Thelma sat like a sponge at Ervil’s feet every chance she got, hungrily absorbing his every word. She was falling in love with the gospel as fast as Ervil was falling in love with her daughter, Lorna, who ignored him. She told her parents in no uncertain terms that she would be happy when he departed. As she and a girl friend were leaving the house, Lorna mumbled to her mother, “Ever since this man arrived, you’ve neglected everything but him. I’m going out.”
Having won Thelma’s deep love and admiration, Ervil made his move. In Bud’s absence, he whispered to Thelma a command he’d received from God: “God loves you so much that he has elected you to do his bidding.”
Thelma was overjoyed. Not only had Ervil baptized her, but she was now a strategic instrument in the plans of God. She listened intently as Ervil searched for the proper words to explain how God was going to mightily use her and her daughter, Lorna, in his kingdom.
In fact, Ervil said, Lorna had been chosen before the foundation of the world to be here at this particular time. Thelma sighed with excitement, drinking in the heavenly news. She believed Ervil’s warning that Babylon was about to be destroyed, that she and her family must go to Mexico if they wanted to be spared, and now, that she had been called to be a servant. But she was knocked momentarily off her perch when Ervil explained her first assignment.
“God wants you to persuade Lorna to quit her modeling. It will take her to hell if she does it another day.”
Thelma was stunned. She knew her daughter would be crushed. At a loss for words, she remained silent.
Seeing the concern on her face, Ervil lowered his voice and continued his brainwashing: “This is our little secret. God wants you to act fast. You must encourage her to marry me.”
Thelma knew she couldn’t stand in God’s way, so, believing in Ervil’s authority and heavenly revelations, she complied.
I’ll never forget when Verlan relayed some of the details of Lorna’s marriage and added, “She and Ervil spent their honeymoon in my small trailer house in Las Vegas. Ervil suggested I leave for a week to give him time alone with his new bride, so I did. She is so classy; I’m worried that Mexico will be too drastic a change for her.”
On Lorna’s arrival in Colonia LeBaron, one of the members offered a private room in his home where Lorna could live until Ervil provided better quarters.
Bud and Thelma hadn’t relocated to Mexico yet, but Thelma came faithfully to the April and October conferences to meet with the saints and to visit her daughter. She made the trip several other times as well, bringing Lorna tuna, peanut butter, mayonnaise, raisins, and other treats the rest of us couldn’t afford. However, Lorna wasn’t happy, and everyone knew she was miserable. She confided in a friend that she hated this life. She was disappointed that her father and older brothers had been conned into joining the new cult—Thelma had convinced Bud, against his better judgment, to follow her in the new quest. The grandeur of being a holy man’s plural wife provided no comfort. Her frequent fights with Ervil began to wear him down. Her disobedience was causing him to classify her with Delfina and Mary Lou. He knew if she continued in her rebellion, he would have to take her down a couple of notches. He’d hate to have to whip another wife into submission, as he’d been forced to do with Mary Lou.
Six months pregnant, Lorna seemed to sink into a deep depression, which worried Thelma. She hated to leave her daughter in Mexico, but she found it necessary to return to her own duties. She and Bud were trying to sell their home. They would soon make the move to Mexico.
ON ANOTHER MISSION TRIP to Salt Lake City, Dan and Ervil were befriended by a middle-aged woman named Lorna Kirkendall. She opened her home to the two missionaries, giving them permission to use it as their headquarters. She took comfort in serving two holy men, whom she was sure God had called forth to do such a great work before the final days.
Linda Johnson, a young, plump, masculine-looking, short-haired accountant in her early twenties, frequently visited Lorna.
Knowing they would not be in Salt Lake City for long, Ervil saw that he had to act fast. He felt it important to have this young woman married to him to help fill his quota of wives for the kingdom. He was not attracted to her. Nevertheless, he knew she would be a tool in furthering his goals. Besides, she could support herself because she was an accomplished accountant. With Lorna Kirkendall’s strong influence and Dan and Ervil’s indoctrination, the three convinced Linda to be Ervil’s sixth wife.
