Tag Archives: Gary Stevensen Billionaire Apostle

Christmas Is For Cover Ups

Laura Seitz, Deseret News

More than one month ago, I reported on the vaccine injury of Richard Harward and I said that every day that goes by that the Church is not transparent is further evidence of their dishonesty and willingness to cover up the truth to protect themselves.

As of today, December 23, 2021, the Church-owned Deseret News, BYU, KSL, and the entire leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including, ironically heart surgeon and Church president Russell M. Nelson, are still complicit in a cover up that potentially affects the health and lives of millions of people just like Richard, who the Church and BYU coerced and apparently shamed into getting vaccinated.  Since Richard’s incident, the Church has doubled down on its position, calling vaccines a godsend from heaven to gather Israel on both sides of the veil, as it’s been reported by LDTruths.

The Deseret News decided to finally to publish something about Richard’s condition, which until December 14th, no Utah media outlet was reporting on.  They reported on knee injuries and other health updates of all of its players except for one.  Richard’s.  And now, they report that due to “a cardiovascular issue” Richard is stepping down from basketball.  Likely forever.  With NO mention of the vaccine whatsoever.   (Source)

The Citizen Free Press, an internationally respected conservative news outlet, is way ahead of any and all Utah news outlets in reporting the truth about this awful situation.

Vaccinated BYU Starting Center — I will miss the rest of season due to ‘heart damage’…

I was pleasantly surprised that CFP linked to my story as one of its sources.  But, that’s what real journalists do — they look under every rock and look at every possible source to try to get to the truth.

Where is the real journalism in Utah?  Where is the Free Press here?  Where is the Salt Lake Tribune?  KSL?  LDS Church News?  Deseret News?  The Daily Universe?  Where is heart surgeon Russell Nelson?  Where are the apologies?  Where is the newly appointed committee to investigate?  Where is the transparency?

Thousands of people have left and/or have lost faith in the church and its leaders because of the lack of transparency.  See Mountain Meadows, polygamy, electric shock therapy, child abuse, missionaries abused at the MTC, finances, and much more.  One would think that the Church would be trying harder, given the exodus of so many of its once faithful members, and given its current abysmal growth numbers that, for the first time in at least 40 years, it isn’t reporting to local news outlets and other officials.  (Another story for another day).

It would seem the Church is more interested in protecting its own interests than in telling the truth and protecting the injured and vulnerable.  I propose the Brethren give their combined Church salaries to this young man for the next 30 years along with millions of dollars in restitution (of their own funds) and it still won’t be enough.  Why not remove one of their own names from the many buildings at BYU and place his name on it in the meantime?  Do something.  Saying and doing nothing speaks volumes.

Elder Stevenson

I think it’s also important to shed light on other things the Church is now being strangely quiet about, namely LDS Apostle Gary Stevenson and his role in the company iFit.  The Salt Lake Tribune and other news outlets reported on this Apostle’s “special dispensation” granted to him by the Brethren which allowed him to, instead of go without purse or scrip, actually keep his purse, scrip, and 43 million shares as well as other income from his company iFit (aka Icon).

I have it from a credible source that iFit has struggled for decades with over $1+ billion in company debt.  Despite large annual revenues, its debt service costs have crippled the company and it’s been a problem it could not find anyone to help solve, for years and years.  During all those years, Gary and his business partner, insisted that no matter how much the company might lose in a given year, they would pay themselves millions a year each in salaries.  I assume this is why it was reported that “$53.2 million in loans to managers” would be forgiven as part of the IPO transaction.

I once met a woman who lived down the street from Stevenson for decades.  For 10+ years she worked for him at iFit.  She had 8 children and a deadbeat husband in prison.  She worked the graveyard shift on the assembly line in very poor working conditions, making $11 an hour.  The pay was so little that she was forced to also have a day job at Walmart.  This poor woman worked 80+ hours a week while trying to care for her children’s’ needs.  I’m told she explained her dilemma to her neighbor Gary, whose Logan home is reported to be more than 12,000 square feet, and asked him for a raise.  He told her he could not give her a raise because “it would set the wrong precedent.”

