Women’s Council 1

Women’s Council 1 Timeline

January 1st, 2023
Events in Israel raised questions for Jennifer Bowler regarding convening a Women’s Council for MIQ. Bowlers spoke with the MIQ and shared their concerns, and encouraged him to repent. (See statements by Brian & Jennifer Bowler in the “Attempts to Reason” Tab.)
November 11th, 2023
Highly concerning behaviors exhibited by the MIQ and witnessed by Amberli Peterson, Dave Peterson and four other men during the UK/Scotland mission outreach caused Amberli Peterson, Jennifer Bowler, and another future council member to consider convening a Women’s Council for MIQ.
November 15th, 2023
After a night of deeply concerning behaviors, the MIQ posted a disturbing message the next morning on WhatsApp to 18 members of the traveling party (including Covenant holders who lived in the UK) to cast a pall of suspicion on another man in the group and deflect blame for his actions, to avoid accountability and responsibility. This caused tremendous difficulties within the traveling party. Several friends spoke with the MIQ in person, via WhatsApp, and via text regarding his behavior toward his wife and toward others in the traveling party. They all encouraged him to stop his behavior and make amends. [See “Attempts to Reason” Tab ].
November 18th, 2023
MIQ moved in with the Smedleys in England.
December 5th, 2023
Early December 2023 Amberli Peterson and Jennifer Bowler began to organize a women’s council based on the concerning behavior exhibited by the MIQ in the UK, and in Israel nearly a year earlier.
December 11th, 2023
Phone calls and emails began going out to specific women who knew the MIQ, asking if they would be willing to serve on a Women’s Council.
December 12th, 2023
Kyle Walter, a close friend of the MIQ, spoke with him about the fact that a Women’s Council was being convened based on the events that transpired in the UK. Days later, Kyle told the council organizers that the MIQ was aware of the pending Women’s Council and that MIQ was writing a “report” to present a defense of his behaviors in the UK, and that he would send it directly to Amberli Peterson, since he knew she was one of the organizers. Amberli waited and waited for the MIQ’s report, but it never came, despite him repeatedly telling Kyle that he was in the process of writing and sending it to the organizers.
December 24th, 2023
Official invitation email was sent to the women inviting them to participate in a Women’s Council. Included in the email was a very basic outline of charges/reasons for convening the council and an express request for strict confidence to “preserve the integrity of the process and to avoid any rumors that could derail or taint the proceedings.” (See Exhibit A-Invitation to Council Members 12:24:23 )
January 5th, 2024
Email sent to council members giving a brief outline of the witnesses and setting the date. Attached to the email were two lengthy witness statements written by Jennifer Bowler about her experience with the MIQ in Israel, and Amberli Peterson’s account of what she witnessed in the UK. (See Exhibit B-Witness Statements for Council Members 1/5/24 )
January 10th, 2024
Official invitation sent from council organizers to council members to participate in the Women’s Council [now known as Women’s Council 1, or WCL1] set to be held on Sunday, January 14, 2024. (See Exhibit C-Process Clarifications 1/10/24 )
January 11th, 2024
(1) First official notice sent to MIQ announcing the time and date of Women’s Council 1; included in the email notice were the charges, evidence for the charges, and witnesses that were involved. Also included was a list of questions for him to answer, expressly inviting him to speak on his behalf, to share his side of the specific events which precipitated the decision to hold the council. (See Exhibit D-E - Invitation to MIQ 1/11/24 )
Jan 11th, 2024 at 11:38pm
(1) First response from MIQ sent to organizers (See Exhibit F: First Response from MIQ to Council Jan 11 )
Jan 13th, 2024 at 12:32am
(2) Second response from MIQ sent to organizers. (See Exhibit G: Second Response from MIQ to Council Jan 13, 2024 )
Jan 13th, 2024 at 5:39pm
(3) Third response from MIQ sent to organizers (See Exhibit H: Third Response from MIQ to Council January 13 )
January 14th, 2024
Session 1 of Women’s Council 1 held via Zoom. Not having received the defense from the MIQ, no decision was reached. Allowing the man to “speak on his behalf” in person vs. only in written, audio or video form was discussed. A vote was taken. Due to the nature of the charges and safety concerns of the women, the vote was 9-4 in favor of him speaking on his own behalf via a written statement, audio recording, or pre-recorded video only. It was agreed to extend the MIQ’s opportunity to respond to the charges and call witnesses, and a second council meeting was scheduled to convene the following week.