Unbeknownst to Linda’s family or friends, Dan Jordan secretly performed the wedding ceremony in Lorna’s living room. Lorna was privileged to be a witness because of her input and valuable help. She felt fortunate to have been included.
With only one more wife needed to fill his quota of seven, Ervil could hardly contain his joy. Not only would he become a god, but he’d be given a world of his own where he could rule and have total control forever.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, Ervil had never done much around the ranch. But when he returned from Salt Lake, he took laziness to a whole new level. He said to everyone that God had revealed that he was to labor only in spiritual matters. He decided that the best way to command everyone’s attention and explain his inability to work was to retire to a sick bed. From the time he began his rule, he pinned a square piece from an old wool sweater beneath his T-shirt, covering his chest. He believed it kept him warm, preventing his recurring bouts with pneumonia. The strong odor of Vicks that was plastered on the wool piece almost overpowered his visitors.
Fathering, so to speak, his dozen or so children wore on his nerves. He claimed he needed solitude away from the constant bickering of his wives and demanding needs of his children. Anna Mae, who owned the best home, gleefully shielded Ervil from the public and his other wives. She guarded the bedroom door, making sure no one entered without invitation. If a matter was of great urgency or importance, then it was acknowledged, but mostly only by appointment.
Anna Mae was adamant about keeping Ervil’s rules. She put forth every effort to fulfill his demands. No one was to speak in Ervil’s presence louder than a whisper. He felt by someone’s being vocal, it showed disrespect for him. So he made his children speak softly; he felt they should be “seen” and not “heard.”
Always propped upon three or four large pillows, Ervil took delight in each captive visitor. He preferred to receive callers one at a time. That way he would have less to distract him from the spiritual impressions and revelations he was constantly receiving. He also felt more in control with just one other person in the room; one individual was less likely to contradict or try to discredit him.
Often content to stay in bed most of the time, he sent messages with Delfina’s and Anna Mae’s children to ask several other women in town to bring him hot meals. The women were peeved, to say the least, but what could they do. The Lord wanted Ervil to have the best, and he could not perform physically or mentally if he wasn’t properly nourished. He needed to maintain his strength, but his duty to his wives kept him drained.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It had been revealed to the prophet Joel to form a new gathering place for the saints in the Sierra Madre Mountains, so Verlan’s families along with several other LeBaron followers moved there. While living in the mountains, I was gradually drafted into midwifery. At first I delivered just my nieces and nephews. Then I assisted friends and other women in the group.
The closest I came to receiving formal training was from two young interns. After arriving at the government hospital, they heard I was a midwife and occasionally asked me to assist them. As a result, I spent several nights receiving priceless knowledge and experience.
I enjoyed helping the poor in Mexico and I had the honor of having three babies named after me. I miraculously made it through many difficult deliveries. I never charged for my services; the recompense I got was the satisfaction of knowing I’d helped someone in need, thus alleviating some economic burdens for my wonderful friends.
One day while washing breakfast dishes,
I could see through my kitchen window my neighbor Roseanne running toward my house, her pace indicating that something was wrong. I dried my hands on my apron, scurried to the back porch, and confronted her.
“What’s the matter? Is someone hurt?”
“No, my sister wife, Lidia, is having her baby. Come quick! She already wants to push.”
I hollered back to Lucy, asking her to keep everything under control while I went to deliver the baby. Lidia was my neighbor who lived directly behind my house, about thirty yards up on the hill.
I followed Roseanne’s quick strides, running as fast as I could, trying to keep up with her. I’d been informed that Lidia was alone, that their husband had gone that morning to a nearby town to work. Although she was in labor, I heard no moans or screams as I entered her one-room adobe house, stepping down about six inches onto the tamped-dirt floor. Lidia shook her head when she saw me and said, “I was afraid you’d never make it.”
She was lying on the bed in her bra and panties. From the looks of things, I wasn’t too sure that this woman was as far advanced in labor as Roseanne had claimed. Every other Mexican woman I’d delivered had screamed and carried on from the pains as though they were in the clutches of death.