In line with this sad tale is the recent Herald Journal reporting that iFit just laid off an undisclosed number of employees right before the holidays:

Lindsey Lundholm worked as a software tester and was one of the employees terminated on Friday. She wrote about her experience on social media the following Monday — in a post that has garnered over 100 likes and more than 150 comments. “We were told so many times in meetings that the company was growing and doing so well and to refer our friends,” Lundholm said. “A few weeks later, Friday, I get asked to join a Zoom meeting. It was the testing supervisor and an HR representative. They proceeded to tell me that I was getting laid off, that I had until the end of the day.” Lundholm stated the representative and supervisor said they had to cut back on employees and that the department was hit hard. Soon after, she was locked out of company Wi-Fi and removed from a workplace chat app.  “I would guess at least half of my team was laid off that day,” Lundholm added.  “I just feel iFIT isn’t telling the truth,” he said. “They go off telling people how profitable their Black Friday was but then why are they experiencing so many layoffs? … It feels that iFit’s ethics are nonexistent.”  An employee in the home delivery department, who asked not to be identified, said she had no warning she would be let go. She said she was told during her termination that she would be put down for immediate rehire. “There is no such thing, as I found out later,” she said. “Then when I applied for unemployment, they put down that I was fired, which was not the case, and put misconduct and attendance as the reasoning.”  (Source)

It should be noted that IFit’s IPO is now on hold because it’s being sued by two different large corporations, Peleton and Hyperice, for alleged patent infringements, which could ruin its hopes for an IPO at all.

Last checked, Gary Stevenson has at least 3 very large homes, which I’ve been told are all over 10,000 square feet each.  Yet, his company lays off employees at Christmas time, carries a billion dollars in expensive debt, refuses to give a poor woman with 8 kids and no husband a raise and borrows millions in potentially phantom loans from the company for himself and partner.

It’s also concerning to many who have looked into this more than I have, whether Stevenson has used his position as presiding bishop and apostle to advance his personal business interests, which almost made him the first billionaire apostle.  Keep in mind that as presiding bishop, Stevenson was one of only 7 people on earth to know about and to oversee the Ensign Peak 100+ billion dollar fund.  Might there be conflicts of interest that arise while managing such funds and while being in need of funds for his own company?

One could also wonder if the Church has given special pricing for some of the ads we’ve seen from iFit (NordicTrack) in between General Conference sessions.  

I don’t mean to pick on Elder Stevenson nor do I wish him any ill will.  I’m sure he’s likely a very nice person.  But, when a person holds the sacred office of Apostle and maintains such public business interests, there needs to be public transparency and public scrutiny for there to be also integrity and public confidence.  Especially when he and his company decide to lay people off during Christmas and are being sued for stealing someone else’s patents.

It’s December 23rd

In contrast, Joseph Smith was petitioning for bankruptcy at the time of his death.  He could have been the first millionaire West of the Mississippi like Brigham Young, but instead Joseph gave any spare money he had to the poor and spent months in jail unjustly accused of things he didn’t do.  He was known as a poor businessman for giving away his store’s goods, giving away his horses, taking in other people’s children all while trying to care for his own family and was never paid a salary for his labors with the church.  Joseph was also falsely accused as he is today… by his own Church and lamented before his death that no one really knew him and that if his life was of no value to his friends it was of none to him.

Most sad of all for me today is that on this the 23rd day of December, the Church does not remember or honor this man’s birthday.  Not on their website.  Not on Church News or Deseret News.  It highlights Russell Nelson and #lighting the world and job training and CoVid and temples and missionary work in the DRC and interfaith concerts and temple square renovations and President Oaks in Rome…  But not a peep about today being the day Joseph Smith was born.

This was certainly not the case for Russell Nelson’s 95th and 96th and 97th birthdays…

Joseph died trying to expose darkness.  He fought against polygamy, called out impostors, stood against the mobs with boldness and went as a lamb to the slaughter in June of 1844… another day the Church no longer commemorates.  Joseph knew Christ and not only saw Him, but he lived and died by His words.  He was a true prophet and if he were here today, I think he would not be well received by today’s church.

Musings of a Fool

TheParable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

Wise and Foolish Virgins (Source)

I’ve spent a fair amount of time on this blog highlighting things that have contributed to my loss of faith in the direction of the LDS Church.  I began in 2014 shortly after having been released as a bishop.  However, my concerns actually began many years earlier at least regarding certain issues and topics.  I tried to address many of these concerns as a bishop and made honest attempts to be bold, persuasive, and thoughtful as I did.  I discovered that the scriptures are the best way to make a case.  But, I came to realize that even the scriptures or words of Joseph Smith are very often ignored in favor of today’s so called prophets.  “The living oracles” doctrine is the new “stare decisis” of Mormonism.  Sadly.  No one can argue against this statement while being honest, because this is what the Brethren themselves teach.