Jan 15th, 2024 at 11:49am
(4) Fourth response from MIQ sent to organizers (See Exhibit I: Fourth Response from MIQ to Council 1/15/24 )
January 16th, 2024
(2) Email from Jennifer Bowler (written by the council) sent to MIQ (See Exhibit J: Second Outreach to MIQ 1/16/24)
January 17th, 2024
(3) Email from Amberli sent to MIQ (See Exhibit K: Third Outreach to MIQ 1/17/24 )
January 17th, 2024
Email from Amberli to Women’s Council 1 (See Exhibit L: Second Session Council Instructions 1/17/24)
January 18th, 2024
Amberli spoke with Denver on the phone to ask clarifying questions about women’s councils. He responded by saying that everything needed to guide women’s councils had already been given, and that the process should not be altered to allow a woman to nullify a priesthood certificate by simply removing her name without a formal council being held. He then published a blogpost restating this. See “Questions about Women’s Councils” https://denversnuffer.com/2024/01/questions-about-womens-council/ where he ended by stating: “All of this is set out in our scriptures. I should also reference the material we received on August 8, 2022 (Answer on Forgiveness). I don’t think we need anything more to guide us.”
Jan 18th, 2024 at 10:24pm
[Woman with a dispute] sent a flurry of text messages to Jennifer Bowler, Brian Bowler, and Amberli Peterson. The content was mostly screenshots of her phone calling Amberli.
The texts timestamps are:
10:24 pm,
10:25 pm,
1:45 am and 3 seconds,
1:45 am and 5 seconds,
1:46 am,
1:46 am and 2 seconds,
1:46 am and 5 seconds.
A longer text message was sent at 11:18 pm, accusing the Dispute of only having 3 women on the council and reminding her that all women would need to sign a document if they decided to revoke his certificate. The council was already aware of the need and planning to sign a document should his certificate be revoked.
Jan 18th, 2024 at 11:07pm
(5) Fifth response from MIQ sent to organizers (See Exhibit M: Fifth Response from MIQ 1/18/2024)
January 19th, 2024
(4) Email from Amberli sent to MIQ. (See Exhibit N: Fourth Outreach to MIQ 1:19:24 )
Jan 20th, 2024 at 2:05pm
The Woman With a Dispute messaged all council members through a friend who was also serving on the council. (See (#22 of WCL1) Email Correspondence )
January 21st, 2024
Woman With a Dispute contacts other council members, condemning them for holding an “illegitimate” council.
January 21st, 2024
Session 2 of Women’s Council 1 was held via Zoom. Multiple witnesses testified about concerning behaviors they had witnessed from the MIQ. The MIQ’s 9-page defense was also read aloud to the council, and his wife’s pre-recorded video testimony was played, in which she formally revoked her support of her husband and removed her name from his certificate. A vote was then taken, resulting in 11 votes in favor of revoking and 2 against. Since the vote was not unanimous, the MIQ retained his certificate.
Jan 21st, 2024 at 8:30am
(6) Sixth response from MIQ sent the morning of the final council proceeding at 8:30 am to an individual council member who had been communicating with him privately. She forwarded it to the council. He finally answered to the charges and answered some questions, despite telling the organizers repeatedly that he would not. (See Exhibit O: Sixth Response from MIQ 1:21:24 )
January 22nd, 2024
Final email sent to MIQ stating that he had retained his certificate, but that his wife had officially removed her name and her support from him. (See Exhibit P: Council Decision Notification 1:22:24 )
January 31st, 2024
Unaware that Amberli was an organizer of Council 1, the Smedley’s contacted her with concerns regarding the MIQ, who at that time was still living with them. Around the same time others also contacted Amberli with concerns about the MIQ behavior. This began the discussion of holding a second council for the MIQ, based on all new charges, new evidence, and new witnesses.
February 4th, 2024
Woman With a Dispute began a series of blog posts, “shouting from the rooftops” her perspective of the events surrounding Council 1 and 2. (See Summation of Woman Disputer’s public blog).