In this episode of Mormon Stories Podcast, we sit down with Ceci Hendrickson, who shares her story of growing up in the FLDS Church before the rise of Warren Jeffs and witnessing how the church transformed under his leadership. Warren Jeffs was once her high school principal, long before he became the self-proclaimed prophet of the FLDS Church. Ceci walks us through her upbringing in a large polygamist family, where strict rules, indoctrination, and obedience were woven into everyday life. She describes how life changed dramatically when Warren Jeffs took power, detailing how religious practices became increasingly extreme. Families were torn apart as church members were regularly sent away, creating a culture of fear and paranoia within the community. We explore the realities of arranged marriages, the phrase “keep sweet,” and the systems that normalized control and abuse—especially for women and children. As a teenager, Ceci was suddenly told she would be married, launching her into a polygamous marriage that she now recognizes as child abuse. She shares what it was like to be reassigned within families, to live in hiding after crimes were committed, and to witness children—including her sister wife’s 12-year-old stepdaughter—being handed over to Warren Jeffs himself as plural wives. We also discuss the YFZ Ranch in Texas, the 2008 raid, Warren Jeffs’ continued control of the church from prison, and how his actions ultimately contributed to the unraveling of the FLDS community. We then discuss Ceci’s escape from polygamy, how she managed to reclaim her children from the church, and how she built a new life for her family outside of the FLDS faith. Today, Ceci is a mother, entrepreneur, and advocate, using her voice to help other women find their way out and reclaim their lives. Show Notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/child-bride-under-warren-jeffs/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:33 Ceci’s FLDS story begins 00:05:49 Brief history of the FLDS church 00:22:05 Born in Hilldale, UT when Rulan Jeffs was prophet 00:23:17 Short Creek raids 00:31:56 Arranged marriages in FLDS 00:38:02 Her childhood & Warren Jeffs teaching girls to be wives 01:07:58 What it was like being cut off from society 01:14:27 Confusion with the changes when Warren Jeffs took over 01:16:22 Warren sending men away from their families 01:29:09 Discussing the phrase “keep sweet” 01:33:29 Church benefiting from worker’s paychecks 01:48:27 Being told that someone will be picking her up in 10 minutes to be married 02:11:30 Her husband’s 12-year-old daughter was given to Warren Jeffs as a wife 02:26:21 Did the men enjoy the sexual aspect, or saw it as a burden? 02:42:10 How did they process the prophet being in jail? 02:52:07 Warren admitted once he was not a prophet 03:02:10 Her husband was sent away with every wife - except Ceci 03:10:26 “This is when FLDS began to have a downfall” 03:17:33 She got a lawyer and took her children back with her 03:26:43 What makes a fundamentalist lose their faith? 03:36:04 Meeting her current husband 03:42:19 She had to save herself before she could save her family 03:51:55 How does Warren Jeffs compare to Joseph Smith? 03:58:07 Rebuilding and helping other women 04:16:24 Warren’s son is now leading the FLDS church 04:22:03 Importance of looking outside of what you were taught 04:24:02 Conclusion ___________________ At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117