Karen Elisa Harmston

Click here for my Husband's Testimony

I lived in Provo, Utah for one school year before I married a returned missionary. He continued his education at BYU. The years that followed were happy years, raising children, learning gospel principles, and helping my husband to finish his bachelor's degree. As long as we resided in Utah, we felt "gathered." When we moved out of Utah, we became agitated and struggled to return "home." The desire to be gathered was an integral part of our belief system.

It was at BYU that we were taught some of the principles of the fullness of the gospel. It was also during my children's formative years that we were introduced to fundamentalism as taught by Rulen Allred. I received a powerful witness that Rulen was a man of God. It would take years before I could embrace the principle of plural marriage. We were eventually baptized and attended the Allreds' meetings for about four years before we received confirmation that Owen Allred, their new leader was not a prophet of God. With that testimony we went back to the LDS Church discouraged and confused. The background gives preface to my gathering to Sanpete Valley.

In about March of 1991, my husband received a revelation which gave him directions to organize an LDS private school for children where gospel doctrine might be taught. The school year began in the Fall of 1991, and continued until the following June. Because of fire code regulations we stopped operation of the school as we were in violation of the law. I taught full time in the school and received spiritual blessings that far outweighed my sacrifice in teaching. None of the teachers were given salary for their labors.

It was during 1990 and 1991 that my husband and I no longer felt "gathered" in Cache Valley. We began to entreat the Lord as to where He would have us relocate. As a result of our pleadings with the Lord for a place of safety and our explorations throughout the states of Utah, Idaho, and Montana, we were brought to Sanpete Valley. Here we received witnesses that Sanpete was a safe location to gather.

Speaking only for myself, my prayers included not only a desire to be gathered to a place of safety, but I also begged the lord to be shown His priesthood representative upon the earth. I laid upon the altar my husband, my children, and all earthly blessings. My offering was accepted by the Lord.

Within the year I was given the opportunity of attending the models taught by James Harmston where the fullness of the gospel was presented with the witnesses of the Spirit. The Holy Ghost testified to me that Jim Harmston was a man of God and that he was the Lord's representative upon the earth. I immediately aligned myself with the saints in Sanpete Valley.

There were sacrifices required by the Lord for these blessings. First was the loss of my husband with whom I had spent twenty-nine years of marriage. Secondly, all of my nine children refused to investigate my beliefs and I lost all credibility with them. Thirdly, I lost my membership in the LDS Church and was shunned in the community in which I resided. If I had not received powerful witnesses of the Spirit that I was following the Lord's directions for me, I would not have been able to make those sacrifices.

I continue to bear testimony to all that will listen that Adam is our God, Christ is His Son, and that James Dee Harmston is their priesthood representative on the earth. How grateful I am to be gathered with the saints of God. Eventually the Lord revealed to me that I was to marry James Harmston as a plural wife and the past five years have been a period of great spiritual growth and miracles. I also bear testimony that whether your sacrifice be small or great in following the Lord's requirements the joy in being obedient is inexpressible!

Karen Elisa Harmston

Click here for photos of Karen's Gardens