Joseph Smith’s Name for Good and Evil

Asael Smith

“It has been borne in upon my soul that one of my descendants will promulgate a work to revolutionize the world of religious faith.” Statement of Asael Smith before his grandson Joseph Smith was born (quoted in George Q. Cannon, Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet [1986], 26).

The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote:

Joseph’s Personality by Clark Kelley Price

“My grandfather, Asael Smith, long ago predicted that there would be a prophet raised up in his family, and my grandmother was fully satisfied that it was fulfilled in me. My grandfather Asael died in East Stockholm, St. Lawrence county, New York, after having received the Book of Mormon, and read it nearly through; and he declared that I was the very Prophet that he had long known would come in his family” (In History of the Church, 2:443).

President Brigham Young said, “The Lord had his eye upon him, and upon his father, and upon his father’s father, and upon their progenitors clear back to Abraham, and from Abraham to the flood, from the flood to Enoch, and from Enoch to Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man. He was foreordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation” (in Journal of Discourses, 7:289–90).

For Good and Evil

Why is it that so many people in the world only know Joseph Smith as a fallen prophet, or a storyteller, or a money digger, or a fake, or a deceiver? It was all prophesied as you know.

Why is Joseph Smith’s name known among all nations and all people? He must be a very influential person. Think of the name of Adam, or Noah, Moses, Abraham, or Peter. They are also very important people who are known for good and evil among the entire planet. Why? Because the mission of Joseph Smith was to be the Prophet of the at Dispensation to cry a final repentance among the people of this earth’s final existence.

Joseph Smith said, “He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.” Joseph Smith—History 1:33.

“How could a farm boy, largely without formal education, have dared to say such a thing? And yet it has all come to pass and will continue to increase as this restored gospel is taught across the world” (President Gordon B. Hinckley in Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 4; or Ensign, May 1998, 6).

Early Bird Tickets

John H. Groberg

I had the opportunity to serve my Mission in the Fiji, Suva Mission from 1975 to 1977. This included service in Fiji, Kiribati, formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, and Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands. During this incredible time amongst the Children of Israel my testimony was strengthened. I also had the privledge of meeting Elder Groberg in 1976, as he visited our small mission. I then at the end of my mission in Nov 1977 left from Kiribati. and flew to Honolulu to receive my mission release from Elder Groberg who was a Regional Representative serving in Hawaii. I love this great man, Elder Groberg.

Testing the Prophesy

While serving a mission in Tonga [1953], Elder John H. Groberg of the Presidency of the Seventy decided to test that prophecy about the name of Joseph Smith.

“Elder Groberg and his companion sailed to the island of Tafahi, located about eight miles from their home island of Niuatoputapu. About 80 people lived on Tafahi. Like the people on Niuatoputapu, the people on Tafahi had no running water or electricity, but they were even more isolated from the outside world since they had no telegraph or scheduled boats.

When Elder Groberg visited, the island had only 18 homes, and the missionaries visited each one. He wrote: “At the last home, a strange thought occurred to me, ‘Why don’t you test the prophecy that the name of Joseph Smith should be known for good and evil throughout the world?’ I don’t know why the thought came, but it did.”

The missionaries asked the family if they had ever heard of the president of the United States. “Who’s he?” and “Where’s the United States?” was their response. Elder Groberg reported: “I tried to explain where it was, but they couldn’t understand. They asked how big an island it was. I replied that it was a very big island, thousands of miles away with millions of people living on it. I told them that many people there had never even seen the ocean and that many people didn’t know one another. They couldn’t comprehend that.”

He then asked if they had heard of Russia and France and their leaders; he asked about movie stars, sports figures, and world political leaders. They knew nothing of these places or people, nor of world events such as the Depression and the Korean War.

Elder Groberg recalled: “There was not a member of the Church living on this island, although there were two other churches there. I took a deep breath and said, ‘Have you ever heard of Joseph Smith?’”

“Immediately their faces lit up. Everyone looked at me, and the father said, ‘Don’t talk to us about that false prophet! Not in our home! We know all about him. Our minister has told us!’ I could hardly believe what I was hearing. The scripture … sounded in my mind that Joseph’s name should be had for good and evil among all nations. … To me this was a direct fulfillment of prophecy.

“I am convinced that you could hardly get a place more remote, more out of touch with modern civilization, than the little island of Tafahi. The people there knew nothing of the great leaders of the day—political, economic, or otherwise—but they knew the name Joseph Smith. In this case they knew it for ill, at least to begin with. I spent the next few days explaining more of the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and before we left, a few of them knew his name for good” (In the Eye of the Storm [1993], 104–6). https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/presidents-of-the-church-teacher-manual-religion-345/joseph-smith-first-president-of-the-church?lang=eng

More About Groberg

“Groberg was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, in 1934 and was reared there after the Great Depression. After a year at Brigham Young University, and shortly after the Korean War, he served a mission to Tonga.

After much difficulty in getting to Tonga with strikes, visa problems, and problems finding boats, he served briefly in Los Angeles, Samoa, and Fiji while waiting to get to Tonga. When he finally arrived in Tonga, his first assignment was on a remote isolated island called Niuatoputapu, which with neighboring Tafahi, was a place whose contact to the outside world was an occasional telegraph and visiting boat. On this Island he suffered mosquitoes, a typhoon, and starvation. He spent nearly a year there.

He then returned to more developed islands and served as a district president supervising smaller congregations called branches. The branches he dealt with lacked unity and morality. He had little contact with his mission president. He nearly drowned when pushed out of a boat during a major storm and suffered exhaustion many times. He was denied an extension so he could take a group of Latter-day Saint converts to the Hamilton New Zealand Temple. He flew home, and shortly after married Jean Sabin; together, they have had 11 children.

Groberg received his bachelor’s degree from BYU and an MBA from Indiana University. He was then involved in real estate in the Idaho Falls area. Groberg also served for five years as a bishop of a ward in Idaho Falls.

He returned to the islands of his mission ten years later as a mission president and, since his release as mission president, has been there many times as a regional representative. He is beloved by the people of that region.

With much coaxing, he wrote a book about his mission from his memoirs called In the Eye of the Storm. His missionary experiences in Tonga became the subject of the film The Other Side of Heaven (released by Disney, 2001) and the sequel The Other Side of Heaven 2 (2018).

John Groberg, center, with actors Christopher Gorham (right, as Groberg) and Joe Folau (left, as Feki)

In April 1976, Groberg was called to be a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ. The changes he saw in Tonga from a missionary to church leader were documented in his book The Fire of Faith. He had other assignments besides Tonga as a general authority.” https://www.mormonwiki.com/John_H._Groberg

The Dream of Yellow Face- “His Book”

A Cree Chief. Not Yellow Face, but an impressive Warrior, don't you think?

The Dream of Yellow Face- “His Book”, is a blog about an amazing life experience about the Chief of the Cree Nation when he and his people were given a place to live and hunt in Mountain View, 20 miles east of Cardston, Alberta, Canada on Latter-day Saint property. You will greatly enjoy knowing a bit about Elder Wood, the Cree Nation and the inspirational dream of Chief Yellow Face.

The devoted friendship between Elder Wood and Chief Yellow Face is an impressive story of a strong faith, and amazing example of Christian values in the Cardston, Alberta area of Saints. The first temple outside of the United States was just across the border of Montana, when the Cardston Temple opened in 1923.

You will also see a 1960 video from the Church about this incident. It has a great message, and a fun movie to see from my past.


THE STORY OF CHIEF YELLOWFACE – BY EDWARD J WOOD IS BELOW

Edward J. Wood
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edward James Wood (October 27, 1866-April 24, 1956) was a prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Alberta, Canada and was the founder of Glenwood, Alberta and Hillspring, Alberta.

Wood was born to Mormon parents in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. At age 21, he was sent to Samoa as a missionary for the LDS Church, where he served from 1888 to 1892. Upon returning to Utah in 1892, Wood married Mary Ann Solomon. In 1896, Wood was again sent to Samoa, this time to be the president of the Samoan Mission of the church.

After Wood returned to Utah in 1898, Charles O. Card invited him to move to Canada in order to take over management of the management of Card’s mercantile store in the Latter-day Saint settlement of Cardston, in the Canadian North West Territories. Wood accepted and moved to Cardston with his family in September 1901.

In 1903, Wood became the president of the Alberta Stake of the LDS Church, which was headquartered in Cardston. In 1906, Wood organized the church’s purchase of the 66,500-acre (269 km2) Cochran Ranch for $6 an acre. On this land, Wood founded the Latter-day Saint settlements of Glenwood (1908) and Hillspring (1910).

In 1923, Wood became the first president of the LDS Church’s Cardston Alberta Temple. He simultaneously served as temple president and stake president until 1942, when he was released from his duties as stake president. In 1948, Wood asked to be released as temple president due to ill health. Shortly thereafter, he was ordained the patriarch of the Alberta Stake, a position he held until his death at age 89. At his death, the president of the LDS Church, David O. McKay, said to apostle Hugh B. Brown, “We have never had a greater President of a Stake than Edward J. Wood.”

Wood was the father of eight children.


The Life of the Cree Indians

“The Cree Indians are a vast tribe of Native Americans who reside in various parts of North America. These locations include the Rocky Mountain and areas along the Atlantic Coast. In Canada, the Cree Indians heavily populate Quebec and Saskatchewan. Similar to other Indian tribes, there are several bands of Cree Indians. These bands consist of the James Bay Cree, Woodland Cree, Plain Cree Indians, etc.

Within Canada, there are over 135 different bands of Cree Indians. Between Canada and the United States, there are approximately 200,000 Cree Indians. Of course, this number is only equivalent to the amount of registered Cree Indians. Hence, the number may be slightly larger.

Cree Indians were a first nation of Canada. Today, several members of the Cree tribes reside on reservations. Within the reservation, each Cree Indian tribe governs themselves separately from the rest of the nation.”
https://kingstonyouthlacrosse.org/about-all/native-american-cree-the-life-of-the-cree-indians.html


My great friend, Mike Lafontaine is a Chippewa/Cree Native American. Here is a picture of his father.

Chief Mel LaFontaine, Ojibway/Chippewa/Cree

THE DREAM OF YELLOW FACE

By President Edward J. Wood President of the Alberta Temple

“About the year 1910, a very fine looking Indian, calling himself Yellow Face, called in Cardston, and said he had with him 20 families of the Cree nation from Eastern Canada, and that they were wandering over the country to find a good trapping country. As they liked the look of this corner of Alberta, they requested permission to camp on some of the vacant lands in our vicinity.

Yellow Face had fairly well educated young men in his company who could talk pretty good English. These acted as interpreters. They had a written language the characters resembling very much the characters seen on the facsimile cuts shown in the Pearl of Great Price. Yellow Face had rather sharp features, a well-shaped forehead, with deep-set eyes. His color was a lighter brown than that of our Blood Indians, he was nearly six feet tall, was very dignified and seemed highly intelligent…Continued below

We directed him and his company to the west section where there were lands with many lakes and plenty of grass for their horses. In a few days, Yellow Face sent word to me that they preferred the upper parts of the Cochrane Ranch lands, [Mountain View, Alberta] and that his company had encamped on the Belly River near the bridge, waiting to hear from me as to their trapping on our Church lands. I sent word that if they would go on the hay lands and do some work in grubbing out a lot of low willows, they might earn a little money that way and also earn the right to do sonic trapping; to which proposal they willingly assented.”

“Mountain View is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Cardston County. It is located along Highway 5 approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Cardston and 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Waterton Lakes National Park near the United States border. It is also a kickoff point for visitors to Police Outpost Provincial Park, 18 kilometers to the south.” Wikipedia

Continued “They wasted no time, and soon went to the store at Mountain View, a town five miles from their camp, and brought some fine muskrat hides to sell and also some finely beaded moccasins, well tanned rugs, and Indian curios. They did a lot of buying and selling in the Mountain View stores and some trading in Cardston during the trapping season.

While in Mountain View, they seemed very curious about our meetings and asked to attend public services, and also ward reunions of any kind; but while in attend­ance they would talk very little. When the season was about over for trapping, they came and very politely said Goodbye, and seemed to appreciate our allowing them to use the Church lands.

They came back the next year, and again the third year, and traded and acted much as they did before and never seemed to wish to get acquainted with us, until one day near the close of the season, Yellow Face and his Council of Chiefs, comprising the head of each family, making 20 Chiefs, sent to Mountain View for the Church Chief Bishop to come at once to their camp and meet with their Council.

The Bishop went and found them all seated around the edge of the tent, and wondered what they might desire of him. When the Bishop entered, Yellow Face stood up and asked the Bishop to stand in the center of the circle and address them. The Bishop hardly knew what to say, but tried to explain, through their interpreter, the first principles of the Gospel, and other truths he thought they would understand about our revealed Gospel. He spoke over half an hour, and realized they did not seem much interested, so he sat down and talked briefly on local matters, invited them to come to Mountain View to the meetings, and left feeling he had not made much of an impression.

About a week after, they sent for him to come among them again and talk to them once more. He wondered more than ever at their inviting him to talk to them so soon for he knew he had done very little good before. But as he entered the tent he noticed a fine looking Indian woman, whom Yellow Face introduced as his daugh­ter.

The Bishop states that as soon as he saw this woman, the feeling came upon him to talk on the Book of Mormon. Before he began to speak to the assembled Indians, Yellow Face asked him if he had anything new to tell them, saying that they did not care to hear again what he had told them before. When he said he would tell then about a book, every eye was on him and the young woman seemed very nearly white. They all paid marked attention as he spoke and interrupted so frequently through the interpreter, that it was difficult for him to finish. They were much enthused, and pointed for him to be seated where Yellow Face had been sitting, then Yellow Face in his dignified way said he would now tell his story. As he did so every eye was upon him:

“The year before our tribe first came here, I was taken very sick. Some of my Indian friends who had been dead for many years came and told me that I would soon be better, but would get sick again someday, and that I would die, but my family must not think I was dead and bury me, for I was not to be buried until my body was cold all over.

When I woke up, I called my family together and also the Counsel of Five Chiefs (of which I was a member) for our tribe that then lived in Manitoba was large, and I told them of my dream, and they laughed at me and did not believe it. But, nevertheless, I feared my dream was true.

Time went on, and one day sometime afterward, I was taken very sick, and I at once feared my dream would come true, so I warned my family not to be in a hurry to bury me, even though I died, until they were sure that I was cold all over.

I got weaker and weaker until I left my body, and I went away among a lot of Indians that I knew were dead, some I knew and some I did not know, as they had been dead so long. But they were not dead at all, and told me to die was only to leave the body for your people to take care of, and to come where they were.

As for me, they said that I had to go back and use my body again for several years. THEY SAID I WAS TO GO AMONG THE WHITE PEOPLE UNTIL I FOUND A BOOK THAT TOLD OF THE HISTORY OF THESE DEAD INDIANS WHO WERE NOT DEAD.

I asked them how I would know the people who had the book that would tell my live Indian friends all about who they were and about their dead relatives; and they gave me these five keys:

  1. They will let you camp on their own lands, and trap and hunt.
  2. They will treat you like one of them in your business dealings with them.
  3. They will invite you to their meetings and ask you to speak.
  4. They will invite you to sit with them at their tables to eat.
  5. They will visit you in your camp, and their men will not bother your women nor molest any of you.

When you find this kind of people, have them meet in your Council, and have them tell you what they be­lieve, and they will tell you about this book.

I then woke up and found my wife and my friends had about decided to bury me as I had been dead several days and was cold all over, except a small place over my heart, but when I came back to life and told them where I had been and that our Indian relatives were not dead at all, they wondered at me. And when I told them that I would pick about 20 families and travel until I found the Book, they again wondered, but as they all believed in a God, they said they would follow me.

So in due time we formed our company and started. We made many camps, and traveled many seasons. But there are not many people who are true friends of the Indian; and it was hard to find a people who answered to the five keys until we landed among you.”

Yellow Face had grown quite eloquent in telling of his wonderful experience among the dead-yet-living Indians, as he termed them, and before he sat down, he asked for the Book. The Bishop went and got a Book of Mormon and gave it to him. He took it as though it had always belonged to him, and said to the Bishop that it was his Book because it was the history of his people, both of the dead and of the living.

After this very interesting experience of the Bishop, I met Yellow Face at the home of the Bishop and he told us of how he had watched us and of his sitting by my side at a certain reunion of the ward the year before, and of how he had taken note of our treatment of him, and of his great surprise when I told him his company could camp on the Church lands, and of his object in camping on the main road, so that all of our people going to and from several of our main wards, had to pass through this Indian village, and of his coming the three times—a year apart—as he wanted to see if we would change in our treatment of his company. He also told us of many principles of religion that he said his tribe believed in, which were very interesting to us.

He then took the Book of Mormon, calling it their long lost Book, and wrapped it among their valuables, which they always carry in a separate buckskin sack, and hang it apart from any other belongings on a tripod in front of the head Chief’s lodge. These articles are held sacred by the tribe and are exhibited only on rare occasions.

Yellow Face and his company now seemed satisfied, and having no further desire to stay among us, soon left. We heard many times afterward of how they would camp along the highways, and Yellow Face would take his own interpreter and call upon a family, and would hand “His Book” to the family and ask them to read it for him. We heard of this being done and the Book being read to him by many people who wondered at what the book contained, and seemed quite interested when he would tell them it was the history of his people. Source

A Chosen People (1960) – Intended for young Indians, this tells the true story of an Indian Chief who dreams about a people who have a record of his ancestors. Based on an incident taken from the diary of President Edward J. Woods (1866-1956).

Edward J. Wood Gave All to Cardston

After Charles and Zina Card, there is perhaps no individual with a more prominent role in the history of Cardston, Alberta, than Edward J. Wood.

Born in Salt Lake City in 1866, Wood had already proved his devotion to the Lord by the time he arrived in Cardston in 1901. At the age of 21, after becoming engaged to be married, he was called on a mission to the Samoan Islands, delaying his marriage several years. He returned in 1892 and married Mary Ann Solomon, and they already had two children in 1896 when he was again called to Samoa. This time, at the age of 29, he served as mission president there for two years without his wife and family.

Edward J. Wood, Cardston Alberta Temple President 1939.

A year after his return, family members who had moved to Alberta, Canada, convinced Edward and Mary Ann to join them, and by September 1901 the Woods had arrived in Cardston. The town’s aging founder, Charles O. Card, invited Edward to assume management of the Cardston Mercantile, and Wood soon also found himself heavily engaged in Church work there.

