Life After Polygamy: The Real-Life Testimony of Jared Larson 

I moved to Ephraim, UT 7 miles south of Manti in the early 90’s as a Christian missionary to the Mormons. I can tell you that everything Jared discussed is true because we were building a Christian church at the same time Jim Harmston was building the TLC (The True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Latter Days). We praise the Lord for his faithfulness to draw Jared and his family into a personal relationship with Himself. We know and have witnessed to many of the people Jared grew up with. Please pray for us and for those still trapped in this cult. They are dear people who are just lost sheep in need of the true shepherd Jesus Christ. THANK YOU JARED for this testimony it so encouraged our hearts.

He tried hard to be an atheist, but he just couldn’t shake the fact that he was loved by God. Powerful!

Came out of Utah mainstream mormonism back in 2005 at age 28. Took me another 15 yrs to find Jesus. Praise the Lord! Loved this testimony!

I grew up in Utah, became a Christian here, and have always loved my LDS neighbors. Pray for them.

I loved watching this interview with Jared. I grew up in Snowflake with his family. Our parents were friends. It was nice learning his journey to Jesus Christ.

Oh my gosh! I am currently still LDS but my awakening came from reading about Martin Luther too! I’m still stuck here because my husband does not agree with me, but thank you for your testimony today. I’m sure there are more of us out there- but your story gives me hope. Thank you for your courage to step away in faith. I hope I can get there someday!

We have severel polygamist Mormon compounds up here in North Idaho. I know some of their young women from work and I really feel compassion for them and want to find a way to minister to them.

Thank you for sharing your experience. My husband & I also left a cult 25 years ago and our experiences were very, very similar. So thankful for God's amazing, saving grace!! 🙌

I’m halfway through and can’t wait to hear his salvation story!! So hard not to skip through! God spared this man from so much even though he went through so much.

That "What If" mentality is similar to what kept me in an emotionally abusive marriage. It's very similar. Many of the patterns are similar. Thank you, Jared for your story & can't wait for your book!! Thanks, Sean!

This was a fabulous testimony of salvation. I love it that God used people like CS Lewis, Martin Luther, God is definitely good . I am so glad God sought Jared and found him.

Will definitely buy his book. I could have listened to him all day. Thank you for this interview and thanks to Jared for his willingness to share his story.

THANK YOU for having Jared on your show! His story is amazing! Such a testament to God's mercy. Beautiful! I am so encouraged.

What a testimony! Thank you for sharing.

@ 50:44 “That’s Jesus Christ. He’s the only perfect man that ever lived and he loves you.” That hit me hard! Great interview; thank you for just letting him talk, & I REALLY loved where he shared how we should minister to not just LDS, but ANY person w/ a somewhat-skewed perception of Jesus. His explanation here reminded me of Paul at the Areopagus: start w/ common-ground; “seek first to understand, then to be understood” as my son says to me.

Thank you for sharing your story, Jared! Everything you described about the cult reminded me so much of a Christian church my family was in for years. Charismatic leader, absolute control over his congregants' lives, couldn't question him or his wife, being told that if you left the devil would "get" you. Cults don't always look like what you think they do.

I gotta say that I cried hard when he was talking about his sense of God's love for him and seeing an atheist/evolutionary worldview just doesn't make sense. I really think that those of us who grow up as Christians need the reminder about Christ's righteousness every week. Studying Mormonism is a good way to really search the Bible and understand how it's all about Jesus and what he did and not what we do. It has blessed me. Thank you so much for sharing! I definitely want to read the book.

I really enjoyed this interview! I love hearing about God's work in people's lives. I teared up with him as he was telling his road to Damascus moment. Keep up the good work Sean! Your ministry is a blessing to many people.

