“Leopard Spots”
During the 1940s and 1950s, a prison warden named Clinton Duffy was well known for his efforts to rehabilitate the men in his prison. Said one critic, “You should know that leopards don’t change their spots!” Replied Warden Duffy, “You should know I don’t work with leopards. I work with men, and men change every day.”1
If there was a prison that could consign individuals for spiritual reasons, it’s very possible Jason Averett would already have had his own cell. Even at a young age, Jason was well defined in his beliefs, his spiritual “Leopard Spots” already set in strongly. Someone who knew Jason only while he grew up would probably readily cite him as a prime example to disprove Warden Duffy.
Jason was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon”) at eight years of age in 1995. But, in reality, he didn’t want to be baptized. He did so to please his parents. He had already concluded he didn’t believe in the church at all, and he did not like the “rules.” This carried over to his teenage years even as he frequently attended church and seminary classes. He didn’t consider himself an actual member of the church.
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| Leopard (PBS) |
“Bible Bashing Bully”
Jason could be a bully, and he constantly contradicted his church teachers. The relationship with his family also became conflict-ridden and strained because of the rift between their beliefs. Many times, Jason was asked to not be in Sunday school or seminary classes because of defiant behavior. He made fun of church members and did everything he could to prove the church was false. He actively preached “anti” Latter-day Saint doctrine, joined protests, and engaged in “bible bashing” to get church members to doubt what they believed in. He treated missionaries of the church with disdain, which included shooting them with paintball guns, and he would seek to catch them in their lies as he saw it. Jason hated everything the church stood for and was sure it was leading people astray.
“The Ultimatum”
Unknown to Jason at the time he was 17 years old, he started dating a girl who was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were introduced to each other by a mutual friend. Jason held her in high esteem as a true friend and one who helped him through problems. He really trusted her. It wasn’t until later they figured out each other’s beliefs, so they mutually agreed to not discuss their feelings about the church to maintain the peace. Jason never would have started dating her if he knew of her church affiliation in advance.
One day while hanging out together in her basement, Jason saw a Book of Mormon laying on a coffee table. He made a “snappy” comment about it, enough to get his girlfriend upset and tired of hearing his comments. An argument about the church then ensued. Jason knew how to argue in order to provoke church members to get agitated or confused since he knew the church’s teachings well. His girlfriend became quite angry and stated they were done talking until Jason “gave it a shot.”
“What shot are you talking about?” asked Jason.
“Moroni’s promise” was her reply.
Jason laughed out loud and sternly refused. He didn’t take her seriously. She then picked up the Book of Mormon off the coffee table and threw it at him. “You either try to actually read the book or we are not going to be together anymore!”
Jason retorted he had already read the book backwards and forwards. But his girlfriend didn’t buy it.
“You have to read it for the purpose of finding out if it’s true! You have only read it to get people to not believe in it! You have never read to see if it was true… You know where the door is! Don’t talk to me until you’ve tried Moroni’s promise!”
Both literally and figuratively, Jason had the book thrown at him.
“With Real Intent”
Jason didn’t talk to his girlfriend again for another month. He also avoided her in the hallways at school. There was no way he was going to do something he was absolutely certain wasn’t true. But he started to miss her and still had not gotten rid of the Book of Mormon she threw at him. He figured he could give it a shot to get his girlfriend back.
When he opened the book, he found her testimony written in it. This time, Jason decided to read The Book of Mormon without the goggles of trying to find things wrong with it, but rather to see what was right with it.
It took a few months for Jason to read the entire book, and he decided to give Moroni’s promise a chance. He began to pray whether the Book of Mormon is true. He then started attending church for a different reason. He started listening to the talks and the teachers. He pondered on what was said and if it had any validity. But no answer came.
However, during this time, Jason started getting closer to his family and relationships were mending. He began to talk to his father again and did not have the usual “screaming matches” anymore. Jason also started feeling happier and wasn’t as stressed out with planning for the future as a senior in high school.
