Ex-Polygamist Reacts to "Child Bride of Short Creek": Comparing My FLDS Childhood to the Movie

[@cherylmockotr]

In about 2017 I drove I-15 with my new puppy. I had never driven north of Vegas before because I always flew if I was going that far. Because I had to stop frequently for puppy-breaks I made it in to a sight seeing drive. I stopped twice in that area, off of I-15, to go on little hikes up in to the hills of communities near Zion. I remember feeling like people were staring at me hostilely, being a single woman traveling aline, but I naively brushed it off as me being too self-conscious. I've done that drive several times now, and felt out of place any time I stopped anywhere in that area around St. George. Until I cane across this channel last year I had no idea that area is heavily Mormon, or that such closed communities still existed. To me that was something from the late 1800s, but now my paranoia is validated... people WERE hostilely staring at me 😂😂😂

[@ummm8511]

You almost always Feel evil around...

[@user-mj3pl4ws7p]

I am a Canadian. I remember watching the movie you are referring to when I was a young wife and mother. Prior to that, I was unaware of polygamy in my lifetime. The movie was well made, had the ring of truth about it and touched my heart. Years later, I learned that there is a polygamist group called Bountiful near Creston, BC, Canada. I felt deeply saddened and, quite frankly outraged that this practice was continuing in the modern world. I have since learned much more about polygamy on both sides of the border. Thank you both for your honesty and decency in addressing such a difficult topic. The deception and manipulation of good people is always heartbreaking.

[@summerlake356]

Somebody has been looking after that "ghost town" very well.

[@katythriftyunder35homeowne57]

I had no idea this film existed. How scary that Sam's sisters were told by the FLDS that assault/bad things happen to women if they leave. For those who have left, how brave of them to go forth despite all fear of the outside world. Also this makes me so glad for the advocacy work that Sam & Melissa do to support folks.

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

Thank you! 😊

[@itsakittyting]

I recently discovered this channel, been binge watching all week now and find it fascinating because we don't have polygamy in Europe (to my knowledge) but the hard part of these videos is that they show no footage at all, not even a snippet of the videos discussed, so if you haven'seen the movie or tv show it leaves me hanging ever so often.

[@fionamcwilliam8703]

Any of these channels can't show movies or play music still under copywrite as they have to play royalties for those bits of video and music and it's just too expensive for them to be able to do so.

[@CNRedFlags]

Funny, I just recently watched the movie on KZbin. Famous movie stars Diane Lane, Helen Hunt, and Christopher Atkins. It's interesting that it's realistic. I saw it as a teen and was mortified at the thought of marrying an old man. 😳

[@suechristman4179]

That was a very good movie.

[@annerose497]

I agree, it would be cool to see a video about the ghost town and I would definitely watch it!

[@Mindy14]

I remember seeing this on tv as a child. It was the first time I had ever heard of polygamy.

[@summerlake356]

It is on KZbin if u want to rewatch. Several big name actors of that era.

[@sarahissersohn5495]

So excited to see a new upload from y’all 💜⚡️ That was a good choice on the altro bc Sam’s voice is showing more of his unguarded reaction feelings, than we usually hear, IMO. Meaning that, much like myself, when I’m at work, I pause and really assess which words I want to use, to convey things the most effectively and the most accurately that I can, while being respectful of others, as well. As such, my “work voice” is just not the same as my casual or hanging out w/ my besties voice. Because I’m being much more mindful at work, so I’m more careful and less casual, that’s all I am meaning - sorry if my wording was clumsy here- this is meant to be a compliment comment, so I’m hoping that’s the vibe it gives 💜⚡️

[@hollybeee]

I've been to that ghost town! We were staying near Zion and stumbled across it. It is very well preserved and I was surprised that the buildings were open for self tours. Fascinating place, and so neat to see real prairie homes from long ago. But I was a little creeped out going into the basement. I would love to see a tour of the town. There is a log home with a low ceiling that has a loft upstairs. That was unique.

[@mariafromoverthepond]

On the ghost town request train - I love them!

[@annamcgarrigle5580]

Would love a video about the ghost town!

[@JeanineMarieCompassion]

You are both so lovely and are doing such important work. I am a therapist in Tempe, AZ and find your work very helpful. Thank you fo all you do! You frame things with understanding and compassion.

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@kristinesharp6286]

She was saved from being assaulted only to be assaulted.

[@bluewingedchaoscat]

😢

[@susancanavespe5217]

Video, please! What a beautiful setting.

