Doris Hanson, Director, A Shield and Refuge Ministry

Merry Christmas!

Our prayer is for those who are depending upon polygamy as their Savior that they would discover Jesus Christ ALONE is the ONLY Savior. 

May the NAME and the Person of Jesus Christ be made known and glorified to polygamists everywhere this Christmas Season.

We are available to speak to your group about Mormon polygamy.  Just call Doris at 801-649-3103

FROM OUR MAILBOX:

Hi! Guess I should start by saying I am a new Christian and I am always in need of information!

I have a father-in-law who is LDS. As a matter of fact he's the bishop! Since marrying my husband, we receive emails often about the LDS religion & how it's the only true church. Mostly I just disregard and some I can't go without giving at least my opinion on whatever it is at the time. [Sometimes] I want to respond with information and a response that won't put them on the defensive, which they would hear out. I watch your shows and I know that there is a lot of information behind the topic. I would absolutely love any information or pointers on a response you think would be a useful one. Thank you so much for your time! Love your show!!!

POLYGAMY IN THE NEWS

Another tale of tragedy surrounding a polygamist with ties to Utah, the FLDS polygamy group, under-age sexual assault and death.  Fifty-six year old Orson William Black was arrested on suspicion of murder when officials raided his commune after three people were found dead on a ranch in Chihauhau, Mexico. They were all Americans and were possibly two sons and a step-son of Black, none had birth certificates.  Its unknown if Black killed them and if so, what his motive was.  It's not clear if anyone else besides Orson is suspected of the murders.

Because no one claimed the bodies, the U.S. consulate was contacted in order to get information about this polygamy group.

Orson Black left the FLDS polygamy group about 10 years ago.  He fled to Mexico several years ago to avoid charges of child sex crimes when he took two teen age sisters for plural wives.  He was also charged with illegal possession of wildlife and human smuggling.  Mexican officials said the raids turned up 65 stuffed animals or animal heads and frozen animal carcasses.

Black had four wives and a concubine who were also arrested along with 26 American citizens, who were illegal immigrants in Mexico that were living on his property.

He claimed to be King David reincarnated and that he could turn rocks into gold.   He reportedly left the FLDS community and struck out on his own after refusing the follow the current prophet in all things.  There are some who remember that he may have also been miffed because he hadn’t been named as their prophet.

Black was recently released: no agency would extradite him and none of his former child-brides would testify against him.  This is polygamy!

ELECTION RESULTS:  Donia Jessop was elected mayor of Hildale, Utah and is the first female elected in that community to serve in government.  Although she is a polygamist, she does not rule from the pocket of a so-called polygamist prophet.  Hopefully she will initiate positive changes in the politics of this formerly patriarchal controlled theocratic government.

Stories of People We've Helped

In this space are stories of some of the people and families that A Shield and Refuge Ministry have helped escape from polygamy. Real names places and dates are changed to keep the privacy , confidentiality and safety of those we’ve helped.  

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I received a phone call one evening from a plural wife who was still in one of the polygamy groups. She asked me if she decided to request our help for her escape, what exactly could we or would we do for her.

As is always the case, women in polygamy groups are afraid to talk, from the cradle they are warned not to give out information about their polygamy or what is happening in the polygamy group’s daily and business affairs.

I asked her some questions but couldn’t get her to give a lot of details.  I did find out that she had one child, she was 20+ years old, she was married to a relative (most likely a ½ brother), she was unhappy and was seriously considering running away.

I explained that we would help her escape, we would pick her up and place her in a safe and secret location, and we would continue to help her for as ‘long as it takes’ after she left.  We would help find resources for her and her child - in other words, we would do everything we could to help her get a new life outside of polygamy and at the same time keep her safe from those who would pursue her.

I asked what she meant when she said “if I decide to leave,” why would she decide not to leave?  She answered the typical answer that someone from a polygamy group would say: “I don’t want to go to Hell.”

The rest of the conversation consisted of the Biblical doctrine of salvation explaining that polygamy was no one’s ticket into Heaven.  We discussed several doctrinal issues, and of course, she wasn’t fully convinced of the truth of everything I was saying, but she was beginning to have serious doubts about polygamy for salvation. We ended the conversation when she said she’d think about these things, and call me back another time.