Beginning with missionary work among less active members , in his first year Wood also served as Sunday School president and before long was called as the second counselor in the Cardston Stake presidency. Less than a year later – and less than two years after his arrival in Canada – Edward Wood was called to preside over the newly created Alberta Stake.

In addition to his leadership, Wood was also responsible for the colonization of 67,000 acres of Church land northwest of Cardston. He oversaw surveys of the land, identified town sites, and was the Church’s agent in selling the land. The towns of Glenwood and Hill Spring were the result of his labors.

Cardston Temple Workers 1938

When the Church built a tabernacle in Cardston, they asked Wood to oversee its construction. Plans for a temple soon followed, and Wood was again called upon to chair the committee that oversaw its construction. When the temple was finished in 1923, Wood was called as its president. Having already served twenty years as the stake president, Wood filled both roles for another nineteen years, until he was released from his stake duties at the age of 76. It would be another six years before he was released, in 1948, as the president of the Cardston Temple. Before long, he was called to be the patriarch of the Alberta Stake. Wood died in 1956, just half a year shy of his 90th birthday. https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/content/historic-sites/cardston/alberta/edward-wood-cardston-alberta?lang=eng

More about Edward J. Wood

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54923145/edward-james-wood

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1988/09/edward-j-wood-faith-personified?lang=eng

Nephi’s Ship vs. Mulek’s- How Were They Different?

Nephi’s Ship

In about 592 BC near Khor Kharfout, Oman in the Old World, a Prophet named Nephi was commanded to build a ship to take his family to a New Promised Land, which was the New World in North America. The Lord said, “Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.” Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 17:8

Nephi said, Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.” 1 Nephi 18:2 About 590 BC

How would this sailing vessel be built? How would it be different than other ships built around 600 BC, since the Lord said it should be “after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me?”

As I research I found the earliest known ships were built anciently as early as 5500 BC, as you will read below here: “Visual depictions of sailing boats have been dated as far back as 5500 BCE, discovered on painted discs from ancient Mesopotamia found in modern day Kuwait.” Jamey Bergman ybw.com

Bering Strait?

Now I believe Adam was placed on the earth in about 4,000 BC and the Jaredites left the Old World to America in about 2200 BC, so the 5500 BC may be dated incorrectly, but we know ships were built near the beginning of this earths existence after Adam.

I don’t believe the old myth about the peopling of the New World over the Bering Strait. I believe the Lord gave all mankind the knowledge to build ships similar to those of today. Sure each ship progressed from century to century, with the inspiration of the Lord to man, but the Lord created us all and gave us knowledge and abilities that are powerful at different points of time, as we needed, or as we most importantly asked, and researched on our own.

Sailboat Inventions 100 BC to 1500 AD:

Could these items below have been shown by the Lord to Nephi, near 590 BC to build after the manner of the Lord? The following are ship improvements after 600 BC.

1- The Lateen (triangular) sail: 100 BC
2- Steering Oars and Rudders 100 AD
3- The Keel: 700 – 900 AD
4- Carrack Sail: 1500 AD

Now, if the above improvements that were man-made inventions for ships and sailing in these time periods, what makes us think that the Lord could not have inspired Nephi to add some of these things to ships in 600 BC, or that Nephi asked the Lord how to do things and received inspiration to help his family arrive in North America near Florida? Before discussing the above 4 items I want to explain a few other things about boats sailing from the Old to the New Worlds.

An example of “Working the Timbers”. “I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me.” 1 Nep 18:2

“A sewn boat is a type of wooden boat which is clinker built with its planks sewn, stitched, tied, or bound together with tendons or flexible wood, such as roots and willow branches. Sewn boat construction techniques were used in many parts of the world prior to the development of metal fasteners, and continued to be used long after that time for small boats to reduce construction costs where metal fasteners were too expensive.” Wikipedia

Working the Timbers?

“Most of the joinery among the timbers was accomplished through means that allowed the hull to be deconstructed without destruction, “a deliberate goal of pharaonic shipbuilders…  Joggled scarf joint of Khufu I (author’s photo right); Inset: joggled strakes of Khufu I. (courtesy Paul Lipke Collection).” Ship Timber and the Reuse of Wood in Ancient Egypt Pearce Paul Creasman University of Arizona 

Jerusalem Destroyed

“The siege of Jerusalem (circa 589–587 BC) was the final event of the Judahite revolts against Babylon, in which Nebuchadnezzar II, king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, besieged Jerusalem, the capital city of the Kingdom of Judah.” Wikipedia

Remember about this same time somewhere near Jerusalem after the Temple was destroyed, a the last Prophet of Judah, named Zedikiah lived.”

The Plates of Brass is a history of the Hebrew people which was brought by the people of Lehi and Nephi from Jerusalem in 600 BC to North America. These contained “the five books of Moses, as we read:

“And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents; And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah; (1 Nephi 5:11–13).

Phoenicia Ship 600 BC

John Lefgren of Heartland Research said, “We believe the Phoenicia Ship Replica connects the Bible’s stories to the New World.

We read in Jeremiah 52:12 – 13. Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, And burned the house of the Lord, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire:

The destruction of Jerusalem and the burning of the First Temple had a profound impact on the history of the Jews. This is a point in time from which we connect the ship replica on the west bank of the Mississippi River to the Bible.

About 300 years after the destruction of Jerusalem, we read in Omni 15 Behold, it came to pass that Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla came out from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon.

The ship shows that Mulek, the Prince of Judah, could sail across the Atlantic after the burning of the Temple. This is why we are so determined to find sufficient funds to finish the restoration of what was less than two years ago in the mud of Florida. We are sure that as we continue to move forward, we will gain the support of many more people.

Mulek, a son of King Zedekiah, may have come to Djerba with his mother, the Jewish Queen. Jews from Tunisia are sure to be able to tell this story better than anyone else. He wants to hear what the Rabbi has to say. Doug believes that the power of the Carthaginian Empire protected a remnant of the Jewish royal family. I think that this meeting will have great meaning as we connect the ancient people of Tunisia to the ancient people of America.” John Lefgren PhD 

Below, embark on an Epic Journey Through Time! Join us in reliving the 6th Century BC Phoenician Ship Expedition, sailing from Syria to America and back. Witness the incredible seafaring prowess of the Phoenicia, a 2600-year-old replica ship inspired by the Jules Verne 7 Shipwreck. Support the reconstruction of this historic vessel in Montrose, Iowa, and be a part of something truly special. Phoenicia.Rocks

Two Hebrew Voyages to North America

We read in the Book of Mormon there were two groups that left the Old World Jerusalem area, about the same time frame that Jerusalem was destroyed. The Mulekites and the Lehites. See their potential routes below.

Now the land south was called Lehi, and the land north was called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south. Helaman 6:10

I believe that Lehi landed near Tallahassee, FL, and Mulek sailed up the Mississippi River and stopped at the Des Moines river rapids where as the scripture says, “And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth.” Omni 1:16

This means Mulek’s voyage was most likely a continuous voyage to the place they had been discovered by Mosiah. If Mulek had have gone up the St Lawrence seaway, if you look at a direct route to Montrose, Iowa where the Mulekites lived, would not be continuous. Sailing over the Great Lakes and the Niagara Falls would have been difficult, and they they would have had to stop near Detroit, and then find the Illinois river, then connect to the Mississippi river and then south to Montrose, Iowa. I feel up the Mississippi river from the south to the north makes more sense to me, but other people I love such as Wayne May believe the St Lawrence route. Either way is fine with me.

The First Sailing Boats: 5500 BC

“Visual depictions of sailing boats have been dated as far back as 5500 BCE, discovered on painted discs from ancient Mesopotamia found in modern day Kuwait.” Source

This quote above validates my personal belief that the Jaredites “did build [Their First Set of] barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.” Ether 2:6. They crossed “many waters” (Not Great Sea, Ocean) but beginning near (Kuwait), or many waters like the Persian Gulf. After sailing through this Gulf, they continued eastward (possibly with sailing barges?), through the Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Laccadive Sea, Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. See my full blog here:  They ended up in China or Japan to build their “2nd Set” of barges Ether 2: 16-17, before their 344 days on the Pacific, landing near Seattle, WA.

First Sail Boats More

“Sailing was invented more than 7000 years ago. The first presented model of a ship under sail appears on a painted disc found in ancient Mesopotamia between 5500 and 5000 BCE. In modern-day Iraq-Kuwait. Another record appears on an Egyptian vase about 3500 BC. These sailing ships sailed on the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates River.” Source 

“4000 BC First Sailing Vessels: The ancient Egyptians develop the first sailing vessels. These vessels are probably only used for sailing in the eastern Mediterranean and near the mouth of the Nile river.” Source

Celestial Navigation by the Stars:

“The prospect of navigating through a featureless landscape – like the sea at night – is still a daunting one for the uninitiated, and the fact that ancient cultures were able to achieve it is a testament to human ingenuity…

The Lateen (triangular) Sail: 100 BC

One of the biggest jumps in the history of sailing technology was the invention of the lateen or latin-rig sail. The lateen is a triangular sail mounted at an angle and running in a fore-and-aft direction. With a maneuver called ‘tacking,’ the sail allows boats to make way to windward in a zig-zagging fashion. Though its exact origin is unknown, the lateen sail is the earliest-known fore-and-aft rigged sail and was in use in Greece in the first century BC. It is believed to have been introduced to the Mediterranean region by Arabic or Persian sailors. Polynesians also invented a mastless lateen-rigged sail that is very different in construction from that used in the Mediterranean…

Steering Oars and Rudders 100 AD

Art by Joseph Brickey

The invention of the stern-mounted rudder is credited to the Chinese, who came up with the idea of affixing a maneuverable steering apparatus to the back of a ship’s hull during or before the first century AD during the Han Dynasty. It took Western civilizations another thousand years to affix a stern-mounted rudder to ships…

The Keel: 700 – 900 AD

A structural beam that runs from a ship’s bow to its stern and sits lower than the rest of the hull, the keel was first invented by those intrepid Norse sailing men known as Vikings. Because their sailing ships were square-rigged, they were prone to making a lot of leeway when tacking close to the wind. The addition of a keel prevented this lateral movement, increased speed and made Viking ships more stable…

Carrack Sail: 1500 AD

Detail from a map of Ortelius – Magellan’s ship Victoria

The carrack and the first circumnavigation of the earth: 1500 AD It was a carrack ship that completed the first full circumnavigation of the world. It took the Spanish expedition two captains and nearly four years to make the voyage. Portuguese captain Ferdinand Magellan, who initially led the expedition, set off from Spain in 1519 and died in the Philippines in 1521. Juan Sebastian Elcano brought the carrack ship Victoria – the only one of five ships that started the expedition to survive the trip – back to Spain in 1522. Carracks were three- to four-masted sailing ships developed by Genoan sailors in the 15th century for use in commerce. Their spacious cargo holds made them good for long-distance exploration and they were important in advancing European colonial expansion leading up to the Age of Discovery. Ocean-going ships that were large enough to be stable in heavy seas, carracks were square-rigged on the fore and main masts and lateen-rigged on the mizzenmast. “https://www.ybw.com/features/10-top-innovations-in-the-history-of-sailing-17358

Lehi’s Voyage

Conclusion: After All We Can Do!

It is my opinion that the Lord may have given Nephi instructions to build his ship by utilizing some of the inventions I mention or with Nephi using some of his own reflections and ideas that he had prayed about. I don’t believe the Lord would just make Nephi’s trip easy by simply allowing the Lords miracles to happen. The Lord has told us time and time again that he will step in after all we can do. Just like Joseph Smith and the translation of the Gold Plates. Joseph did not simply read words off of a rock in a hat, but by the gift and Power of God, which allowed Joseph to use his own mind, his ability to learn translation and utilize the two stones attached to a breastplate. JSH 1:35. Like with the Brother of Jared, God did not just make the stones shine, but it was the Brother of Jared who asked the Lord to touch the stones, as he had done all he could do, by molting the stones and then the Lord made them shine.

Nephi built a ship not after the manner of men, but after the manner the Lord instructed him. When we exercise faith, we don’t usually know what will happen next, but it just happens as the Lord directs.

Great Law of Peace- The Condolence Ceremony- Iroquois/Nephite?

Haudenosaunee Ceremony

Iroquois/Cherokee (Nephites)

Just as the Book of Mormon tells the story of two main societies at war, Nephites vs. Lamanites, there are many instances historically of the same thing, as some are called the Iroquois vs. the Algonquian, or the Tallegwi (Iroquois) vs the Leni-Lape (Algonquian), or the Cherokee (Iroquois) vs the Delaware (Algonquian). These tribes seem to have always be at war with each other. Sometimes in history writers have used various names for the same group of people without understanding the differences. It seems possible that these historical tribes could be one in the same with ancient Book of Mormon Nephites and Lamanites. 

Elder James E. Talmage had a conversation with Professor William C. Mills the Ohio State Archaeologist in 1917. They both seem to have believed the nature of the ancient people in Ohio, were very similar to the Nephite and Lamanite story of the Book of Mormon.

“I had a long and profitable consultation with Professor Wm. C. Mills, State Archaeologist of Ohio. He is continuing his splendid work of exploration in the Ohio mounds, and I went over with him again the remarkable agreement between his deductions and the Book of Mormon story. He has reached the following conclusions.” James E. Talmage 20 May 1917

“The area now included within the political boundaries defining the State of Ohio was once inhabited by two distinct peoples, representing two cultures, a higher and a lower… These two classes were contemporaries; in other words, the higher and the lower culture represented distinct phases of development existing at one time and in contiguous sections and furnish in no sense an instance of evolution by which the lower culture was developed into the higher… There (are) two peoples or cultures…the lower culture was most commonly the assailing party, while the people of the higher type defended as best they could but in general fled… From a careful collating of data it is demonstrated that the general course of migration through the area now defined as the State of Ohio was inward from the west and outward toward the east.” Professor Wm. C. Mills, State Archaeologist of Ohio


Cherokee

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“Cherokee, North American Indians of Iroquoian lineage who constituted one of the largest politically integrated tribes at the time of European colonization of the Americas. Their name is derived from a Creek word meaning “people of different speech”; many prefer to be known as Keetoowah or Tsalagi. They are believed to have numbered some 22,500 individuals in 1650, and they controlled approximately 40,000 square miles (100,000 square km) of the Appalachian Mountains in parts of present-day Georgia, eastern Tennessee, and the western parts of what are now North Carolina and South Carolina.

Traditional Cherokee life and culture greatly resembled that of the Creek and other tribes of the Southeast. The Cherokee nation was composed of a confederacy of symbolically red (war) and white (peace) towns. The chiefs of individual red towns were subordinated to a supreme war chief, while the officials of individual white towns were under the supreme peace chief. The peace towns provided sanctuary for wrongdoers; war ceremonies were conducted in red towns.” Source

Great Spirit Appears to the Onondagas (Iroquois)

“On the authority of some older inhabitants of Onondaga, New York, it is stated that on a ledge of rocks, about a mile south of Jamesville, (Near Syracuse and Oneida Castle) is a place which used to be pointed out by the Indians as a spot where the Great Spirit once came down and sat and gave good advice to the chiefs of Onondagas. That there are the prints of his hands and his feet, left in the rocks, still to be seen. In the former years the Onondagas used annually to offer, at this place, tobacco and pipes, and to burn tobacco and herbs as a sacrifice to the Great Spirit, to conciliate his favor and which was a means of preventing diseases.” Author L. Taylor Hansen He Walked the Americas 

The Great Law of Peace

“Centuries before the creation of the United States and its Constitution, democracy had already taken root in North America—among a handful of Indigenous nations. Known as the Iroquois Confederacy, or Haudenosaunee, this league of nations emerged among five northeast woodlands tribes that had been plagued by wars of retribution and violence for many generations. The Haudenosaunee (“people of the longhouse”) originally included the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca nations. In the 1700s, the Tuscarora became the sixth. Guided by the Great Law of Peace—their own constitution—this league came to jointly govern, while recognizing the sovereignty of each nation. The Great Law of Peace, credited largely to two visionary culture heroes, Hiawatha and Deganawida (a.k.a. “The Peacemaker”), established a model for federalism, separation of powers and participatory democracy that would inspire leaders like Benjamin Franklin and James Madison during the formation of the United States. It also conferred significant power and status to women in Iroquois culture…

The ‘Words of Condolence,’ in Wampum

Hiawatha then gathered shells for the wampum strings and composed the “words of condolence” that would one day be central to the Great Law of Peace. “If I should see anyone in deep grief, I would take these shell strings from the pole and console them,” he said. “These strings would become words that would lift away the darkness with which they are covered.”

These words and others would eventually become the Great Law, codified in wampum shell strings for communication to future generations.

Hiawatha soon encountered members of the Oneida Nation, who had heard of him and of the dream that he would one day meet The Peacemaker. After sitting with them in council for seven days, Hiawatha traveled with their chief until he came to the Mohawks, where he would first encounter Deganawida.” https://www.history.com/news/iroquois-confederacy-hiawatha-peacemaker-great-law-of-peace

The Cherokee Nation Lands in 1830 Georgia, before the Trail of Tears

“The condolence ceremony or condolence council is a part of the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace. It governs succession to political offices after a leader dies. The ceremony is held in the community whose leader has died. Attendees are divided into two moieties: the clear-minded and the downcast or bereaved. The ceremony progresses through several stages, including a recitation of the Great Law. Through the ceremony, new leaders are appointed to replace those who have died. It was typically the first item on the agenda when a Haudenosaunee council met. Among other things, the ceremony recalls the Great Peacemaker’s condolence of Hiawatha and the “transformation” of Tadodaho from a state of confusion and disorder to a state of peace.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condolence_ceremony


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Great Law of Peace/Temple Ceremony

A great Native American friend of mine, indicated that he/she had not heard of the origin of the condolence ceremony, but “that today it is used by the Haudenosaunee in the official appointment of chief or clan representatives.  Parts are also used to welcome guests.”  On one occasion, my friend met one of the traditional Haudenosaunee chiefs in his office in Virginia.  He informed my friend that were they in his territory, “he would take a piece of eagle down and clean my ears so that I could hear clearly, then he would wipe my forehead with soft doeskin so that I could think clearly and have the ‘Good Mind.’  Then he would use eagle down to clean my eyes so that I could see clearly.  He would also use the doeskin to clean my lips and give me a drink of pure spring water to cleanse my mouth so that I would speak the truth.  This was the traditional greeting before important meetings.”  He then added: “The ‘Good Mind’ is more than just intelligence; it refers to a process of thinking that is highly moral and pure, all in accordance with the Great Law of Peace.” 2010 email from my Native friend.

