This series is so good! Seriously, the best thing you two have produced! THIS is reality tv. This is what the world is craving! True stories that help the rest of the world open their eyes to other lives around us, producing sone sense of understanding, empathy and care. I sooo love how you, Sam, so love your family even though you don’t fully agree with with them. Sam, you are such an honorable man and honestly the perfect example of how to live and how to live that the world needs to see. Thank you for sharing your heart honestly, not scripted. We are blessed to hear your full story!
Again fascinating story. One thing for sure that’s changed with me is that if Mormon missionary ever stops by my house again, (in Kingston Jamaica) I’ll offer them a drink and a snack cos they are going thru a lot and I can show more grace than I ever have before. And I’m an atheist, but I can also be kind. So thanks for sharing I’m learning a lot.
Sam's father being excited for him and his brother going on their mission to Chile and driving them to the training centre is really lovely. And their mother came too! They must have been so pleased to see them.
I know I've said it before, and I know you're slightly older than I am, but my mama heart breaks for you and you mother. I know her mind and her thoughts aren't her own, because no loving mother could watch her child(ren) walk away and not either follow or completely break. This internet mama is sending the biggest hug. I wish something would click and your mother would show up on your doorstep and never stop embracing you and your beautiful family, but I know that that is a virtual impossibility. I like to think that she still sometimes goes out with a cantaloupe and vanilla ice cream and thinks lovingly about you and the family I'm sure she knows you have. I'm so sorry it has to be this way. Sending lots of love as always. ❤
@Reflections0011 Your comment has no relevance to mine, and I'm completely uninterested in participating in any organized religion. But Islam can be a beautiful religion; my annotated Quran sits with my other religious texts. If you find value in the religion, that's great for you.
If you made this promotion once, maybe in another 20 years it will happen again, you will separate yourself from the church and become the real person of God, not just a fake church believer..
I lived in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Boarding School in 1st to 3rd grades. Then lived with Mormons (~300 miles away) from 9 -17 years old as an LDS placement student, 😢. During the summers, I lived with my parents from school out to start (~3 months). Now I live in the four corners region (AZ, NM, CO, UT) where my parents (and ancestors) lived since the beginning of the Diné People. Changes are hard. Today I’m hanging onto my community with all my heart and soul. We need each other forever ❤.
Your dad sounds like an amazing man. There’s no doubt that they love you so much. I hope some day soon you will be able to reconnect with those still in the FLDS. It breaks my momma heart that you’ve been separated for so long. I know your parents would be so proud of the man you’ve become.
Sam you are great and your story is very interesting BUT Melissa I’m sooooo interested in yours after listening to your Mormon stories podcast! Give us Melissa’s story please!
When I was 19 years old I joined the Air Force - out of the blue! Just needed to leave and start a new life. I knew nothing about the military but it gave me everything I needed for four years and still to this day I benefit from having served those four years. One thing that struck me about your story, Sam, is how you got to go to a country that you already were excited about because of your father's talking about it. I happened to go to England for a few days when I was in high school and wanted to go back. Later, while in the Air Force, I got stationed there for two glorious years. I love the way the universe keeps moving us toward things we love. I appreciate you two so much! Thank you for sharing your lives and stories with us. ♥
Thank you for sharing this story, Sam. Your storytelling is extraordinary - you conveyed such vivid hope and pain and loneliness and sadness and excitement, and you gave us a beautiful glimpse into your experience. And thank you, Melissa - you bring so much grace and empathy to these discussions, and you create a such safe space to say the hard things.
I’ve heard Sam share about his separation from his mother before, but i don’t think it will ever not deeply hurt my heart for both of them. I’m sure as parents now you both have a greater understanding of the pain she must be experiencing while being separated from her children. Sending love from Connecticut to all of you, including Sam’s mother ❤
Wow, the part with your father and mother being there for you to show their love. That is so beautiful ❤️ My heart goes out to all of the families that have been split apart by Warren Jeffs. Thank you for sharing your story, I've listened before but not this is so in depth. I am sending much love your way.
Love listening to you guys when I am doing stuff around my house like cook dinner or cleaning! The vibes you two give off and the way you tell stories about real life is super interesting which is why I always love to listen.
I am so sorry that you went through all these challenges when you left the FLDS. It's not an easy thing to leave your family behind. It has to be so difficult to go from this huge family and so many people, to so few. My heart breaks for young Sam, because I'm only a little bit older and I was going running to my family for a very long time. Even now it's just good to know that they are there. I'm sure your Mother still thinks of you often and keeps you in her heart, even if she can never say it.