The next day she called, there was an odd background noise which I couldn’t identify. After hearing what she said, I was able to understand what had happened. She told me she was sorry that she called me the night before. That she really was very happy where she was at and truly did not want to leave. She wouldn’t call me again, and was sorry she had called the first time.

I knew immediately what had happened, they had monitored her cell phone, discovered her call to me and forced her to call me back and recant everything she had told me. I knew at that point I had lost her.

I called and left her a message, explaining I fully understood what had happened, but reminded her to please remember that at any time in the future, if she needed or wanted our help, just call. That was the last I heard from her.

This story screams of the abuse, oppression, imprisonment and threats to those who are born and raised in polygamy.  I gave her the nickname “Nikki”.  Please pray for her.

MORMON POLYGAMY HISTORY

There were whisperings now of a most fearful doctrine, calculated not only to strike terror into the hearts of those whose faith was weakening, but even to shock with a sense of horror those who only heard of it from afar — I mean the doctrine of the Blood Atonement. The Saints had all along been taught to distinguish between murder and the shedding of innocent blood--the former being spoken of as a crime for which atonement might be made, but for the latter there was no repentance on earth — it was an unpardonable sin. They were also taught to distinguish carefully between sins which might be forgiven, and sins for which pardon was impossible.

Now the difference between murder and shedding innocent blood is this: — the latter is the crime of killing a Saint, which can never be forgiven, but by the death of the transgressor; but the former is of quite a different character. To murder a Gentile may sometimes be inexpedient, or perhaps even to a certain extent wrong, but it is seldom, if ever, a crime, and never an unpardonable sin.

A friend of mine was in a state of apostasy. The Bishop went to her to expostulate, and told her that if he were her husband he would get rid of her and take away her children as well— he would not on any account live with her.

"Perhaps," she said, " you would not allow me to live at all.'"

"Certainly not," he replied. "I would think about as much of killing you or any other miserable Apostate as I would about killing a cat. If Brigham Young were to tell me to put you to death I would do it with the greatest of pleasure; — and it would be for your good, too."

Thus, when the famous Revelation on Polygamy says that a man cannot be pardoned for shedding innocent blood, it does not mean that he cannot be pardoned for murdering a Gentile or an Apostate; for that, under some circumstances might even be meritorious; but that the murder of a Saint by one of the brethren cannot under any circumstances be forgiven on earth, and that his only chance of forgiveness lies in his own blood being shed as an "atonement."  

Note: “Saints” = faithful Mormons.  Gentiles = non-Mormons.    

~  To be continued next month
Tell It All, by Fanny Stenhouse, pg 311

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We are always interested in what our readers and supporters find interesting regarding the topic of polygamy.

If you have a particular question, or would like information on a news event or topic relating to polygamy, or have a concern, we invite you to send your request to us via email:  doris@shieldandrefuge.org We also like to receive suggestions for topics to cover on our weekly internet and Roku broadcasts. Feel free to let us know what’s on your mind.

Also, if you know anyone who is in polygamy who has questions or may want to escape, they can contact us at:  Toll free:  1-877-425-9993

VISITING THE FLDS POLYGAMOUS COMMUNITY:

	We recently completed a visit to the twin polygamous cities of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona. We were hosted by Gayle and Glenda Kunz, a Christian couple living in and ministering the True Gospel to the community through the Shortcreek Family Services ministry.   Thanks to friends of the ministry who traveled there and back with me, we were able to take a truckload of donations to those in need. Some photos of our visit:
	Visiting Warren Jeffs old and HUGE personal home where many terrible things were done in God’s name. Above every doorway is a sign printed with the word “ZION”.
	Notice the brick chimney inscribed with “Pray and Obey.”
	With some of the children in special therapy classes.  A couple of years ago these children would have run from strangers in terror. Now, they were all very curious, sweet and loving toward us.
	An eight year old girl asked Stacey if she could “fix” her hair, she did fix it “FLDS” style! What fun to watch her weave the intricate braid in just a few short minutes.
	Just a few short years ago, no child in this community would have been allowed to run and play like this, especially with non-members. A very dear friend and I visited this community just a couple of years ago.  At that time the children ran from us in terror.  Now they play with us!  What a change God is making as Christians minister to these precious souls.

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