Feeling that no answer had come, he decided to not go to church one Sunday. But he still prayed one more time and decided if he didn’t get the answer that he was expecting, that would be the end of it. And the lack of an affirmative answer would thus be confirmation The Book of Mormon is not true, and by extension, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not true as well.
That same afternoon on Sunday his family came home from church. Jason strongly realized at that moment, with a brightness, what he already received by reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it. He got his relationship back with his family! That was the answer! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only church that teaches about eternal families, and Jason did not want to lose his family. And this answer came after experimenting, with real intent, Moroni’s promise from The Book of Mormon.
“Called to Serve”
Jason was becoming a new creature. He was able to get back together with his girlfriend and they stayed together for a time, but eventually parted ways. Jason’s plan was now something totally unthinkable just a short time earlier--to become the exact person he previously detested and utterly disdained with a passion--a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jason would now work toward preparing to serve a full-time mission.
There were still some things for Jason to work through even though he had a desire to serve a full-time mission. The church previously “raised the bar” on standards on who could be recommended for full-time missionary service. This included being more prepared spiritually, physically and emotionally.2 Besides Jason’s past behavior, he had also been diagnosed with bipolar depression and manic depression. The odds were not as favorable for him to serve in the capacity of a full-time proselyting missionary.
However, after a professional evaluation with LDS Family Services and meeting with local church leaders, Jason qualified to serve. In 2007, he was called to the Nebraska Omaha Mission. A new adventure awaited him!
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| Nebraska Corn Field (Forbes/Getty) |
“Ugly Omaha”
Although Jason felt lucky in general to be
able to serve, he was not thrilled in the least for his area of assignment. Omaha
Nebraska? He thought it was dumb, and he hated it. Nebraska was ugly, just flat
and a bunch of corn fields. It was nothing compared to the mountains and
scenery of Utah where he grew up. But off he went anyway. He spent three weeks
in the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah, and then arrived in his
first area of the mission field in Omaha.
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| Jason Averett, Albion Basin (Utah) July 2017 |
Jason soon received missionary instruction, but also some warnings for the area that seemed peculiar. There were warnings to watch out for animosity and danger, and some of the rules were very specific and particular. Jason was skeptical of needing to be so precise for some of the rules.
The first day in the mission field started off on a positive. He and his companion were able to teach a gospel lesson at someone’s home. But this would be quite a rarity, as teaching another gospel lesson would not happen again for another four weeks or so.
“Bad Luck”
During the first four weeks, Jason had bad luck with his clothes. He accidentally ruined four white short-sleeved dress shirts because a pen accidentally got into the washer. This was frustrating in itself, but also because now he only had one or two dress shirts remaining, and they were long-sleeved. This was less comfortable while outdoors in the current hot and humid summer.
While walking along a busy street one day, someone yelled an expletive, and Jason barely saw something coming towards him before it hit him in the chest all of a sudden. Immediately, he smells poop. Coming to his senses, he sees a baby diaper on the ground and he felt and saw the putrid diaper contents had splattered all over him. It got on his face, and he started wiping diarrhea off his cheek. The smell was terrible and almost unbearable.
Being so dirty and smelly, Jason had to walk home for two miles while his companion accompanied him in a car. While heading back, Jason was swore at and made fun of by people driving by. It was then he realized that were some people that hated missionaries, and that the safety rules he was told earlier started to make more sense.
Now Jason’s fifth white dress shirt was completely ruined. He didn’t have a lot of money before his mission to buy many shirts, so having nearly nothing to wear compounded the frustration. But Jason thought it was now his turn to take some of this. To a certain degree, he felt this was a penance based on what he did to the missionaries in the past. Jason felt willing to go through this if that is what it took to show the Lord he’s trying to do His work.
“Cold Justice”
It didn’t end with the diarrhea diaper. Just during the time of his first area, Jason was shot by airsoft guns multiple times and a paintball gun, shot at by a real gun, sabotaged while riding a bike, severely kicked and stomped on, and also tied up with rope and pounded on by baseball bats. Most these incidents weren’t because safety rules were broken, but some probably could have been avoided if certain precautions were followed.