Haudenosaunee Ceremony
As you see in this map, the parallels between the Hopewell Culture and the Trail of the Nephites is almost identical.

The symbolism is wonderful and seems to be a very important part of the Iroquois Nation of old, and the sacred Temple of today. It seems to me the Hopewell are the Nephites and the Adena are the Jaredites. It just makes sense.

Native Americans “Oral Traditions” About Lehi and His Sons and Temple Ordinances

Native American - Minerva Teichert and the Manti Temple

Are Written Records Found Among the Original Lamanites?

I have spoken with many Historians and Scholars who believe the Mesoamerican Theory. One of their main reasons they tell me that the Mesoamerica Theory makes sense, and Heartland Theory does not, is the written language of the Mayans and Olmecs and other ancient civilizations is so critically important to any theory of the Book of Mormon, and the Heartland clearly shows no ancient written records about ancient people in North America.

The traditions of Nephites was about writing things of God on plates of ore to keep records for their posterity and have shared later with their Lamanite brethren. In fact written records were so important to God’s people, Lehi had the Brass Plates retrieved from Jerusalem, and every prophet of God after, kept records as we know. Lamanites or people of the world who had fallen from the true gospel did not normally keep records but maintained oral traditions. It also is very significant that the language of the Nephites and Lamanites would have to be patterned after Hebrew, since Lehi was a Hebrew and descendant of Manasseh through Joseph. “And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren.” Alma 10:3

Joseph’s Remnant by Allen C. Christensen

“I have a 6th great-grandmother who was a member of the Iroquois Confederacy. It is probable she was a Mohawk. In the early 1700s, her tribe lived along the Mohawk River. Her tribal name was Josnorum Scoenonti—her English name, Running Deer.

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Tod S. served a mission among the Navajo people in the later 1970s. He said one day that he and other missionaries saw their mission president, George P. Lee, come out of his office, looking as white as a ghost. President Lee informed them that he had been visited by Chief Joseph, Sitting Bull and a number of important Native American chiefs, and that he, George Lee, had been given their genealogy.

The written record never forgets. In a small way, Joseph’s Remnant is a personal attempt at helping correct that oversight. There are marvelous people, wonderful heroes among the greatgrandchildren of Father Lehi. They are those who have been asked to forgive and pray for those who have despitefully used and persecuted them.” Allen C. Christensen Author, Joseph’s Remnant


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Are Nephites Mayan?

Below is what Book of Mormon Archaeological Forum defines as Records and Writings in their A to Z glossary.

“RECORDS- Nephites kept extensive records (Hel. 3:13). There were also a great many RECORDS kept by the Mesoamericans. [Editors note; No equivalence here]. The central Mexican cultures and the Maya to their east made picture books on animal skins known as codices. Codices have accordion-like pages that run many feet in length. These codices contained genealogies, history, mythology, and astronomical information. At the time of the Spanish Conquest, mounds of these codices were cast into bonfires by Catholic clergy.” BMAF [Editor: What were the dates these codices were written?]

“WRITING In 1 Ne. 1:2 we learn that the record of the Nephites was written in Reformed Egyptian, consisting “of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.” Maya hieroglyphs differ from Egyptian hieroglyphs, but [Editor, there should be no “but] the individual glyphs were pronounced in a similar way, in other words, they both used a phonetic system to pronounce syllables. The Mayan written language wasn’t the only one used in Mesoamerica, in fact, some scripts have not yet been deciphered.41″ BMAF http://www.bmaf.org/articles/traditions_only_mesoamerica__wirth

[Editor: The Gold Plates have been deciphered and they are Reformed Egyptian]


Oral Traditions of Native Americans

My mother and my father both served the Native Americans on the Southwest Indian Mission of 1949-51 under Pres. Golden Buchanan. They have told me wonderful stories and oral traditions about the Hopi, Navajo and Apache all my life. I came across this Improvement Era article just a few years ago and as a lover of Lamanite Tradition and one who desires to share the Gospel with our Native brothers and sisters, I wanted to share this with you.

Golden R. Buchanan was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He devoted 16 years to missionary service as president of the Southwest Indian Mission and Salt Lake Regional Mission. He was Indian coordinator for the church and was known for his work with the Indian people. He was known by some as the “father of the Indian Placement Program,” a program in the LDS Church in which thousands of Indian youngsters came to live for a time with LDS families. Pres Buchanan was the first one to invite these wonderful Native Americans to live in his home as the Placement Program began.

These many Native American Oral Histories, are consistent with the truths we find in the Book of Mormon, in Church History, and in our Sacred Temples today. You can read more about the Cherokee Temple Ordinance similarites here:
https://bookofmormonevidence.org/cherokee-temple-ordinances-2/

 

Pres. Buchanan said the following:

“The Hopis say that they came across the ocean. The Navajos believe they came up from the other side of the earth through a tube. The Papago’s believe they were guided to this land by divine means.   Recently I was on the Papago Reservation. One of our new converts to the Church there told me this story:   “I had never joined any church because the ministers and the priests did not teach the Bible as I read it. I couldn’t read it and make it say the same things the other churches said it did. I speak the Papago language. I have lived among them all my life. I know their story and their traditions. And as I read the Book of Mormon that was placed in my hands by missionaries, I recognized the stories of the Papagos, and I knew the book was true. Your missionaries read the Bible the same way I did. These are the reasons I joined the Church. The Papago’s believed they crossed the ocean and came to this land, that in the ships and on the trails, they were guided by a ball. In this ball was a needle that pointed the direction they were to go. In the Papago language yet today, the name of this ball is ‘Liahona.’     Navajo tradition tells that a man and his wife and four sons came to this land a long time ago. They have, in their native language, the names of these four sons, but I cannot write them. The oldest two of these sons rebelled against the youngest two who were the appointed leaders. The older sons and their children lived in the forest. They made their living by hunting and by the use of the weapons of warfare.   They warred and preyed upon their two younger brothers. They covered their bodies with mud and thus became a dark people. The two younger sons became builders and built cities and houses of stone. They planted gardens and fields. They did not place mud upon themselves and thus remained white. For generations there were fighting, wars, and difficulties, the children of the older sons being the aggressors.   Then came a night in which the sun didn’t go down, and it was light all night, and the people were much disturbed and’ distressed. But still there were troubles. Some years after this, came an extended period of darkness…   Indian tribes have their own ceremonies. They have their own religions. This was particularly true before the advent of the so-called Christian churches among them. Even today the faithful still cling to their native tradition. Some of them profess Christianity and give token obedience to the so-called Christian churches, but deep in their hearts they still are waiting for the return of the Great White Spirit and the truth.   In many dances, which are largely prayers, significant handclasps are sometimes given. Connected with some of these kiva ceremonies is the wearing of certain types of clothing, and in these clothing are certain marks sacred to the people. I have been told that only the faithful may wear these marks in their clothing, and that only the very good and true may receive these ordinances.  Certain washings and anointings are common in many tribes. Usually these are done with water and corn pollen or corn meal, all of which are sacred to the Indian. If it were not for violating confidences, I could take you among the Utes and Paiutes, and tell of certain “ordinances for the dead.” Among many of the tribes there is a tradition that some day the people will lose their dark color and become white…   It is interesting to note, in closing, that I know of no Indian language in which one can take the name of the Lord in vain. Indeed, I do not know of an Indian language in which they can even swear. They have to learn English or some white man’s language before they can defile the name of Deity.” Lamanite Tradition By Golden R. Buchanan President, Southwest Indian Mission. Improvement Era April 1955 

The oral traditions of nearly all North American Natives, have been shared and kept for many years. These are not normally myths, but deeply held truths of earlier times.

Han Nei Oral Traditions

“The Navajo cosmology comes from the oral traditions of the creation and the emergences through previous worlds before coming to this place where the modern day Navajo live. Navajo children are taught that they are special because they come from a special people. It was a great undertaking for the Navajo people to be. The Navajo have oral traditions to tell them who they are.

NIGHT HOGAN

According to Ella M. Ben of “Beauty Under the Pinon Trees” (Tsaile, Arizona), who is Will Tsosie’s grandmother, one late summer day in the mountain fields, she was sorting corn from the fall harvest. She piled corn by white, yellow, blue, red, black, striped, and finally, the ear of corn of many colors (called Indian corn by the non-Navajo). I asked about the ear of corn of many colors. Grandmother Ella said that this ear of corn of many colors was the most special corn of all. In the first world after A[tse H1stiin and A[tse Asdzaan were created, there is a story that all of the different colors of mist were mixed by Diyin7. Then another beautiful ear of corn appeared, and this was the ear of corn of many colors. This ear of corn of many colors was so beautiful that raven flew down from the sky and stole it.

As raven flew off with the ear of corn of many colors, corn kernels fell out of it. These kernels of corn became the “others.” The others were the other human beings of this world. Where white corn fell it became white people, yellow corn became yellow people, red corn became red people, and black corn became black people. All human beings of this world came from the beautiful ear of corn of many colors. Different languages, history, and lifeways make us beautiful human beings.” https://woodscanyon.net/Navajo/People/Oraltraditions.html

Oral Traditions Validate Hard Science

McPherson Takes a Serious Look at the Oral Traditions of the Southwestern United States.

Solving a Medical Mystery With Oral Traditions

In 1993, Navajo elders provided a key piece of information to CDC scientists and climatologists to help combat a deadly mystery disease.https://daily.jstor.org/solving-a-medical-mystery-with-oral-traditions/


Full Blog Article Below.

Lamanite Tradition

New 3rd Edition “Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon”

Pre-Order Our New Third Printing

Pre-Order Here!

We are excited to announce pre-orders for the New “Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon.” They continue to be popular as gifts and for individuals. Rod Meldrum’s previously best selling book titled, “Exploring the Book of Mormon in America’s Heartland”, had 5 Editions and sold over 50,000 copies from 2009 to 2023.(Currently out of Print). The Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon already has its 3rd Edition and over 35,000 printed copies in less than 5 years. We appreciate your valued support.

Thanks to David Hocking and Rod Meldrum with the Editorial Team

Managing Editor David Hocking, has spent countless hours beyond what one would think, to make the new 3rd Edition, worthwhile for those who have previous editions.

This New 3rd Edition “Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon” will arrive soon. Same great cover with 5 all-new pages, 8 new inserts with quotes or pictures, and dozens of edits and updates are included. This 3rd Edition, 1st printing should be available by the end of April 2024 and shipped in May.

Additions for the 3rd Printing

In this new first printing of the 3rd Edition, Brother Hocking makes several notes from the Book of Jasher and the Book of Enoch passages, that validate that the presence and validity of the Plates of Brass had other Biblical-era records not found in the Bible record or Stick of Judah.

‘Phoenicia’

The ‘Phoenicia’ ship owned by Heartland Research with John Lefgren and Mike and Betty LaFontaine, is a 600 BC replica ship that was sailed by British Navy Captain Philip Beale over 30,000 nautical miles, proving a plausible route for Nephi and Mulek to sail from the Old World to North America.

Brother Hocking has updated route information on a map that may have brought Mulek to America. He added insight pages about Phoenician names showing up in the books of Mosiah and Alma after King Mosiah meets the people of Zarahemla, suggesting that it was a Phoenician ship that brought Zedekiah’s family with Mulek to the Land of Zarahemla near Montrose, Iowa. Also see an article from a BYU professor in 1973 that affirms a Heartland theory about the route and landing of Mulek and or Nephi, here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/ross-t-christensen-of-byu-1973-plausible-mulek-routes-tunisia-gathering-2024/

Pictures of Phoenician boat anchors have been found in North America’s rivers and lakes add support Mulek arriving in one of their ships. Brother Hocking says, “The Mississippi, Ohio, Allegheny, and Missouri Rivers were the common waterways for transportation of the Hopewell culture.”

Interpreters

Did you know that the words, Urim and Thummim, do not appear in the translated text of the Book of Mormon? Instead these instruments are called “Interpreters” or Nephite interpreters. The term Urim and Thummim is found in the Bible but it is speaking of different tools, and are not the same tools Joseph found in the stone box with the gold plates.

Brother Hocking has included additional insight pages relating the use of the Interpreters (“these stones fastened to a breastplate” JSH 1:35), as the proper tools Joseph used to translate the ancient inscriptions.

A statement from Lucy Mack Smith who said Joseph marveled at the Interpreters, calling them as she quotes Joseph saying, “I have got the Key”, and how Lucy also said that Joseph “had these things (Spectacles & Breastplate), constantly upon his  person.” This suggests Joseph may have worn the breastplate under his shirt, for constant usage during the translation period and to keep it out of sight. Joseph could have possibly hid the Interpreters (Spectacles) from Emma’s view and other scribes by using his farmers hat to block their view. (See picture above). Blog here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/scriptural-translation-method-2/

Solar Eclipse Stone

Another insight page highlights a Michigan artifact that suggests it was made in a Book of Mormon time period. Brother Hocking says, “Measurement on the face of the stone shows the sun’s altitude from the earth’s horizon at an angle of 67 degrees (Fig. 1). This is precisely the angle that the NASA program connected to the Fourth Century solar eclipse.”

Spotted Bee Balm

Spotted beebalm has been located across from Nauvoo, which adds credence to having reduced fevers of the Nephites due to the change in climate. (Alma 46:40) “Descendants of Native Americans returned to a place where their ancestors 16 centuries ago may have grown and harvested Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata var. villicaulis; a medicinal herb).” Special thanks to John Lefgren, Ph.D., Kevin Price, Ph.D. Photos courtesy of Kevin Price, Ph.D.), and Wayne May.

Another artifact, is shown (left) that was found in Alabama. It is a “Hopewell dated etched shell of an All Searching Eye symbol in a Hamsa five-fingered hand pattern. Moundsville was a village built using ‘Wall-Trench’ architecture.” Department of Research and Collections, University of Alabama Museums.


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Here are the Newest 8 Insert Updates

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The Book of Mormon in North America

“The United States is the promised land foretold in the Book of Mormon—a place where divine guidance directed inspired men to create the conditions necessary for the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Elder L. Tom Perry Ensign Dec. 2012

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“The Book of Mormon reveals the inheritance of Joseph, son of Israel, who was not forgotten when land was distributed to the tribes of Israel. This was promised in the Abrahamic covenant. Because… Joseph’s inheritance was to be a land choice above all others. It was choice not because of beauty or wealth of natural resources, but because it was chosen to be the repository of sacred writings on golden plates from which the Book of Mormon would one day come. Choice because it would eventually host the world headquarters of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days. And it was choice because it was a land of liberty for those who worship the Lord and keep His commandments” – President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, Yes, Mormons are Christians, Legends Library [2017], 60;
emphasis added.
Art by Ken Corbett


“The prophecies pertinent to this holy land of America were not just directed to the ancient saints, but those of our day as well, that we, too, might know of our responsibility to keep the Promised Land free from sin. Thus, knowing which land is the Promised Land is far more important than we might otherwise have supposed. Not only is such information vital to our understanding of where Book of Mormon activity took place, but learning that those activities took place in what has since become known as the United States of America is therefore critical to our very survival as a nation and as individuals who may just suffer untold misery in years to come if we allow the nation to become ripe in iniquity. The Lord’s decree that all who inhabit this promised land must serve Him or be wiped away is an everlasting decree, and just as pertinent to those of our day as it was to the Nephites or Jaredites, for according to the Lord Himself, this glorious land of America, the place of the New Jerusalem, is the land of promise, and who shall dispute His word.From Ezra Taft Benson: Source

The Book of Mormon in Moroni’s America

Previous Editions of the Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon

Here is some information about the previous two printings of the Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon. As you may remember, we printed our first 5,000 copies in Sept 2018. Those were gone in less than one month. We then had another 10,000 printed and available for Christmas 2018. Those were all sold by April of 2019. We had another 10,000 arrive in Nov. of 2019. We call this last shipment the 2nd Edition. The first 5,000 and first 10,000 we call the first printing.

You can see on the inside cover of your copy of the Annotated Book of Mormon, the following ways to determine what version you have. These editions below are now out of print.

Thanks to each of you, and your friends for supporting this amazing new 3rd edition of the Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon. We feel grateful that so many wonderful people are reading the Book of Mormon. Pre-Order 3rd Edition Here

There are a few differences between the 2nd edition and the new 3rd edition I will explain. Obviously, the Book of Mormon text is the same, with only a couple minor corrections. Page numbers are the same up to page 561.

This painting is included in all versions. I love it.


“Truly this man was the Son of God” by Clark Kelley Price
Prints Here: After Jesus was put upon the cross to be crucified, there was darkness over all the land, and when He died, there was a great earthquake. A Roman centurion standing guard at the foot of the cross witnessed these events and, sensing the reality of who was on the cross above him, testified, “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). The powerful testimony of the Savior spoken by this centurion who oversaw the Crucifixion now echoes through time and throughout eternity.

 

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Native America Sacred Book Stories

Within the traditions of the Native Americans of North America (Lamanites) you will find hundreds of stories about a “sacred book”, or “a book”, or ” a record”, or “a history of our forefathers”, or “a book of plates”, or “a history of our people”, and many times these Natives talk about it being buried in a hill or the ground. There is such a connection between these Native American Lamanties and the Book of Mormon which was written by their forefathers. There is such a familiar story comparing these Native American traditions with the story we know about the Lamanites seeking to destroy these records kept by the Nephites. It should be remembered that these records of the Nephites ultimately became the records of the Lamanites also. After all who was this record speaking of; both Nephi a Nephite, and Samuel a Lamanite. These “Sacred Book” stories are heard of from Native Americans from North America and seldom heard about from those of South and Central America. This is not a proof that the Book of Mormon events happened in North America, but it is a very powerful indication that these Native Americans have incredibly similar stories as found in the story of the Book of Mormon. Below you will find many references to “this Sacred Book” or the Lamanite traditions about this book.