[@user-dw3fb2cw6c]

I do love your compassion for the people that was in this comunity There Will allways be evil people who is violeting other humans. So heart breakning. I love your way you talk with understanding and love. So many are so on the see-saw good vs bad. You make me belive that there is Hope for the world. Thank you from Sweden

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@GShumway132]

Short Creek would have been similar to Grafton. It was a dusty dirt road town on the strip, clustered around the intersection of Township and Central. Township was the only road into town. The first paved road out to Short Creek was the Sand Dunes road right around the 53 raid, which was only paved to School Boundary, where it was a dirt road the rest of the way into town. After the raid they extended Central up into Utah (Hildale) and put in Utah and Uzona over to the dirt road to Hurricane. The Hurricane-Fredonia Highway was built in the 70s, when they removed the Township and Cottonwood bridges, paved a bunch of the streets, and extended Arizona, and Johnson over to the new Highway, and Central south to the new Highway. It didn't become a sizable, spread out town until then. Rulon era was the completion of the continuous square around town; Mohave, Richard, Utah, and Hildale. At that point Johnson was closed (dangerous intersection too close to the bridge), and Mohave was extended across the highway instead.

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

Thank you for sharing this insight.

[@kaaaatieee]

I had never heard of this movie but found it on KZbin, watched, and then came back… wow, so realistic for an 80’s movie. Always loved your channel. Best wishes to you guys and your family! ❤

[@thatgirlc123]

Excellent review! The movie “In God’s Country” (2007) is now showing in full on KZbin and free with ads. Made for TV and appears to be based loosely on the FDLS.

[@kristinesharp6286]

I was 9 when the movie came out. On tv movie of the week. Before cable. There were only 5-6 channels to watch. It looked like Little House on the Prairie. I was somewhat confused about the cars. I didn’t understand the marriage parts of it at 9. I rewatched a few times over the years. You know when you break the law your family might have their hearts broken. It’s not the fault of police. If you have someone with a marriage license the state and the public get to have a say in what that means. If none of these people never legally married there wolud be no underage nonsense and the government wolud leave people be. When I started watching the Brown’s I thought maybe these laws so long ago don’t apply anymore. After 18 seasons the boys being unable to marry let alone 3 still true, the financial vulnerability still true, the ignoring family and favoritism true and the dodgey financials true with all the bankruptcy filings. Robyn not wanting Meri to go back to school because she might leave them, the manipulation of the women to keep other women in the fold even it’s on the shelf or the loft of the garage for the motor vehicle toys used sparingly true. One kid is leaving for college and another in hospital, where do you go? It’s insanity. You can’t dress this up in the suburbs and have them all adults and convince people it’s right. The fraud divorce for the gain of another through a fraud marriage, the taking that man’s kids away. All so he can have a higher head count. If it’s illegal to marry for a visa how is this acceptable? From history I used to think if they just grandfathered the unions but allow for no fault divorce if either wanted out it would have been better to retroactively make existing unions illegal. That it would fizzle out with no new unions. It just turned them into martyrs. But after the Brown’s and other recent events they may have been right to make existing unions illegal. Emma said he didn’t. Her and her sons went back east. They continued to the movement and that version never had polygamy. I think BY is the one responsible and just blamed it on the dead guy.

[@smlorrin]

The draft was in effect during that time, so the FLDS members in the military were probably drafted rather than signing up voluntarily.

[@keairahager3275]

We want the ghost town videos and the story behind it!! 💙 your channel doesn’t have to stick to one topic all the time!! 💕 I would love to hear your opinions on so many things!!

[@elainebryant1124]

Your shows are so fascinating and well done. Your compassion is evident.

[@crystalsullivan9896]

I would love to see a video of the stuff from that ghost town.

[@crazyaboutcards]

I've been to that ghost town earlier this year. It was cool.

[@deniseflygirl]

I am so happy you watched this. I was wondering how realistic is was since made-for-TV movies tend to be kinda cheesy. 💕

[@GoodMorningButch]

Huge congratulations to the both of you for having left that world and finding happiness with one another. That takes a lot of guts.

[@44DHernandez]

I remember watching this on TV. I would have been 14 and remember my shock that people lived like that.

[@kimkrebs451]

I’ve learned a lot from listening to you two about polygamy along with Escaping Polygamy that was on A&E

[@kimkrebs451]

That would be cool to see a video on this

[@aasiyapowell875]

Another comprehensive review.

[@juddiehare4096]

I watched this today after seeing this!!! Oh my what a well made film and agree difficult watching! Couldn't find it on Amazon Prime so watched it on You Tube instead.

[@barbarabornholdt2854]

I just found this last night on Amazon prime but did not watch it yet!

[@karismith5079]

Search for it on youtube and you can watch it for free.

[@AlisonKenzoland]

Amanda Rae talks a lot about order/ Kingston women getting in very bad situations bc they are raised that they aren't allowed to say no to a man. To dance, for a date, a phone call, they are raised with no choice in the matter and that translates on the outside.

