This is the home page of Samuel E. West, Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (referred to as Strangites).

I was born in Alamosa , Colorado , in 1938.  My mother was born into the faith; and my father joined shortly after meeting my mother through Bro. Samuel Martin, High Priest (who was ordained by Apostle L. D. Hickey).  My father was a firm believer in the gathering and moved our family to Voree ( Burlington , Wisconsin ) in 1947.  I was called as an Elder by my father and ordained by Bro. Lloyd Flanders, High Priest (who was ordained by Samuel Martin) on July 8, 1956 .

I married my wife, Mary, on June 10, 1961 .  I baptized her a week before we got married. We lived in Burlington , Wisconsin , until 1966.  I was active in the church, designed a church building (which was later built), and was branch treasurer.  We had a son Samuel Lloyd in 1964. 

Officers of the priesthood are not paid for their ministerial duties. I worked in Kenosha, Wisconsin after we got married. In 1966, I elected to get my pilot’s licenses and try for a position with the airlines.  We moved to Greeley, Colorado, where I enrolled in a pilot flight school. I was a keen aggressive student and was able to complete all my pilot training in a little over two months in 1966.  When we returned to Burlington , I was not able to find a job.  The head of the flight school had told me that if I ever needed work in aviation to go to Miami .  We packed up our two year old son and all we could get in our 1963 Chevy and with $200 to our name, headed for Florida .  When we stopped for the night in Gainesville , Florida , I called Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Daytona Beach to inquire about employment.  They said to come right over. We had a daughter Tina Marie in 1967; and a daughter Dawn Lynn in 1968.

The university had a policy that allowed full-time employees to attend university classes at no cost.  The trimester after I started work, I went back to college (I had one year, 11 years earlier).  I graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1970 with a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science.  I was a flight supervisor in charge of about two hundred flight students.  By that time I was too old (29) to obtain a position with the airlines.  It was obvious if I was going to stay in the university environment that I would need graduate studies.  Louisiana Tech University , at Barksdale Air Force Base, was in need of a chief flight instructor.  They were advised by the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities that if they hired me they would receive their accreditation.  So, we moved to Shreveport , Louisiana .  The classes were adult evening classes and flight training was at Downtown Airport .  We had another daughter Sherry Ann in 1971.

  While working full-time, I acquired my Master’s degree in Business Administration.  After the GI Bill ran out for flight training, I started teaching business classes for the university.  By then we had established roots in Shreveport . We have lived in Shreveport ever since 1970.  Our family all live here with the exception of my son’s family who live in Round Rock, Texas .

In 1961, the mainstream church under the leadership of Vernon Swift reorganized their church.  It was done with the best of intentions; but, without any understanding of what they were doing.  When an organization incorporates, it loses its former identity and becomes part of the U. S. Government.  This same government was party to the murder of the latter day prophets Joseph Smith and James J. Strang. The temporal part of the church was incorporated under Joseph (who was Trustee in Trust) to hold physical assets; but, the spiritual church was never incorporated before 1961.  Their Certificate of Incorporation states that the corporation Constitution or By-laws “shall govern the administration and regulation of the affairs of the corporation [church].”  These By-laws became the new spiritual laws of that church.  In addition, the Constitution reorganized the priesthood and set a new Council of High Priests to have ruling authority and stand at the head of their church.  "10. High Priests after the order of the Melchisedec Priesthood have a right to officiate in their own standing [in ruling authority], under the direction of the presidency, in administering spiritual things, and also in the office of an elder, priest (of the Levitical order), teacher, deacon, and member." (D&C 107 Utah Edition) No Presidency no ruling authority. They break the second commandment, "Thou shalt no take the name [authority] of God in vain." (Book of the Law, p. 20) They can no longer represent themselves as the true restored church organized by Joseph Smith and continued through James J. Strang.

I requested Vernon Swift to remove my name from the corporation records; but not from the original church records. He could not comply because the only record he kept was for the corporation church. I would prefer to stand alone holding the rod of iron than to join a billion walking on a path of darkness, doomed to suffer the wrath of God.

In 1996, my mother was dying of heart failure.  Her only hope was open heart surgery.  Mary and I drove to Milwaukee , Wisconsin , where the hospital was located.  Her surgeon gave her less that a fifty percent chance of surviving the surgery; but, she was faithful, wanted to recover, and elected to have the surgery.  While she was in surgery, I was praying to God that for Him to give her whatever strength she needed from me.  I immediately felt that I was in the operating room with her.  When they stopped her heart, I became so cold that both my wife and sisters were barely able to keep me warm.  After they restarted her heart, I felt the warmth spread through my whole body; but, I was still under the anesthesia they had given her.  My sisters went to the restroom.  The nurse’s station called for someone from the West family.  I stumbled towards the counter where my sisters fortunately caught hold of me and took me back to the cubical.