My heart breaks for you and your mom. I'm a mom and it is so clear by how you talk about her that she loved you so well. You and her are in my prayers. I pray you will see her again.
❤ this is such a an amazing series I've watched all of your videos of Sam growing up but it just hits different to hear this story in its entirety thank you Sam and Melissa you guys are amazing ❤ everyone please share this let's get them to 100 thousand subs 🎉
Your story of leaving the FLDS is amazing. All of the small things we take for granted because we grew up with them were all so new to you and your brother. I know i giggle at the story , but at the same time my heart went out to you. I think you , your family members, and the others I have seen on the documentaries that left the FLDS are so brave. I'm sure it was all so scary but you kept going and can now truly enjoy life . Thank you for sharing your story with all of us. It lifts that curtain of the abuses you all suffered through. God bless you and your beautiful family you gained.
I’m Canadian… someone I knew got baptized into the LDS church in their 20s. He went on a trip to Salt Lake and decided he’d drop in to church headquarters to tell the leadership how excited he was to have found & joined the church. They let him in for an impromptu meeting with Pres Monson when he a councillor in the 1st presidency. The friend had no idea it was a big deal and that people didn’t just stop in for a meet and greet until he started telling people about his meeting with Pres monson😂😂
I so appreciate that your parents drove you. Even if your mother's hope was to change your mind, I think it shows such love and strength that they were willing to do that.
I went from living in a life of complete chaos in a broken home not knowing what to major in to meeting with missionaries. I was baptized a couple weeks later and served a mission a year later. My mission laid a foundation for the rest of my life. It helped me understand my potential and I learned how to make and achieve goals. It helped me a lot with understanding and developing relationships with healthy boundaries.
I'm so sorry Sam. You are truly a good man. I'm so glad you and your brother broke free but I'm so sorry for your wounded heart. Would love for you both to interview your brother.
I come out of an extreme version of christianity & I 100% understand the weird emphasis on following your feelings as a way to follow the Spirit. I don’t ascribe to that now, but I do think it’s hard for us to have to pendulum swing back in learning to trust intuition again. That’s been a big thing for me. That plus the emphasis on God’s will being ‘the safest place you could be’ - the two together were very powerful behavioral guides. I’m almost 20 years out now & I still see ways the ideals shaped and haunt me. It will always be a part of you in certain ways, but being able to reclaim your sense of self and trust in your own intuition & decisions is so big. Really grateful to hear what good people your parents were, Sam. That they would risk church punishment or judgment to drive you & your brother (though you said it wasn’t as high of stakes at that point)… it just speaks to what good people they are. I hope you can feel proud of that. My heart breaks that they are still under warren’s heavy hand, but I have hope that the evidence of your peace and joy and security in life can be a new kind of testimony to them. I hope they will stay safe and Warren will continue to lose his grip. ❤ This was your best video yet, guys! thanks for sharing.
Hey Sam, found your channel a month ago. Wow it is so educational and informative regarding FLDS and LDS. Keep the content coming. Can’t wait to her more about your life. ❤
If there are any youtuber couples that deserves millions of subscribers...its you Sam and Melissa of GUIP!❤ Awesome, smart, kind people with a great moral compass and big hearts!💯 I really hope you hit your 100k goal soon, and get big enough to make a ton of money. Yall deserve WAY more followers than some of these "TH-cam Celebs"💯😊
It’s unbelievable that you weren’t allowed to see your siblings or your mother. When I married and changed from Southern Baptist to Lutheran and my family and extended family never made us feel like I had done something wrong. Their idea was thank God we were still attending church. I’m sorry that your family didn’t extend that same curtesy to you and your other siblings.
Sam, I think your story is so amazing. I didn’t come from a religious background and was very privileged in many ways. However, I did come from a troubled situation. Hearing your story helped me reflect on my own. As a young girl I used to dream of living in exotic places, especially those where society had struggled. I remember watching the movie Power of One and thinking - I want to live in South Africa and see a new society develop. As I entered adulthood, I was a very lost soul - searching for something. I ended up going on an internship to Kenya and spent the majority of the next 20 years working for international organizations. I have created my chosen family from all over the world. And despite going abroad under the auspices of helping others - it was me who was helped and saved through the experiences. Sometimes a formal education is worth far less than life experience. For someone who did not finish high school, you are wise beyond your years. Out of curiosity, I was wondering if you ever did go back to school and/or get your GED.
feeling love and sharing love is of the Holy Spirit especially in the context of these friend/family connections. May you and your family always be blessed in this way.
