Utah Expectations by Michael Wojciechowski

When a young man graduates from high school in Utah, he turns in the paperwork to serve a two year mission for the Mormon Church. When a young lady graduates, she finds herself a return missionary to marry. These are Utah Expectations. Samuel and Daniel have always followed the Utah norm. Their devout mother, Grace, taught them early that nothing is more important than following God’s plan. Samuel is currently 18 months into his two year mission, while his younger brother is set to receive his call any day. The problem is both brothers feel something isn’t quite right at the core of their religion. Samuel’s intellectual curiosity, compounded by a ‘Dear John’ letter he receives from his high school girlfriend, compels him to cut short his mission and return home early. Daniel would like to forego the missionary experience, but Grace has convinced him that if he doesn’t serve, God will punish him. The brothers find the strength to question whether God really wants them to be Mormon, but the real test comes when they question the proverbial Utah lifestyle. Utah Expectations is the story of two brothers living in a predominantly Mormon community, and their struggle to accept the possibility that everything they’ve been taught could be false. The story takes a compelling look at the hypocrisy surrounding religion and the people who fall victim to it.