When I was a new missionary for the LDS Church, and living at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT (this was back in 1998), I had a Branch President that I quite admired. He was a very wise man. Here is one piece of universal wisdom which he gave, and which I have never forgotten (tho perhaps not always lived):
“The scriptures say that Sampson killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, and every day at least that number of relationships are damaged with the same weapon… You don’t have to say everything that comes to your mind.”
Plural marriage puts you in impossible situations sometimes; situations where it is impossible to please everyone, or even most of the people. This is most often true for plural husbands. While the difficulties between the Briney women continued to play out in this most recent episode (Seeking Sister Wife, season 1, episode 6), I must say that I was pleased with the involvement that Drew displayed.
Furthermore, I have to offer an apology to Drew. In my last post I did not take into account the very likely truth that TLC is either behind much of the drama portrayed in their family, whipping it up to more than it need be, or else cleverly editing the video clips to show stern looks and eye rolls out of context, as well as leaving out parts of the story that wouldn’t fit the network’s vision for the show. Drew and all good plural husbands are much more involved in settling disputes, and counseling with their wives, than could ever be shown on television.
Speaking of Polygamy... 
We all are tempted I’m sure to figure out what would help Drew and his wives attain a spirit of unity and oneness in their marriage relationships. I believe you are correct that there is no way TLC is going to be able to give their viewers a complete picture of what is really going on, even if they wanted to. I kind of doubt that is their first priority as the drama and contention is likely what will make them more viewers. For certain most people aren’t really watching riveted on picking up the deeper priesthood keys of how to attain and then righteously govern a Celestial Plural Marriage. If anything they are going to try and have the Briney’s continue to wallow in the mire of sub-Celestial tensions. I hope and pray the Briney’s can, in spite of the conflict of interests, rise above the drama and obtain some real breakthroughs in their Celestial goals. I would love to see TLC capture Drew giving some wise and beneficial counsel that really made a positive difference. They could become a great example of demonstrating principles of conflict resolution. While that isn’t likely what the viewers are looking for, it could touch their hearts and give them something they weren’t expecting. We can only hope!
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I have read a number of accounts of people who have been on the show (inlcuding the most recent post about the midwife, and also Jocelyns live chat) and it does seem that a common theme is that most are unhappy with the way that TLC has edited the show, even to the point of making up drama out of whole cloth. So we certainly have to take everything we see with a big grain of salt.
Having said the above, I, like you, was very pleased to see more of Drew’s leadership on display in the show and also in the preview of the season finale.
So good job Drew. Sorry, if I was too hard on you previously. Your beautiful family is all the justification you need.
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One other thing. I think the really important stuff that night was not on this show, but on the other show “Sister Wives”. The one that showed Drew, Angela and others marching for civil rights for polygamists that sadly was not successful.
What are your thoughts on the march and the legislation?
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I was at the march. It was a good experience. As far as its success goes, it is true that the bill was passed, but I still count it a success. The bill only passed by a margin of one vote. We’ve come a long way from the Federal and state anti-polygamy legislation, Short Creek Raid and the like. A generation ago the bill may very well have passed unanimously. I think it is only a matter of time before it is done away with entirely.
The only reason the Law is still around is because the LDS Church wants the state of Utah to use it as a tool to intimidate polygamists. The logical problems with their legal reasoning are too many to list here. It’s almost unbelievable that any truly rational, thinking legislator would continue to push so hard for it, but that may be par for many of them.
It was such a breath of fresh air when Judge Clark Waddoups ruled in favor of the Browns in December of 2013! His decision was so incredibly logical! Its been a while since I read it, but if any one is interested here is a link to the ruling.
https://ecf.utd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?211cv0652-78
The overturning of this ruling in April of 2016 likewise makes reason stare. It’s like they are saying, “We’re just going to keep pointing this loaded gun at you, but you have nothing at all to complain about, because we promise we are not going to touch the trigger.”
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