Chris Layton

LeAnn Layton's Testimony

I had a great friend who I hung around with from the time we were sophomores at Brighton High School. I always felt Harv (as I always called him) was different from others. He was always the type of person who gave and kept on giving and never considered himself better than anyone else. I suppose I took advantage of him at times where I would make him take me out for a big dinner for fixing a simple item on his cars which always seemed to break down ( If they weren't wrecked first). Actually I suppose it was a fairly even exchange even though I would have done it anyway just for something to do. After my mission to Hartford Connecticut I returned home where tumult shortly began with my step-father who had been a very cruel man all of my childhood life, and a very jealous one. So, for a time I took his surname of Tenney to stabilize the family. My father who prided himself in his attendance record in the LDS church, threw me out of the home several times during this period. Harvey provided shelter for me by letting me stay at his home where he and his mom, 2 brothers and a sister lived for which I was grateful I hoped that someday I could return the favor.

That day came soon following my mission to Hartford Connecticut which I completed in March 1990 and was married in 1991. At that time, I owned a home in West Valley Utah with my wife and new baby Lindsay. Harv needed a place to stay because his family was being kicked out of their residence in Sandy. Harvey lived in our basement for about a year and it was great having him there. In the time that he was living in our basement he had all sorts of strange materials on doctrines that I did not understand. One of which is the Adam-God doctrine. I read a little bit about it but whatever I read made me concerned. It was new information to me and although my drive to research it was not consuming as it would later be, it still presented itself as a question that eventually needed to be answered.

One Sunday as I was the Secretary in the LDS Young Men's presidency I thought that I had better get some clarification on this doctrine since I was presenting information to the deacons which dwelt on the character of God. I went to bishop Harding to get some clarification on this point to which he had his son read some information supposedly relevant to the topic (I do not really remember what the exact answer was because at the time it just seemed so vague, I wouldn't be surprised if it was Bruce R. McConkie's weak rebuff to the doctrine) after which he asked me if I agreed to which I said in the state of stupor I still felt and being tired of beating the subject to death I muttered "I guess so" and thus the matter was dropped for a time.

Approximately 3 years passed and Harvey began to investigate a strange new church to me called the True and Living Church of Jesus Christ Saints of the Last Days. He told me of their doctrines to which each time he told me a new truth my initial reaction was shock. I would sit for days and let the idea stew in my head at first disregarding it and then somehow as the truth worked on me I would receive comfort. I wanted more than anything to tell LeAnn these truths that I had heard just to bounce the ideas off of her since I had not formed my own opinions about them to which she responded basically "how could that be?" Since I had not found out the truthfulness of these things or the falseness either, I found that I had to play the neutral arbiter role in presenting these truths to my wife who was from this time on beginning to seemingly become more uneasy as my efforts to learn these truths grew. Yet I was still unbelieving.

One day the bomb hit. Harv called and told me that he and his wife were leaving the Mormon religion and joining the True and Living Church of Jesus Christ saints of the last days and were to be baptized. I was upset at this announcement and it worked on my heart for days. I sadly soon after decided that our long friendship was over and that his beliefs were dangerous to the harmony of my family and I called him and was polite to him but told him that I "Mourned your loss as if you had died" and with that we said goodbye for what I considered a permanent forever. Several weeks went by and life went on as normal. I had no intention of calling back my friend and had considered the matter closed due to the dangerous nature of his doctrines (How little I knew!!!!)

I remember the day clearly that LeAnn said "Why don't you just call Harvey back? He has been a good friend to you and it just wouldn't be right to abandon him just because of his beliefs." I said "Are you sure?" to which she said "yes". From that moment on I changed.

I began to question the doctrines that he presented to me including the Adam God doctrine in earnest. He by this time had amassed a large volume of works from the past prophets revelations and I began to consume them as if I had been on a spiritual desert my whole life. I just could not get enough. I at this time was also explaining these doctrines to LeAnn and trying to convince her that there was something real here. She would hear my words that I said but seemed agitated at my inexhaustible zeal to teach her these things and I was at times an impatient teacher due to my own weaknesses. I knew that this was beginning to make a tear in the fabric of our marriage and yet I had to learn more. I was at this point literally consumed in my studies of the gospel principles. Because of this quiet contention I began to feel in our marriage, I began to not talk to Harv until after she left for the grocery store or to her mother's house or whatever and the gospel discussions would then commence often for hours I would question him. Sometimes we would go out to breakfast together so that we could just talk because I was learning so much that I had to talk to someone. I felt isolated in my efforts and if I couldn't talk to someone about the church I would explode!

I learned of the prophesies of the apostasy of the Church in the last days and of the mighty and great one who would take the residue from the apostate mother church who were valiant and gather them again that they may again live the fullness of the gospel. I knew that the fullness included the New and Everlasting Covenant of marriage which was one of taking plural wives and marveled at how this could work in the grand scheme of things. I also learned about multiple mortal probations which I had some concerns about up until the time that I went to the models lessons in Manti.

Each day my knowledge grew as I read more and more until the day I felt the overpowering influence of the Holy Ghost over my soul. I wept for joy and I knew that whoever the man was that was revealing these doctrines to me was sent directly from God. I knew then that James Harmston was a prophet and I could not deny the truths I had learned. I poured out my soul to God to give me further light and knowledge and I knew that I had to go to Manti to see the models to fortify my soul that I may be prepared for the time when I would teach these beautiful doctrines to them in their fullness. Exactly at this time the opportunity I had been dreaming about was realized. I was accepted to the Loma Linda University Master of Physical Therapy Program.

I quit my job with IHC on a 3-day notice due to the short notice I received (called on Friday to report for class on the coming Monday) LeAnn was excited and I supposed she was relieved at the fact that I would be separated from my studies of the True and Living Church for 2 years.