Oh my!!! One of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard! 😭😭❤️ Jared we are so excited for a book about your life and your testimony…it would be life changing for many! Sean you are one of the most gracious interviewers out there… I appreciate you and this channel so much! Thank You Jesus for your incredible work in the lives of these men…to You alone be all glory and honor Amen!!🙏🙏🙏❤️

Yes!!! I have conveyed that very raw cry to God. I can't take this anymore you must provide the way and I will go. Our broken brains tell us lies and create situations that scare us and keep us from God. I am so thankful for your testimony!! Book yes. Please!!! May God bless you and keep you!!

I was born into and grew up LDS. I always had doubts and felt it was very cult-ish even as a child. I’m so grateful God lead me out of that church.

Jared was so great in describing his challenges and how GOD protected him and his family. I also will want a copy of his book.

My husband and I fell in love meeting/evangelizing the LDS missionaries at our college campus (we were both already Christians lol just were both convicted to share with them about Jesus

It must be traumatising to have to come to terms with accepting what you've been taught all your life could be wrong, and Jared conveyed this agony very well. I really enjoyed this video- so heartfelt and also informative. Sean is a compassionate interviewer, knowing when to listen and when to gently probe. I wish Jared and his family the best and pray the rest of his family will come to know the truth.

So many similarities in how I felt as a Jehovah's Witnesses (from 9 yrs old till 43) living with the End "right around the corner"! I think Jared is spot on about how to approach Mormons but ALSO JWs. If you can have common ground about Christ then show them who he is and what he did (full atonement), it will crush the need for their hierarchy (the Governing Body) bc who could be better than Jesus?? Will definitely try this and teach it to those in my church. Please pray for current JWs all over to be given hearts of flesh and come out of that darkness. 🙏🏻

Wonderful interview. Jared is so well spoken, radiates love and the joy of his salvation is so evident. Always amazed at the Father's love for us and the way He draws us by using so many avenues and the bigger body of Christ (even from other eras).

What an incredibly powerful story! I am so inspired as a person raised Momon, at 14 full fledge into New age esoterism with all that entails, then 24 years later on my death bed exiting my body actually entering hell, God pulled me back, saved my life and therein showed me that Jesus Christ, our Lord is THE WAY THE TRUTH THE LIFE, and the only way to eternal life with our incredible Creator. I so look forward to reading the book. Praise God Almighty 🕊🌺🌲🌊✝️🌊🌲🌺🕊 God bless family ❤

I know your family, specifically three of your siblings, and love them a lot. I'm from Monett. I'm glad you're doing well. I've thought about your family a lot over the years and have wondered what happened to them after they left our Christian church.

Thank you so much. Forgive me but I get frightened by Mormanism. This was so helpful. I know someone with Mormon influence we are having some struggles with. This was so helpful. This guest was such a joy, what a story!!! Just inspirational and so helpful. He really helped me relax and think practically. Great questions Sean, as usual. Sean is such a great guide at walking through scary stuff. He thinks so practically and is so thoughtful, compassionate, and calm. Thank you for this! I could read this guys book, such a gentle soul. I think that may be the perfect place for me to start learning about our Morman friends and to start facing down my fear. One of the best podcasts on utube. I always learn here. Sean mcdowell is just terrific in my book. Much love.

WoW! what a story! So glad to hear him and his wife are both together loving God. what a story, being saved through this. Amen. God if good.

I was crying listening to this powerful testimony. Jesus is SUFFICIENT 🙌🏽 Sean thank you for being a WONDERFUL interviewer!!

Encouraging! Surviving a cult is difficult, painful & obviously humbling. Love how grace-filled Jared is. It is through God’s gifts: grace, mercy, peace, love, long-suffering, joy in knowing & understanding, that keeps families / people together during trials. This was unimaginable; yet, uplifting. Praise be to God for salvation of the Called, the brethren, anointed & appointed church. Amen 🌹

Thank you both for this interview! It was powerful!

