Chris Rogers

Throughout most of my 15 years as a member of the LDS church, I can say that I didn't have an accusation against the church. I also have to admit of that time, however, that I had no valid comprehension or love of the gospel. I lived in ignorant bliss, I suppose, in the "traditions of my fathers", never questioning or caring that I wasn't in the light of truth. Near the end and up to my excommunication from the LDS church in May of 1994, I had the light of the spirit of God working upon my soul and began the process of developing a real love for God and the restored gospel that He has imparted unto man. I began "waking up" to the reality of man's place before the Creator of all things. I explain, here, the events that led up to this change of heart and the pattern of the workings of the Holy Order of God in my life.

My wife's parents left Snowflake to attend General Conference of the LDS church in Salt Lake City in its bi-annual presentation during a weekend of October of 1993. An hour or so previous to their return, we learned that they had not attended General Conference at all but had been to listen to a James Harmston in Manti, Utah as he was teaching about some of the "mysteries" of the gospel. We also learned that he had been excommunicated from the church a couple of months prior to their visit. At that moment, the first spark of eternal understanding began to glow within me. In any circumstance I would have never thought to condone my in-laws listening to an excommunicated member of the LDS church, much less me wanting to know what they had learned from him. This was unlike any circumstance, however. The spirit of God began then to make use of the situations that the Holy Order had orchestrated in my life previous to this point. I respected my fater-in-law and my mother-in-law and held them in affection; but this was not the reason that I had to know what they had been taught in Manti. Something deep in my soul moved me to find out what was going on. Others in the family had similar reactions to mine and so we anxiously awaited the news they would bring us.

Upon their return, they were somewhat hesitant to share all. They knew the gravity of the situation that it placed them and us in with regard to our relationship with the LDS church. But we had the spirit of God upon us and thirsted for the truth that we had lacked as Latter-Day Saints. In that brief night, they unfolded such precious doctrines of the Kingdom of God for the establishment of Zion. Light filled us and we feasted upon the pure knowledge of God. It was a beautiful experience with the spirit of God dictating to us the truth of what they were teaching us.

We learned, as Paul taught those worshipping the unknown god, who our Father in Heaven really was, even that same character who was in the Garden of Eden--Adam; we realized that the LDS leaders had discarded or changed every doctrine that would establish a Zion society. The keys delivered in the sacred endowment in the temples had been altered by the LDS, as well as the accompanying garments. The True Order of Prayer--the logical outgrowth and focal point of the keys received in the endowment--which was previously used in its intended purpose, was restricted to the artificial use in the temple only. It is given for the purpose of man receiving further light and knowledge as promised. The law of Plural Marriage has been dropped and is, even now, considered uninspired and is condemned by the hierarchy of the church. My wife and I realized at that time that we would be required to live and embrace that law. I have since taken another wife.

One of the greatest moments for me was the understanding that came at the discussion of the doctrine of Multiple Mortal Probations, or living on the earth in several lives for the perfection of character. This doctrine is the foundation of many of the mysteries of God and is verily true. There is no truer doctrine in the gospel of the Lord. The early brethren taught this and the scriptures attest to its truth. With this foundational principle removed from the plan, it is easy to discard what Brigham Young taught about Adam being our God. There remains gaping holes in the eternal perspective where this doctrine is forgotten. Christ stated that he only did that which he had seen his Father do. He had gained experience under the tutelege of his Father, Adam, in mortal probations and saw Him make the same sacrifice that the Christ would be called on to make in the probation when he had attained perfection. This is the calling that men will receive pending their righteous endevours in mortal probations; and this to put all things (enemies) under their feet and to triumph even over death for the sake of the love of their own posterity. The law of multiple probations has been described by a prophet of God as "the book ends of the plan of salvation". It is verily true!

These are among the many things that we learned that night. Through all of it, we tasted the sweet spirit testifying to us that they were true.