I reported to Delia Guiterrez on Sunday night to which she was very gracious in giving me a bed to sleep on and bought me groceries. I worked hard on the classwork I was assigned and was successful in my efforts. I made many friends who were of differing religions and some asked what the Mormons believed in. I threw in Polygamy to see their response but insisted I was not a Polygamist. I knew better that this was unrighteously removed from our faith.

Eventually the call came. Harvey told me that Jim Harmston the prophet was to hold the models lecture on the 3rd and 4th of October 1997 and I was ecstatic. I promptly booked a round trip ticket to arrive at Salt Lake on the 2nd to return on Sunday night the 5th.

On my final day in class I ran out of class with a hasty goodbye to my fellow students promising them that I would be back on Monday and that I had to fly back to Salt Lake for some "Family business" during which time I really wondered exactly what I was going to do. LeAnn took me to the airport and was being very good about the whole thing. I knew one thing for sure that when I returned home our relationship would never be the same again for better or worse and this realization was agonizing and I was filled with compassion for what she was going through but I could not comfort her at this time.

I arrived in Salt Lake at around 8:45 where Harv was waiting for me. It was good to see him again and we went to Dees Family restaurant and he bought me dinner to which I was very thankful for all that he had done for me so far. We enjoyed each other's company as we talked about events and gospel discussions to which I was anxious to begin. Then we drove to his home in Manti during which we got lost and almost went to Fillmore (a 90 mile round-trip mistake) but we didn't care because we enjoyed our discussions.

The next morning Harv went to work in Salt Lake early so One of Harv's friends drove me to the church to begin the lectures at 10:00 am. I met with the members, many of which I had met before when LeAnn, Verilyn, Harvey and Myself went to the Manti Pageant Jun. 1997. (Harv and I at this time of the pageant went to the church to see some of the members and the prophet)

The models were then presented by the prophet who took an interest in me questioning, drilling and probing my spirit. I felt like he was as the refiner's fire and as he challenged my belief system I learned and I grew and I knew that though he spoke sternly and his words were divisive like a two-edged sword hewing down those who were high minded and easily offended while sharpening the minds of the true seekers to a razor-sharp awareness of our duty.

The prophet presented the plan with utter clarity to my mind and I was inspired with the beauty and magnificence of a once flat 2 dimensional plan of salvation to a robust 3-dimensional plan. Words cannot describe but it was GLORIOUS! My love for the savior and My Heavenly Father Adam swelled within me and consumed every remaining doubt. I knew and do know that Jim is THE prophet of God who dispenses knowledge about the eternal plan without measure. When Jim concluded he admonished all to come to Zion and to "Plow a deep furrow" I then felt the spirit press on the blades of my back and it took my breath away. First, I had worked very hard for the knowledge of these things in my study, and after that the witness of the spirit sealed that testimony into my soul. I could not deny it. It was TRUE and I must come. At the close of the meeting I, filled with tears of joy took Jim by the hand in the grasp of full fellowship and thanked him graciously.

The next day I went to my first official church meeting with the saints and it simply strengthened my resolve. I knew then that I had forever changed. I employed the help of the patriarch to give me a blessing because I knew that there was a good possibility that I would loose my wife and children.. In the blessing he blessed me that I would know what to say to the convincing of my wife of the plan of salvation as I now knew it to be. He also added that I was born with priesthood or the right to it. (D&C 86:9-10) I then turned and with tears streaming down thanked him deeply along with Kent Braddy. I was impressed by Kent because during the entire time thereafter the song he sang in church of the final gathering played endlessly in my mind bringing peace to my soul.

Sunday night at 10:00 after missing the first plane I boarded the Delta 757 passenger jet for Ontario knowing that the prayers of the saints were following after me. I looked out of the window to the midnight heavens and said a silent prayer importuning my creator for all the strength I needed and marveled at the beauty of the heavens and stars as they were more clearly seen far above the earth's surface. God's work is truly magnificent and ordered. I wept thinking of the message I had to deliver to my wife but the song of the gathering continued to play on in my mind bringing peace to my soul.

LeAnn knew that I knew that Jim is God's prophet because I had told her so when I called her on Saturday after the last models lecture. What she did not know was the thoroughness of my conversion and the extent of the decisions I had made. I told her that I had made a promise to my Heavenly Father that I was going to follow him and give up all that we had worked for to follow him; my education, chances for wealth, a beautiful home, and if needs be my family. After a while I felt my senses coming to me and at this point I do not know exactly what I said to her but whatever it was, it silenced her fears and tears as she began the process of understanding. I know I was able to explain many things to her that night and it worked on her soul as she slept on and off for short periods of time.

It was not until the next day that I did realize that the spirit had rested mightily upon her soul and she then began with me an insatiable search for knowledge. My heart rejoiced for I could see the light begin to shine from her countenance as the scales of disbelief fell from her eyes. She then began to recall all of the lessons that I had taught her prior to this point and they all came flooding back to her so that this time, she understood how the plan of salvation really works.

On Wednesday October 8 1997 I and LeAnn removed our garments, gathered all of the others up and burned them at 11:30 A.M. as a testimony that we do not believe in a god that walks in crooked paths, neither does he vary and we will no longer trust in the arm of flesh that we may prepare to enter into the true order of covenants that God has commanded us to fulfill and wear the true garment of the priesthood in it's authorized pattern, down to the wrists and ankles and proper markings given by proper authority which exists only in God's Church. It is the True and Living Church of Jesus Christ Saints of the last days. I testify that all of these things I have said are true that you may search the scriptures yourself and come unto God's church that it may prove your salvation and eventual exaltation in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Christopher Layton

C.Layton@sisna.com