In today's episode, Edward Nachel shares his firsthand account of serving on the High Council that excommunicated Wade Christofferson (Mormon apostle D. Todd Christofferson's brother) – and the guilt, questions, and reckoning that followed. Edward served in the same ward as Wade and knew him for over twenty-years. We begin with the recent arrest of Wade Christofferson and the allegations that have surfaced, including sexually coded letters and reported searches found on his phone. These are allegations until proven guilty in a court of law. But Edward’s story focuses on something broader: how church disciplinary systems operate, how secrecy functions, and what happens when there are no advocates for victims inside the room. Edward describes being selected for the Disciplinary Council, drawing lots to see who represented the abuser and who represented the church, being sworn to secrecy, the absence of witnesses and the victims, how the final decision was made by the Stake Presidency, and how ward members were never warned. At the time, Edward believed he was “on the church’s side.” Years later, he sees the system differently. This episode is not about attacking faith. It’s about transparency, accountability, and protecting children. Edward openly asks: What could I have done? Why didn’t I do more? And what must change to ensure this never happens again? If you or someone you know has been affected by abuse in a religious setting, you are not alone. Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/mormon-church-hides-wade-christofferson-abuse-enabling-more-abuse/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 - Arrest of Wade Christofferson 00:05:55 - Reaching out to John 00:08:48 - Broad context 00:10:39 - Intentions 00:14:48  - Feeling guilt 00:16:07 - Connections to Wade 00:18:09 - First memories of Wade 00:21:04 - Called into Stake High Council 00:24:31 - First Disciplinary Council 00:28:36 - Arguments for secrecy 00:35:57 - Was the church protected? 00:41:29 - No advocate for victims 00:45:37 - Wade was rebaptized 00:46:22 - Annotated Record 00:49:04 - Steps to get rebaptized 00:57:30 - Child Abusers in the Mental Health Field 01:04:47 - The CES Letter 01:07:50 - Founded in sexual coverups 01:11:53 - Two opposing things 01:19:14 - Advice for the Church 01;20:33 - Arguments for Priest-Penitent Privilege ___________________ At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117