It's a cold January morning in West Valley City, two weeks after Christmas. In a creaky house on Christie Avenue, Jesus Hernandez is just getting up. He rises from his sagging bed, where his wife and three children are cuddled close to keep warm, and walks quietly across the room, careful not to wake them.
He lights a tin camping stove, the only source of heat in his house, and warms his hands above the small blue flame. In the dim light, he opens the Book of Mormon.
He used to read a lot more, back when he was a missionary in Philadelphia. Now he hardly goes to church. His faith is failing him.
For most of November, Jesus worked for a stucco contractor in Lehi, long hours in the freezing cold. Every paycheck bounced. The same with his dad, and 18 others, all of them Hispanic, all of them in the United States illegally.
It happens all the time — the exploitation of undocumented workers. Too much, Jesus thinks. He's seen the crowds that gather outside the dingy offices of the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City, seeking help. He did as much. His complaint was forwarded to the Utah Labor Commission's anti-discrimination division. For a month, he has awaited their response, and his patience is wearing thin. Today he will call them.......
This is a really rickety, long stretch of an attempt to tie into the LDS Church. The Church is not "a stucco contractor in Lehi". (Oh, and the Church's checks don't bounce either.)
Yes, there are failing businesses in Utah, as there are anywhere else. Yes, there are shady people in Utah, as there are anywhere else. No, it's not an evil conspiracy with the LDS Church at the center.
Sheesh.