“I wanna push,” Lidia warned me.
“Just hang on a minute.”
Roseanne held a gray enamel wash bowl filled with hot water and Lysol for me to disinfect my hands. Then she helped position Lidia on the plastic that covered the bed.
Taking my place beside the travailing woman, I gave instructions to Roseanne.
“Hold her legs open so that I can examine her.”
I could feel the baby’s head. I pinched the bulging water bag with my fingernails, breaking her water. Lidia pushed, holding on to both Roseanne’s and my hands. Just two hard pushes and the head was crowning. I prayed to God that I could get the baby out without any complications.
Lidia never made a sound. She just took a deep breath and on the very next push, thrust the baby’s head out. I was shocked to see the baby’s large shoulders. I tried turning the baby’s shoulders with my fingers as Lidia pushed several more times. To my great relief, the baby plopped out onto the bed.
As soon as it was out, Lidia said, “¡Bueno, lista para otro!” which means “Good, I’m ready for another one!”
It’s a good thing she was able to handle the pains of childbearing because she eventually gave birth to nineteen children, including one set of twins.
I asked Roseanne to fetch my baby scales, and when I weighed the newborn the scale read a hefty 10.8 pounds! That was only the third baby that I’d delivered by myself. It was also the only time that I ever witnessed a woman maintaining her silence during birth.
I sent Roseanne out with a shovel to bury the afterbirth, then left her to care for Lidia. After having to be so responsible and expecting the worst, I hurried home, where I had a good cry. I could never let anyone know how inexperienced I was. After all the emotional stress, I vowed to deliver babies only in emergency situations, where I was the only hope.
On another occasion, Dan Jordan’s truck came to a screeching halt in front of my house. “Hurry,” he ordered. “Linda Stanley’s having a baby and says she’s hemorrhaging! She’s hysterical!”
I was sick with anxiety. I knew almost nothing about complications, but I quickly gathered up my delivery supplies. Dan rushed me over to her house. Linda and her husband, Chuck, new converts to the church, had moved to the mountains hoping that the prophet Joel would give them a piece of land for their eternal inheritance.
I found Linda on her bed crying. “Help me, Irene. I’m scared. I’m just over eight months along. I don’t want to give birth before it’s time.”
“What happened?” I asked. “What do you think started your labor?”
She shook her head, embarrassed. “A huge pig pushed open my kitchen door and sauntered right on in. I kicked the damn thing as hard as I could, and my water broke. Now I’ve discovered a little blood.”
Upon examining her, I found to my relief that it was just a big boil on her bottom that had burst. That was the blood that had spotted her bed. I couldn’t help laughing. I looked up at her and asked, “Hey, Linda, is it a ‘boil’ or a ‘goil’?”
But her labor had started, so I stayed with her throughout the night, timing her contractions until the baby came. It was the most difficult birth I’d attended, but fortunately we made it. She gave birth to a baby girl. I loved Linda, and this experience drew us even closer together.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ervil’s determination to find American women for wives intensified, and no woman—no matter how young or how married—was safe from his advances.
Earl and Carol Jensen had four children. Earl was at this point away from home for an extended period of time, trying to earn a living in the States. This gave Ervil the opportunity to sweet-talk Carol. She deeply admired Ervil. His good looks, intelligence, and charisma seemed to cast a spell on her. She’d cater to his every need as he spent hours in her home preaching. Ervil explained how important his position here on earth was and how God was going to use him mightily. His only drawback was that he needed three faithful, united wives. Brigham Young said a man would never go astray as long as he had three praying wives. Ervil informed Carol that Anna Mae was his worthy wife, but he could not count his other five in the equation. Their rebellion had disqualified them. “I need another submissive wife, a wife who will obey me implicitly.”
Carol, who seemed to understand the magnitude of his calling, wholeheartedly agreed—that is until Ervil dropped the bomb. “God revealed, with great urgency, that your daughter Kristina has been preordained before the world began to be one of my three special wives.”