Oh wow! Knowing that you were actually able to see your parents before you left on your mission brought tears to my eyes. ❤ I’m a daughter, mother and grandmother and I couldn’t imagine not being able to see my family.
I am teary listening to this part of your story from leaving your family, to being welcomed in an obviously loving community, to meeting to my. Elder Holland and Uchdorf, to the preparation of your mission and your dads reaction and the last part.. 😭😭Honestly it makes me sad you’re no longer a member of the church( though of course you have to do what’s best for you) thank you so much for sharing.
Watching your videos has been so helpful for me unpacking my own high-demand religious childhood, evangelical Christians. My parents were missionaries, my father a pastor. As a way of processing, I wrote some poetry. One poem is called, My thoughts on Religion. And it’s part of a short collection called, Self Taught. I feel like you might like this. If you see this message and are interested, let me know.
I just love you guys! I am of no faith (agnostic) but love sister wives for the car crash it is. So I stumbled upon your channel and you are BOTH so interesting and sweet. Never split up please, I’d be heartbroken. ❤
Ohhhh Sam… thank you for sharing this part of your story. I can’t imagine how your mom must have felt. Almost like a death. As a post Mormon I’m so grateful you are where you are. You have a beautiful family. Your story is inspiring.
What a blessing that your mom and dad were able to join you on your journey to the training center. No matter the motivation, I’m sure it did everyone’s hearts a lot of good. 🥰 Also I wonder if part of them could have realized that with all of the external forces you could have been drawn to outside of your faith, this one may have seemed like the lesser of evils? 🤔 I enjoy your story and the way both of you tell stories with kindness and a lack of judgmental attitudes. I imagine all of your experiences have made you wonderful parents to your own kids, as well as really good human beings.
Oh my god! I didn't realize your dad AND mom drove you to the MTC? T_T I'm not crying, you're crying. Wow! You said from the start that your family was very kind and happy, quite different from a lot of FLDS families that I heard about on other youtube channels that are much more strict and harsh. So to hear that not only was your family different/more kind during your upbringing, but different/more kind even after you left, that's incredible. I'm so sorry that Warren drove a wedge between such a beautiful happy family.
Love hearing about your story!! That is so cool that both your Dad, and your Mom were able to drive you and your brother there! I was wondering if you guys have gone through a lot of counseling/do they call it debriefing from the cult/FLDS? And, did you say you got your ged and attended/graduated from college too? And what was/is you and Melissa's jobs/careers when married, and now? Thank you for sharing! ❤
Wow. Sam- thank you for being brave enough to share your story. How lovely that your parents showed their love for you and your brother. What I get so far is that it really does take a village to make things happen. I can't wait for the next installment!
I am curious if you feel comfortable answering. Is there a reason you didn't reach out to your older brothers you mentioned had already left the church?
How difficult that must have been for you😢. There are differences in how profits run their groups and then learning another way within main stream Mormonism. That in itself must have been confusing, then add the emotional turmoil of cutting ties with your family. Thanks for your insight Sam🙏🏼
Hearing about Sam’s dad and what a wonderful supportive loving father and husband he was, is really SO touching! It’s so amazing to hear how present and different he was compared to so many other polygamist fathers (including Kody Brown).🥹💖
I can relate in some ways. My mom brought her stricter then her new Christian husband into our home arroud my 16th birthday. I kept trying to get away from him by going on a two month mission trip with teen missionaries international and then right after getting my grade 12 at almost 19 to Bible College in another provence. Then getting married to my friend at 23 because I wanted to establish my own stable less restrictive Christian family. Thankfully after many trials my husband and I are happily married for 25 years and counting. Ps my stepdad, mom, siblings and I do have a good relationship now. We now live only 5 hours apart. Infant my brother who was born while I was in Bible College came to visit us yesterday to celebrate his 30th birthday and our daughters 20th birthday. If we are willing to let God heal us and our family he will; like he did for us 🙏
We've talked about it a little a long time ago but we will be talking about it in more detail in the series that we are currently doing 😊 We will also be diving into Melissa's store 😊
I did that but ended up in word of faith teachings/new apostolic reformation and it wasn’t a good experience after realizing it was not a healthy movement. I got into it after being under my parents who over sheltered me. Mostly my mom being overly critical. I feel that was catalyst for falling into those two teachings.
Still just in wonder of your fortitude , your compassion , the precision and accuracy you insist on when describing the intricacies of your experience . Your skills for this particular project are so apt ! I have a question - I’m sorry if it’s been covered and I just haven’t seen it Could you have a video to represent your perspective on the issue of the “lost boys” - that is - your same experience as a teen boy - and maybe compare the experiences of some of those other boys - and now men - whose labor and dedication were taken advantage of - while they found themselves enmeshed in a religion that made their futures so fragile and replete with heart ache . It would be interesting to compare and contrast your way of surviving to the boys from other families
Sam, I have a feeling I know the family you worked for in Vegas. I lived there during the time you moved there. If it's who I think it is, they were/are a great family.