Book of Mormon: Sacred Book of the Indians

MORMON APOLOGIST E. Cecil McGavin, in relating to his readers some ancient traditions of the North American Indians, made this remarkable statement in 1947: The American aborigines, “assert that a book was once in possession of their ancestors; and along with this recognition they have traditions that the Great Spirit used to foretell to their fathers future events; that he controlled nature in their favor; that angels once talked with them; that all the Indian tribes descended from one man who had twelve sons; that this man was a noble and renowned Prince, having great dominions; and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence. They believe by tradition that the spirit of prophecy and miraculous interposition once enjoyed by their ancestors will yet be restored to them, and that they will recover the book, all of which have been so long lost.” Mormonism & Masonry, (Salt Lake City: Stevens & Wallis, Inc., 1947), pp. 154-155. If true, this old tradition provides a potentially important link between the American tribes and a (presumably) non-American “renowned Prince” who had “twelve sons,” and whom the heavenly angels hold in great respect. McGavin insinuates that the prince was the Patriarch Jacob and that the native Americans are descended from one of his sons — Joseph to be exact — and that the lost book was a volume of divinely revealed prophecies and holy records. In short, the lost book the Indians expect to recover is the Book of Mormon, that improbable 1830 publication of Joseph Smith, Jr. Is it true? Perhaps that question is still a bit premature. Perhaps the more useful question at this point would be, Where did the author come across this wonderous nugget of supposedly ancient information? Tracking the Source of the “Lost Book” Elder McGavin was not the first LDS writer to relate this unusual story. A very similar quote (with a reference citation matching one of McGavin’s) can be read in a Mormon magazine published in 1886. There the writer, George Reynolds, the former private secretary to Brigham Young, has this to say: A book published in London, England, in 1833, by a Mr. C. Colton, on the origin of the American Indians bears testimony to this same tradition. It is therein stated: “They assert that a book was once in possession of their ancestors, and along with this recognition they have traditions that the Great Spirit used to foretell to their forefathers future events; that he controlled nature in their favor; that angels once talked with them; that all the Indian tribes descended from one man, who had twelve sons; that this man was a notable and renowned prince, having great dominions, and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence. They believe, by tradition, that the spirit of prophecy and miraculous interposition, once enjoyed by their ancestors, will yet be restored to them, and that they will recover the book, all of which has been so long lost.” “View of the Hebrews” Juvenile Instructor XXXVII:19 (Oct. 1, 1902) Elder Reynolds is not exactly specific about which “Mr. C. Colton” he is quoting from. He says he is referring to a certain 1833 “book published in London… on the origin of the American Indians.” Luckily only one book fits that description. Two other LDS writers provide its title, after quoting from the same text: Jacob and his twelve sons are found in the legends of the American Indians. Some of the tribes “used to build an altar of twelve stones in memory of a great ancestor of theirs who had twelve sons.” “They have traditions that all Indian tribes descended from one man who had twelve sons. That this man was a notable and renowned prince, having great dominion; and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence.” (Calvin Colton, Origin of the American Indians, London, 1833., cf. Mill. Star 6:67.) John A. Widtsoe and Franklin S. Harris, Jr. Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon Independence: Zion’s Printing and Pub. Co., 1935, 1937, p. 101 The Rev. Calvin Colton (1789-1857) is not known to have ever produced a book called Origin of the American Indians, but he did write one with this lengthy title: “Tour of the American Lakes, and among the Indians of the North-west territory, in 1830: disclosing the character and prospects of the Indian race.” Since that book was published (in two volumes) in London in 1833, it appears to be the work cited by McGavin, Reynolds, Widtsoe and Harris. The next question that might be asked is, Where did Rev. Colton get his information? According to his book, he conducted research into the situation and background of the American Indians during his 1830 “Tour of the American Lakes.” He then sailed off to London to work as a correspondent for the New York Observer, during which time he published a plethora of books on America. It appears, however, that Colton did not glean all of his information on this topic from interviews with the Indians and their neighbors. He himself admits to deriving part of his material from a previously published source. In the case of the “lost book” story, Colton does his reporting in the first chapter of the second volume of Origin of the American Indians. That particular chapter is sub-titled “The Honourable Elias Boudinot’s theory…” and in it Colton agrees with practically everything Boudinot (the celebrated Presbyterian statesman and author, 1740-1821) said about the Indians in his 1816 book, in support of the conclusion, “that they are Hebrews.” Although Colton does not give his readers a precise citation from Boudinot’s 1816 A Star in the West, it is obvious that the former author appropriated the “lost book” story from the former. On page 11 of vol. 2, Colton says: The offer of Christianity and of the Bible to the Indians of North America, with an account of its origin and claims, has, in several instances quite remote from and independent; of each other, met this remarkable reception: “This book once belonged to our ancestors!” And along with this recognition, they have traditions, that the Great Spirit used to foretell to their fathers future evens; that he controlled nature in their favour; that angels once talked with them, that all the Indian tribes descended from one man, who had twelve sons; that this man was a notable and renowned prince having dominion over all the earth; and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence. They believe by tradition, that the spirit of prophecy and of miraculous interposition, once enjoyed by their ancestors, will yet be restored to them, and that they shall recover the book — all of which have been so long lost. Rev. Calvin Colton’s 1830 book (Above articles compiled by Dale R. Broadhurst These articles are written from Mr. Broadhurst’s position as one who wants to tie the Book of Mormon with the Spaulding manuscript which I don’t believe. He quotes some great information however from reliable sources which speak about the traditions of Native Americans with this Sacred Book.)

Below you will find articles about the Sacred Book of the Native Americans.

1- Cattaraugus/Wyondat/Delaware/Shawnee

“Once the red men were many; they occupied the country from sea to sea — from the rising to the setting sun; the whole land . . .  Thousands of moons ago, when the red men’s forefathers dwelt in peace and possessed this whole land the Great Spirit talked with them, and revealed His law and His will and much knowledge to their wise men and prophets.  This they wrote in a Book . . . written on plates of gold and handed down from father to son for many ages and generations. It was then that the people prospered and were strong and mighty; they cultivated the earth, built buildings and cities and abounded in all good things, as the pale faces now do . . . This Book, which contained these things was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him Cumorah, which hill is now in the state of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario county . . .  Thus ended our first Indian mission, in which we had preached the Gospel in its fullness and distributed the record of their forefathers among three viz.: the Cattaraugus Indians, near Buffalo, N.Y., the Wyandots, of Ohio and the Delawares, west of Missouri.” Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, pp. 56-6; Documentary History of the Church Vol 1: Footnotes 183:2-18 

2- Blackfoot/The Three Nephites

“When Elder Melvin J. Ballard visited the Ft. Peck and Blackfoot reservations he said he met many who knew him as soon as they saw him and asked for the “Book” which he was to bring them. They said they had seen him in dreams, bringing to them a “Book.” When he handed them the Book of Mormon they adopted it gladly, and could read and understand it. He declared that it was his belief that one of the “Three Nephites” had been laboring among them for years teaching them the gospel and preparing them for our missionaries when they should come.” Redemption of the Lamanites By Annie W. Holdaway Genealogist and Recorder, Lamanite Genealogical Society

3. Stockbridge/Hebrew

In 1837, Elder Parley P. Pratt, one of the early defenders of the church, wrote a work entitled, “A Voice of Warning,” which has been published in many different editions in Europe and America. In the edition of 1885, published at Lamoni, Iowa, page 82, there is a quotation from Mr. Boudinot, which reads as follows: Mr. Boudinot in his able work, remarks concerning their language: “Their language in its roots, idiom, and particular construction, appears to have the whole genius of the Hebrew; and what is very remarkable, and well worthy of serious attention, has most of the peculiarities of the language, especially those in which it differs from most other languages. There is a tradition related by an aged Indian of the Stockbridge Tribe, that their fathers were once in possession of a ‘Sacred Book‘ which was handed down from generation to generation, and at last hid in the earth, since which time they have been under the feet of their enemies. But those oracles were to be restored to them again, and then they would triumph over their enemies and regain their ancient country, together with their rights and privileges.” — An aged Indian of the Stockbridge tribe.” See Broadside Picture above Quoted as the last line.

4. Cherokee/Liahona and Ark

“We had a war long ago with a light skinned people around the Great Lakes. We conquered them but we had so much respect for their warrior chief that we buried him at the mouth of the Oswego River that is in New York State. We don’t discuss this very much because it is an embarrassment to us.” President Rawson then asked why this is an embarrassment, and the Chief replied, “Our history is written on metal plates and buried in a hill in New York, but we don’t know which hill… It is the belief of the Cherokee People that they came to the land of the New World from the direction of the East Ocean riding on a white cloud. There seems to be in the legend, the existence of some type of round instru­ment which directed the voyage. Although not totally clear, it seems that the instrument which directed the voyage was ball-shape and contained another like it within itself. It contained a liquid, making the float­ing devices within to congregate at times to give direction to the eyes of the beholder…In those days when the Cherokee were a God-loving people, living in peace among themselves, they lived as one people, dwelling in half-moon shaped council houses. They had gone from living in caves to living in log-cabins. They still kept the sacred records of metal, some of which had come across the ocean waters with them, and others which they had con­tinued keeping and making, scribing upon them as had been done before by the leaders of the People. They, too, had possession of the Ark of the Covenant, which they also had brought with them from their place of origin, existing across the eastern waters.” Talk given to missionaries in training at the MTC, Provo, Utah 1979, by President Murray J. Rawson. Purchase complete copy here: https://www.bookofmormonremnants.com/store.html

5. Tohono O’odham Nation (Papago)/Liahona/Stone Book

The Liahona by Ken Corbett
“The Papagos believed they crossed the ocean and came to this land, that in the ships and on the trails they were guided by a ball. In this ball was a needle that pointed the direction they were to go. In the Papago language yet today, the name of this ball is ‘Liahona… Among the Hopis, too, at the present time, is a “stone book.” I have seen it, but only a few white men have had that privilege. I cannot describe it because I have promised not to speak of it. I can only say that at a distance of four or five, feet anyone would easily take it for a modern book. Their stories say that the mate to this book will be brought back to them. The books will be opened, and someone will be able to read the message in them.” Indian Tradition by Golden Buchanan Read more HERE:

6. Delaware/Hill Cumorah

According to Parley P. Pratt, in 1831 some early elders of the Church were discussing the Book of Mormon with the Delaware Indians of Kansas, the first such meeting with Indians since the Restoration. The spokesman was Oliver Cowdery, who included in his remarks the following: “Once the red men were many; they occupied the country from sea to sea–from the rising to the setting sun; the whole land Thousands of moons ago, when red men’s forefathers dwelt in peace and possessed this whole land the Great Spirit talked with them, and revealed His law and His will and much knowledge to their wise men and prophets. This they wrote in a Book, . . . written on plates of gold and handed down from father to son for many ages and generations. . . . This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him, Cumorah, which hill is now in the state of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario County.” Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, SLC, 1938, pp. 55-56

7. Ephraimites and Lamanites/Remnant of Israel/Original Settlers/Ancient Plates

Oliver Cowdery wrote that the Ephraimites and the Lamanites were the “original settlers of this continent,” and that “an ancient prophet caused the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated to be buried nearly two thousand years ago, in which is now called Ontario County, New York. In this same issue, W. W. Phelps wrote that it was “by that book [the Book of Mormon] I learned that the poor Indians of America were of the remnants of Israel.” Many other times editor Phelps identified the land of America as being the place where at least some Book of Mormon history took place, including the last battles of both the Jaredites and the Nephites (see Messenger and Advocate, vol. 2, October 1835, and the letter of W. W. Phelps to Oliver Cowdery in that same issue.) Oliver Cowdery Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, July 1835, pp. 158-159

8. Lamanites/Native American chiefs/Joseph Presides over Day of the Lamanite/Blossom as the Rose/ A People of Destiny

“Ultimately, what did Joseph accomplish? By the gift and power of God, he translated the Book of Mormon which revealed who the Native Americans are, their heritage of prophets and priests, of repentance and righteousness, and of pride and destruction. It discloses promises to this remnant of Israel, so diligently sought by their ancestors and vouchsafed by the covenants of the Lord. It proclaims their glorious future in the face of their state of poverty. In a personal way, Joseph seemed to feel a kinship to this people whose culture was so very distant from his own. He knew he and they were both descendants of Joseph of old, the son of Israel. He knew that Joseph of old, their prophet ancestor, had foretold that a mighty seer would be raised up from his posterity to bring to pass much restoration to the remnant of his seed (2 Nephi 3:6–12). From his early tutoring by Moroni to his personal visits with numerous Native American chiefs, Joseph Smith sought to bring to this chosen people the glad tidings of the restoration. But what did he see in the way of fulfillment for his efforts? In mortality he saw very little, but in vision he must have seen the Lamanites “blossom as a rose” (D&C 49:24)… Joseph Smith stands at the head of this last, greatest of all dispensations (see JD 8:224). From his position today in the spirit world, he undoubtedly presides over the day of the Lamanite which now has arrived (see Kimball “The Day of the Lamanites”). In that sphere, with the cultural biases, the language difficulties, and the centuries of tradition put aside, one wonders if Joseph is not now preaching those very words and seeing the budding and blossoming of that rose which will, in due course, both there and here, reach the perfection of its bloom. Let us be true to the Book of Mormon, true to the revelations and efforts of the Prophet Joseph regarding the Native Americans as a people of destiny, and thus true to the Lord God who gave Joseph the vision of the blossoming rose and who will, assuredly, lead us to its fulfillment.” Byron R. Merrill, “Joseph Smith and the Lamanites,” in Joseph Smith: The Prophet, The Man, ed. Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1993), 187–202

9. American Aborigines/Prince and 12 Sons/Lost Book

MORMON APOLOGIST E. Cecil McGavin, in relating to his readers some ancient traditions of the North American Indians, made this remarkable statement in 1947: The American aborigines, “assert that a book was once in possession of their ancestors; and along with this recognition they have traditions that the Great Spirit used to foretell to their fathers future events; that he controlled nature in their favor; that angels once talked with them; that all the Indian tribes descended from one man who had twelve sons; that this man was a noble and renowned Prince, having great dominions; and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence. They believe by tradition that the spirit of prophecy and miraculous interposition once enjoyed by their ancestors will yet be restored to them, and that they will recover the book, all of which have been so long lost.”Mormonism & Masonry, (Salt Lake City: Stevens & Wallis, Inc., 1947), pp. 154-155. If true, this old tradition provides a potentially important link between the American tribes and a (presumably) non-American “renowned Prince” who had “twelve sons,” and whom the heavenly angels hold in great respect. McGavin insinuates that the prince was the Patriarch Jacob and that the native Americans are descended from one of his sons — Joseph to be exact — and that the lost book was a volume of divinely revealed prophecies and holy records. In short, the lost book the Indians expect to recover is the Book of Mormon, that improbable 1830 publication of Joseph Smith, Jr. Is it true? Perhaps that question is still a bit premature. Perhaps the more useful question at this point would be, Where did the author come across this wonderous nugget of supposedly ancient information?

10. American indians/Will recover the Book/Natives descendants from Jacob and 12 sons/Altar of 12 Stones

Tracking the Source of the “Lost Book” Elder McGavin was not the first LDS writer to relate this unusual story. A very similar quote (with a reference citation matching one of McGavin’s) can be read in a Mormon magazine published in 1886. There the writer, George Reynolds, the former private secretary to Brigham Young, has this to say: A book published in London, England, in 1833, by a Mr. C. Colton, on the origin of the American Indians bears testimony to this same tradition. It is therein stated: “They assert that a book was once in possession of their ancestors, and along with this recognition they have traditions that the Great Spirit used to foretell to their forefathers future events; that he controlled nature in their favor; that angels once talked with them; that all the Indian tribes descended from one man, who had twelve sons; that this man was a notable and renowned prince, having great dominions, and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence. They believe, by tradition, that the spirit of prophecy and miraculous interposition, once enjoyed by their ancestors, will yet be restored to them, and that they will recover the book, all of which has been so long lost.” “View of the Hebrews” Juvenile Instructor XXXVII:19 (Oct. 1, 1902) Elder Reynolds is not exactly specific about which “Mr. C. Colton” he is quoting from. He says he is referring to a certain 1833 “book published in London… on the origin of the American Indians.” Luckily only one book fits that description. Two other LDS writers provide its title, after quoting from the same text: Jacob and his twelve sons are found in the legends of the American Indians. Some of the tribes “used to build an altar of twelve stones in memory of a great ancestor of theirs who had twelve sons.” “They have traditions that all Indian tribes descended from one man who had twelve sons. That this man was a notable and renowned prince, having great dominion; and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence.” (Calvin Colton, Origin of the American Indians, London, 1833., cf. Mill. Star 6:67.)