This almost shattered Carol’s faith in him as a prophet. She sputtered in disbelief. “Ervil, it can’t be the word of the Lord. Kristina’s only fourteen.”
“I know, I know. Just keep calm. It’s difficult for you to understand the ways of God. If it weren’t for direct revelation, I wouldn’t have believed it either. But, remember, the Bible says, ‘It’s not our way, but his way.’ ”
Too baffled for words, Carol listened as Ervil ranted on. “Her age is significant. She has truly been chosen at age fourteen. Just like the mother of Christ. Did you know that Mary was only fourteen when she gave birth to the Savior of the world?”
Carol was stunned, and she felt vulnerable as tears fell. Ervil put his arms around her and said, “This is where you come in, Carol. God has chosen you to convince Kristina to marry me.” He hugged her tight, then let go as if everything were all settled. “I’m sure,” Ervil continued, “that if you can convey the magnitude of the whole situation to her, she’ll understand and go for it. Explain to her how she is not only chosen, but she gets the privilege to marry the second most important man on the face of the earth.”
Carol was confused and upset, still not quite sure she believed Ervil. Why, she thought to herself, her daughter hadn’t even begun to menstruate.
Ervil flashed his conniving smile. “May I have the pleasure of seeing Kristina today?”
“No,” Carol answered decisively. “I’ll have to speak to her first and win her over, then when Earl returns he must be convinced and give his approval. But, I need to tell you,” she said apologetically, “Kristina has never liked you.”
“Well,” he said, grinning, “sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. Just make her understand that all this silly stuff about love isn’t from the Lord. Love is just a decision.”
Soon after that, believing that Joel was a true prophet and that Ervil was the patriarch, Earl became convinced the marriage was God’s will. He gave his consent by performing Kristina’s marriage to Ervil. She became his seventh wife.
At the next women’s meeting there sat little innocent Kristina by Anna Mae’s side. She looked small in comparison to Anna Mae’s portly size-twenty-two body. No one dared question her presence, although the women wondered among themse
lves. They had understood that their meetings were for married women only.
Shortly after Kristina’s wedding, a secret leaked out among the saints: Joel himself had married a fourteen-year-old. Needing another wife to help fill his required quota, he asked a faithful follower, Harold, if he could have the man’s tender virgin daughter. Harold was honored. He felt so special in knowing his sweet daughter would be married to the long-awaited holy messenger. Shy, submissive Claudine fulfilled her father’s wishes.
VERLAN ALLOWED ME to accompany him to Las Vegas, where we stayed for two weeks. During that time, Ervil preyed upon another young innocent beauty. He used the same tactics on her that he had used to con his seventh wife, Kristina. Fifteen-year-old Debbie had been separated from her family in California at Ervil’s insistence. He had told her father and mother that the Lord had warned him that if they allowed Debbie to return to the States after a conference she would become a “first-class whore.”
The shocked parents were devastated that he could think such a thing of their darling daughter. They knew she was sweet, submissive, and obedient. What did God know that they didn’t?
Not wanting to refute the patriarch, they reluctantly complied, leaving Debbie in Mexico at a trusted friend’s house.
Then Ervil made his move. He spent whatever time he could with Debbie. She hated him, telling her best friend, Franny, that he gave her the creeps. “How can a thirty-seven-year-old man try to impose himself on me?” Debbie was adamant. She tried to avoid Ervil, but he doggedly pursued her, using Anna Mae to invite her over to eat and play Monopoly. She used fudge, which was a rarity, as an enticement.
-Big-hipped, jovial Anna Mae had completely flipped over Ervil. She looked at him not only as her husband and lover, but as her savior as well. With great determination and excitement, she would plead with Debbie, revealing the coveted position that the Lord himself was offering her. She could obtain a great heavenly title if she’d just give in and marry Ervil. Anna Mae explained how Debbie would complete his quorum of three united wives. Pressured, Debbie was warned that if she refused she would suspend God’s whole plan. In fact, without her, the Kingdom of God would be put on hold. Distraught Debbie longed to return to California to her parents. The religious cult frightened her.
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