I am a Roman Catholic … I will die being a Catholic. I didn’t know the missionaries needed to pay for their missions. When the Catholic Church sends missionaries the church pays for their expenses.
You guys are a very cute couple. Glad you have each other. SUCH an interesting, inspiring story Sam! You’re an admirable person! And your values you had growing up and when you were lds did shape you. So I think it’s great!
A question for Sam. You said a second brother joined you and the brother you left with. If I am understanding it correctly, he is your full brother (same mother) When he joined you, this means your mother lost two of her children to the outside world. Did he leave because you had left, and did that cause any guilt on your part?
Yes, he is my full brother. I think my leaving did make it easier for him to leave and I'm sure my mother blamed me for my brother leaving. I don't feel guilt because we were both doing what we felt was best by leaving. I do, however, feel bad that I made my mother so sad.
@GrowingUpinPolygamy I totally understand. I know an Amish family who left their community and faith, and when they did, other members of their family also left. They all spent enormous hours in prayer, and in faith knew their decision was the correct one to make. The original family did feel an element of guilt for the following family members leaving the Amish faith, as the decision to leave is so final.
Life experiences shape us & in your case Sam they’ve made you a wonderful man. My heart breaks for the family you have not been able to see, how cruel that is, that is not Gods teaching.
I'm way late to the party but I have a question for Sam please - you mentioned how when you were becoming a part of the mainstream LDS congregation, you felt what you perceived (at that time) to be the Holy Spirit. You previously said you also felt this while part of the FLDS when younger. I'm curious how you made sense (at the time) of having felt the Holy Spirit in both churches? Did you feel it was present in both Churches? Or did it retrospectively alter your perception of what you had felt while in the FLDS?
There were things that bothered me for a while within the FLDS but the decision to leave was very abrupt. The decision mostly came because I became friends with "outsiders" that seemed to be very happy and good.
This series is so good! Seriously, the best thing you two have produced! THIS is reality tv. This is what the world is craving! True stories that help the rest of the world open their eyes to other lives around us, producing sone sense of understanding, empathy and care. I sooo love how you, Sam, so love your family even though you don’t fully agree with with them. Sam, you are such an honorable man and honestly the perfect example of how to live and how to live that the world needs to see.
Thank you for sharing your heart honestly, not scripted. We are blessed to hear your full story!
Wow thank you so much for your kind words! This means so much to me ❤️
Again fascinating story. One thing for sure that’s changed with me is that if Mormon missionary ever stops by my house again, (in Kingston Jamaica) I’ll offer them a drink and a snack cos they are going thru a lot and I can show more grace than I ever have before. And I’m an atheist, but I can also be kind. So thanks for sharing I’m learning a lot.
Sam's father being excited for him and his brother going on their mission to Chile and driving them to the training centre is really lovely. And their mother came too! They must have been so pleased to see them.
I know I've said it before, and I know you're slightly older than I am, but my mama heart breaks for you and you mother. I know her mind and her thoughts aren't her own, because no loving mother could watch her child(ren) walk away and not either follow or completely break. This internet mama is sending the biggest hug. I wish something would click and your mother would show up on your doorstep and never stop embracing you and your beautiful family, but I know that that is a virtual impossibility. I like to think that she still sometimes goes out with a cantaloupe and vanilla ice cream and thinks lovingly about you and the family I'm sure she knows you have. I'm so sorry it has to be this way. Sending lots of love as always. ❤
Bro plz read and research more, and step into Islam
@Reflections0011 Your comment has no relevance to mine, and I'm completely uninterested in participating in any organized religion. But Islam can be a beautiful religion; my annotated Quran sits with my other religious texts. If you find value in the religion, that's great for you.
Thank you! ❤️
If you made this promotion once, maybe in another 20 years it will happen again, you will separate yourself from the church and become the real person of God, not just a fake church believer..
@@Rasarel What in the world are you even talking about? You and Reflections are living in another universe. Have a great life there.
I lived in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Boarding School in 1st to 3rd grades. Then lived with Mormons (~300 miles away) from 9 -17 years old as an LDS placement student, 😢. During the summers, I lived with my parents from school out to start (~3 months). Now I live in the four corners region (AZ, NM, CO, UT) where my parents (and ancestors) lived since the beginning of the Diné People. Changes are hard. Today I’m hanging onto my community with all my heart and soul. We need each other forever ❤.