11. Origin of the American Indian/They are Hebrews/Tour of the American Lakes/This Book once Belonged to our Ancestors

The Rev. Calvin Colton (1789-1857) is not known to have ever produced a book called Origin of the American Indians, but he did write one with this lengthy title: “Tour of the American Lakes, and among the Indians of the North-west territory, in 1830: disclosing the character and prospects of the Indian race.” Since that book was published (in two volumes) in London in 1833, it appears to be the work cited by McGavin, Reynolds, Widtsoe and Harris. The next question that might be asked is, Where did Rev. Colton get his information? According to his book, he conducted research into the situation and background of the American Indians during his 1830 “Tour of the American Lakes.” He then sailed off to London to work as a correspondent for the New York Observer, during which time he published a plethora of books on America. It appears, however, that Colton did not glean all of his information on this topic from interviews with the Indians and their neighbors. He himself admits to deriving part of his material from a previously published source. In the case of the “lost book” story, Colton does his reporting in the first chapter of the second volume of Origin of the American Indians. That particular chapter is sub-titled “The Honourable Elias Boudinot’s theory…” and in it Colton agrees with practically everything Boudinot (the celebrated Presbyterian statesman and author, 1740-1821) said about the Indians in his 1816 book, in support of the conclusion, “that they are Hebrews.” Although Colton does not give his readers a precise citation from Boudinot’s 1816 A Star in the West, it is obvious that the former author appropriated the “lost book” story from the former. On page 11 of vol. 2, Colton says: The offer of Christianity and of the Bible to the Indians of North America, with an account of its origin and claims, has, in several instances quite remote from and independent; of each other, met this remarkable reception: “This book once belonged to our ancestors!” And along with this recognition, they have traditions, that the Great Spirit used to foretell to their fathers future events; that he controlled nature in their favour; that angels once talked with them, that all the Indian tribes descended from one man, who had twelve sons; that this man was a notable and renowned prince having dominion over all the earth; and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence. They believe by tradition, that the spirit of prophecy and of miraculous interposition, once enjoyed by their ancestors, will yet be restored to them, and that they shall recover the book — all of which have been so long lost.  John A. Widtsoe and Franklin S. Harris, Jr. Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon Independence: Zion’s Printing and Pub. Co., 1935, 1937, p. 101

Wolf Point Montana Branch

Elder and Sister Melvin J. Ballard and missionaries meeting with Montana Native Americans. (Unfortunately the tribal name was not recorded) Photo Courtesy Ballard Family.
“Today there are about 400-500 members in the Wolf Point Branch but only 100 regularly attend church meetings. Their conversions were prompted not only by the temporal assistance the Church gives, but also by belief in those who came to teach them. On Chicken Hill, there is a Mormon church building today, but many years ago, when Melvin J. Ballard was traveling through on train, he asked the train to stop so he could get out. There he had a vision in which he saw many Indians on the hill and among them stood Christ. Another legend attributes one of their Indian wise men with having a dream and prophesying to his people that there would be a great book that would come to them. And there were also healings and a miracle; Looking, a blind Indian, was given a blessing and received his sight. Sheldon Headdress enthusiastically stated that the Mormons were a very positive presence but when questioned more, he conceded that not all of his Indian acquaintances have appreciated the Christian influences” Sheldon Headdress, interview by author, 28 April 2000, Ft. Peck Reservation/Missoula, phone interview. Sheldon Headdress was recently the Branch President of the Wolf Point branch and being a Mormon is unsurprisingly very positive in his views about the religion. University of Montana Scholar Works at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2004 Mormon movement to Montana Julie A. Wright The University of Montana Page 84

“A star in the West : or, A humble attempt to discover the long lost ten tribes of Israel, preparatory to their return to their beloved city, Jerusalem” BY ELIAS BOUDINOT, L L.D. Chapter IV

Our southern Indians have also a tradition among them which they firmly believe, that of old time, their ancestors lived beyond a great river. That nine parts of their nation, out of ten, passed over the river, but the remainder refused, and staid behind. That they had a king when they lived far to the west, who left two sons. That one of them, with a number of his people, travelled a great way for many years, till they came to Delaware river, and settled there. That some years ago, the king of the country from which they had emigrated, sent a party in search of them. This was at the time the French were in possession of the country on the river Alleghany. That after seeking six years, they found an Indian who led them to the Delaware towns, where they staid one year. That the French sent a white man with them on their return, to bring back an account of their country, but they have never been heard of since. It is said among their principal, or beloved men, that they had it handed down from their ancestors, that the book which the white people have was once theirs. That while they had it they prospered exceedingly but that the white people bought it of them, and learnt many things from it; while the
Annotated Book of Mormon. Purchase here.
Indians lost their credit, offended the great spirit, and suffered exceedingly from the neighboring nations. That the great spirit took pity on them and directed them to this country. That on their way they came to a great river, which they could not pass, when God dried up the waters and they passed over dry shod. They also say that their forefathers were possessed of an extraordinary divine spirit, by which they foretold future events, and controlled the common course of nature, and this they transmitted to their offspring, on condition of their obeying the sacred laws. That they did by these means bring down showers of plenty on the beloved people. But that this power for a long time past, had entirely ceased. The reverend gentlemen mentioned in the introduction, who had taken so much pains in the year 1764 or 5, to travel far westward, to find Indians who had never seen a white man, informed the writer of these memoirs, that far to the northwest of the Ohio, he attended a party of Indians to a treaty, with Indians from the west of the Mississippi. Here he found the people he was in search of — he conversed with their beloved man who had never seen a white man before, by the assistance of three grades of interpreters. The Indian informed him, that one of their most ancient traditions was, that a great while ago, they had a common father, who lived towards the rising of the sun, and governed the whole world. That all the white people’s heads were under his feet. That he had twelve sons, by whom he administered his government. That his authority was derived from the great spirit, by virtue of some special gift from him. That the twelve sons behaved very bad and tyrannized over the people, abusing their power to a great degree, so as to offend the great spirit exceedingly. That he being thus angry with them, suffered the white people to introduce spirituous liquors among them, made them drunk, stole the special gift of the great spirit from them, and by this means usurped the power over them, and ever since the Indians heads were under the white people’s feet. But that they also had a tradition, that the time would come, when the Indians would regain the gift of the great spirit from the white people, and with it their ancient power, when the white people’s heads would be again under the Indian’s feet. Mr. McKenzie in his History of the Fur Trade, and his journey through North-America, by the lakes, to the South-Sea, in the year , says, ” that the Indians informed him, that they had a tradition among them, that they originally came from another country inhabited by wicked people, and had traversed a great lake, which was narrow, shallow and full of islands, where they had suffered great hardships and much misery, it being always winter, with ice and deep snows — at a place they called the Coppermine River, where they made the first land, the ground was covered with copper, over which a body of earth had since been collected to the depth of a man’s height. They believe also that in ancient times their ancestors had lived till their feet were worn out with walking, and their throats with eating. They described a deluge, when the waters spread over the whole earth, except the highest mountain, on the top of which they were preserved. They also believe in a future judgment.” McKcnzie’s history, page 113. The Indians to the eastward say, that previous to the white people coming into the country, their ancestors were in the habit of using circumcision, but latterly, not being able to assign any reason for so strange a practice, their young people insisted on its being abolished. Source: https://archive.org/details/starinwestorhumb00boud

Priest’s American Antiquities

If such may have been the fact, that a part of the Ten Tribes came over to America, in the way we have suposed, leaving the cold regions of Assareth behind them [p. 813] in quest of a milder climate, it would be natural to look for tokens of the presence of Jews of some sort, along countries adjacent to the Atlantic. In order to this, we shall here make an extract from an able work: written exclusively on the subject of the Ten Tribes having come from Asia by the way of Bherings Strait, by the Rev. Ethan Smith, Pultney, Vt., who relates as follows: Joseph Merrick, Esq., a highly respectable character in the church at Pittsfield, gave the following account: That in 1815, he was leveling some ground under and near an old wood shed, standing on a place of his, situated on Indian Hill. He ploughed and conveyed away old chips and earth to some depth. After the work was done, walking over the place, he discovered, near where the earth had been dug the deepest, a black strap as it appeared, about six inches in length, and one and a half in breadth, and about the thickness of a leather trace to a harness. He perceived it had at each end a loop of some hard substance, probably for the purpose of carrying it. He conveyed it to his house, and threw it into an old toolbox. He afterwards found it thrown out of doors, and he again conveyed it to the box. After some time he thought he would examine it; but in attempting to cut it found it as hard as bone; he succeeded, however in getting it open, and found it was formed of two pieces of thick raw-hide, sewed and made water tight with the sinews of some animal; and in the fold was contained four folded pieces of parchment. They were of a dark yellow hue, and contained some kind of writing. The neighbors coming in to see the strange discovery, tore one of the pieces to atoms, in the true Hun and Vandal style. The other three pieces Mr. Merrick saved, and sent them to Cambridge.—where they where examined, and discovered to have been written with a pen in Hebrew, plain and legible. The writing on the three remaining pieces of parchment, was quotations from the Old Testament. See Deut. vi. chap. from the 4th to the 9th verse, inclusive—also, xi. chap. 13–21, and Exodus, chap. 13—13—11,—16 inclusive, to which the reader can refer, if he has the curiosity to read this most interesting discovery. These passages as quoted above, were found in the strap of raw hide; which unquestionably had been written on the very pieces of parchment now in the possession of the Antiquarian Society, before Israel left the land of Syria, more than 2,500 years ago. Dr. West of Stockbridge, relates that an old Indian informed him, that his fathers in this country, had not long since, been in the possession of a book, which they had for a long time, carried with them, but having lost the knowledge of reading it, they buried it with an Indian chief—View of the Hebrews, p. 223. It had been handed down from family to family, or from chief to chief as a most precious relic, if not as an amulet, charm, or talisman, for it is not to be supposed, that a distinct knowledge of what was con[t]ained in the strap could have long continued among them, in their wandering condition, amid woods and forests. “It is said by Calmet, that the above texts are the very passages of Scripture, which the Jews used to write on the leaves of their phylacteries. These phylacteries were little rolls of parchment whereon were written certain words of the law. These they wore upon their forehead, and upon the wrist of the left arm.”—Smith’s view vf the Hebrews. p. 220.
The following month, the Times and Seasons cited yet more from Priest, but also quoted from Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews, concerning some pieces of old parchment that had been discovered in the summer of 1815 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, that appeared to have writing on them. The parchment pieces were said to have been sent by their discoverer, Joseph Merrick, Esq., “a highly respectable character,” to Cambridge, where they were examined, and discovered to have been “written in Hebrew with a pen, in plain and intelligible writing.”[39] The article continued with an account of one “Dr. West of Stockbridge,” who “relates that an old Indian informed him, that his fathers in this country had not long since, been in the possession of a book, which they had for a long time, carried with them, but having lost the knowledge of reading it, they buried it with an Indian chief.”[40] For obvious reasons this account resonated with the Saints; it spoke of antiquated records, supposedly written in Hebrew, which were buried in the earth by a people who had lost their knowledge. As to the actual origin of the parchment, one of the first scholars to examine it was the Reverend William Allen, president of Bowdoin College (and former minister of the First Congregational Church in Pittsfield). He noted in a letter dated March 30, 1821, that the Joseph Merrick farm, where the parchment was discovered, had employed German and British prisoners during the War of 1812, and it was likely dropped by “a concealed Jew” among the prisoners as they worked his land. Allen opined that the general lack of deterioration of the phylactery and its contents indicated that they were relatively recent rather than ancient productions.[41] From Priest’s American Antiquities.

Two Flat Sticks

The imperishable inscriptions of metal plates have told us the history of that mysterious people who fought their final battles in the land of many waters. “Furthermore, the Book of Mormon emphasizes the fact that the land of many waters was ‘an exceeding great distance’ from the land of Zarahemla; that there were more streams, rivers, lakes, and fountains in that area than were to be found in any lands where these early people had dwelt. “Middle America is not a land of many waters. Its ancient hills are not marked with tokens of fortifications; its skeletal remains do not tell of a bitter war of extermination, comparable at all to the evidence in western New York. If we are to find that historic land where the drums of war called forth the warriors until the land was covered with the bodies of the dead, we must go northward ‘an exceeding great distance,’ as the Jaredites and Nephites did many centuries ago. “These aboriginal monuments, the tell-tale tokens of ancient warfare by highly civilized nations, are not to be flung aside as one ‘fights against the pricks’ to confine these ancient people to the narrow and restricted domain of Middle America. Inscriptions on metal have told us the story, which is otherwise a great mystery. These mysteries vanish as ancient historians speak from the dust.” Copyright © 2016 by Energy Media Works LLC  JosephKnew.com

Old and New Book

“In the forepart of the last month, about three hundred and sixty Indian, of the Kickapoos and Pattowattamies, pitched their tents on the east before this town, and tarried one night.  They were on their way to the place assigned them for the land of their inheritance, being gathered by the government of the United States, fulfilling that scripture spoken by the mouth of Isaiah, which says, Behold thus saith the Lord God, I lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people, and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. Their agent remarked that “they drunk no spiritous liquors,” and those who saw them can bear testimony that they were quiet and inoffensive, and different from any other tribes that have been gathered. They have a prophet, in whom they place great confidence, and he instructs them that the day is nigh, when the Great Father will send his Son on the earth; then (as he says) white man and red man be one. Their idea of what is to come to pass in the last days, the resurrection of the righteous, and their living on earth with the Lord while wickedness ceases to trouble the saints, seem to be correct as far as we could ascertain.  They are very devout apparently and pray night and morning; even children and all. They have two flat sticks about one foot long, tied together, on which are several characters, which, they say, the Great Father gave to their prophet, and mean as much as a large book. They say one of these sticks, is for the old book that white man has, (the Bible) the other for the new book, (Book of Mormon) white man has it written on paper, Great Father writes it in red man’s heart.   They seem to Pray from these sticks– and worship on the Sabbath with great solemnity, commencing with a salutation from the greatest or oldest to the least that can walk, and ending with the same token of friendship. Should we have time to make them a visit, we may be more particular hereafter. *From Arkansas to the Missouri, the remnants are gathering together in rapid succession, and all, as far as we have been able to ascertain, have an idea that the Great Spirit is about to do something great and good for the red man.” Evening and Morning Star (Kirtland 1835-1836 ISRAEL WILL BE GATHERED. Page 201 For more about the Lamanite traditions see my two blogs below:
https://bookofmormonevidence.org/lamanite-tradition/

HEART OF THE MATTER? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CTR AND CRT?

CRT- False Doctrine

I believe Critical Race Theory (CRT), the 1619 Project, Woke-ism, Equity, are all being taught at nearly all Universities including BYU. If Professors could teach ideology and show all sides in the world, and allow us our freedom to choose, that would be fine. We should know there is Religion and its values and we should know there is CRT and what it teaches as well. BUT, professors have no right to persuade or to cram down students throats their personal ideology. Teach and let the student decide. Sadly that does not exist in our Great and Spacious Universities any more. It is the Progressive ideology that is tells our students what to believe. That is wrong.

In my opinion (CRT) is a deceptive theory and so is the term “Equity.” We are fighting Satan and CRT and Equity is from Satan. CRT states that every white person is an oppressor and every black person is a victim. That is racist in and of itself. The Progressives in the world today and the “Woke” society want race to divide us like it did in our early history. “Equity to me means, we should all have the same amount of stuff or privledge, but who cares if it is fair? We all have freedom of opportunity, but because of this wonderful gift of Free Agency, we can’t have equal outcomes. The Savior will judge each of us individually and appropriately based on righteous principles. Remember Alma 40-41, “For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil. Therefore, if a man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth unto the voice of the good shepherd, and he doth follow him; but whosoever bringeth forth evil works, the same becometh a child of the devil, for he hearkeneth unto his voice, and doth follow him.”

This article below from good friend’s, will help you understand better how the Lord works in our lives and how Satan continues to deceive. 


HEART OF THE MATTER?  WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CTR AND CRT? by Richard & RuthEllen Wood

“What are the values, beliefs, goals and ideals parents want their children to embrace?  Almost all parents want their children to be happy, successful, productive and in that desire, hope that supportive institutions like schools would have similar goals.  Consider the following-what do you think about these situations for your children?

In Cupertino, CA, an elementary school forced first graders to deconstruct their racial and sexual identities to rank themselves according to their level of “power and privilege.”

 In Springfield, MO, a middle school forced teachers to identify themselves on an “oppression matrix” based on the belief that straight, white, English speaking Christian males are members of the oppressor class and must atone for their sins by denouncing practices of white supremacy.

 In Philadelphia, PA, an elementary school forced fifth graders to celebrate “Black Communism” and simulated a Black Power rally to free the 1960s radical Angela Davis from prison, where she was incarcerated.

 In Seattle, WA, the school district told white teachers they were guilty of “spirit murder” against black children and must bankrupt their privilege status by acknowledging their thieved wealthy inheritance.   There are more than 1000 stories of similar nature in America today.   And the less parents know the better.

Indoctrination into schools about Critical Race Theory (CRT) conditions the thinking of our youth.  Consider a high school senior, William Clark, whose mother, Gabrielle, is black and deceased father is white, filed a lawsuit against the State of Nevada Public Charter School Authority on Dec. 22, 2020, claiming “coercive, ideological indoctrination” included in the CRT curriculum.

Gabrielle Clark filed a lawsuit through Schoolhouse Rights, which supports “civil rights litigation in defense of students’ freedom of conscience in public education and the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their children.”

William claimed the classroom was a hostile environment and felt discriminated against in the mandatory, year-long “Sociology of Change” course required for graduation.  In another required class, “Change the World,” students were required to carry out an activist political or social work project for credit.

These courses were under the old name of civics curriculum, but parents were not aware of the Critical Race Theory shift to coercive ideological indoctrination until students complained about the content, their experience and course requirements.  “The new curriculum inserted consciousness raising and conditioning exercises under the banner of intersectionality and Critical Race Theory.”  Teachers greeted their students with “Hello, my wonderful social justice warriors!”

These classes required pupils to unlearn and fight back against oppressive structures allegedly implicit in their family, and religious beliefs about racial, sexual and gender identities.   William was directed in class to “unlearn the basic Judeo-Christian principles taught at home. But he refused, and the school retaliated against him. “

The school principal told Mrs. Clark, “That the theoretical basis of the new curriculum was “intersectionality” or life at a crossroads, but the definition used was not to stop, look, listen and proceed, rather, reverse course, reframe history, shift family values to activism and turn from an intended course to a new direction imposed by Critical Race Theory indoctrination.  This false theoretical Marxist indoctrination deceived parents and students.  Teaching by demanding obedience to Marxist theory is deception, indoctrination and propaganda.

Two families were close friends, one was black the other white.  Their pre-adolescent boys were best friends and played sports together, were in each other’s homes and felt like brothers.  Then the black parents were called to a meeting at the school and CRT was explained that they, as black people, were victims of “white supremacy” and should not associate with white people.  The black boy was not allowed to play with his white friend again.  The white parents were stunned as they looked at people through a color-blind lens and loved this little boy being with their son.  This is an example of the divisiveness caused by CRT.

CRT claims there is no such thing as ‘absolute truth’ but rather a social construct of Godless Marxist socialism which homogenizes humanity and says everyone is equal.  But beware of the ruling oligarchs because they rule and everyone below them is equal.  In other words, in a world where truth does not exist, all that is left is power and control.  Critical Race Theory builds contention, distrust, hate and envy and false reasoning of Marxist oppressor-oppressed binary thinking.  Welcome to the theory of life imposed on public education.

If truth does not exist, it does not matter what else we believe.  We resort to tribalism or collectivism for preservation, and we lose individualism and the uniqueness of being human.  Welcome to the hierarchy of controlled life in China, where 80 million Chinese Communist Party members control 1.4 billion people and there are 600 million peasants.  Ever see anyone step out of order in North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or other countries where varying degrees of authoritarianism rules and truth is what you are told in their schools and over their propaganda infused media.

The Heritage Foundation discovered 79% of school districts with 100,000 students have hired a “Chief Diversity Officer” and implemented university style “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” programming.  Seattle Public Schools which have 52, 000 students and a $1Billion budget has created departments of Racial Equity Advancement, Division of Equity, Partnerships and Engagement, a Department of Ethnic Studies an Office of African American Male Achievement and an Equity and Race Advisory Committee whose role is to “actively dismantle the systems of oppression, implementing Critical Race Theory and building leadership for racial capacity in every school.

