I was born and raised into the 2x2 cult. I professed when I was about 10, baptized into the cult at about age 11 or 12 and "offered" to Howard Mooney at Manhattan MT convention to be a "living sacrifice" and be a "worker" when I was 18. Everett Swanson was the older "worker" in our "field" at the time. Everett Swanson told me that I couldn't marry and that being a worker was for life. I told him OK. Everett Swanson asked Howard Mooney if I could go into the work that year, and Howard Mooney said Yes. He approved of me being a worker. So Everett Swanson told me to sell everything and bring the money to the Boring, OR convention grounds. When I arrived, having sold everything (except a suit, suitcase and garment bag), Stanley Sullivan met me and asked me to give him all my money. I told him that I thought I was to give it to the poor. He told me he was poor and to give the money to him. Evidently Stanley Sullivan was the one who carried the bag for the workers.

At convention, I met Randy Russell. He was going to be my "companion". Each year they post the workers list. That's when workers find out who their "companion" is and what "field" they will be working in that year.

I met other "workers" who were "going out into the work" that year 1989 at Boring, Oregon USA. They were KK Boe, Myriam Haeuselmann, Howard Mooney (he was the Oregon overseer and was not a new worker, but is in center of photo), Jim Munson and myself, Brad Lewis.

While at convention, days later, I became deathly ill. I had food poisoning (the workers knew but didn't tell me). The workers would not take me to a doctor because they didn't want the convention shut down by the health authorities. Others became ill also. I was left in a trailer and given water and saltine crackers. I was dying. My mother came and asked the workers where I was. There were thousands of people around talking about God, but nobody cared for me enough to get me help as I lay there shivering and dying. My mom insisted that I go to the hospital immediately. They finally allowed an ambulance to come, only as long as they didn't turn their sirens on as they approached the convention grounds. My folks paid the medical bill and I was sent home to recover.

After I recovered from Salmonella (food poisoning at Boring OR convention), I went to Albany and Corvallis area. This was my new "field". There I learned the lies that workers teach their followers.

Preparing for Meetings

At the first meeting, Randy told me to get on my knees and read my Bible. This was how we were to prepare for gospel meetings. That's when it dawned on me that I would be speaking in meetings! I didn't even know what the gospel was, much less what to say. I just repeated at the meetings what I was taught in meetings as a kid.

Teaching the 2x2 Message in Meetings

I taught lies in meetings and they went over well. I preached about John 10, I insinuated that Randy and I were good shepherds like Jesus because we didn't take collections after meetings. I ignored the part about Jesus saying that everyone else (including Randy and I) were thieves and robbers. I emphasized our "good works" and our "sacrifice" to bring these people the "gospel" (that is, the gospel according to the workers), just like I had heard Everett Swanson preach in my field when I went to meetings. The people bought it. They passed me money through handshakes after meetings. I learned that this was how we were to live by "faith". The people invited us into their homes because they liked what we told them.