Wow... still a tearjerker. So glad you got that last hug from your Mama.
Your dad sounds like an amazing man. There’s no doubt that they love you so much. I hope some day soon you will be able to reconnect with those still in the FLDS. It breaks my momma heart that you’ve been separated for so long. I know your parents would be so proud of the man you’ve become.
Thank you so much! ❤️
Your father being in love with Chile was so sweet. I wish you both could just get together and talk about it. ❤
Sam you are great and your story is very interesting BUT Melissa I’m sooooo interested in yours after listening to your Mormon stories podcast! Give us Melissa’s story please!
Melissa's story will be a part of this series 😊
I agree,I would love to hear your story.❤
Amazing. I love this interview of sam.
Thank you! 😊
I’m so glad that your mom was with your dad to drive you up to the MISSION TRAINING CENTER. As a mom I can’t imagine being separated from my children.
❤️
When I was 19 years old I joined the Air Force - out of the blue! Just needed to leave and start a new life. I knew nothing about the military but it gave me everything I needed for four years and still to this day I benefit from having served those four years. One thing that struck me about your story, Sam, is how you got to go to a country that you already were excited about because of your father's talking about it. I happened to go to England for a few days when I was in high school and wanted to go back. Later, while in the Air Force, I got stationed there for two glorious years. I love the way the universe keeps moving us toward things we love. I appreciate you two so much! Thank you for sharing your lives and stories with us. ♥
Thank you for sharing this story, Sam. Your storytelling is extraordinary - you conveyed such vivid hope and pain and loneliness and sadness and excitement, and you gave us a beautiful glimpse into your experience. And thank you, Melissa - you bring so much grace and empathy to these discussions, and you create a such safe space to say the hard things.
Thank you so much! 😊
I’ve heard Sam share about his separation from his mother before, but i don’t think it will ever not deeply hurt my heart for both of them. I’m sure as parents now you both have a greater understanding of the pain she must be experiencing while being separated from her children. Sending love from Connecticut to all of you, including Sam’s mother ❤
That must have been so hard Sam, I’m so glad you found Melissa you two are just gorgeous together x
Thank you so much!! ❤️
Wow, the part with your father and mother being there for you to show their love. That is so beautiful ❤️ My heart goes out to all of the families that have been split apart by Warren Jeffs. Thank you for sharing your story, I've listened before but not this is so in depth. I am sending much love your way.
Thank you so much! ❤️
I have been sitting in the parking lot at Target for 10 minutes so I could finish this!
Love listening to you guys when I am doing stuff around my house like cook dinner or cleaning! The vibes you two give off and the way you tell stories about real life is super interesting which is why I always love to listen.
I am so sorry that you went through all these challenges when you left the FLDS. It's not an easy thing to leave your family behind. It has to be so difficult to go from this huge family and so many people, to so few. My heart breaks for young Sam, because I'm only a little bit older and I was going running to my family for a very long time. Even now it's just good to know that they are there. I'm sure your Mother still thinks of you often and keeps you in her heart, even if she can never say it.
❤️
Thanks for sharing in such detail Sam!
You're very welcome! 😊
My heart breaks for you and your mom. I'm a mom and it is so clear by how you talk about her that she loved you so well. You and her are in my prayers. I pray you will see her again.
I'm so pleased to hear the LDS was so supportive and loving to you ❤ I've nothing but respect for the LDS folks ❤
❤ this is such a an amazing series I've watched all of your videos of Sam growing up but it just hits different to hear this story in its entirety thank you Sam and Melissa you guys are amazing ❤ everyone please share this let's get them to 100 thousand subs 🎉
Thank you so much! 😊
What a cliffhanger! Looking forward to the next episode!
Your story of leaving the FLDS is amazing. All of the small things we take for granted because we grew up with them were all so new to you and your brother. I know i giggle at the story , but at the same time my heart went out to you. I think you , your family members, and the others I have seen on the documentaries that left the FLDS are so brave. I'm sure it was all so scary but you kept going and can now truly enjoy life . Thank you for sharing your story with all of us. It lifts that curtain of the abuses you all suffered through. God bless you and your beautiful family you gained.
I’m Canadian… someone I knew got baptized into the LDS church in their 20s. He went on a trip to Salt Lake and decided he’d drop in to church headquarters to tell the leadership how excited he was to have found & joined the church. They let him in for an impromptu meeting with Pres Monson when he a councillor in the 1st presidency. The friend had no idea it was a big deal and that people didn’t just stop in for a meet and greet until he started telling people about his meeting with Pres monson😂😂
Sam was a diamond in the rough and Melissa finally discovered it....