Teachers are taught that the United States is a “race based white supremist society and schools are guilty of ‘spirit murder’ against minorities and that white teachers must confront their ‘thieved inheritance’ in order to rectify these injustices   School employees must embrace ‘anti-racist pedagogy’, support current social justice movements and work toward the ‘abolition of whiteness’.

The history of Diversity, Inclusion and Equality evolved from the creation of Critical Race Theory by Marxist activists, Herbert Marcuse and his followers and Derrick Bell, who as a Harvard law professor, ‘loved to harass white people’, and wanted to kill the Harvard President, formed the theory based on hate, envy, and white atonement for past slavery sins.  The unproven theory has masqueraded as truth by the infusion into our government, businesses, schools and higher education.  Truth be known, this is an American Marxism replay of the bourgeois vs proletariat social revolt of every communist country since 1900.  Where this has evolved, you don’t see people trying to cross the borders into China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela or other countries in various forms of dictatorships around the world!  Nor is there a mass exodus to return home to Africa.

 For those who believe in absolute truth, it superimposes a different perspective to the interaction of man, God and society to the conversation of Marxism’s social egalitarianism.  Can the quest for righteous living, principle-based thinking, and the reality of decisions based on who we are be compromised with non-God-fearing socialism? For those of this persuasion CTR effectively says “Choose The Right.”

The question for parents is, what do you want your children to believe and live?  Is there such a thing as ultimate truth, or are humans just an advanced evolution of protoplasm seeking meaning to life?  Is collective good the ultimate egalitarian society, where the only god is conformity, equality, inclusion and self-indulgence for hedonic pleasure.   The question cannot be left to chance because the indoctrination bandwagon will not let that happen.  Always present, are the powerful lobbies to discount and supplant family values and the desire to indoctrinate every public school and university.  Consider USU’s sustainability program manager, “The time is now to change the world and we’re here to help you do it.” If you understand the double meaning for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity you realize it is not the common definition but rather to advance American Marxism. Be careful what you think this means.

 Can oil and water be mixed?  Can the social justice revolution shake up society to see what chaos creates?  Will window dressing of revolutionary fervor cover the failures and hollowness and lack real inner personal change because discussion about who we really are is avoided?  Can the principles of freedom, democratic self-governance, faith, self-reliance, equality of opportunity based on merit, and the conflict between human dignity and slavery to government handouts, poverty of thinking about who am I, and can external dependence emancipate the soul from its handlers?

We cannot allow our American heritage birthright which starts with self-identity, obedience to laws upon which all growth is predicated and the quest to be one’s best be sold for a pot of rotten porridge proliferated by the government.  Five states have said, enough is enough and stood up and refused the federal government infusion of Marxist philosophy into their schools.   Parents, this is a war to indoctrinate your children and to captivate their thinking, values, morals, and future into social order conformity.

Marxism wants to enslave individuals so they cannot think, reason or determine their future.  It is your time to be the voice for your children.  Don’t leave this to society.  Do you believe in principles that uplift, encourage goodness, honesty, obedience to laws and the courage to live them or do you want infiltration, indoctrination of Marxist anti-Christ, anti-God propaganda to saturate your child’s impressive mind?

D. Todd Christofferson delivered a conference address in October, 2020 entitled, Sustainable Societies from which this is quoted.

Sustainable societies identified and lived the fundamentals that sustain a flourishing society, one that promotes happiness, progress, peace and well-being among its members…However, sustainability is not guaranteed, and a thriving society can fail if it abandons the cardinal virtues that uphold its peace and prosperity…I think it safe to say that when people turn from a sense of accountability to God and begin to trust in the ‘arm of flesh’ disaster lurks.  Trusting in the arm of flesh is to ignore the divine Aurhor of human rights and human dignity and to give highest priority to riches, power, and the praise of the world.

The institutions of family and religion have been crucial for endowing both individuals and communities with the virtues that sustain an enduring society.  These virtues, rooted in scripture, include integrity, responsibility and accountability, compassion, marriage and fidelity in marriage, respect for others and the property of others, service, and the necessity and dignity of work, among others.

As secularism divides personal and civic virtue from accountability to God, it cuts the plant from its roots.  Reliance on culture and tradition alone will not be sufficient to sustain virtue in society.  When one has no higher god than himself and seeks no greater good than satisfying his own appetites and preferences, the effects will be manifest in due course.

A society, for example, in which individual consent is the only constraint of sexual activity is a society in decay.  Adultery, promiscuity, out-of-wedlock births, and elective abortions are but some of the bitter fruits that grow out of the ongoing sexual revolution and produce consequences that work against sustainability of a healthy society…include children raised in poverty without the positive influence of fathers…and women bearing alone what should be shared responsibilities, and serious deficient education as schools…are tasked to compensate for failure in the home.  Added to these social pathologies are the incalculable instances of individual heartbreak and despair—mental and emotional destruction visited upon both the guilt and innocent.

Previously life was defined primarily by duty, not by entitlement, by social responsibilities, not personal privileges.  The primary animating principle throughout this century has been the sense of obligation-to family, God and country.

The contrast between a sustainable and unsustainable society.  Our country was created by the sustainable foundation beliefs in God, universally applicable commandments, moral ethics, a collaborative union solidified by the principles of the Constitution and Bill of Rights and the determination to remove the prior control imposed by government aristocracy.”

This year, 2024, will chart the course for your family and our republic.  Rise up to voice your opinion for freedom to learn, think, reason, for your children and the nation’s children to become all they are capable of becoming without the indoctrination of godless Marxist false beliefs.  Be certain about what you want your children to know, be able to do, and to believe what is truth about life on Earth and its purposes. Richard and RuthEllen Wood- Celebrate America, the birthright of freedom, independence and individuality to become all we are capable of becoming.” Richard and RuthEllen Wood


Richard Wood- Psychologist, Administrator, Professor
RuthEllen Wood-
MS Genetics, Musician, Autistic Educator

They will speak at our Firm Foundation Conference with 80 others.
April 18th, 19th, and 20th of April 2024
Early-Bird Tickets here:


The Wood’s served under President Patrick Kearon in Frankfurt, Germany as directors of Family Services in Western Europe.  Richard served in the Central Office of the Veterans Administration in Washington, DC.  Character Counts was designed and implemented in local schools and communities. We taught doctoral students at Beijing University in China for two years, served ecclesiastically in a county jail and a  member leadership training mission in Blowing Green, KY.  We now serve in the Pathway Connect program with students from eight African countries.

Indoctrination

Today, your children are subjected to indoctrination from ideologies that challenge and contradict your proven family beliefs and values.   Wanted is the heart, mind, and soul of your children.   Social collectivism, group identity, and social egalitarianism create an homogenized society where everyone is equal, where power and control by oligarchs rule with impunity.  Countries with these philosophies include China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and others where engineered political systems act as quasi dictatorships.

Your child’s identity, an eternal noble birthright to freedom and agency, and light and truth are being undermined and transformed.  Individual identity defers to collective social unity led by social justice warriors who want to rewrite history and define the American future.  The quest for academic excellence is not as important as social activism. Our American heritage is under attack.

Today parents are considered old-fashioned, out of touch, unaware of contemporary issues and sidelined by the professionals who know how to teach and control your children.  American Marxist is in our schools.” Bio from Richard and RuthEllen Wood

Ross T. Christensen of BYU 1973- Plausible Mulek Routes- Tunisia Gathering 2024

I recently was sent this article written in 1973 by Elder Christensen from my good friend David Hocking, Editor of “The Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon” I had read it a few years ago, and it made me recall the research that David Hocking, Rod Meldrum, Jonathan Neville and I have done over the many years.

As many of you may know, the Heartland Reseach Group with John Lefgren, and Mike & Betty LaFontaine just completed a historic meeting in Washington DC. They and over 100 invited guests met with the Tunisian Ambassador, and her delegation. It was a fantastic meeting as I have heard from Rod Meldrum, Russ Barlow, Hayden and Jackson Paul, Boyd Tuttle, 3 representatives from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, A leading historian of the Smithsonian Museum, Philip Beal and Yuri Sanada a professional filmmaker and crew member of the Phoenicia.

Inspired by this long history of friendship between America and Tunisia, Association Didon de Carthage’s president, Eryj Ben Sassi Trimech, and Heartland Research Group’s president, John Lefgren and Board Member Betty “Red Ant” LaFontaine, have signed a cooperation document for their organizations in Washington, DC, on February 15th, 2024, an important step to solidifying their partnership and to promote cultural and social exchanges between their countries. Tunisia and America will mutually benefit from entrepreneurship to empower and provide a more sustainable way of life for communities in need. See PDF Brochure below for details.

This map shows the route of Philip Beale in 2009. As you can see the ‘Phoenicia’ came within 3-400 miles of Florida. Rod Meldrum encouraged Captain Beale to land in Florida as Rod followed very closely their voyage. Capt. Beale said, “No I set out to prove the trading route of Herodotus in 600 BC to circumnavigate Africa.” Rod feels this route from Oman is the route Lehi took in 589 BC and landed near Tallahassee, FL.

I created a 4-page brochure for the attendees that you can see a PDF here:

000000000 Tunisia Flyer edit 7


Possible Routes Suggested for Mulek’s Voyage

Article by Dr. and Sister Ross T. Christensen of Brigham Young University. Dr. Christensen is a professor of archaeology and anthropology; his wife is a graduate student in archaeology, 1973.

“Two possible routes of the voyage of Mulek and his followers to the New World “promised land” of the Book of Mormon have been proposed by Dr. and Sister Ross T. Christensen of Brigham Young University. Dr. Christensen is a professor of archaeology and anthropology; his wife is a graduate student in archaeology.

The Book of Mormon does not specify whether the Mulekites made their voyage to the Americas in the sixth century B.C. westward across the Atlantic Ocean or eastward across the Pacific. But since that history clearly indicates that they landed on the east coast of the “land northward,” the Christensen’s suggest that the Mulekites may have followed the Atlantic route.

While the Christensen’s believe Mulek traveled this more direct route across the Atlantic, they have also considered the route around Africa and across the South Atlantic as another possibility.

A study of Atlantic Ocean currents together with other substantive information supports the feasibility of two possible routes that these early voyagers might have taken, according to the Christensen’s. One is a Mediterranean and North Atlantic route; the other is around Africa, then across the South Atlantic.

The sixth century before Christ was a time of extraordinary activity in exploration, trade, and colonization in the Mediterranean world and beyond. And the destruction of Jerusalem and the flight of Mulek and his people and others who were oppressed only accelerated a disposition to emigrate. Israelite colonies are believed to have existed at Cyprus, Crete, Libya, Jerba, and Carthage at the time of Jerusalem’s fall, some of them having been established, according to tradition, during the reigns of David and Solomon. Also dating from the period of David and Solomon was a tradition of Israelite commerce with the Phoenicians.

One hypothesis suggests that at least part of the colony that settled in America with Mulek was Phoenician, because the river Sidon, mentioned in the Book of Mormon, bears the name of the principal city of ancient Phoenicia, Sidon. Aided by Phoenician mariners and Hebrew colonists across the Mediterranean, Mulek’s group could have reached the Atlantic Ocean by traveling the length of the Mediterranean Sea. Once out on the Atlantic, Mulek would have entered into a powerful ocean current that sweeps southwestward from Spain and Portugal along the west coast of Africa, then veers westward across the Atlantic, continuing in an arc through the West Indies.

While the Christensen’s believe Mulek traveled this more direct route across the Atlantic, they have also considered the route around Africa and across the South Atlantic as another possibility.

A powerful ocean stream originates in the Indian Ocean in the vicinity of Madagascar, sweeps southward around the Cape of Good Hope, veers westward across the South Atlantic to a point on the north of the eastern tip of Brazil, and continues northward off the coast of South America until it merges with the current flowing across the North Atlantic. Thus, if a vessel were to embark on the Red Sea and hold course close to the eastern shore of Africa until it reached the vicinity of Madagascar, it could follow the currents to the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico.

Although twice as far as the Mediterranean route, this second possibility warrants consideration. It has been discovered that under orders of the Egyptian monarch Neccho II, Phoenician sailors in about 600 B.C. voyaged around the entire continent of Africa, and this was 2100 years before the same feat was accomplished by Vasco de Gama in 1498.

Another accomplishment about the time of the Mulekite voyage was an actual crossing of the Atlantic to America by Phoenician mariners who set sail in the Red Sea, taking the route around the Cape of Good Hope and across the South Atlantic to what is now Brazil. An ancient Phoenician inscription found at Paraiba, Brazil, sets the crossing between 534 and 531 B.C.” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1973/09/discovery/possible-routes-suggested-for-muleks-voyage?lang=eng


Understanding the Mulek Route

The two routes from the Old World to America that Brother and Sister Christensen speak about above, are very similar to the two routes we believe line up very well, one with the route of Lehi from Oman to Florida, and one from Israel or Tunisia to Florida that Mulek may have taken. We believe it very likely that Mulek didn’t stop in the Gulf of Mexico, but tacked up the Mississippi River to the stopping point at the Des Moines river rapids near Keokuk, Iowa.

We believe this landing near Zarahemla spoken of in D&C 125, is across from Nauvoo, IL, as Joseph’s revelation stated, “Let them build up a city unto my name upon the land opposite the city of Nauvoo, and let the name of Zarahemla be named upon it.” The Book of Mormon says, [Mulekites] “were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth.” Omni 1:16,

This land of Zarahemla which is all along the Mississippi River from the Head of Sidon [Confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi River] to the Great Lakes is where the Mulekites lived and where Mosiah joined them in about 300 BC. The Mulekites had “dwelt there [near Nauvoo] from that time forth”.

Our good friend Wayne May believes the Mulekites came the St Lawrence Seaway Route, which is a possibility as well. However, going that route according to Capt Beale would be very unlikely as traveling north from Gibraltar he said is “a no go” as the map shows below that crossing through the Gulf Stream and other currents is not feasible.


St Lawrence Route to Zarahemla?

If you take the St Lawrence you would have to avoid or fight the Niagara Falls, and then the end of the water route would have to be near Detroit, MI where the Mulekites would have to travel by land to the next river, or travel all the way to Zarahemla by Land. The other option for the St Lawrence would be for the Mulekites to travel the great lakes up Lake Huron and back down the Lake Michigan to land only. They would then need to travel  down the Illinois River which connects to the Mississippi River, and land near the Des Moines Rapids in Iowa from the north. These two scenarios make it unlikely that [Mulekites] “had dwelt there from that time forth.” Omni 1:16. The Mulekites may have had to dwell neat Detroit, or Indiana, etc as there were no connecting waterways.

Also we read in Heleman 6:10, “Now the land south was called Lehi, and the land north was called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south.” Whether the Mulekites came from the St Lawrence or from the Mississippi, both voyages they would be “north” of where Lehi landed in Florida. See map below.

Capt. Beale’s voyage from Tunisia to Florida in 2020. It could have easily continued up the Mississippi River to Zarahemla. 

Common Sense- Joseph Smith was among many Original Lamanites

Original Lamanites near Apalachicola, FL?

Original Lamanites had to begin somewhere. I believe it was in Florida where Lehi landed, and his sons, Laman and Lemuel rejected the Lord’s words near that area. Wayne May likes the 500 BC area of Crystal Springs, FL and Rod Meldrum likes Clearwater FL, where a dear Native Friend of his named Blue Dolphin, told Rod about many years ago. Personally I love the Apalachicola, FL area where is found pure “tupelo” honey, 600 BC artifacts and Mounds everywhere, including Turtle Mound, and Pierce Mounds.

Most of the Heartland theorists feel that Florida was a very likely place of Lehi’s first inheritance of this Promised Land. See the map left, to see the beginning stages of the Hopewell Sphere of influence, from about 600 BC to 400 AD.

A unique aspect of many secular historians research, is their belief that for some unknown reason, this network of people ended abruptly in about 400 AD in New York. We of course know that to be the final battle at Hill Cumorah, NY.

Deptford culture, 500 BCE – 200 CE, with Atlantic region in red and Gulf region in gold

If you research the the Deptford Culture (800 BCE—700 CE), it was an archaeological culture in southeastern North America characterized by the appearance of elaborate ceremonial complexes, increasing social and political complexity, mound burial, permanent settlements, population growth, and an increasing reliance on cultigens.” Wikipedia.

A cultigen is a plant whose origin or selection is primarily due to intentional human activity.

 

“The Hopewell tradition, also called the Hopewell culture and Hopewellian exchange, describes a network of precontact Native American cultures that flourished in settlements along rivers in the northeastern and midwestern Eastern Woodlands from 100 BCE to 500 CE, in the Middle Woodland period. The Hopewell tradition was not a single culture or society but a widely dispersed set of populations connected by a common network of trade routes. At its greatest extent, the Hopewell exchange system ran from the northern shores of Lake Ontario south to the Crystal River Indian Mounds in modern-day Florida. Within this area, societies exchanged goods and ideas, with the highest amount of activity along waterways, which were the main transportation routes.” Wikipedia

Pierce Mounds Complex An Ancient Capital in Northwest Florida 

“The importance and longstanding fame of the site notwithstanding, Pierce Mounds complex [Apalachicola, FL], has been poorly understood and neglected. It is often mentioned in passing during syntheses of Middle Woodland [200 BCE – 500 CE] burial mound ceremonialism, and many southeastern archaeologists have not even realized that it also has a sizeable Fort Walton component, not to mention some of the very earliest evidence (Early Woodland) for burial [1000–200 BCE)], for burial mound activity in this region. It is certainly comparable to centers such as the great Bottle Creek mound complex in the Mobile Delta area of Alabama (Brown 2003). The long history of Native American occupation and ritual activity at Pierce is not surprising given its strategic geographic location and the rich array of resources available here from so many and varied terrestrial and aquatic ecological zones. Introducing his description of Pierce, Willey (1949:279) said, “The delta country of the Apalachicola was undoubtedly one of the most favorable and most densely populated areas for prehistoric peoples.” Pierce Mounds Complex An Ancient Capital in Northwest Florida by Nancy Marie White Department of Anthropology University of South Florida, Tampa [email protected]

Wakulla Springs, FL

It is very likely Lehi landed near Apalachicola where close by is also Wakulla Springs, an amazing natural spring and a location that today you can see actual giant Mastodons under the water on a glass bottom boat cruise. See my blog here:

Rod Meldrum takes his Heartland tour groups to this site. See Tour dates here:

“Wakulla cave is a branching flow-dominated cave that has developed in the Floridan Aquifer under the Woodville Karst Plain of north Florida. It is classified as a first magnitude spring and a major exposure point for the Floridan Aquifer. The spring forms the Wakulla River which flows 9 miles to the southeast where it joins the St. Mark’s River. After a short 5 miles the St. Mark’s empties into the Gulf of Mexico at Apalachee Bay.

