A Descendant of Brigham Young writes about The Sister Wife
June 30th, 2010
Yesterday I was contacted by a descendant of 19th century Mormons who practiced polygamy, specifically the great grandson of Brigham Young. Rather than retelling the details, I asked for Walter’s permission to publish yesterday’s letter sent after he received The Sister Wife, and today’s sent after he’d read the book. He graciously agreed. I have to tell you that I’ve seldom received a letter in response to any of my books that touched my heart so profoundly. An incredible endorsement! Here, in his own words, is the story of J. Walter Young:
Got your book on iPad, iBooks, intrigued, as a descendant of this story line as is my wife is also. Recent Christians leaving LDS in 1988. My great grandfather, a son of Brigham Young, had three sister wives. My grandfather was one of nine children by one of his wives. Therein lies an untold story. I am 86 today. Thanks for writing this series and God bless. J.Walter Young.
And this morning, I received the following after Walter finished reading The Sister Wife:
I finished reading your book this morning. You put into words the troubling experiences my wife and I have had with family history and it’s conflicts, the saving grace of our Lord through it all. Thank you so much. Each chapter I lived riveted to the happenings I knew so well as an ex-Mormon Bishop who as a lad knew well its blessings as well as darkness… [So much] unexpressed in the hearts of those I loved as they suffered in silence following the edicts of the Brethren. They knew nothing else. We are now the Apostates, distant from old friends and family. Thanks again for this wonderful story I can’t wait for it to continue on. J.Walter Young.
These are the truths — both the light and the dark — I’m praying that I can portray in the story of Brides of Gabriel. There can be no greater endorsement than from this man whose family lived it. Thank you for sharing your story, Walter!
Blessings of love, joy, and peace to all this day!
Tags: Brides of Gabriel, Brigham Young. Sister Wife, FLDS, Mormons, Polygamy
I loved this book and when does the next come out???????
You need to do your research a little better. If Bronwyn was sealed to Griffin in what you called the “spiritual marriage” she couldn’t then be sealed to Gabe. You wrote Bronwyn was comforted, (on page 238 of book 1) that even though Griffin had died, Bronwyn would “someday join him in heaven and we will be there together through all eternity.” Bronwyn could have been married to Gabriel as a second wife for THIS LIFE, but not sealed to him as a second wife in eternity.
I won’t be reading any more of your books.
In answer to the objection of “an actual member,” the Mormon theory-defense-doctrine of “spiritual marriages” and “sealing for eternity” didn’t fully develop the first time around. Today’s understanding by Mormons could vary considerably from the hazy, still-in-the-works doctrine of the 1840’s and 1850’s. This is true of many of their other doctrines, such as polygamy and the priesthood. The early LDS church was deadset against polygamy (Jacob 3:5). But when Joseph Smith wanted another wife…and then another…and then another–he conveniently had a vision to counter the clear anti-polygamy teaching of the Book of Mormon and the New Testament.
Even if Diane Noble, the author, erred in precisely defining “spiritual marriage,” (which is easy to do when you consider the hodgepodge explanations given in the LDS church’s early years), her book THE SISTER WIFE gets into the deep emotional issues caused by this man-centered, anti-biblical, misogynistic belief. There is more truth in those emotions than in all the defenses given by the “apostles,” “prophets” and apologetes of the LDS church. Truth is on your side, Diane! Kudos.
Yes, so much depends on who you talk to re many things they believe. Although the belief in the Adam-God doctrine given by Brigham Young has been changed, a sweet Mormon friend from Utah told me he definitely still believes that Adam is God. And histories of the church talk about Joseph Smith’s store and the top floor where he “sealed” many young women to himself for time and eternity. He just said he had a new revelation that had been lost, he had been chosen to restore it. We need to know what the Bible says about how God protects His Word, it will not get lost, and there is no new revelation, the faith has been given once and for all to the saints, Jude 1:3.
I have read all of your sister wife books, and have highly enjoy every one of them. I will always continue to read every last one of them! Thank You for such outstanding stories, and all the hard work that you put into them!