I so appreciate that your parents drove you. Even if your mother's hope was to change your mind, I think it shows such love and strength that they were willing to do that.
Thank you so much for sharing your story!
I went from living in a life of complete chaos in a broken home not knowing what to major in to meeting with missionaries. I was baptized a couple weeks later and served a mission a year later. My mission laid a foundation for the rest of my life. It helped me understand my potential and I learned how to make and achieve goals. It helped me a lot with understanding and developing relationships with healthy boundaries.
I just can't get over the amount of courage and strength you have. Be proud of yourself!
Thank you! 😊
@GrowingUpinPolygamy you're welcome
I'm so sorry Sam. You are truly a good man. I'm so glad you and your brother broke free but I'm so sorry for your wounded heart. Would love for you both to interview your brother.
I come out of an extreme version of christianity & I 100% understand the weird emphasis on following your feelings as a way to follow the Spirit. I don’t ascribe to that now, but I do think it’s hard for us to have to pendulum swing back in learning to trust intuition again. That’s been a big thing for me. That plus the emphasis on God’s will being ‘the safest place you could be’ - the two together were very powerful behavioral guides. I’m almost 20 years out now & I still see ways the ideals shaped and haunt me.
It will always be a part of you in certain ways, but being able to reclaim your sense of self and trust in your own intuition & decisions is so big.
Really grateful to hear what good people your parents were, Sam. That they would risk church punishment or judgment to drive you & your brother (though you said it wasn’t as high of stakes at that point)… it just speaks to what good people they are. I hope you can feel proud of that. My heart breaks that they are still under warren’s heavy hand, but I have hope that the evidence of your peace and joy and security in life can be a new kind of testimony to them. I hope they will stay safe and Warren will continue to lose his grip. ❤
This was your best video yet, guys! thanks for sharing.
Thank you so so much! ❤️😊
@ absolutely!
Hey Sam, found your channel a month ago. Wow it is so educational and informative regarding FLDS and LDS. Keep the content coming. Can’t wait to her more about your life. ❤
Thank you so much! Glad you found us 😊
If there are any youtuber couples that deserves millions of subscribers...its you Sam and Melissa of GUIP!❤ Awesome, smart, kind people with a great moral compass and big hearts!💯 I really hope you hit your 100k goal soon, and get big enough to make a ton of money. Yall deserve WAY more followers than some of these "TH-cam Celebs"💯😊
It’s unbelievable that you weren’t allowed to see your siblings or your mother.
When I married and changed from Southern Baptist to Lutheran and my family and extended family never made us feel like I had done something wrong. Their idea was thank God we were still attending church.
I’m sorry that your family didn’t extend that same curtesy to you and your other siblings.
Sam, I think your story is so amazing. I didn’t come from a religious background and was very privileged in many ways. However, I did come from a troubled situation. Hearing your story helped me reflect on my own.
As a young girl I used to dream of living in exotic places, especially those where society had struggled. I remember watching the movie Power of One and thinking - I want to live in South Africa and see a new society develop. As I entered adulthood, I was a very lost soul - searching for something. I ended up going on an internship to Kenya and spent the majority of the next 20 years working for international organizations. I have created my chosen family from all over the world. And despite going abroad under the auspices of helping others - it was me who was helped and saved through the experiences.
Sometimes a formal education is worth far less than life experience. For someone who did not finish high school, you are wise beyond your years. Out of curiosity, I was wondering if you ever did go back to school and/or get your GED.
feeling love and sharing love is of the Holy Spirit especially in the context of these friend/family connections. May you and your family always be blessed in this way.
Sam your courage is amazing ❤
Thank you for sharing your journey.
Oh wow! Knowing that you were actually able to see your parents before you left on your mission brought tears to my eyes. ❤ I’m a daughter, mother and grandmother and I couldn’t imagine not being able to see my family.
I've been watching your videos for a long time but really enjoying the new level of insight in this mini series! :)
I am teary listening to this part of your story from leaving your family, to being welcomed in an obviously loving community, to meeting to my. Elder Holland and Uchdorf, to the preparation of your mission and your dads reaction and the last part.. 😭😭Honestly it makes me sad you’re no longer a member of the church( though of course you have to do what’s best for you) thank you so much for sharing.
I'm really loving this story of Sam's childhood and coming out of his past into a completely new life.
Your story is so interesting!
I literally cried when you said your mom was in the car.