In our exploration of the truth of the things that Joseph had restored to the earth, and in the realization that we were now bound by the spirit to live them, the LDS establishment and doctrine came under intense scrutiny. In the discovery of truth, there is always an uncovering of untruth. This is the position in which we found the LDS church; indeed, an unfit vessel for carrying the sacred and pure doctrines and covenants of a God to His people. They had "transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant" as Isaiah foretold (Isaiah 24:5), and Mormon echoed (Mormon 8), for who but a people who had been given all could transgress against it?

Later in October, we drove to Manti ourselves to experience first hand the teachings of Jim Harmston. We felt the urgence to gather ourselves with those saints here in Manti who were interested in putting the things of God to the forefront. We began praying in the True Order of Prayer. As a consequence, my wife and I were excommunicated from the church.

I repeat here a segment of a testimony borne to my brethren in my High Priest quorum:

Coming here to Manti was not a hard thing for me. My waking up process was somewhat progressive, it came throughout the years after coming. Coming here was not a difficult thing. I made that choice without reservation, and I think that the benefit of that was coming here and being able to have planted deep in my soul the conviction that this was true, that Jim was indeed a prophet of God, and that the people here were sent to do the work that God has for us. Only throughout the years that I've been here has it become more hard, as I see things that in normal life would be beneficial, you know, getting out and getting a job because you have to plan for that future, don't you. Life is a measure of faith, and that faith is so crucial to our existence, and I thank God that He is merciful and that He is kind to His children. He has been so just and yet so merciful to my soul. And I testify at this moment that God is merciful to the children of men, and especially to His sons here on the earth who are to do His work, because, we all sin and have room to repent. He allows us to get up back on our feet, start having faith, and do the work. (6-2-98, High Priest Quorum Meeting)

In January of 1998, I took Michelle Louise Harmston to wife. Living in the principle of Plural Marriage was another step in our character development. This law is not an easy one to live, but the benefit of having righteous wives and striving with God in overcoming personal weakness to attain the ability of leading those wives in righteousness is a great blessing to a man. I love both of my wives in a great degree; I am interested in their welfare as much as I am my own.

I want to close this by bearing my testimony. I have touched on some of these things, but here I would like to bear the witness that I have received of them from the Holy Spirit to my soul.

The first thing is the principle of multiple mortal probations, no doctrine has hit me so strongly and with continued affirmation throughout the years I've been here than that doctrine. I know it's true, I knew it was true from the very beginning. The moment I heard it I knew it was true. It is a pure and holy principle. It's a fundamental principle of the gospel, without it we can't even fathom the eternities.

I believe in and hope in God, that He has a Son named Jesus Christ who came here, who died on the cross for our sins; who has been with us through eternities striving to, as He put it, bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man; that should be our objective as well.

I believe that charity is two fold. The charity one has toward God--that you love Him more than anything else and have the desire to do His will; and the charity you have for your sons and their sons, that you will raise them up to the same status. I love God, I love the Lord Jesus Christ, I love the Prophet James D. Harmston. I am loyal to him.

Faith is a gift of God. Through faith runs the power in the priesthood. In my experience, God will delight in those who serve Him and honor their priesthood. God has honored my priesthood and given me power therein. The authority in the priesthood was given to James D. Harmston by the laying on the hands of Angels. Jim is a prophet of God to act as an Elias for the Savior's coming in these last days.

Adam is our God and the only God with whom we have to do. He is the Father of whom we call Jesus Christ. These things have been borne witness to my soul many times. I bear this testimony after the last five years of being here. It's taken considerable time to get to the point even where I am. I certainly didn't come here this way, it's been struggle after struggle and I thank God that He's merciful to me, that I'm still here and kicking. Who will be standing at the last on that bright and shining day? Who will give all for the Lord and the building up of his Kingdom? It's such a miracle that we can even do the works that God has planned for us, for indeed we're dust compared to His glory and His greatness, yet He's willing to love us and help us along. The Sons and Daughters of God, even the elect of the earth have been gathered here for the purposes in the Lord.

I bear this testimony in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, even Son Ahman, Amen.

Chris Rogers