Troubled Times with Garn Lovell

It all began in the summer of 2015. I was a columnist for a major Idaho newspaper and a zealous Mormon. My column focused on the connection between religious liberties and constitutional freedoms. I contended then and still believe both are in danger when either is threatened.

Garn Lovell disagreed with my views and ordered the local bishop to issue a gag order. The persecution began when I failed to comply.

That gag order marked the first day of persecution that lasted for years.

In the summer of 2017, Stake President Garn Lovell excommunicated me from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During that excommunication hearing, 911 was called, and a false police report was filed. Based on false allegations about my behavior at that hearing, a persona non grata letter was generated. Regarding that letter, a lead attorney for the church telephoned to make sure I understood the church’s determination to prosecute.

In keeping with the terms of that letter, I took my sweet wife to the funeral of her closest friend. That funeral was at the local Mormon church house. While approaching the building, we were intercepted by church authorities who demanded that we leave. We did so quietly out of respect for the family of our dear departed friend.

Because of my appearance at a friend’s funeral, Lovell had me charged with criminal trespass. The prosecutor was talking about six months of jail time, so I demanded a jury trial. My legal strategy was based entirely on a biblical passage.

¹⁷ Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, ¹⁸ and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹ When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. ²⁰ For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Matthew 10:17-20, ESV

Jesus is ever faithful! In the end, every charge was dismissed. Still, the Mormon church had a victory of sorts. Its primary objective was prosecution for the purpose of persecution. I believe prosecution for a conviction was a secondary concern.

Mormon leaders went so far as to place guards at every entrance to the local church. They told the Mormon people that the guards were necessary to stop me from entering and using violence against small children. All these years later, as far as I know, they continue their duties every Sunday morning.

Mormon authorities have repeatedly used police officers as their personal marionettes. Mormon leaders send these officers to arrest or drive me from peaceful and legal activities.

Since my excommunication, the Mormon church has continued its crazy persecution by ensuring that I will never be allowed to attend wedding receptions, funerals, and other events that are important to my mostly Mormon family.

Additional offenses have occurred. However, I listed only those that can be verified through physical evidence. Please follow the preceding links To examine these facts.

History Repeated

That history repeats itself is self-evident. Since becoming a Christian, I have come to understand that every action taken by the Mormon church is a rerun of the actions taken against Jesus, His apostles, and His disciples. The Sanhedrin lives on even now.

• Gag orders: See Acts 4:18, Acts 5:28, and Jeremiah 30.
•  Believers cast out of the churches and temples: See John 16:2 and Luke 4:28-29.
•  Civil authorities used to do the church’s dirty work: See Matthew 27:11-38, Mark 15:1-27, Luke 23:1-33, John 18:28 – John 19:18, Acts 17:6, and Acts 16:22-23.
•  False accusations: See Matthew 26:59, Mark 14:56, Acts 6:13-14, Acts 21:28, Acts 13:50, and Acts 17:6.

I wish this wickedness ended with these. However, they are expanded to include another scripture, another gospel, another testimony, and another god.

First, I Hated Garn Lovell

I am fascinated with the story of Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, Betsie. These sisters were interred in a concentration camp for hiding Jews from the Nazis.

From the beginning of their ordeal, Betsie saw a creation of God, even in the cruel guards who persecuted her. It was not so easy for Corrie. She struggled with bitterness and, for a time, lost some portion of her faith. Betsie died in that horrible place. I am confident she went straight into the arms of Jesus. Corrie, on the other hand, was polished by that cruelty. Eventually, her heart softened, and she was truly saved.

While I want to be like Betsie, I must confess that I am more like Corrie.

For a time, I struggled with bitterness toward higher church leadership that empowered Lovell. I was angry with my Mormon family and friends who believed Lovell despite the evidence. Most of all, I truly hated Lovell for his cruel attempts to separate me from family and friends.

Peace in Persecution

Something began to change in my heart. It was almost magical and undoubtedly miraculous.

Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26, KJV

I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I only knew that as I continued to trust in Jesus alone, peace drove anger and torment from my heart. As I pondered these passages, others came alive in my mind.

²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; ²⁴Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Matthew 5:23-24, KJV

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Colossians 3:13, KJV

There came a day when I could no longer think of Garn Lovell as my enemy. I found myself praying for him, hoping for him, and desiring that God’s richest blessings would be poured out on him and his family.

One day in late October of 2023, I found myself at the home of Stake President Garn Lovell. As I pulled into the drive, I encountered Lovell’s wife. She explained that Garn was away and enquired about my purpose.

Without sharing details, I explained that Garn excommunicated me and that there had been tension between us. I further explained that my only purpose was to clear the air and assure Garn that I held no grudge, had no dog in this fight, and certainly wished him no ill will. She was gracious and invited me to return later when he might be at home.

A Harsh Response from Garn Lovell

A few hours later, I answered the telephone and found myself speaking with Bingham County Deputy Horrock.

Upon learning that I had visited his home, Lovell’s first, and I suppose automatic, response was to dial 911 … again. Horrock firmly explained that I would be arrested and charged with criminal trespass if I went on Lovell’s property again. I thought, wow, we have already plowed this field.

The crazy thing is that a simple phone call, text message, or email from Lovell would have done the trick. He could have simply informed me to stay off his property, and that would have sufficed. I am not in the habit of forcing my way onto private property when asked to stay away.

Mature men handle such simple things without the constant involvement of law enforcement agencies. Some can’t rise to that level. Garn Lovell is not to be despised for the hardness of his heart. Instead, I pity him for a life hidden in the shadow of hate.

I explained to Horrock that he was the tenth police officer sent by Mormon authorities in six years to arrest and/or drive me from legal activities. I stated, “Surely the Bingham County Sheriff’s office has more important matters than this silly nonsense.” He didn’t disagree, and I took that as an affirmation.

The Absence of Love

The Mormon church claims that an excommunication hearing is a court of love. It maintains that the purpose of excommunication is to lovingly restore a person to full and faithful membership in the church.

Lovell has made it a crime for me to attend Mormon church services worldwide. He has criminalized my attendance at important family events such as wedding receptions and funerals. And now, he is taking steps to criminalize communication between the two of us. Court of love? To lovingly restore? What am I not seeing? My questions are only heightened in light of two key passages of Mormon scripture.

²²And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not; ²³But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name.

Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 18:22-23

³Nevertheless ye are commanded never to cast any one out from your public meetings, which are held before the world. ⁴Ye are also commanded not to cast any one who belongeth to the church out of your sacrament meetings; nevertheless, if any have trespassed, let him not partake until he makes reconciliation. ⁵And again I say unto you, ye shall not cast any out of your sacrament meetings who are earnestly seeking the kingdom—I speak this concerning those who are not of the church. ⁶And again I say unto you, concerning your confirmation meetings, that if there be any that are not of the church, that are earnestly seeking after the kingdom, ye shall not cast them out.

Doctrine & Covnants 46:3-6

I remember when scripture shaped the beliefs and actions of the Mormon people. Those days have been lost to time as religious leaders twist Mormon doctrine according to their own imaginations. That church was never true, but there was a time when integrity, however misguided, was valued.

A Loving Reply

But still, I want Garn to know my heart. In all this rubble, there is love. To that end, I write,