenly father um thank you ever so much for bringing me to this family I've really enjoyed myself um I really do I've been with the Preston family for two days now and I'm still a little baffled about what makes their faith in the church so strong in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen right okay night not too late it's Seminary our Lindsay firmly steers the Family Market time seems almost apologetic about the determination of his faith you and Lindsay have been together for such a long time yeah I can imagine you've had the highest of hires and the lowest of lows right that's life that's love that's what relationship looks like there are things that happen which kind of make or break a marriage and and we were we were kind of maybe not desperate but we were ready to start a family and um Lindsay had quite a lot of miscarriages and then we were finally kind of lucky enough for Lindsay to keep a pregnancy um but unfortunately after seven months um Clara was still born so which was horrendous you know it's the the worst thing that could ever happen thank you but that was your first baby yeah yeah I remember being in the hospital room I remember that the nurse is being so kind I remember them rapping Clara in a blanket and you know as being able to hold her we believe that children um can't sin so children just go immediately to heaven to the highest parts of heaven so it's so important for us as a family to live the way that we believe is right to ensure that that we can be with her again so that Linds and I with that when you believe that 100 knowing that that she is there waiting for us and she will be ours and that she will be part of our family uh have a photo in my wallet I've heard so she's just I guess it's it helps you to understand why this this feeling of this this concept of Eternity means so much to us I I I see that very clearly now [Music] my father thank for that I'll be able to enjoy the weekend and get through everything with why to get through it I think for lots of other people death is very final and I've met people who have lost babies in the past and what breaks their heart is the idea that they're never going to be able to hold their baby again or watch their child grow and so the idea that they collectively believe that they're able to see baby Clara again it does fill them with hope and comfort in the name of Jesus Christ amen they're lucky because they do believe that they will get another chance [Music] and I think that's probably what's pulled them through [Music] I've mixed feelings about my stay the heavenly father pleased I can see why the Church of Jesus Christ attracts criticism it's rigid guidelines and emphasis on conversion seem geared as much towards financial gain as [Music] spirituality but for families like the Prestons it offers hope and I'd like to think their wishes come true I've had the loveliest weekend actually with you guys and it's you know it's given me a lot to think about and I've learned loads and so thank you ever so much for having me actually you're very welcome it's been lovely to have you it's been a real different weekend it has caused us to kind of and verbalize things that we think about it forces us to kind of look a bit deeper into ourselves so yeah it doesn't change my belief at all because I don't think anything can change that um but it's been good so to think about it more and to be forced to think about it more like that yeah it's good to have these conversations otherwise you never know you never know where you sit that's why it doesn't mean how you feel now will always be how you feel as you have different life experiences and your life changes over over time things matter more our matter last and I'm sure at some point some other members of our church even if it's missionaries we'll find you at some point do you reckon yeah [Music] he'll soon discover where in the world he'll be sent to become a missionary I'm Donna find out where he ends up is desperate to go to a country in Africa um but it might end up in Leeds so it might be um a bit anticlimactic might be a bit underwhelming yeah that's for you if you want to take it anyway it's my first book of Mormon you'll be surprised to hear thank you so much gang bye Adam let me know where you end up mission [Applause] thank you [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Origin

Views: 204,069

Keywords: origin, full documentary, documentary, full documentaries, real life stories, real life, Full episode, stacey dooley, stacey dooley sleeps over, stacey dooley upper class, family documentary, bbc, itv, sleeps over, rich family, expensive, royal, the royals, upper class, elite class, british upper class, british royals, british elite, stacey dooley show, stacey dooley documentary, mormon, amish, mormonism, british mormons, uk mormons, missionary, mormon mission, religion

Id: Ow1XtTEhBaI

Length: 42min 8sec (2528 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 08 2023