(Photo circa 2004) Here is a bio that I recently had to write about myself. I am posting it, because it gives an overview of who I am:
My name is Moroni Jessop, and I was born on March 9, 1970 in Provo, Utah to a white, Mormon father and a Mexican mother. My father also spoke Spanish after having served a mission for the LDS Church in Mexico. As a result, I was raised bilingual.
I grew up in Casa Grande, Arizona, outside Phoenix, in the '80s. Depsite my traditional Mormon upbringing, I learned early on to buck the system by getting into the local metal, punk and gothic scenes. As much of my development came from the mosh pit as from the halls of high school.
I moved to Salt Lake City at the age of 20 and began associating with polygamist relatives that had kept from me by my LDS relatives, and in 1990 the LDS Church excommunicated me for associating with known polygamists.
In 1992, I married Martha - the half-Japanese daughter of a polygamist. We moved to Concho, Arizona - on the Arizona/ New Mexico border - to raise a family.
In 1999, I embraced my polygamist heritage and married Temple - a 19 year-old farm girl from Utah.Between the three of us, we have 9 children (1 on the way). We live on a 40 acre ranch, totally off grid. We have no electricity (except by generator), have our own well, chop our own wood for heat, and grow our own vegetables. It is a rustic lifestyle, but I love it! Where else do we have the freedom to let our kids roam the outdoors, and where else would I have the freedom to pee anywhere outside that I want?
The only problem that we have is that most of our neighbors (mainstream Mormons) are uncomfortable with our in-your-face practice of polygamy.
I consider myself to be open-minded, free-thinking, compassionate, and well-read. Most people are surprised when they meet me, because I do not fit the stereotype of what they think a polygamist would be like. I consider my country living as well as my happy application of such a non-traditional relationship to make me a survivor in every way.
Moroni Jessop
3 comments:
did you say a '40 acre ranch' or is it really a 40 acre 'compound' lol
Well I haven't mastered a monogomous marriage, so I'm not one to comment on you being a polygamist. All I can really say is, if all polygamists handled their life the way you record in your blog, there'd probably be a lot less hostility towards it. (And I'm not just referring to the FLDS, what happens in Muslim and other polygamous faiths can be quite horrifying.)I don't accept the concept of celestial marriages and such, I'm not Mormon in any way, shape, or form, but I respect the honesty and integrity you've indicated exists in your home. I hope that your family continues to be loving and prosperous.
Beautiful family picture!
Beautiful background, too!
Have really enjoyed reading your blog. (Reading backwards, you know, from top to bottom of the page.)
God bless all of you!
Post a Comment