Testimony Tuesday with Janet Fox

For this month's testimony, I am straying a little bit from Mormonism. There is deception in many churches and a testimony from a brother or sister in Christ who has been pulled out of that deception by Jesus is important to share. So from time to time, I may post testimonies from other experiences that aren't Mormon-based.  Today I want to introduce you to Miss Janet Fox. 

I am Janet Fox. I am a retired nurse and medical school teacher. After retiring, I dove head first into holistic health and service to others. I started podcasting as a means to reach others, hear their stories and help them heal from traumas, injuries/conditions, and to speak about God’s word and love.  

I was raised in the Catholic Church and Catholic school by nuns and priests. I was taught to be a good and faithful servant and to always obey my elders. To my dismay, during these formidable years, I was never taught the actual scripture. I was never told to memorize a verse or to read the word of God. I was taught to praise and worship the Saints and the Virgin Mary. Indoctrinated  by rituals, and raised up to believe that I was never good enough or worthy enough for God’s love. That no matter what I did, I would never make it to the kingdom of Heaven because I would always be a sinner. That is what I was molded to believe. 

The priest patronizing his flock from the pulpit. Ranting about how we would all wind up in hell for our sins. Teaching on the evils of alcohol, while serving wine from a “sacred” chalice, as he was secretly partaking of alcohol In his spare time and crashing the parish car. 

As I got older, I walked away from “church” as I had known it. I had no relationship with God, and did not know after all of those years what a relationship with Him even was. I did not know his words, nor could I understand what His way meant for my life. Sewing my wild oats, I wandered through life like the prodigal son. Searching relentlessly for something to fill the void in my heart. The complete emptiness was overwhelming.

One day, I broke down in tears and just begged Him to be with me. I prayed for him to know me, and to not forsake me. I asked him for a way out of the loneliness and darkness that was overshadowing my life. I prayed for forgiveness for all of the things that I had done in my life, the disappointing things, the things that I had never even given the second thought about before. Begging for him to send me my other half. My soulmate.

That day, my life changed forever. I was shown his grace and mercy. I was blessed because He loved me. He brought never ending joy into my heart. God heard my prayers and answered them. He brought into my life everything that I was lacking. A sense of peace, a calmness to the storms. I was blessed to be given the love of a partner as well, who would be the spiritual leader of our family. This blessed union led us down a beautiful path of strengthened and renewed faith together. It has brought abundant blessings of a walk in Christ’s love as one. 

This joy for the Lord created a beautiful and fulfilling path. One where God guides us, and calls us to serve and love others, as He loves us. Our lives have been enriched and blessed beyond measure. God has brought so many amazing souls into our lives. He uses me as His vessel, and guides me every day to do His will. He calls me to pray for others, to teach and to guide others come to Him, and to give Him praise and thanks for all He has given us.

 

You can connect with Janet in the following ways:

• @deplorablejanet on Instagram
• @KnowJanet on X (formerly Twitter)
• Email jfoxteach1@gmail.com
• Deplorable Nation Podcast is available on Rumble or all podcast platforms.

    

---

If you have a testimony of how Jesus saved you please consider sharing your story to glorify God. Drop me a line at AwakeOSleeper@currently.com

---

Family Friday ~ Price Polygamy (part 1)

Matilda Kelsey and Robert Price

I am choosing Fridays to talk about my ancestors' Mormon lives to show their mindset when they decided to convert to Mormonism to better understand why they would even consider it. Plus, I think it might be a little therapeutic because I experienced a little anger and disappointment that my 2nd great-grandfathers would even consider polygamy let alone participate in it.

This good-looking couple is my 2nd great-grandparents. When I was a child my grandmother told me quite often that great-grandpa Price used to say about great-grandma, "You could walk the streets of London all day and never find a more beautiful woman." I always thought that was so sweet. When I got older it made me scratch my head a little trying to figure out why he would be so cruel to her and take multiple wives. She died young and I always blamed him because according to even his own writings, she was a frail woman and didn't really like the idea, but what's a young Mormon wife to do but remain obedient.

The following are excerpts from his biography:

Robert had long studied the principle and practice of plural marriage. Despite its clash with current beliefs, he found it amply sustained by the scriptures; and since it was accepted by the Church as a revelation and a commandment, he came to the conclusion, after prayerful consideration, that the Lord had a purpose in revealing it, and that it’s practice in good faith would serve a righteous purpose, though it may involve great trials, and tribulations.