Such a powerful story from Jered, how God delivered him, his wife and family from this cult. It truly is heartbreaking to hear how devastating being in a cult like that is. It struck me that in his doubts, he couldn’t get away from the reality of experiencing love coming from God and contrasting that with Dawkins and other peoples materials about Atheism and seeing the idea of Gods love was not there. It was really helpful for me hearing his understanding about Jesus, from a Mormon perspective, that they see him in perfection and how to use that idea to reach out to Mormon friends. As a Christian It was really emphasized to me how the Jesus that the Mormons believe in, is not the true Jesus., which is very much is true theologically, but to also understand that God is working in their lives with the understanding that they do have and how using that common point, can help open doors to more conversation instead of dismissing the reality of God working in their lives within their understanding. Great conversation. God bless Jered and his family and bring healing and restoration to all of them.

Luther's commentary on Galatians was written way before 100 years ago. Praise God for God leading you out of darkness to the true light of the gospel and the true Jesus. Thankyou.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places

What a glorious story of The Glory of our Lord Jesus! So very wonderfully shared Mr. Larson…thank you!!!

I’m so relieved your wife is saved as well. May God bless your ministry as well as your family

Thank you for sharing your story, Jared. Your love for the Lord comes through so clearly. I thank and praise Him for his work in your life. Thank you, Sean, for being such a thoughtful humble and respectful interviewer who truly allowed your guest the space to fully share his responses.

Praise the Lord, pastor Jared!!! It always amazes me how God orchestrates the lives of His people. 🙌🙌🙌

Wow. It is amazing to see how God reached out to them for so long and so lovingly. This was an amazing interview to listen to.

Thank you Jared for your testimony. This was one of the most powerful testimonies I’ve heard in a long time.

Hallelujah! Thank you, Jared, for your wonderful testimony. It is so powerful, and I agree with Dr. McDowell that your book needs to be written. I will be another one who will read it.

I don’t know how I missed this video coming out but it is so good! My husband and I often talk about how wonderful of an interviewer you are Sean. It is such a wonderful model for our communications daily and I often think how you would discuss certain topics before opening my mouth 😂

This was a really good testimony, I wouldn't have minded if ya'll went for another hour.

What a wonderful testimony! Thank you for this video. God bless you all.

Amen! God is always testing us his purpose is to prove that our faith is real. Even though I’m struggling I will keep faith, Since covid I fell on a terrible hardship. I lost my job for declining the vaccine. I declined due to my health conditions. I suffer from lupus, and heart disease. I’m now waitressing but not making nearly enough to get by. I’m a single mom, my husband died suddenly years ago. I’m all alone. My children are autistic and non verbal, I’m overwhelmed. I recently started homeschooling them because they were having so many issues in school including bullying. Please pray for me. I’m struggling to pay rent, struggling to buying groceries, struggling to afford the tools I need to homeschool my sons. I WANT TO GIVE UP! But I TRUST in you JESUS. Even as I struggle providing for my children. I will keep faith in God. Faith over fear. Lord hear my prayers. I don’t understand why I’m going through this hardship for so long but I trust you LORD!

Thanks Sean and Jared for a very interesting discussion.

Sean I absolutely love your channel and your interviews. You are an elegant interviewer and add so much value when you speak in between questions . Thank you for all you do! You’re a great teacher!

This was so powerful. Thank you so much for this interview! Wow!!! I love the focus on Jesus!!!

Spiritual warfare against evil is something we all must face. Jared, you have blessed me with your testimony. Thanks so much! See you in heaven!

This was a great video I had fun discoursing in the live chat.

What an awesome story, wow. Please have him back on. God bless! 😌🌹🙏🏽

Great story. Thanks for posting.

Wow! Great testimony! Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to the book.

Part 2 please!!

Wonderful interview and story! I can’t wait for your book to come out. God is so good and you are so faithful. 🙏

Very interesting, thank you to Jared for sharing his story.

That was the first time I felt engaged enough to sit through over an hour of speaking. Truly inspirational testimony. Thank you for sharing. I definitely want to read that book.

