Viswa Vanapalli
‘Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey’ is a four-part docuseries on Netflix that explores the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a religious sect that was in the news because the prophet, Warren Jeffs, was sent to prison. After Warren was arrested, his brother, Lyle Jeffs, took over the church. His first wife, Charlene Jeffs, is featured on the show and was involved in a bitter custody battle with Lyle in 2015. So, let’s find out more about her then, shall we?
Who is Charlene Jeffs?
Charlene married Lyle Jeffs in 1983 and became the first of his nine wives. Together, the couple reportedly had ten children, and all seemed well until she was banished in 2012. Charlene said, “I didn’t know what I had complained about, but I was told that I had complained.” First, Charlene had to stay in a garage and was later limited to a trailer. During this time, she wasn’t allowed any contact with her children.
By September 2014, Charlene was asked to leave the FLDS compound for being “unrighteous.” Then, she engaged in a custody battle for her two youngest children, Suzie and Amin, who were minors at the time. In April 2015, Lyle agreed to joint custody, but the court stipulated that the children would live with their mother. However, it wasn’t smooth sailing initially because the children were reluctant to join her. However, Charlene was optimistic about the future, saying, “I know that they love me. They’re just confused.”
During custody and divorce proceedings, Charlene also talked about “Seed Bearers,” a set of men chosen by the prophet. She alleged that only these men were allowed to impregnate the women in the sect while the husband would stay in the room and watch. In another disturbing development, Charlene mentioned the “Law of Sarah,” which dictated that the women would allegedly perform sexual acts on each other before having sex with a “Seed Bearer.”
Where is Charlene Jeffs Today?
In May 2015, Charlene said that she still loved Lyle and wouldn’t hesitate to go back to the church if things returned to how they were before Warren took over. However, it seemed like she changed her mind later on because, in April 2016, she said, “I just know that we’re taught that loyalty is life. Loyalty to God and the prophet is the first and foremost thing in your life.”
Charlene added, “Anything else is just of the world and material and doesn’t matter. … Loyalty is life, and that is so drilled into you that even my brain is whack because of it.” Charlene has since chosen to keep a low profile. She isn’t part of the FLDS anymore, and it seems like she’s prioritized raising her children. While it’s unclear what she currently does, Charlene Jeffs’ last known location remains Hildale, Utah.
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