Matilda was very hesitant on the subject, but she was also a faithful Latter-day Saint, and gave her consent. To her it was much easier, knowing Robert had selected Susannah Juchau, the girl who for years had been very close to them, to be his second wife. And once the decision was made, she felt it was completely right.-page 74

There were six years between Robert's first marriage in 1855 to my 2nd great-grandmother Matilda and his second marriage in 1862 to Susannah.

The institution of plural marriage had been a striking and dramatic test to him and both his wives. There had been moments of profound questioning of his own motives. There had been times when fear and doubt had arisen, particularly when he had contemplated his status as it would be regarded by his loved ones in England. Sometimes, he asked himself, could he face his father and justify his actions? Could he face his mother? There had been moments when he admitted it would be hard. Nevertheless, he had stood up to their opposition, as well as that of his brothers and sisters, and friends, in accepting the gospel, in coming to America. Plural marriage to him was part of the gospel. He had obeyed the principle in good faith and could face the world, regardless of its clash with traditional standards. It may not be for everyone, he reasoned, nor for every age, but it had a place in the eternal plan of life. It had a part in the revelation God had given to the world through Joseph Smith, the Prophet; and though outside the Latter-day Saint communities, a black and threatening storm was arising, he was willing to stand firm, facing with a clear conscience whatever difficulties may arise. -page 110

According to the Doctrine and Covenants which is a collection of divine revelations and inspired declarations, the reasons for the institutionalization of plural marriage in the church are as follows:

1. It is an Abrahamic test.
2. It is part of the restoration of all things.
3. It would serve to multiply and replenish the earth.
4. It would provide an opportunity for women to be married in the New and Everlasting Covenant (a requirement for exaltation) who would otherwise not have that opportunity.

The Doctrine and Covenants section 132, verse 34 says: God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises. 

Now this has me scratching my head because nowhere in the bible does it say that Abraham was commanded to take Hagar as a wife. That was all on Rebecca:

Genesis 16:1-3 

1.  Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
3. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

God definitely does not want men to have more than one wife. Check Deuteronomy 17:17

Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.

Robert was proud of his second family. In his cogitations on the highly emotional subject of Plural Marriage, he was profoundly grateful for Susannah, who he felt was better qualified than any other woman he had ever known to live in the status of plural marriage with him and Matilda. It was no secret between the three that Matilda had regarded the sharing her husband with another woman as the most severe test she had ever had to meet. Yet once she had accepted the principle, Susannah was the one person who met her unconditional approval.-page 115

So wait, is he saying that he was proud of his second family because they were better at sharing a husband and father than his first wife?

Each wife had their own home where they took care of their own children. Between three wives they each had their own designated time with their husband and "on such matters there was a strict code —no exceptions, and no misunderstandings."

There is more I want to share about Grandpa Robert and his life of polygamy but it's going to have to keep for another day. 

---

If you are an x-Mormon and have a testimony of how Jesus saved you from the grips of Mormonism please consider sharing your story to glorify God. Drop me a line at AwakeOSleeper@currently.com

---

Follow Jesus

This is one of those days where I will ramble a little bit. I was just thinking about when I became saved and experienced the renewing of my mind and seeing the world around me with new eyes. I had these little "aha" moments as I reminisced about my younger years and everyday little things. I couldn't believe I lied to my kids about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and even the tooth fairy. I can't believe my parents lied to me about them. Heck, I remember getting in pretty big trouble when I told one of the neighbor girls that I found out there was no such thing as Santa Claus. I found out when some kid at school told me so I asked mom about it and she told me the truth. But when I told someone else her mom made me lie and say I was just kidding!

One day I was reading something and the phrase,  follow your heart jumped out at me and I had this Holy Spirit moment and realized that satan has been deceiving us for a very long time! Following your heart isn't a good idea. I say follow Jesus. See what the bible says about the heart:

Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

How about this one, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. I don't know who came up with that one but we sure were expected to believe it, right? The great dragon, that old serpent called the devil, and satan go right on deceiving the whole world, such a liar. Words matter. The power of life and death is in the tongue. So says God's word:

James 3:8  But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Proverbs 18:21  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. 

 What are some of your "aha" Holy Spirit moments? I would love to hear about them in the comments.

---

If you are an x-Mormon and have a testimony of how Jesus saved you from the grips of Mormonism please consider sharing your story to glorify God. Drop me a line at AwakeOSleeper@currently.com

---