In fact, the Apostle who preaches this sermon the most is Elder Neal Andersen.  Elder Andersen is a man I happen to like very much.  I find him to be very kind, capable, and sincere.  I think in his mind, not only is NOT sustaining the prophets “the high road to apostasy,” BUT I think he also believes sincerely that sustaining the prophet is the MOST important thing we can do.  That it’s the BEST way we can truly follow Christ.  He leads the Brethren in referring to President Nelson the most in his talks, having named him 98 times in conference since Nelson became president and 23 times in his last Conference talk alone.  (Source)

President Nelson, despite being perhaps the least interesting and least revered president in Church history, “continues to be referenced more than any Latter-day Saint prophet with 133 mentions — whether named, quoted or footnoted” — in this last month’s General Conference.  This clearly demonstrates the idea that this practice of prophet preeminence is becoming more and more prevalent.

Let’s be honest — and intending no disrespect — but, Elder Nelson was never a Church leader most people ever enjoyed listening to in Conference.  His talks were and still are unnotable from a doctrinal or even “interesting” standpoint.  I found myself even as a bishop cringing over his style and his rather creepy, seemingly staged, smiles into the camera.  For me, he’s never been someone I’ve been very inspired by.

Most telling of all as to what perhaps his own peers have thought of him for the last 50 years comes from the very telling comment his wife Wendy made shortly after being installed as Church president, when she said that the new prophet is finally “unleashed to follow through on all the things he’s wanted to do.”  (Source)   Think about the implication of that statement!  The Brethren claim they collaborate and vigorously debate endlessly together over important issues and that they always vote on those issues and obtain unanimity.  So, apparently, ALL the ideas Elder Nelson ever had for nearly 50 years, even while President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, were rarely or never embraced unanimously by his 14 other colleagues.  Not a sign of one whose ideas were well loved and accepted.

Now think of the converse of that implication–All the ideas Elder Nelson advocated for for nearly 50 years, which the Brethren were largely against, are now magically being put into action.  Translation?  If the Brethren really did ever debate anything, they don’t anymore.  They now blindly do what the prophet wants to do.  What the prophet says IS what they ALL agree on unanimously.

Of course, when it comes time to finally put into place all the changes of President Nelson that everyone was once against, we get statements like this one from Elder Holland:

“I bear my own witness that these adjustments are examples of the revelation that has guided this Church from its beginning. They are yet more evidence that the Lord is hastening His work in its time.”   (Source)

Here’s a list of some of the “adjustments” that have been made since Nelson became prophet:

2018

March 26, 2018 — The First Presidency updates guidelines on preventing and responding to abuse.

March 31, 2018 — Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares are sustained as Apostles; priesthood quorums are restructured as high priests and elders combined into one elders quorum.

April 1, 2018 — Ministering replaces home and visiting teaching.

May 9, 2018 — The Church will end relationship with Boy Scouts of America, announces new activity program for children and youth.

June 18, 2018 — Hymnbook and Children’s Songbook will be revised to create new, unified editions for the worldwide Church.

June 20, 2018 — A First Presidency letter announces new guidelines for youth interviews.

June 22, 2018 — A new and improved version of “Preach My Gospel” is released.

Aug. 16, 2018 — President Nelson issues a statement on using the full name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (He later addresses this topic in general conference, and changes are made to Church websites, social media accounts, mobile apps, etc.)

Sept. 4, 2018 — The first volume of “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days” is released.

Sept. 5, 2018 — Missionary candidates will receive assignments online instead of in the mail.

Oct. 6, 2018 — Home-centered, Church-supported gospel study and adjustments to the Sunday meeting schedule are announced.

Oct. 30, 2018 — Some Church-produced pageants are discontinued.

Nov. 16, 2018 — All young missionary candidates — including prospective service missionaries ‚ will use the missionary online recommendation process.

Dec. 14, 2018 — Changes announced for Primary progression, young men priesthood ordination and youth temple recommends.

Dec. 20, 2018 — Sister missionaries have the option to wear dress pants.

2019

Jan. 2, 2019 — The First Presidency releases statement on temples.

Feb. 15, 2019 — Missionaries are authorized to communicate with their families each week on preparation day by text, online messaging, phone calls and video chats.