For example, one day Jason and his companion were running late to get to a dinner appointment. To save time, he and his companion would need to follow the same route back they originally came on their bikes. However, going back on the same route was contrary to one of the safety rules. A different route would need to be taken, but it would take more time and cause them to be even more late. Jason’s personality is also such that he wants to be punctual, so he and his companion decided to race back on the same path to get to their appointment. While on the same way back, they ended up getting shot by a paintball gun. Someone may have noticed them from before and waited for them to return. Being shot by the paintball gun ruined yet another white dress shirt, much to Jason’s dismay. But this was almost as if a form of cold justice considering Jason had shot missionaries with a paintball gun just some years before.
“Don’t Kill Them… Just Shoot Them”
Other dangerous incidents happened incidentally while doing missionary work. The first time Jason was shot with an airsoft gun was after knocking on a door on the third floor of an apartment complex. Jason didn’t hear he and his companion were told to go away, so he knocked again. This angered the residents inside, so they opened the door and came out shooting. Jason got shot in the chest right way, and he and his companion quickly turned around and ran down the stairs. The residents pursued them, and Jason was hit in the back several times and also the back of his leg. A particular shot to the back of his right shoulder caused a lot of pain and a large welt.
The second time Jason and his companion were shot by airsoft guns was on the same day! The same people from before later on found Jason and his companion in a different part of town and shot at them some more. This time, greater distance was between the residents and the missionaries, so Jason and his companion were able to run away and take less hits than before.
The third incident with airsoft guns and a real gun came while knocking doors at a different apartment complex. Smelling the strong stench of marijuana emanating from one of the doors, Jason reasoned that everyone deserved to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knocked on the door and it opened. Jason immediately observed lots of pills in open view and multiple individuals smoking, almost as if a drug deal was going on that he just interrupted. Right away, one of the guys pointed a real gun at the missionaries but was followed by an outburst from another:
“No! They’re men of God! Don’t kill them… just shoot them!”
The guy with the real gun, a pistol, shot over the missionaries’ heads as if to say ‘Get out!’ As Jason and his companion were leaving, someone else with an airsoft gun shot Jason.
“Sabotage”
About two weeks after getting pelted by the paintball gun, Jason found himself in a similar situation of trying to get somewhere on time. He and his companion were returning on the same path as before (oops). While riding swiftly downhill, Jason and his companion were sabotaged and had sticks jabbed into the spokes of their bicycles. Jason flew forward over his handlebars, flipped over the bike, and landed right on his back on solid concrete. A pack of about 10-12 teenagers loitering on grass nearby came over and surrounded Jason and his companion. Right away, the group started kicking and pummeling them. Jason had a desire to fight back to defend himself, but he remembered another safety rule: Don’t fight back. Just take it so the situation doesn’t escalate. Jason kept the rule and didn’t fight back. He was kicked in the stomach and in the leg a couple of times. He was stepped on a few times and someone tried to stomp on his head, but he was protected by his bicycle helmet. He was also kicked beneath the neck, but never in the face. The teenagers stopped attacking the missionaries only when a police car happened to drive by. The police saw Jason and his companion on the ground, but did not take any action. Jason and his companion were able to hobble back to their bikes and ride away.
Being thrown from his bike and being beaten likely was the start when Jason developed new health issues that would linger long term. Although no major harm occurred at the time, like broken bones or head injuries, Jason noticed that arthritis and pain in his back had begun. Jason later told his mission president what happened, and his mission president showed genuine concern for Jason’s well-being and asked Jason if he wanted an emergency transfer to another area. Jason declined.
“Fun Game”
With Jason’s decision to remain in the Omaha area, proselyting efforts continued on. Jason and his companion went knocking doors one day in a new neighborhood that seemed safe and relatively more well-to-do. While walking, the missionaries played a quiz-like game among themselves called “Book of Mormon Baseball” which tests each other’s knowledge on the chapter and verse location of certain scripture verses. Three wrong guesses, or “Strikes,” result in an “Out,” and a correct answer, before getting struck out, results in a “Hit.”