So sweet of your Mom and Dad taking you to MTC! 😊
Watching your videos has been so helpful for me unpacking my own high-demand religious childhood, evangelical Christians. My parents were missionaries, my father a pastor. As a way of processing, I wrote some poetry. One poem is called, My thoughts on Religion. And it’s part of a short collection called, Self Taught. I feel like you might like this. If you see this message and are interested, let me know.
I just love you guys! I am of no faith (agnostic) but love sister wives for the car crash it is. So I stumbled upon your channel and you are BOTH so interesting and sweet. Never split up please, I’d be heartbroken. ❤
Amazing interview of Sam! Thank you both so much!
Ohhhh Sam… thank you for sharing this part of your story. I can’t imagine how your mom must have felt. Almost like a death. As a post Mormon I’m so grateful you are where you are. You have a beautiful family. Your story is inspiring.
Thank you! ❤️
I'm so excited for this episode!!! Thank you for labeling little Sam, I wondered which one he was!
What a blessing that your mom and dad were able to join you on your journey to the training center. No matter the motivation, I’m sure it did everyone’s hearts a lot of good. 🥰 Also I wonder if part of them could have realized that with all of the external forces you could have been drawn to outside of your faith, this one may have seemed like the lesser of evils? 🤔 I enjoy your story and the way both of you tell stories with kindness and a lack of judgmental attitudes. I imagine all of your experiences have made you wonderful parents to your own kids, as well as really good human beings.
Thank you so much! ❤️
Oh my god! I didn't realize your dad AND mom drove you to the MTC? T_T I'm not crying, you're crying.
Wow! You said from the start that your family was very kind and happy, quite different from a lot of FLDS families that I heard about on other youtube channels that are much more strict and harsh. So to hear that not only was your family different/more kind during your upbringing, but different/more kind even after you left, that's incredible. I'm so sorry that Warren drove a wedge between such a beautiful happy family.
Love hearing about your story!! That is so cool that both your Dad, and your Mom were able to drive you and your brother there! I was wondering if you guys have gone through a lot of counseling/do they call it debriefing from the cult/FLDS? And, did you say you got your ged and attended/graduated from college too? And what was/is you and Melissa's jobs/careers when married, and now? Thank you for sharing! ❤
Thank you so much! We will be answering all of these questions in the following videos of this series 😊
I cannot wait to hear about Sam’s mission experience. Thanks for sharing! 😊
really incredible 👏 thank you for sharing these parts of your journey
Thanks for sharing your story Sam. ❤
Wow. Sam- thank you for being brave enough to share your story. How lovely that your parents showed their love for you and your brother. What I get so far is that it really does take a village to make things happen. I can't wait for the next installment!
Thank you so much!
Love this new series. You guys are great storytellers, your videos are always filled with genuine emotion ❤️
Your story is so interesting Sam. Thank you for sharing it with us. Looking forward to the next chapter.
I really enjoyed this! Thanks for sharing ❤
Watching now and thanks for sharing today....back from the gym this afternoon
Can’t wait to hear more
👍 keep it coming!
Can u talk more about your mother.
Is she still alive?
Can u see her now? Has she seen ur kids?
Ty for sharing ur story,very interesting.
Sam was doing what it says on the sign behind you, "Chase Adventures."
Thank you so much for sharing your story. It is such an inspiration to see how far you have come.
I am curious if you feel comfortable answering. Is there a reason you didn't reach out to your older brothers you mentioned had already left the church?
How difficult that must have been for you😢. There are differences in how profits run their groups and then learning another way within main stream Mormonism. That in itself must have been confusing, then add the emotional turmoil of cutting ties with your family. Thanks for your insight Sam🙏🏼
Another great story! Can’t wait for next week to hear about Chile 🇨🇱
You were amazingly brave Sam. x
Thank you so much for sharing ❤
Love to your Mom and Dad.💜💜💜
Hearing about Sam’s dad and what a wonderful supportive loving father and husband he was, is really SO touching! It’s so amazing to hear how present and different he was compared to so many other polygamist fathers (including Kody Brown).🥹💖
I can relate in some ways. My mom brought her stricter then her new Christian husband into our home arroud my 16th birthday. I kept trying to get away from him by going on a two month mission trip with teen missionaries international and then right after getting my grade 12 at almost 19 to Bible College in another provence. Then getting married to my friend at 23 because I wanted to establish my own stable less restrictive Christian family. Thankfully after many trials my husband and I are happily married for 25 years and counting. Ps my stepdad, mom, siblings and I do have a good relationship now. We now live only 5 hours apart. Infant my brother who was born while I was in Bible College came to visit us yesterday to celebrate his 30th birthday and our daughters 20th birthday. If we are willing to let God heal us and our family he will; like he did for us 🙏
Leaving a comment for the algorithm
You guys are adorable..Im surprised you 2 don't have a "How We Met Story"..Im nosy so i did check the playlist..lol .but i didn't see one.