March 22, 2019 — Seminary curriculum will align with “Come, Follow Me.”

April 4, 2019 — Children of parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender may now be blessed as infants and baptized without First Presidency approval.

May 6, 2019 — One-year waiting period for temple sealings after civil marriage is discontinued.

July 19, 2019 — The Church announces stakes in the U.S. and Canada will sponsor biennial For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences modeled after BYU’s Especially for Youth program.

Aug. 16, 2019 — The Church announces new training course to help adults know how to prevent and respond to child abuse.

Sept. 5, 2019 — Book of Mormon Videos series release dates are announced.

Oct. 2, 2019 — Women, youth and children may now serve as witnesses of sealing and baptismal ordinances.

Oct. 5, 2019 — Ward Young Men presidencies are discontinuednew Young Women theme, class name and structure changes are announced.

Oct. 6, 2019 — President Nelson announces revised temple recommend questions2020 will be “bicentennial year” with April conference “different from any previous conference.”

Nov. 15, 2019 — The Church releases new missionary handbook.

Nov. 17, 2019 — New Aaronic Priesthood quorum theme announced.

Dec. 17, 2019 — The First Presidency releases statement on Church finances.

2020

Jan. 17, 2020 — Adjustments are made to ceremonial temple clothing.

Jan 30, 2020 — The Church announces new administrative handbook for all Church leaders and members to replace Handbook 1 and Handbook 2.

April 4, 2020 — A new Church symbol is introduced.

April 5, 2020 — President Nelson issues “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World.”

April 17, 2020 — The First Presidency releases administrative principles for the Church during challenging times.

June 12, 2020 — Blue dress shirts, no ties are approved as missionary attire exceptions.

Aug. 14, 2020 — The First Presidency announces three global Church magazines will replace the current four; Ensign title is retired and New Era renamed.

Aug. 25, 2020 — Church members can now submit names to temple prayer rolls online.

Nov. 20, 2020 — President Nelson gives his worldwide message on healing power of gratitude.

(Source for the above)

It’s ironic that the least popular prophet, ignored by his peers largely for 50 years, now makes the MOST changes to Church policy (and doctrine) and funny enough, becomes “popular” among the people (in a way) for having made so many changes.  (Examples above such as shorter Church!  No more home teaching!  Home church for a bit!  Shorter temple times with less effort!  No more dresses for girl missionaries!  More casual dress requirements for boy missionaries!  More temples in cool places!  Civil marriage today and sealed tomorrow!  Missionaries able to call home every week!  No more Boy Scouts!!!  Kids with gay parents can be baptized! Etc.)  I think anyone would be more popular if they enacted these kinds of changes.

But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and let’s be very honest again.  Some of my closest very active Mormon friends have told me discreetly they strongly disagree with and even dislike President Nelson despite all the exciting changes he’s made. And why would that be?  Here are just a few of the reasons:

  1. “While home church is AMAZING and BETTER in every way than Church-church, why did the Church NOT fight for our religious freedoms and rights of assembly during CoVid like other Churches did?”
  2. “Why did the Church make me wear a mask once it began opening its doors, and why couldn’t we sing, and why were we forced to sit 6 feet apart, and attend only every other week, etc?”
  3. “Why did the Church not let us come every week and yet told Priesthood holders they could not do Sacrament in their homes for many of those weeks and why can’t people who still feel vulnerable to CoVid and are still not attending, do Sacrament in their homes in most cases?”
  4. “Why do I need permission from the Church to do Sacrament in my home anyway?”
  5. “Why has the Church been so friendly with the world and why are they pushing that we need to be good global citizens, by wearing a mask as a ‘sign of Christlike love,’ and by forcing vaccinations on its members?”
  6. “Why in the hell (direct quote) does my 18-year old son or daughter have to get a vaccine to go on a mission or to attend a Church college, especially when they’ve already had CoVid?”
  7. “Why won’t the Church grant religious exemptions for people who a) don’t believe the vaccine is right for them and b) don’t want to inject themselves with anything that comes from aborted fetuses?”
  8. “Why is the Church NOT preaching in favor of our Constitution and the liberties it ought to want to safeguard that are GOD GIVEN?!”
  9. “Why is the Church saying we should trust science and medical people, when those same “scientists” are in favor of gender surgeries, abortion, etc?!”
  10. “How can the Church say vaccines are safe and effective when there have been almost 1 million adverse effects “reported” on VAERS, many of which have been deaths of young people, mothers, teens, children etc. AND tens of thousands of permanent disabilities!?”
  11. “How on earth can the Church sit back while elections are stolen and the Constitution is being destroyed?”
  12. “How can the Church be okay with one of its own Apostles contributing to political campaigns?”
  13. “How come the Church congratulated Joe Biden while the election was still being legally contested?”
  14. “Why does the Church seem to hate President Trump so much and yet seems to give folks like Joe Biden, Jeff Flake, Mitt Romney, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, et al, a free pass?”
  15. “Why is the Church so pro-illegal immigration?”
  16. “Why is the Church investing in Facebook, Pfeizer, the UN, and a million other entities it should disagree with?”
  17. “Why not invest in sports betting, porn, strip clubs, pay day loans, and pawn shops, if the whole goal is to just make money?”