Playing “Book of Mormon Baseball” captured the missionaries’ attention, so they were not as aware of who was around them. Then, yet again, a similar situation unfolded as six young adults approached and surrounded the missionaries. This time the group held rope and, coincidentally, baseball bats in their hands. Jason and his companion cordially asked the group what they were up to and if they wanted to learn about the church.
“It also looks like you’re about to play a fun game” the missionaries commented.
Replied the group, “Yeah, we are going to play a fun game. It’s called Beat the Elders!”
It was obvious the group of young adults knew who the missionaries were, in general, by referring to them as Elders. But Jason and his companion realized that they better get going. Their car was parked about one mile away.
While walking back, someone threw a baseball bat at Jason’s companion which made him trip and fall. Jason stopped to help him up, but by that point, the young adults ‘had them.’ Jason was hit on the right side of his stomach by an aluminum bat that took him right out. He doesn't remember all of the details after that. But he does remember getting beat primarily on his legs on his quads. Jason and his companion were then held together with rope while they were standing up, so they were unable to get away as the assailants continued to beat them with baseball bats. Jason was also struck on his back, but his head was spared. Even during the intense moment, Jason and his companion didn't fight back. The assailants then left a little while afterward. Jason believes that had they fought back, it would have been worse.
But the damage was done. He and his companion laid on the grass in front of a house for about 30-45 minutes to recover. Eventually, the owners of the house helped them up and brought them inside. Jason and his companion told them what happened. The homeowners gave food and water, and let the missionaries sit on their couch until they were ready to walk to their car.
Jason could walk with a bit of help, but he would stumble a bit and it would hurt. They were able to get back to their car and drove to a nearby hospital. Jason had severe bruising and his legs were in bad shape, but had no broken bones. Jason’s companion, however, had broken ribs but his legs were not as badly injured. Jason would have preferred to avoid telling the mission president what occurred, but he needed to inform the mission president regardless since insurance was involved in relation to the hospital visit.
“Falling Asleep”
It took Jason about three weeks for the bruising to go down and heal sufficiently. But this second brutal beating seemed to have caused more and worse long-term damage than the first. This became much more apparent while exercising one day.
Jason and other missionaries went running around Zorinsky Lake with a church member, a ward mission leader from a local church congregation. Jason had commonly run in the mornings before he was beat up, and it was something of a routine. However, a little over two miles into the run around Zorinsky Lake, and with no warning or feeling beforehand, Jason’s legs immediately and unexpectedly gave out. He dropped to the ground and fell down. The other missionaries thought he had tripped, but as Jason tried to get up, he felt his legs were asleep, tingling. There was some friendly banter that Jason was trying to get out of running, but Jason was completely bewildered and insisted his legs were asleep.
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| Zorinsky Lake Trail (AllTrails) |
A few days later, Jason went biking and his legs fell asleep again. He called the mission president’s wife telling her of the situation and wanted to get his legs checked out. A neurologist in Omaha did a plethora of tests such as MRI’s, cat scans, blood work and other evaluations. During this time of testing, Jason was transferred to a new city not far from Omaha, Blair, and he received a new missionary companion.
Jason also started passing out occasionally. There would be an onset of a very painful headache and then Jason would pass out all of a sudden. This would happen even in a calmer setting such as teaching someone a gospel lesson. When Jason passed out, the next thing he knew is that he just woke up and didn’t know what happened. The neurologist couldn’t tell if passing out was a physical problem or a stress problem, and he was still looking into the problem of Jason’s legs falling asleep. Jason began spending a lot more time in the hospital than he wanted, and it was interfering with being able to do missionary work effectively.
“Things to Fix”
Spending a lot of time in the hospital and getting to know a new missionary companion had made Jason more pensive of the current situation and reflective on his past. Jason felt he wanted to discuss things with his mission president and setup an interview to talk.
After the discussion, the mission president was uncertain and had questions, so he contacted the church’s First Presidency. Jason also spoke with a member of the First Presidency on the telephone a few times. The First Presidency decided Jason would be released from his mission and gave some instructions to the mission president to pass along to his stake president at home. Jason was unaware of all the details discussed among the First Presidency and his mission president, but it was now time for him to go back home. He was told things needed to be fixed, particularly the health problems.