[@thereallifeofaimeebarton8152]

My daughter is LDS and about to go on a mission and I said something about the Devil controlling the water and she had no idea what I was talking about and told me I was crazy! I have heard that my whole life-

[@AprilFriday-de6vm]

I heard that frequently in seminary and other meetings in the 80s/90s. It’s possible they’ve rolled that back quietly. Like they do with a lot of “doctrine.”

[@leldesaulite-rozite]

Wow, movie was very interesting, sad and filled with insights, love. And your review was on point, really to hear your realistic perspective was great, thank you for doing this. 👌👌👌

[@CLWettstein22]

Hi guys! Thanks for this. I watched it years ago.

[@michellez13]

I have followed you both from the very beginning. I rarely comment but have loved watching your channel grow. Please please do a reaction to Miss Understood Podcasts interview with Meri Brown!

[@gadiantonx8474]

grafton was also used for the bicycle scene in butch cassidy last i was there i went in a ford galaxie. yes do a few on the ghost towns in that area they are all plig history david was drafted and served his mandatory 3 years if i recall correctly

[@pamelavargas6811]

1953 was before I was born and 1981 was when my 2nd children was born 😂

[@pamelavargas6811]

My mother graduated from high-school in 1942....I rode on horseback through Zion in 1971....

[@virginiawisdom7170]

Just finished watching the movie. Wow I don't have words 😮

[@dustin7405]

I went on that dirt road from Short Creek/Apple Valley in my 1994 Subaru legacy, a tiny car. It was so scary but I was a dumb teenager lol. It was so fun though

[@GoldenMom815]

10:21 I wonder if the Johnson was related to Amanda Rae!!

[@mr.hermit2433]

Thank ypu for sharing your Insight

[@jewelgazer]

What an interesting story!

[@andreajordan9519]

Perhaps the movie mentioned the two year parole of the men, to imply that Jessica Rae was now 17 when running away with Issac? She was older when she made the decision to leave?

[@capb6379]

Leroy Johnson was my my moms uncle. She was visiting her family , while expecting her first baby...she left before the raid...

[@sharonmartin2356]

Were FLDS eligible for conscription? Sorry Im not from the US so I am unaware whether there were exemptions.

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

I believe they were back in those days.

[@annebehnke945]

So I'm canadian and my interest in the flds started with Warren Jeffs going on the 10 most wanted list, reading books on women who escaped and a canadian film called In God's country. I'd love if you would react to that film.

[@dejaporter7338]

I watched the movie yesterday

[@kristinesharp6286]

I always thought Diane’s character felt she had two choices. Flee but no one would help her and she would be caught anyway, after what happened. Or drown herself in the river. She thought they one or both did it to get out of a marriage.

[@kathywilliamson223]

Amazon prime in Canada doesn't have it.

[@deniseflygirl]

Try KZbin. I saw it on there for free.

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

Oh no. We're not sure if there is another way for you to watch it in Canada. If we find a way, we'll let you know 😊

[@deniseflygirl]

It is available on KZbin for free too. At least in the USA.

[@eastercollier5534]

It has been refurbished. I visited back in the late 70 or early 80.

[@roberts9565]

Did you celebrate the 24th of July in Short Creek?

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

Yes, before Warren took over, we did.

[@opienattyvlogs7930]

Wait isn't Amanda rae related to Johnson.... is she related to leroy Johnson the prophet can yall have Amanda back on soon

[@heatheradams7688]

You talked about girls who were rebellious or had questions, being married and made a Mother to keep them in the FLDS. Was it the same for boys? Sam, if your family had known how much you were questioning things as an 18 year old, do you think they would have found a way to marry you off? If children keep the women in, do children also keep men in?

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

It would work both ways but mostly for the young women and girls. It seemed like most of the men had to prove themselves worthy to the prophet in order to be married.

[@mamasmurf7830]

I just watched the movie after seeing your video about it, and all I could think was that it’s like a really twisted, sad, evil version of Little House on The Prairie 🫣 It even has some of the same actors! I grew up watching and LOVING Little House on the Prairie. I doubt I missed an episode…. If you two aren’t familiar, I bet you and your kids would love it 🥰

[@nancycornett9949]

Thank you!

[@tammy5590]

Melissa are your parents still in the LDS sect or have they separated from them.

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

Melissa's mom is still LDS but her dad has left the faith.

[@whitneyshamblin88]

Escape from Polygamy and In God's Country are good movies too

[@highlandsrv]

are you guys still in the LDS ???

[@ljdelannoy4629]

They are not practicing LDS at this time. (From watching their other videos.)

[@GrowingUpinPolygamy]

We are not active in the church at this time.

[@shirleymurphy1958]

Forceing anyone too marry is so wrong. And if its too a person of supposedly of God for a young teen girl and an older man more so. Horrible and so ungodly when you use religion as a tool too meet your sexual lust .Brain washing using God will be judged harshly.

[@arobin1960]

Tamed your Alby Grant quoff down... suited you reallly.