We try to keep our interactions real and honest with them and don't discuss religion with them unless they bring it up. They have done some pretty stinkly things to us and we've confronted them on this as tactfully as possible. Now they are sickingly sweet to us and it borders on the ridiculous.

Why oh why can't they just be NORMAL?

Because they're Mormon, and they're you're in-laws. Mine were the same. Sick-sweet to your face, then talk about you behind your back. It's part of the whole deal where appearances are all that matter, and they're so used to deception that they don't even know they're doing it.

and they think that if they just show you how sweet and wonderful Mormon are, you will be more forgiving and come back to belief. Look at us - we are so sweet. How can you be so hateful to a religion that produces people with such a wonderful image as we are projecting?

I agree - why can't people just be themselves and just be normal.

If they have been Mormons their whole life they were trained for this. I sure saw that sickening sweet speech when the love bombers were after my daughter....All twenty somethings....can't imagine they would ever change decade after decade. Sorry you must deal with that.

family dynamics, and personalities and just being a human being. I have witnessed the sweetness and the back stabbing. Not a one of them were ever Mormons!
It's my experience and observation that it's typical of many families.
Get in line. It happens! Mormons sure don't hold a monopoly on this kind of behavior! :-)
And it gets worse when someone passes away! OH BOY!!

for you to cut contact with them with no warning. Block their calls. Block their e-mails. That sort of thing.