Scientific interest in the spring began in 1850, when Sarah Smith reported seeing the bones of an ancient mastodon on the bottom. Since that time, scientists have identified the remains of at least nine other extinct mammals that date to the last glacial period, deposited as far as 1,200 feet (360 m) back into a cave. Today, at a depth of about 190 feet (58 m), the fossilized remains of mastodons are in full view along with other fossils.

Wakulla Springs

Flow rate of the Wakulla Spring is 200–300 million US gallons (760,000–1,140,000 m3) of water a day. A record peak flow from the spring on April 11, 1973 was measured at 14,324 US gallons (54,220 L) per second – equal to 1.2 billion US gallons (4,500,000 m3) per day.

Wakulla, is as impressive as Big Spring, Missouri which Rod Meldrum initially thought may be the Waters of Mormon location. With Big Spring, MO being over 400 miles from Chattanooga, TN (Plausible location of City Nephi), Rod, and Jonathan Neville, along with myself, now believe the Waters of Mormon are more likely located in part of the over 700 natural springs in Northern Georgia, with Catoosa Springs and Crawfish Springs being two great possibilities of being that famous place of the Book of Mormon.

Waters of Mormon may be near Crawfish Springs, GA or Catoosa Springs, GA only 12-18 miles from the City Nephi at Chattanooga, TN

Lamanites likely settled south of the Ohio River where Nephi passed away, then Mosiah in about 300 BC took the Nephites north the Head of Sidon, [Confluence of the Ohio River and the Mississippi], and found the Mulekites near Iowa, and Illinois, which is where the principle history Mosiah begins. This is common sense to me, mixed with tons of research, scriptures, artifacts and other common sense ideas, that have led me to personal revelation on many unanswered questions in the politically correct society we live in. Of course my witness by the Spirit, is that the Book of Mormon is true.

My personal revelations are just that, “personal” and have nothing to do with the opinions of Firm Foundation, and nothing to do with doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I listen to and love Prophets and Apostles personal opinions, and consider them often, and I also hold sacred the Doctrine they give by revelatory means about all doctrinal issues to help us in these troubles times. 

Joseph KNEW Original Lamanites and was Taught by Angels

“It is impossible to determine the number of “interviews” Joseph had with Moroni, but twenty-two visits are often identified.” Moroni—Joseph Smith’s Tutor By H. Donl Peterson

The importance of Moroni and Joseph Smith communicating with each other is of vital importance. How could a young unlearned farm boy become a great Prophet of the Lord? Being taught by angels and having a personal tutor in the form of Moroni and many others is the answer.

Joseph’s life seemed surrounded with Native Americans of North America. This is the first common sense question about whether the Book of Mormon began in Mesoamerica or in the Heartland. This is not a discussion about where the Lamanites live today. I believe their blood is all over the world and especially all over North America, Central America and South America. This seems obvious.

Common Sense is Key to Personal Revelation

The purpose of this blog is to show you how close Joseph Smith and his family were to Native Americans and their culture during their lifetime. Joseph learned from Native Americans such as this huge list below. It makes sense the beginning of the Lamanites was right here in North America, not some far away place that Joseph never visited, or an place he never interacted with people, like in Central America. Common sense is the key, to finding personal revelation in my opinion. Don’t be deceived by lack of common sense before you explore further. An important common sense question has been answered by prophets like Pres Monson below. And Elder Perry here, “The United States is the promised land foretold in the Book of Mormon—a place where divine guidance directed inspired men to create the conditions necessary for the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Elder L. Tom Perry Ensign Dec. 2012

President Monson said, “The Lord gave a divine promise to the ancient inhabitants of this favored country (the United States): ‘Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ” (Ether 2:12).
Our Heavenly Father inspired the leaders of…the United States of America, that they might together, under His direction, having been raised up by God for the purpose, establish the Constitution of this country and…Bill of Rights, that by the year of our Lord 1805 [there would be] a climate where our Heavenly Father could send into this period of mortality a choice spirit who would be known as Joseph Smith, Jr.” Teachings of Thomas S. Monson by Thomas S. Monson 2011 (Ordained an Apostle, 1963; ordained President of the Church, 2008)

This is where common sense begins, with solid evidence that I am on the right track. Joseph Smith loved, lived close to, and learned from, North American Native Americans, and our Prophets say that the Book of Mormon is, and was, the history of “this land” of the United States of America, and not any other place in the world. It began in “this land” of North America.

Joseph Learned from Many Native Americans

A non Common-Sense Statement

I don’t agree with the Mesoamerican theory posed below. Michael Ash said,To the critics (and some members) this suggests that Joseph knew everything about the Book of Mormon peoples, saw exactly what their lives were like, and would know where the events took place. Firstly, Lucy dictated her thoughts nearly two decades after Joseph’s vision. Her retelling may not have been as accurate as if she had recorded the event immediately after it transpired… Secondly, just because Joseph saw such things in vision does not mean that Joseph knew the location of the events.” Book of Mormon Geography Author(s): Michael R. Ash Source: Shaken Faith Syndrome: Strengthening One’s Testimony In the Face of Criticism and Doubt Published: Redding, CA; FairMormon, 2013 (2nd Edition)

How could an inspired Prophet of God, not know the very places of the Nephites as he lived among them and saw them? They lived in the same, “this land”, that Joseph lived in. Joseph had visions and angel visits, and common sense disputes the comment above that says, “Joseph saw such things in vision does not mean that Joseph knew the location of the events.” Wow, that has NO common sense as all. I am not disputing Brother Ash’s testimony, or his love of the gospel, just his words which make no sense to me. I honestly don’t mind what other Historians and Intellects believe about Book of Mormon Geography as it is their decision. I only know what I feel deeply, as I share it with my readers.

Lucy Mach Smith Journal

The quote by Brother ash above said, “Lucy dictated her thoughts nearly two decades after Joseph’s vision”, which does not agree with the words of the Church today that say it was completed “by October 1845.

“In 1844, a few.” months after the deaths of Joseph, Hyrum, and Samuel Smith, Lucy Mack Smith began compiling her history, assisted by scribes Martha and Howard Coray. Though aging and in poor health, she felt “it a privilege as well as my duty … to give (as my last testimony to a world from whence I must soon take my departure) an account.” Lucy’s manuscript was completed by October 1845, and she publicly announced the project at general conference. When the majority of Church members migrated west toward the Great Basin after 1846, Lucy’s health was declining, and she chose to remain with her family in Illinois. She spent the remaining years of her life with her daughter Lucy Millikin, her daughter-in-law Emma, and her grandsons. Lucy Mack Smith passed away in 1856. Apostle Orson Pratt first published Lucy’s history in 1853…” Source

Lucy Mack Smith whose journal is known as one of the most accurate journals in the Church along with Wilford Woodruff’s journal said, “We were now confirmed in the opinion that God was about to bring to light something upon which we could stay our minds, or that would give us a more perfect knowledge of the plan of salvation and the redemption of the human family. This caused us greatly to rejoice, the sweetest union and happiness pervaded our house, and tranquility reigned in our midst. During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life among them.” Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, pp. 82-83.

Speaking about the quote from Lucy above, Eldred G. Smith our former long standing Patriarch of the Church said, “This was before he received the plates. He must have received this by revelation, for he knew the whole story of the content of the record that is now the Book of Mormon. He had had five long visits with Moroni, and his mother says he received many revelations.” Eldred G. Smith, Conference Report, October 1967, pp. 82-84 To me this is undisputable common sense.

Facts and Common Sense about Book of Mormon Geography:

A. Joseph Smith grew up near Native Americans
B. Joseph read about and heard from many Native Americans during his life
C. Joseph lived just 3 miles from the most important Hill in the history of the Lord’s kingdom which was located in Ontario county New York.
D. Joseph and his family are likely buried in a Hopewell Mound in Nauvoo which has been dated to Book of Mormon times. (See map and quote below)

“Nauvoo appears to have been a destination for the living and the dead for centuries. According to Community of Christ Historic Sites Coordinator Lachlan Mackay, workmen digging a power wiring trench between the Smith Cemetery and Red Brick Store during the 1970s uncovered bones and artifacts, including a cardinal platform pipe from the Hopewell era (ca. 200 BC to 500 AD). This means that the Smith Family Cemetery was most likely built over an ancient graveyard. Lachlan Mackay referred to Gustavus Hills 1840 map of Nauvoo which revealed ancient tumuli, or burial mounds, including some on Partridge Street below the temple hill. In 1844, Henry Brown quoted John C. Bennetts 1842 description of Nauvoo: “The surface of the ground upon which Nauvoo is built, is very uneven. . . A number of tumuli, or ancient mounds, are found within the limits of the city, proving it to have been a place of some importance with the extinct inhabitants of this Continent” (History of Illinois, 1844, p. 490). Settlers, however, leveled the land for houses and gardens.” Laid to Rest in Nauvoo By Rosemary G. Palmer · July 17, 2014 Meridian Magazine

E. Joseph shared his witness of a Prophet named Onandagus who was known from the Rocky Mountains to the Hill Cumorah. Onondaga Tribes live near Syracuse NY.
F. Joseph named in vision a man named Zelph, who was a White Lamanite fighting for the Nephites in one of the great last struggles of the Book of Mormon.
G. It’s also a fact that young Mormon in 321 AD began the great last battle between the Lamanites and Nephites in the “Land of Zarahemla”. 
H. In D&C 125:3, Joseph receives a revelation telling the brethren in Nauvoo, “Let them build up a city unto my name upon the land opposite the city of Nauvoo, and let the name of Zarahemla be named upon it.”
I. Oliver Cowdery said, “At about one mile west rises another ridge of less height, running parallel with the former, leaving a beautiful vale between. The soil is of the first quality for the country, and under a state of cultivation, which gives a prospect at once imposing, when one reflects on the fact, that here, between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed.” Letter VII
J. Joseph in his letter during Zion’s Camp on the banks of the Mississippi River, said to his wife Emma, “The whole of our journey, in the midst of so large a company of social honest and sincere men, wandering over the plains of the Nephites, recounting occasionally the history of the Book of Mormon, roving over the mounds of that once beloved people of the Lord, picking up their skulls & their bones, as a proof of its divine authenticity… During our travels we visited several of the mounds which had been thrown up by the ancient inhabitants of this country-Nephites, Lamanites, etc.” Joseph Smith Papers Letter to Emma Smith, 4 June 1834 Page 56
K. Joseph and Oliver entered a “Cave of Records” in the hill cumorah and found wagon loads of Jaredite and Nephite records and the sword of Laban.
L. The Lord’s Law of Moses could not be practiced in Mesoamerica as they would not have had the proper wheat, barley, wine, doves, lambs, bullock, or goats required in the Lord’s law, as none of the previous grains and animals did not exist n the time frame or location of Mesoamerica.
M. No where in scripture does it ever say that Joseph used a stone in a hat to translate. In over 9 scriptures it says he used the Interpreters or Urim and Thummim attached to a breastplate. JSH 1:35,75
N. The Hopewell Culture in history began in 600 BC in Florida and ended in 400 AD New York just as the events of the Book of Mormon happened. This is the world’s largest coincidence of common sense in history.
O. In Ether when Mormon abridges the Jaredite record the says “this land”, not “that land”, not “the land over there”, not “this land all over the place”, but “this land” referring to the very land where the Jaredites and Mormon together stood, even the land of the United States of America where the New Jerusalem will be built in Independence Missouri. which constitutes “this land.” Ether 13:2-4
P. Thus ended our first Indian mission, in which we had preached the Gospel in its fullness and distributed the record of their forefathers among three viz.: the Cattaraugus Indians, near Buffalo, N.Y., the Wyandots, of Ohio and the Delawares, west of Missouri.” Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, pp. 56-6; Documentary History of the Church Vol 1: Footnotes 183:2-18 

If that preceding list is not enough of “common sense” belief, that the Heartland is more than likely the land of the first Nephites, that is hard to believe for me. But if that is how you feel that is fine with me.

Joseph hears Red Jacket speak in Palmyra

On the one hand, there are parallels between Handsome Lake’s teachings and Book of Mormon, economic and social interactions between Iroquois and white settlers at the time were still extensive during the early decades of the 19th century, and Lucy Mack Smith wrote that Joseph talked about Indians “as if he had spent his whole life among them.” Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations (Liverpool: S.W. Richards, 1853. “Joseph Smith was interested in the people who lived around him. Young Joseph was a member of the juvenile debating club in Palmyra during 1822 when Red Jacket, arguably the most widely-known Seneca of this period, delivered a speech in town. Joseph also liked to hang out on Ganargua Creek in the area where Iroquois travelers camped. He had interest and access.” Joseph Smith and the Code of Handsome Lake Lori Taylor, Ph.D.

“The Onondagas: These have special interest… this warrior, Zelph, was an Onondaga, as well as a “white” Lamanite, and that the Onondagas (of New York), consequently must be of Lamanite lineage.” J.M. Sjodahl, An Introduction to the Study of the Book of Mormon

Oliver Cowdery Knows the Lamanites of America

“Now, to my story again. Besides the Delawares, Shawnees, Kickapoos, Wyandots, Pottowattomies, Senecas, Osages, Choctaws, Cherokees, Kaskaskias, Kansas, &c. &c. which our nation and the missionaries are domesticating as they are gathered, upon the southern limits of the land of Israel, the Pawnees, the Sioux, the Rickarees, the Mandans, the Nespersees, the Blackfeet, the Sacs, the Foxes, and many other tribes, rove and hunt from prairie to prairie, from river to river, from hill to hill, and from mountain to mountain, and live, and are blessed before the face of heaven daily as well as their contemporary whites; and, perhaps I may add, are as justifiable before God, as any people on the globe, called heathens. No church bell from its elevated steeple, rings “Go to meeting; it is Sunday,” while a dozen lesser ones, for stages and Steam boats, peal a ding dong “for parties of pleasure, as a holiday,” among these rude sons of the west.—And it is a difficult matter to make one soul of them believe the Great Spirit ever said, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” while they know, that the majority of the white nation, use it for a holiday. No politicians boast of freedom and equal rights, while thousands are imprisoned for debt, or are in bondage: No; when the tribes are at peace, the Indian is free; his land is free; his game is free; his time is free, and all is free.” LETTER NO. II. From WW Phelps to Oliver Cowdery Liberty, Mo. Nov. 6, 1834

Detailed blog titled,  Joseph Smith Learned From & Taught Nephites and Native Americans


 

Extra Credit Reading Below: Great Information to Research

Jerusalem Torah Voice in Exile

This is part 1 on a six part series of information from a man called Maggid ben Yoseif , who posts many articles of Jewish, Native American, and Christian information. The post is called Jerusalem Torah Voice in Exile. I will be adding my opinion of these articles in the next few months as I feel they are a good source of information. Although Maggid is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his parallels and interpretation of Joseph Smith among the New York Indians is noteworthy. He says the Book of Mormon is fiction, but it is interesting how much value and credence he at times gives it. I feel we need to listen to others opinions to solidify our own feelings of truth.

My notes in orange below:


Bio: Maggid ben Yoseif 

ELDERSGATE-BRIGHTSTAR Hebrew Native American Council; Gileadite School of Theological Research; House of Joseph Beit Din. Currently constructing Eldersgate Hebrew-Native American Council promoting restoration of Native American spiritual sovereignty on about 25 acres in rural Brightstar, Arkansas. However, we continue our intercession for the LAND wherever Creator takes us.

We also help ministries and pastors align w/ the “Spirit of Reconciliation” and with the “other flocks” in the Kingdom, especially Native American flocks influenced by the migration of 38 Athap(b)ascan Language Group nations. Traced to ancient pre-Jewish “Gilead” and widely assimilated across Turtle Island (the Americas) this Hebrew priesthood has “evolved” into an End-Times voice of Elijah THE Gileadite to help protect our LIVING Earth Mother, reconcile the factions of the House of Joseph and restore Native American spiritual sovereignty.

Research below links these nations with the migration of DAN, (the “Na Dene”) JOSEPH EAST M’NASHE and priests and Levites of GILEAD. Exiled from their home east of the Jordan River 17-23 years before the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel, unlike the 10 Tribes they were never severed from Covenant. Thus the Sundance and other Native ceremonial chants permute the Divine Name, YHW and H. Restoration of Native spiritual sovereignty is found in Scripture pertaining to purification lodges (sweats) in Hosea 2:18ff, a covenant with the four legged, winged and creatures who crawl to end “sword, bow and violence (FRACKING) in the Earth.” “Goring with the horn of a re’eim” (buffalo) found in Deut 33:15ff describes the buffalo horn used in the lodge by the “n’zir” (East M’nashe). Isaiah 49:6 refers to the RESTORATION — NOT SALVATION — of the “n’zirei Yisrael” as a major part of the assignment of the servant-messiah.

We are eager to share these and many other truths communicated by Elijah over the past 33 years, to lodge with elders and sundancers and perform ceremony that ministers to Mother Earth

A’Ho mitakuye oyasin
“All My Relations” – is a greeting from the Lakota (Sioux) people reflecting their worldview of oneness, interconnectedness, and harmony with all living things: people, animals, plants, even wind, rocks, and rivers. To most people, a “relation” means a family member – a blood relative.

Names:  ben Yoseif (son of Joseph) .  Although ben Yoseif is a “junior”, who shares the given name of his late father, neither are named “Joseph.”  Rather the name ben Yoseif was given by a bat Kol (voice from Heaven) in 1994, confirmed in Torah code of ben Yoseif’s father’s and his given name in 1998 and has been validated by a number of rabbis in Jerusalem since 2000. ben Yose’ (south of the border); Tohokwahu (used primarily between he and a few Hopi friends, this is ben Yoseif’s given name — Griffin or Lioneagle — in Hopi).

ben Yoseif holds a B.A. degree in journalism, an M.B.A. degree in business administration and the equivalent of a Ph.D in theology and advanced Pentateuch (Torah) including three years of study at the ORU Graduate School of Theology, where he pursued Hebrew and Aramaic.  More bio information here:


Joseph Smith knew the Iroquois

There is a belief that the Iroquois Nation played an important role in the life of Joseph Smith. He lived in an area with many Iroquois chiefs and may have even met many of these great men. Ganargua Creek (Mud Creek) was a primary stopover point for the Iroquois on their trade routes.  Joseph Smith also had an interest in the creek after hearing a speech from Seneca Indian Chief Red Jacket at Palmyra in 1822.