After six months on his mission assigned to Nebraska, Jason returned home to Utah. His stake president in Utah would then meet with him periodically over the course of a few months. There was a possibility of going back to Nebraska as a full-time proselyting missionary insofar the health problems got resolved. But the idea of returning as a full-time proselyting missionary caused severe anxiety in Jason. Jason needed personal space to recharge and feel at ease. There was an option for Jason to be a temple worker to finish his mission, but that did not end up happening.
It was hard being home, both emotionally and socially. Jason initially was angry and embittered. Missionary service for men typically lasted two years, so being home around six months was considered early. Jason had told some church members he was home early to make sure some things were fixed from his past and also to improve his health, but many didn’t see it that way and seemed to assume the worst about him. This was very hard on Jason and made it difficult to remain an active member of the church. Some girls were also not willing to date him because he hadn’t completed the typical two years of missionary service.
Jason also learned later that he was actually misdiagnosed with bipolar depression and manic depression. He didn’t have either! He went through the process of serving a mission thinking he had bipolar depression and manic depression, but it was actually anxiety instead.
“Lingering Effects”
Health problems still lingered as time passed. Today, Jason can’t deadlift more than 200 pounds without having a lot of pain come up in his back. Previously, he could deadlift 600 pounds without a problem. The cause of the headaches, passing out and sleepy legs still has not been completely understood. Jason experienced severe headaches and passing out only a few more times after his mission ended, so it is his opinion that stress from missionary work was probably at least part of the cause. However, Jason still can't run more than three miles without his legs falling asleep. He can go biking for a while, but his legs will also still fall asleep. Doctors think the severe beating may be the cause of his legs falling asleep since there are currently no other explanations. The neurologist in Omaha once suggested it may be a lack of sugar in his body, but Jason tested this out with eating high sugar foods before working out and his legs would still fall asleep.
“Beautiful Nebraska”
It wasn’t all bad and negative in Nebraska, but it took a bit of a ribbing to recognize it. One of the great lessons for Jason on his mission came about with a particular missionary companion. One day, Jason and his companion had to drive in the car for one hour to do “splits,” or temporarily changing missionary companions for a short time. Jason was negative and complaining throughout the drive about how ugly Nebraska is, and it being so flat and just a bunch of corn fields.
“Elder, will you shut up?! Just shut up!” exclaimed his companion.
Jason was a bit startled at the reaction. His companion continued:
“This place is awesome. The people are awesome. This place is beautiful. Quit being such a snot-nose Utah Mormon that you can’t see the beauty in Omaha Nebraska! Because this place is gorgeous.”
Jason replied, “No, it’s not.”
Companion: “Did God create this [Nebraska]?”
Jason: “Yes.”
Companion: “Did he create the mountains in Utah?”
Jason: “Yes.”
Companion: “Well if God created it, is it not beautiful?”
(By now, Jason recognized he had to concede)
Jason: “[Humbled] If God created it, it is beautiful.”
Companion: “Then either God created Omaha Nebraska and it is beautiful, or he didn’t. Which one have you decided?”
That brief, but frank, exchange in the car dramatically changed Jason’s perspective and way of thinking. Today, Jason finds Nebraska beautiful. The lesson learned was also that God created every human being, and every human being is beautiful. If God created them, they're beautiful. Jason decided it’s up to him to find the beauty God gave and provided.
Nebraska is also home to the Mormon Pioneer Trail Center at Winter Quarters, a place where Jason has fond memories and is beautiful in its own right. Jason had the opportunity to take people there to learn about church history and the gospel, and to feel of the powerful spirit present there.
“People Can Change”
That same companion who helped Jason recognize beauty was bold in other ways. The missionaries had what was called a “Do Not Contact List.” This was a list of people who were previously taught a gospel lesson or contacted by the missionaries in some way, but specifically requested to not be contacted or taught again.
