Ex-wife of previous FLDS leader offers firsthand account of the sect

Brooke Adams

Nov. 4, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- ELDORADO, Texas -- A former FLDS woman once married to a sect prophet is on the witness stand in the sexual-assault trial of Raymond Merril Jessop to explain her knowledge of practices and policies in the sect, particularly when it comes to record-keeping.

Rebecca Musser, speaking in a soft voice that was barely audible even with a microphone, had just begun her testimony when the defense asked to question her outside the presence of the jury about the basis of her knowledge.

Up to that point, Musser had told the jury about attending and then teaching at Alta Academy, a private school formerly operated by the FLDS church in the Salt Lake Valley. Prosecutor Eric Nichols asked her to explain "priesthood history training," which drew the objection from the defense.

The jury was dismissed early for lunch so the defense could question Musser, 33, about the basis of her knowledge of priesthood training and documents she is being asked to authenticate. There were several sharp exchanges between Musser and defense attorney Mark Stevens over the next two hours of questioning.

She also told the court that at age 19 she was married to 83-year-old Rulon T. Jeffs, then-president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and father of current leader Warren S. Jeffs.

Musser said her familiarity with priesthood history and with the sect's record-keeping practices came during

her upbringing and later while married to the elder Jeffs. She told the court she had personally observed Warren Jeffs, who assisted his father while she was in the sect, maintain notes and records, but not since.

Keeping detailed records, Musser said, is considered important because the prophet is accountable to God for his decisions regarding followers.

"Each father would keep a book or record of sorts in which they would record significant priesthood events in the family," such as marriages, baptisms and births, said Musser.

She said FLDS members are taught about a "Book of Life, also called the Book of the Lamb of God, and a Book of Remembrance."

FLDS are told that whatever is noted in the Book of the Lamb of God is also noted in heaven and that if certain blessing and ordinances are not recorded there, we "wouldn't be able to obtain our exaltation.

"If it was not recorded on Earth, it would not be recorded in heaven," she said.

Musser left the FLDS community in 2002 and is married to a man who also is from the community. She now lives in Idaho. She is a sister of Elissa Wall, and testified in 2007 during the criminal trial of Warren S. Jeffs in Utah.

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