I could add many of my own concerns, many of which I’ve spoken about on this blog.  But, the point is that many, many LDS people are very upset with President Nelson about one or more of these above issues, hence the reason we are seeing historically low Church attendance/activity and growth rates.  Another irony.

One faithful LDS mom took to the internet and read an open letter to President Nelson.  I strongly recommend you listen to it.  Her plea is incredibly sincere and needs to be shared and heard by the Brethren.

One friend who was a bishop recently told me, “Hey I will deny this in public, but I can’t stand this man leading the Church.”  Another two friends confided in me that for the first time in their lives they believe the prophet can and IS leading people astray.

Add to the above list of concerns many have over a billionaire apostle being granted a “special dispensation” to be able to keep his company interests alive.  So much for no purse or scrip and setting aside fish nets to become fishers of men.

AND secret accounts that only 7 people know about in the world where 126 billion tithing dollars are being gambled on the stock market…

AND the Church becoming more and more progressive on social issues including all things LGBTQ… meanwhile my gay friends have never felt less welcome or interested in Church…  (In other words the Church has a credibility problem).

I think for the first time in my life we are seeing the beginning of the end of the Church’s ability to keep things from falling apart.  I predict we are about to see a mass exodus from the Church.

Interestingly, the Church, for all its postering and unsupported policy impositions, is very sensitive to negative news and to member protests.  Look at what happened recently with the Manti temple when members finally began to protest the Church for its decision to remove original pioneer murals.  The Church went from “Pound sand!” to “Oh so sorry, we’ve heard you!  And we’ve prayed again and good news!  Jesus changed his mind!  He wants us to keep the murals after all!”

The important thing to remember in all this is, DON’T just sit back and trust your leaders blindly!  I know Mormons hate that word “blindly” (along with the word Mormon) and always contend that they don’t follow the prophet blindly…  However… I have family members who literally have told me that they are getting the vaccine because the prophet told them to!  And even if they DIE, they will not regret following the prophet NO MATTER WHAT!  How is this not blind obedience?

Well, I rant.  And I don’t mean to.  Readers will notice that I don’t post much anymore.  This has been largely for two reasons.  1) I really don’t find any enjoyment at this late point in the game to be critical of the Church.  Things are getting too serious and I have too many people I love too dearly who are still faithful members of the Church.  My hope for sharing my concerns has ALWAYS been with the desire to help people simply be willing to think for themselves and to focus on the Lord, not on men.  2) I am not a prophet or one who has words yet that can help produce faith.  I am not one of His servants.  For this reason, I am always reluctant to say anything at all.

And hence why I call these the musings of a fool, which I implore you NOT to give any heed to unless they turn you to the Lord, to the scriptures, or to those He calls.  I am truly a fool before God and man, but I also truly hope He can redeem me and I pray I can learn how to serve Him and love Him better.

I will say this, however.  I have absolutely found a new home in the Restoration movement.  For any reading this blog who may be unaware of what that even means, I would refer you to these resources:

TheTenTalks.com

Scriptures.info

Here you can find a treasure trove of what I believe is God’s word as shared by at least one He has called to continue the work started through Joseph Smith.

The Church cannot save you, does not appear concerned with building Zion (i.e. a safe place to flee to during the troubles fast approaching) or saving the Constitution and will damn the people that follow them and hearken to their teachings if they have not been in the presence of God and His Angels.

The words you will hear in the Ten Talks above will better describe the work now underway AND will show you where you and your loved ones can land when you realize the dire and awful situation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.