To my cohort, Eric Gibbons; his beautiful wife, Val; and to Leland Gibbons, who I trust will see their contribution to this project ripple out into the world, just as you do every day in business and in life. May God bless you a thousandfold for your graciousness. And to Tom O’Connor, for seeing that long-term vision and utilizing your vast skills to creating continuing miracles. Special thanks to Bianca Atilano, Darci Patterson, Cortney Lui, Wes Hainsworth, Josh Watterson, and the rest of our amazing team, who prove to the world that people can bring both ethics and joy to this world! Know that you are all a priceless treasure. To Dan Follett and Tom Christopolus, who believed in Rebecca and me enough to open beautiful new doors. To Stedman Graham, who assisted me in recognizing my value as a speaker and messenger. And to Faye Helm and Paula Fellingham, two shining examples as to the contribution entrepreneurial women can make in the world.
To all my SHEROESUnited sisters and adopted sisters: Celeste Gleave, Julie Harman, Micaela Choo, René Johnson, Sandra Hudson, Rebecca Musser, Pamela Okumura, Becky Swanson, Debi Aguirre, Jacqui Voland, Elise Peterson, Ale Cox, Mandy Aguirre, and Gina Monibi; and to Mary Ellen Shivers—who first taught me what a SHERO was. And to my WIN sisters for reminding me of the enlightenment women already are bringing to the world in the most profound ways! To Cindy Iman, my beautiful butterfly, who teaches me to spread my own wings while fanning them during my busiest and most essential times—always. To Bonnie Jackson, my sweet sister who worked tirelessly by my side for years as a loving support and without whom this book would have never happened. And to Sarah Gillen, who has been a sounding board, friend, mentor, my girl Friday, and the bringer of laughter, sanity, and stability. And finally to my family, who has never given up on me and who loves me in all of my humanness. That means more to me than you will ever know.
About the Authors
Rebecca Musser is a highly sought-after motivational speaker and agent for social revolution. She empowers women around the world to escape from bondage in all its forms, because as she has said, “I was once owned, too.” Born into the FLDS, an extreme, isolated, polygamist sect of the Mormon faith, as a teenager she was married to the eighty-five-year-old Prophet Rulon Jeffs, destined to be his nineteenth wife of sixty-five. After enduring years of violation, upon her husband’s death she escaped from his son, Warren Jeffs, when he tired to force her to remarry. On behalf of her little sisters and other voiceless young girls trapped within that culture, Rebecca testified over twenty times against cult leaders to bring evidence to light and freedom to her people. Today, Rebecca is the founder of ClaimRed.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing dignity, hope, and healing to victims of human trafficking.
M. Bridget Cook is a national best-selling author well-known for penning riveting tales of transformation. Her gift is her courage to bring light into the darkest places of humanity, and illuminating paths that awaken readers to their own magnificent journey. Her powerful work has been showcased on Oprah, CNN, and Good Morning America, and in People, among others. She is coauthor of the best-selling Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer’s Daughter with Melissa G. Moore, and Skinhead Confessions: From Hate to Hope with former neo-Nazi T.J. Leyden, and her stories continue to rock readers around the world. In writing as in life, she loves to refute stereotypes. Bridget runs two trucking companies while enjoying her four amazing children and more pets than her beloved husband can handle. An internationally sought-after speaker and activist, Bridget wows audiences on the subjects of tranformation, conscious business, and how to leave the footprints of an inspired legacy.
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Welcome
Dedication
Chapter 1: Feathers on the Wind
Chapter 2: The Devil You Know
Chapter 3: Up in Flames
Chapter 4: Armageddon
Chapter 5: Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Chapter 6: Sudden Royalty
Chapter 7: For the Pleasure of the Gods
Chapter 8: Destroyed in the Flesh
Chapter 9: The Sweet Promise of Destruction
Chapter 10: God’s Law Is above Man’s Law
Chapter 11: Another Child Bride: Breed ’Em and Break ’Em
Chapter 12: From the Frying Pan into the Fire
Chapter 13: The Kiss That Broke the Spell
Chapter 14: Escape
Chapter 15: The Truman Show
Chapter 16: A Few Drops of Water
Chapter 17: Emerging Wings
Chapter 18: Missing Persons
Chapter 19: Zion Rising
Chapter 20: Purgatory for a Prophet
Chapter 21: The Witnesses Wore Red
Chapter 22: The God That Revealed Himself to Me
Chapter 23: Yearning for Zion
Chapter 24: “Forced” Entry: The Raid
Chapter 25: Apostate at the Temple Gates
Chapter 26: Sacrificial Lambs
Chapter 27: Breaching the Vault
Chapter 28: Sex, Lies, and Videotape
Chapter 29: Balm of Gilead
Chapter 30: The Marijuana House
Chapter 31: Destroying Ignorance, Not People
Chapter 32: Power vs. Force
Chapter 33: The Rock of Genshai
Chapter 34: Truth and Consequences
Chapter 35: Prosecution vs. Persecution: God Bless Texas
Chapter 36: The New Millennium
Epilogue
Photos
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Newsletters
Copyright
Copyright
Names and identifying details of some of the people portrayed in this book have been changed.
Copyright © 2013 by Rebecca Musser
Cover design by Elizabeth Connor
Top cover photograph courtesy of the author
Bottom cover photograph © Patrick Dove/San Angelo Standard-Times/Polaris/Newscom
Cover copyright © 2013 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos courtesy of Rebecca Musser.
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First ebook edition: September 2013
Grand Central Publishing is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
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ISBN 978-1-4555-2784-7
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The Witness Wore Red: The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice Page 39