We've talked about it a little a long time ago but we will be talking about it in more detail in the series that we are currently doing 😊 We will also be diving into Melissa's store 😊
Sam...what a great testimony. Can’t wait for more! Hugs! 😁👋🏼💞
Beautiful story.
Your mom was in the car!!! That’s amazing
Thank you, Melissa, for ensuring you asked about culture shock! As soon as he said they moved to Vegas, my first thought was the culture shock haha.
Wow. So interesting. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to the next episode. You both seem like lovely kids.
Yes sending prayers that u see /speak with your mom. ❤ You are a beautiful couple Ontario Canada
Thank you so much! ❤️
I did that but ended up in word of faith teachings/new apostolic reformation and it wasn’t a good experience after realizing it was not a healthy movement. I got into it after being under my parents who over sheltered me. Mostly my mom being overly critical. I feel that was catalyst for falling into those two teachings.
Still just in wonder of your fortitude , your compassion , the precision and accuracy you insist on when describing the intricacies of your experience . Your skills for this particular project are so apt !
I have a question - I’m sorry if it’s been covered and I just haven’t seen it
Could you have a video to represent your perspective on the issue of the “lost boys” - that is - your same experience as a teen boy - and maybe compare the experiences of some of those other boys - and now men - whose labor and dedication were taken advantage of - while they found themselves enmeshed in a religion that made their futures so fragile and replete with heart ache . It would be interesting to compare and contrast your way of surviving to the boys from other families
It would be great to meet your brother, Sam.😊
Great interview!!
The thumb nail looks sooooo cool
Thank you so much!!
Sam, I have a feeling I know the family you worked for in Vegas. I lived there during the time you moved there. If it's who I think it is, they were/are a great family.
Small world! 😊 And I agree, they were great to me and my brother!
9:53 what if they had said, “come to church as you are. You’re clothes don’t dictate your relationship to God”?
I am a Roman Catholic … I will die being a Catholic. I didn’t know the missionaries needed to pay for their missions. When the Catholic Church sends missionaries the church pays for their expenses.
You guys are a very cute couple. Glad you have each other. SUCH an interesting, inspiring story Sam! You’re an admirable person! And your values you had growing up and when you were lds did shape you. So I think it’s great!
When you mentioned that your mom was in the truck... tears
A question for Sam. You said a second brother joined you and the brother you left with. If I am understanding it correctly, he is your full brother (same mother)
When he joined you, this means your mother lost two of her children to the outside world. Did he leave because you had left, and did that cause any guilt on your part?
Yes, he is my full brother. I think my leaving did make it easier for him to leave and I'm sure my mother blamed me for my brother leaving. I don't feel guilt because we were both doing what we felt was best by leaving. I do, however, feel bad that I made my mother so sad.
@GrowingUpinPolygamy I totally understand. I know an Amish family who left their community and faith, and when they did, other members of their family also left. They all spent enormous hours in prayer, and in faith knew their decision was the correct one to make. The original family did feel an element of guilt for the following family members leaving the Amish faith, as the decision to leave is so final.
Life experiences shape us & in your case Sam they’ve made you a wonderful man. My heart breaks for the family you have not been able to see, how cruel that is, that is not Gods teaching.
I'm way late to the party but I have a question for Sam please - you mentioned how when you were becoming a part of the mainstream LDS congregation, you felt what you perceived (at that time) to be the Holy Spirit. You previously said you also felt this while part of the FLDS when younger. I'm curious how you made sense (at the time) of having felt the Holy Spirit in both churches? Did you feel it was present in both Churches? Or did it retrospectively alter your perception of what you had felt while in the FLDS?
how was it when you came back from your mission and contacted your father?
We will be discussing this in the next video of this series 😊
Sam,why did you actually leave the FLDS? Did you decide over a long period of time or quickly? Sorry if you have talked about this before! Thank you!!
There were things that bothered me for a while within the FLDS but the decision to leave was very abrupt. The decision mostly came because I became friends with "outsiders" that seemed to be very happy and good.
Sam always looks really excited when he says Warren Jeffs is serving a life sentence in prison. Heck, I am too 😆
I want to know how you, Melissa, ended up with Sam when you said you had your own missionary you’d been writing to!!
Stay tuned! That story is coming very soon 😊
You guys are great! Have you ever done a video about Rebecca Musser?