My mother recovered from the surgery. She had the greatest faith of anyone that I have known.  After the surgery, I found myself with her faith.  Since that time, I have mostly worked full-time in the gospel.  In 1999, I retired from Louisiana Tech University.  There are many stories of spiritual manifestations that I have received; but, they were primarily for my own benefit. Some I have passed on to my family. Mother used to wait when she had heart failure to contact me to administer to her. She always recovered within a few minutes. Then, one day she was not able to contact me and the emergency team was barely able to bring her back; but, she could not walk and needed medication. She finally had the doctor stop the life support medication. I lost my father only a few months later.

My obligation to preach the gospel could not be denied.  I tried going door to door many times without any success.  I understood the importance of the Internet and opened three web sites.  I still maintain this site.

I restored all of the official church journals under the Prophet James into digital format; which allowed me to make modern type editions and CD's.  I also restored and reprinted the 1856 Edition of The Book of the Law of the Lord and the 1835 Edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (including sections from the 1846 Nauvoo edition).  I wrote a book entitled “Escape from Armageddon” (available on Barnes and Noble), newsletters, and many tracts and leaflets.  The word of God is available to anyone who is earnestly seeking the kingdom of God .

Through the Internet there have been many who have entered the kingdom of God through my ministry.  There are now many branches in Kenya, Uganda, Botswana , and Djibouti with a membership over a thousand. Soon there may be a group in Ghana (it is being delayed because of finances).  There are members in India and Israel .  Three men met in my house in February, 2008.  They were baptized and confirmed and before leaving, were ordained elders and are active in spreading the gospel.  There are Elders that I baptized and ordained in several places in Zion from California to Virginia. There are also scattered members outside of Zion in Canada and Hawaii who found me on the Internet and travelled to meet me.

One of the greatest joys in my life has been my associations on the Internet and having the great blessing of bringing other souls to the kingdom of our Father .  I take no credit for the work that I have realized. It has actually been a very great blessing. There have been days when I spent all day on the Internet.  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33)  “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” ( Rom. 1)

A curse has fallen on Zion for rejecting the gospel and killing the latter day Prophets.  The people of Zion now stand the same as the Jews after the crucifixion of Jesus. We find in the Book of Mormon that no people can stand on this land without keeping the laws of God. Those that have tried were destroyed down to the last man, woman, and child. The US Government in only a few years has mounted more debt than all of the presidents before them. The country is already de-facto bankrupt with about 15 trillion dollars in funded debt and over 50 trillion in unfunded debt. The Federal Reserve has even started printing money just to purchase our outstanding debt--causing a sharp decline in the value of the dollar. Hyperinflation always follows such a policy. In July, 2012, the country will face the debt wall. Interest rates on the debt will increase and the country may not even be able to pay the interest on the debt. Trying times are on our doorstep.

There is only one escape: to become a member of the kingdom of God. Bro. Strang wrote that this country would fall from within. It appears that is not far away. The Prophet Micah saw our day. "8 And thou, O tower of the flock [James J. Strang], the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem [under James on July 8, 1850]. 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counselor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. 10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies" (Micah 4)

There will be a gathering of the worthy before the great desolation. When the prophet James J. Strang was ordained under the hands of angel(s), “13. In righteousness shalt thou rule: thou shalt redeem the poor and the needy from suffering and violence; and to thee God giveth judgment for them. Thou shalt deliver the prey from the spoiler; for God, thy God, hath put them in thy hand. 14. And in weakness will he make thee strong. Thou shalt rule among his people. Thou shalt break in pieces the rod of the oppressor, and the yoke of the unjust ruler. They shall flee away, but the way of peace shall they not find. 15. While the day of the wicked abideth, shalt thou prepare a refuge for the oppressed, and for the poor and needy.  Unto thee shall they come, and their brethren who are scattered shall come with them; and the destruction of the ungodly shall quickly follow; for it already worketh.” (Book of the Law, p. 171)

Joseph Smith wrote, "All men know that they must die. And it is important that we should understand the reasons and causes of our exposure to the vicissitudes of life and of death, and the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world, our sufferings here, and our departure hence. What is the object of our coming into existence, then dying and falling away, to be here no more? It is but reasonable to suppose that God would reveal something in reference to the matter, and it is a [102] subject we ought to study more than any other. We ought to study it day and night, for the world is ignorant in reference to their true condition and relation. If we have any claim on our Heavenly Father for anything, it is for knowledge on this important subject. Could we read and comprehend all that has been written from the days of Adam, on the relation of man to God and the angels in a future state, we should know very little about it. Reading the experience of others, or the revelation given to them, can never give us a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to God. Knowledge of these things can only be obtained by experience through the ordinances of God set forth for that purpose. Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject.

"We are only capable of comprehending that certain things exist, which we may acquire by certain fixed principles. If men would acquire salvation, they have got to be subject, before they leave this world, to certain rules and principles, which were fixed by an unalterable decree before the world was.

"The disappointment of hopes and expectations at the resurrection would be indescribably dreadful." (History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 50.)