In spite of this, Jason’s companion had an idea to reach out to people on the “Do Not Contact List.” The missionaries had no one to teach, knocking doors wasn’t working, and church members didn’t have anyone to refer at the time. Something else needed to be done. Jason’s companion commented, more or less, this way:
“People can change. They aren’t hateful forever.”
In summary, Jason and his companion were able to baptize a woman and her children by finding them on the “Do Not Contact List.” It turned out a woman they contacted had a change in circumstances. She recently had been divorced, and it was the abusive ex-husband who had previously asked to be on the “Do Not Contact List.” This meant the “Do Not Contact List” no longer applied, the woman now being separated.
Soon after the divorce, the woman was open to change and looked for a church. She had prayed for understanding, and then who happened to show up? Jason and his companion. They taught her the gospel and gave her understanding. She and her children were baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints thereafter.
To Jason, the baptism was a testament that God knows us and is personally involved in our lives, and that we just need to listen to His voice. Jason never would have used the “Do Not Contact List,” but his missionary companion felt they should at that time. People did change.
“Choices”
All considered, Jason has viewed the persecution, suffering and experiences as a way to grow closer to God. Jason looks back with a small laugh, perhaps as a way to cope, but emphasizes he doesn't hold animosity toward the assailants or any others. Jason is quick to point out that most people in Nebraska were kind and God-fearing people, but just had some bad apples like anywhere else. He says the entire situation regarding his mission didn’t cause him to lose his love of the gospel.
At around age 23, three years after returning from his mission, Jason realized that doing what the Lord asks is a choice. Jason will say you either want to remain in the gospel and church, or you don't. You choose if you want the truth, or not. Jason could either remain angry at other people for how they treated him after his mission, or the people persecuting him during his mission, or rather he could choose to love them and do what the Lord has asked and come out better. Jason chooses the latter.
“Choose to Believe”
Jason will say the Lord knew what he could handle and let him handle it. He has not looked back after he decided he wanted to be part of the gospel and church, and when he sincerely desired to know the truth, some years prior to his mission.
Jason testifies The Church of Jesus Christ is true, that Christ is real, that Christ atoned for his sins, that Christ knows Jason’s joys and pains, that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that The Book of Mormon is true. And by knowing these things, Jason says he needs to continue to serve God.
Jason is now married to a faith-filled and faithful woman, Angela Hartley, and has children of his own. Jason wants an eternal family and this helps keep him anchored in the gospel. He continues to be motivated because the Lord has given him tender mercies, has shown the way, or has opened up doors on numerous occasions. Jason feels God has shown His love too many times and given so much in return that Jason cannot walk away.
And to think a big part of this journey started when Jason Averett had a Book of Mormon thrown at him. Perhaps, by now, it is safe to say that leopards can indeed change their spots, and that men do indeed change every day. Russell M. Nelson’s words seem to resonate well:
“[…] Choose to believe in Jesus Christ. If you have doubts about God the Father and His Beloved Son or the validity of the Restoration or the veracity of Joseph Smith’s divine calling as a prophet, choose to believe and stay faithful. Take your questions to the Lord and to other faithful sources. Study with the desire to believe rather than with the hope that you can find a flaw in the fabric of a prophet’s life or a discrepancy in the scriptures. Stop increasing your doubts by rehearsing them with other doubters. Allow the Lord to lead you on your journey of spiritual discovery.”3
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| Angela and Jason Averett and kids Stewart Falls, Provo, Utah (2020) |
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Written and adapted by Thomas S. Hartley, brother-in-law to Jason Averett, and reviewed and approved by Jason Averett
January 11, 2022
Primary Sources and References:
Jason Averett’s Mission. Audio recording of an interview with Jason Averett dated June 29, 2019 by Thomas Hartley.
Jason Conversion Story by Jason Averett. Google Document dated December 26, 2021.
1Thomas S. Monson – General Conference October 2012 – “See Others as They May Become”
2L. Tom Perry – General Conference October 2007 – “Raising the Bar”
3Russell M. Nelson - General Conference April 2021 – “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains”
Leopard Image
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/files/2014/10/Leopard-Main-e1415391572225.jpg
Nebraska Corn Field Image
Zorinsky Lake Image
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