What a lovely, strong man. So inspiring ❤️🙏🏻

What a wonderful and powerful testimony. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you so much for sharing your testimony with us and to you Dr Sean for drawing this to our attention. Bless you both.

Thank you for sharing this was so good. Spiritual abuse is so real and not talked about enough. I was raised in a Christian home but there was no love of Jesus. I had to move and relearn the Bible. I got a mentor who taught truths, I was brain washed and mislead in so many ways in my Dads church growing up.

This was amazing! Praise God for His unchanging love.

Thank you Pastor Larson, and congratulations!

Such an interesting and inspiring interview! Thank you! 🙏🏽

Jared you have a powerful testimony and a beautiful spirit. Thank you for sharing your life and the change Jesus Christ made is obvious. I give the Lord praise for your conversion. Blessings to you and your family.

Amazing story! Thanks so much for sharing this!

Thank you for stepping out and sharing. I appreciated your advice on how to reach those in the LDS church. I am in the Midwest working with many staff that are in the LDS church, a couple of them directly on my team. I struggle with knowing how to best reach them in love and share truth without offending them.

Fascinating podcast, thank you for sharing.

I sure agree with the others who expressed appreciation for the fact that you, Sean, (as the interviewer) let Jared speak without continual interruptions! Thank you for this!

Sean thanks for doing this very interesting interview. And of course you’re a wealth of biblical knowledge too. But i spend most times listing to sermons so this is a nice change. Thanks for not talking too much like other interviewers do to their guests lol. You were perfect! God bless you.

Praise God that He drew you out. And good for you staying true to what you did know. I love CSLewis. The books that helped me were: The Great Divorce, The Abolition of Man, That Hideous Strength. You inspire me to dig deeper.

I agree - his story must be told

“If Jesus is perfect, why do we need anything else”? I love this! I would also pose this question to my Roman Catholic family. Why do you need all the traditions and liturgical rules to be considered “saved?” This interview was amazing!!

My goodness so much they go through.😮 Praying for all LDS. 🙏🙏

Literally the same haircut! Well done!

Thank you so very much for telling your story and for speaking God’s Word!

This was so interesting & just such a testimony to God’s power. Thoroughly enjoyed it, thanks Sean!

Dr.Sean Your family & Friends must be very Proud of You. Great interview`s.

What a wonderful story of hope and God’s redemptive grace! Yes God can!!!

Great video!!

Thank you for sharing this man's story

I studied all of this fundamental Mormon stuff for 8 years. The people believe they are working for God, so they will do just about anything. Same convictions as with other cults. I heard again and again during my "interest years" that at manti, many families were breaking up. The mind develops a strong "drug" of conviction and fear which allows them to endure the craziness. This is in every cult to one degree or another, just different requirements

Interesting video Sean!

Reminds me a of a show on Hulu called Under the Banner of Heaven (based on a book), centered around a cult in Mormonism that followed similar rules. Very interesting interview, thanks for doing it Sean. Love your channel!

Thank you for this! God’s grace is amazing!

Really powerful!

Wow, powerful testimony thanks for sharing Jared!

Most excellent interview. God bless him and his family❤🙏🏻✝️

Thanks for sharing your story!

What a beautiful story, thank you!

Amazing! Jesus only is the cornerstone, the Truth the way and light to the father!

It’s strange how legalism is always what man resorts to when the bible warns us of it. True faith is the hardest thing to accept, truly accept…

Thank you Jared and Sean. ❤

😮Amazing Journey...Beautiful soul.....THANK YOU 😢

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This is the Best story of faith. I love your smile. God's love truly shines through you. I love how you left in love. Thank you for specifics on how to spread the truth of Jesus.

Wow, thank you for sharing your testimony, please do write your book honouring God!

I knew James Well. I’ve met Jared and his family. The group is still functioning on some level but most have gone

Thank you gentlemen!