Moroni’s America-Maps Edition page 109. Purchase Here

Many historians believe that Iroquoian ideas of federalism, and balance of power directly influenced the US system of government. Benjamin Franklin admired native American government structures. In 1744, Canassatego advocated in Washington the federal union of the American colonies. See Here

The Iroquois or Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse) are a historically powerful northeast Native American confederacy. They were known during the colonial years to the French as the Iroquois League, and later as the Iroquois Confederacy, and to the English as the Five Nations, comprising the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca. After 1722, they accepted the Tuscarora people from the Southeast into their confederacy and became known as the Six Nations.

Names and Tribes of the Iroquois

“The Iroquois or Haudenosaunee. (“People of the Longhouse”) are a historically powerful northeast Native American confederacy in North America. They were known during the colonial years to the French as the Iroquois League, and later as the Iroquois Confederacy, and to the English as the Five Nations, comprising the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca. After 1722, they accepted the Tuscarora people from the Southeast into their confederacy, as they were also Iroquoian-speaking, and became known as the Six Nations.

The Iroquois have absorbed many other individuals from various peoples into their tribes as a result of warfare, adoption of captives, and by offering shelter to displaced peoples. Culturally, all are considered members of the clans and tribes into which they are adopted by families.

The historic St. Lawrence Iroquoians, Wyandot (Huron), Erie, and Susquehannock, all independent peoples, also spoke Iroquoian languages. In the larger sense of linguistic families, they are often considered Iroquoian peoples because of their similar languages and cultures, all descended from the Proto-Iroquoian people and language; politically, however, they were traditional enemies of the Iroquois League.[2] In addition, Cherokee is an Iroquoian language: the Cherokee people are believed to have migrated south from the Great Lakes in ancient times, settling in the backcountry of the Southeast United States, including what is now Tennessee” Wikipedia

Iroquois Confederacy Leaders from five Iroquois nations (Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca) assembled around Dekanawidah c. 1570, French engraving, early 18th century.From Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-1881, edited by J.W. Powell, 1883

Part III: Haudenosaunee Corn Clan Mother first to propose ‘moneyless society’ Six Nations ties to Smith family examined

by Maggid ben Yoseif / © 2010 Jerusalem Torah Voice

“If the European settlers, including followers of Joseph Smith had listened to the Yagowaneh of the Haudenosaunee, there may not be an economic recession at this writing, no Federal Reserve System even a currency other than money running this nation.

Elements of the Book of Mormon and Smith’s later doctrine of the Law of Consecration agree with the “moneyless society” taught by the Yagowaneh (YAH-GO-WAN’-EH)the Corn Clan Mother.  This was also the lifestyle among the Haudenosaunee (HO-D’NO-SAW-NEE) also known as the Iroquois or Six Nations for centuries before the Europeans arrived.   The Europeans’ failure to adopt the moneyless society and other tenets of the Great Law has resulted in the present usury-driven capitalism regulated by the suppliers of money.  Consequently, we have a system that takes advantage of the impoverished and the wage-earner, which was never the America envisioned by Native Americans or our Peacemaker.

This picture shows one of the Interpreters of The Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 is Joseph Smith. We know Joseph Smith Sr died in 1840 and this plaque is dated 62 years later. However it it seems the words on the plaque are from 1794.

At the time Joseph Smith wrote that he first made contact with the angel, Moroni, he was living in West Central Upstate New York, in the heart of the Seneca, one of the six nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois). The Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 was interpreted for the Haudenosaunee by four men, including a “Joseph Smith,” who is believed by geneaologists to be Joseph Smith, Sr. (before Joe Jr. was born).  The same Smith, interpreted three such treaties for the Haudenosaunee.  Such an intimate link to the Haudenosaunee by the Smith family means that Joseph Smith Jr., would surely have been told the story of Daganawida(the Peacemaker born of a virgin, Jikohnsaseh.  The proximity of the Smith home to Ganondagan  (GAN-NON’-DAY-GON), the Haudenosaunee House of Peace from which the Jikohnsaseh ruled, assures that the entire Smith family was probably familiar with this story and its tie to a moneyless society.  This would apply as well to Oliver Cowdery and the Harrises, Whitmers and Pages who lived nearby and comprised the 11 witnesses who stated they saw and held all of the plates that Smith had translated at that time (presumably the autographs of the 116 pages Smith translated, which was later stolen).   *However, none were witness to the plates when the text of the Book of Mormon was received by Smith while gazing inside of a deep hat at his “seer stone.”  And no one — not even the 11 witnesses listed in the front of the Book of Mormon whose witness was “in the form of visions” actually saw physical writings on physical plates “for fear of death.” Maggid

*Editors note: Of course we don’t agree with Maggid about the stone in the hat, but know Joseph Smith used the two clear stoned spectacles fastened to a breastplate (JSH 1:35), to translate the gold plates. Also see The Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 at the bottom of this blog signed by “A” Joseph Smith. We know Joseph Smith Sr. (July 12, 1771 – September 14, 1840) was the father of Joseph Smith Jr.

Maggid continues,

Do plates validate Kingdom established by Daganawida?

Looking beyond the Six Nations across the Americas, many stories emerge of the *Great White Brother and his message of Peace, including the Hopi prophecy of the return of Pahana in the American Southwest.  Christian missionaries have told us this is “the God, Jesus.”  But Native Americans know the one who has walked across the Americas by many names, as others have documented.  And he has appeared to many Native American prophets and seers and grandmothers — many, not as Grandfather our Creator but as our “Big Brother.”  Within the circles of the Sundance lodge of the Membreno Apache is such a prophet, who has had several conversations with his “Bro.”  Daganawida is believed to be only one of the many names of this Great White Brother whose message is always Peace.” Maggida

*Editors note: As you read in the Book of Mormon from Alma Chapter 18 that King Lamoni supposes that Ammon is the Great Spirit. As we read in verse 24 to 29 the King does not know the name “God”, but when Ammon said that is the same as the Great Spirit, the King now believed. We each may know the name of God differently in various cultures. Also in Alma Chapter 22, Aaron teaches Lamoni’s father about the Creation, the Fall of Adam, and the plan of redemption through Christ, and in verse 9-12, Aaron calls the Great Spirit by the name “God” which is strange to King Lamoni’s father. Again when he ties the name God as the same as the Great Spirit, he is converted. This is very similar to what the Six Nations Tribes may call the Great White Brother or Big Brother or the God, Jesus. We know Jesus has hundreds of names just in the Book of Mormon. See page 115 in Annotated Book of Mormon by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum.

Maggida continues, “Confident that Smith knew the story of Daganawida and his Jikohnsaseh, these questions follow:

1)  Do the plates record a history leading up to the “second coming” of Daganawida?  (Assuming the Book of  Mormon accurately reflects the writing on the plates — even though as explained above, it cannot technically be called a translation* — the book already refers to Jesus‘ earlier appearance in Jerusalem. Anything but Peace resulted in the interim, according to the outcome of the book).  This means the plates could validate — as a glimpse of Kingdom Rule — the precedent established at his later appearance as Daganawida.  That precedent gave the Native Americans the Great Law of the Haudenosaunee, the propriety of matriarchal rule and the command to leave the decision of going to war only in the hands of clan mothers and grandmothers as instruments of making and protecting the peace.  The Great Law would naturally flow out of the dismal failure of the partriarchal rule of the sons of Lehi. Mary Jemison, for instance, was a captive of the Haudenosaunee, but refused to leave as she had more rights as an adopted Iroquois under matriarchal rule, than she had as a free American white woman.

*Editors note: See how others in the Church and non-members will get a mixed message if the intellectuals say Joseph didn’t use the plates and he didn’t translate but transcribed, where I say Joseph did use the plates and DID translate with the Urim and Thummim by the gift and power of God. Mixed messages don’t teach correctly.

Story of ‘messiah figure’ living among Native Americans 15 miles from Smith’s front door

2) Is the Book of Mormon an attempt to retell the story of Daganawida? A story that possibly told of Jesus living among the Native Americans and setting up his kingdom less than 15 miles from Smith’s front door would certainly have impressed any young, impressionable and inquiring mind.  Young Smith was all of that when the plates were first revealed to him.  All a Peacemaker would need would be wars to resolve and people to reunite.  This presupposes that the plates were never correctly translated and were used as a “backdrop” or “platform” for Smith’s *imagination and/or his inspired writings and doctrine.” Maggid

*Editor’s note. Why do people have to say the Book of Mormon is fiction? As I was a missionary in 1975 in Fiji, one of our flip chart pages said “Ask yourself this question, could any man have written this book?” As our investigators would sit and ponder that question for a few minutes, and then answer, no!

Maggid continues,

3) Whether or not the translation is genuine, is Grandfather using this book in the Latter Days among the Saints to point to the story of Daganawida at a time when war drums are again beating on a global scale?

Any of these three possibilities mandate that the plates be brought forth so they may be translated by skilled Native American translators.  Joseph Smith Jr. was initially told to bring the Book of Mormon (some say the plates themselves) to the Native population.  It is hard to imagine that the Iroquois in the area, when presented with the Book, would not demand to have the plates since they were on Iroquois land.   If the Great Law is a miniature of Kingdom Rule, presented by the Anointed One, any writings found in proximity of the Haudenosaunee where he appeared may be of global importance.  Show me the plates!Maggid

Representatives from various Native American tribes: from left to right, an Iroquois, an Assiniboine, a Crow, a Pawnee, an Assiniboine in gala dress, a Dakota or Sioux warrior and a Dakota or Sioux woman. (Original artwork engraved by JJ Crew after a drawing by A Huttula.) HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY

Editor’s Note: Maggid reverts to ask the question that Laman and Lemuel would ask. “Prove it to me.” I say, “oh ye of little faith?” This information about similarities between the Book of Mormon teachings and the Law of Peace are intriguing. I believe the ancient Native Americans were the Lamanites of the Book of Mormon and they did have the true gospel at some point in the Book of Mormon. We know the Lamanites kept no records so this oral tradition of the Great Peacemaker Daganawida seems a good fit as an oral tradition haned down.


The Canandaigua Treaty of 1794

wampum_washington

November 11, 1794

The President of the United States having determined to hold a conference with the Six Nations of Indians, for the purpose of removing from their minds all causes of complaint, and establishing a firm and permanent friendship with them; and Timothy Pickering being appointed sole agent for that purpose; and the agent having met and conferred with the Sachems, Chiefs and Warriors of the Six Nations, in a general council: Now in order to accomplish the good design of this conference, the parties have agreed on the following articles, which, when ratified by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate of the United States, shall be binding on them and the Six Nations.

Signing of the Canandaigua Treaty of 1794

Article I. Peace and friendship are hereby firmly established, and shall be perpetual, between the United States and the Six Nations.

Article II. The United States acknowledge the lands reserved to the Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga Nations, in their respective treaties with the state of New York, and called their reservations, to be their property; and the United States will never claim the same, nor disturb them or either of the Six Nations, nor their Indian friends residing thereon and united with them, in the free use and enjoyment thereof: but the said reservations shall remain theirs, until they choose to sell the same to the people of the United States who have right to purchase.

Article III. The land of the Seneca nation is bounded as follows: Beginning on Lake Ontario, at the north-west corner of the land they sold to Oliver Phelps, the line run westerly along the lake, as far as O-yong-wong-yeh Creek at Johnson’s Landing-place, about four miles eastward from the fort of Niagara; then southerly up that creek to its main fork, then straight to the main fork of Stedman’s Creek, which empties into the river Niagara, above Fort Schlosser, and then onward, from that fork, continuing the same straight course, to that river; (this line, from the mouth of O-yong-wong-yeh Creek to the river Niagara, above Fort Schlosser, being the eastern boundary of a strip of land, extending from the same line to Niagara River, which the Seneca Nation ceded to the King of Great Britain, at a treaty held about thirty years ago, with Sir William Johnson;) then the line runs along the river Niagara to Lake Erie; then along Lake Erie to the north-east corner of a triangular piece of land which the United States conveyed to the state of Pennsylvania, as by the President’s patent, dated the third day of March, 1792; then due south to the northern boundary of that state; then due east to the south-west corner of the land sold by the Seneca nation to Oliver Phelps; and then north and northerly, along Phelps’ line, to the place beginning on Lake Ontario. Now, the United States acknowledge all the land within the aforementioned boundaries, to be the property of the Seneca nation; and the United States will never claim the same, nor disturb that Seneca nation, nor any of the Six Nations, or their Indian friends residing thereon and united with them, in the free use and enjoyment thereof: but it shall remain theirs, until they choose to sell the same to the people of the United States, who have the right to purchase.

Article IV. The United States having thus described and acknowledged what lands belong to the Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas, and engaged never to claim the same, nor to disturb them, or any of the Six Nations, or their Indian friends residing thereon and united with them, in the free use and enjoyment thereof: Now the Six Nations, and each of them, hereby engage that they will never claim any other lands within the boundaries of the United States; nor ever disturb the people of the United States in the free use and enjoyment thereof.

Treaty of Canandaigua Wampum Belt, given to George Washington as a symbol of continuing friendship

Article V. The Seneca Nation, all others of the Six Nations concurring, cede to the United States the right of making a wagon road from Fort Schlosser to Lake Erie, as far south as Buffalo Creek; and the people of the United States shall have the free and undisturbed use of this road, for the purposes of traveling and transportation. And the Six Nations, and each of them, will forever allow to the people of the United States, a free passage through their lands, and the free use of their harbors and rivers adjoining and within their respective tracts of land, for the passing and securing of vessels and boats, and liberty to land their cargoes when necessary for their safety.

Article VI. In consideration of the peace and friendship hereby established, and of the engagements entered into by the Six Nations; and because the United States desire, with humanity and kindness, to contribute to their comfortable support; and to render the peace and friendship hereby established strong and perpetual; the United States now deliver to the Six Nations, and the Indians of the other nations residing among and united with them, a quantity of goods of the value of ten thousand dollars. And for the same considerations, and with a view to promote the future welfare of the Six Nations, and of their Indian friends aforesaid, the United States will add the sum of three thousand dollars to the one thousand five hundred dollars, heretofore allowed them by an article ratified by the President, on the twenty-third day of April 1792; making in the whole, four thousand five hundred dollars; which shall be expended yearly forever, in purchasing clothing, domestic animals, implements of husbandry and other utensils suited to their circumstances, and in compensating useful artificers, who shall reside with them or near them, and be employed for their benefit. The immediate application of the whole annual allowance now stipulated, to be made by the superintendent appointed by the President for the affairs of the Six Nations, and their Indian friends aforesaid.

Article VII. Lest the firm peace and friendship now established should be interrupted by the misconduct of individuals, the United States and Six Nations agree, that for injuries done by individuals on either side, no private revenge or retaliation shall take place; but, instead thereof, complaint shall be made by the party injured, to the other: By the Six Nations or any of them, to the President of the United States, or the Superintendent by him appointed: and by the Superintendent, or other person appointed by the President, to the principal chiefs of the Six Nations, or of the nation to which the offender belongs: and such prudent measures shall then be pursued as shall be necessary to preserve our peace and friendship unbroken; until the legislature (or great council) of the United States shall make the equitable provision for the purpose.

Note: It is clearly understood by the parties to this treaty, that the annuity stipulated in the sixth article, is to be applied to the benefit of such of the Six Nations and of their Indian friends united with them as aforesaid, as do or shall reside within the boundaries of the United States: for the United States do not interfere with nations, tribes or families, of Indians elsewhere resident.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the said Timothy Pickering, and the sachems and war chiefs of the said Six Nations, have hereunto set their hands and seals.

Done at Canandaigua, in the State of New York, in the eleventh day of November, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four.

Timothy Pickering

Witnesses:
Israel Chapin
William Shepard, Jr.
James Smedley
John Wickham
Augustus Porter
James H. Garnsey
William Ewing
Israel Chapin, Jr.
Interpreters:
Horatio Jones
Joseph Smith (Joseph Smith Sr that we know, lived 1771- 1840. Could this be him?)
Jasper Parrish
Henry Abeele

Signed by fifty-nine Sachems and War Chiefs of the Six Nations
Canandaigua, New York — November 11, 1794

O-no-ye-ah-nee
Kon-ne-at-or-tee-ooh (Handsome Lake)
To-kenh-you-hau (Capt. Key)
O-nes-hau-ee
Hendrich Aupaumut
David Neessoonhuk
Kanatsoyh (Nicholas Kusik)
Soh-hon-te-o-quent
Oo-duht-sa-it
Ko-nooh-qung
Tos-song-gau-lo-luss
John Sken-en-do-a
O-ne-at-or-lee-ooh (Handsome Lake)
Kus-sau-wa-tau
E-yoo-ten-yoo-tau-ook
Kohn-ye-au-gong (Jake Stroud)
Sha~qui-ea-sa
Teer-oos (Capt. Printup)
Soos-ha-oo-wau
Henry Young Brant
Sonh-yoo-wau-na (Big Sky)
O-na-ah-hah
Hot-osh-a-henh
Kau-kon-da-nai-ya
Non-di-yau-ka
Kos-sish-to-wau
To-he-ong-go
Oo-jau-gent-a (Fish Carrier)
Oot-a-guas-so
Joo-non-dau-wa-onch
Ki-yau-ha-onh
Oo-tau-je-au-genh (Broken Axe)
Tau-ho-on-dos (Open the Way)
Twau-ke-wash-a
Se-quid-ong-guee (Little Beard)
Ko-djeoto (Half Town)
Ken-jau-au-gus (Stinking Fish)
Soo-noh-qua-kau
Twen-ni-ya-na
Jish-kaa-ga (Green Grasshopper, Little Billy)
Tug-geh-shot-ta
Teh-ong-ya-gau-na
Teh-ong-yoo-wush
Kon-ne-yoo-we-sot
Ti-oo-quot-ta-kau-na (Woods on Fire)
Ta-oun-dau-deesh
Ho-na-ya-wus (Farmer’s Brother)
Sog-goo-ya-waut-hau (Red Jacket)
Kon-yoo-tai-yoo
Sauh-ta-ka-ong-yees (Two Skies of Length)
Oun-na-shatta-kau
Ka-ung-ya-neh-quee
Soo-a-yoo-wau
Kau-je-a-ga-onh (Heap of Dogs)
Soo~nooh-shoo-wau
Tha-og-wau-ni-as
Soo-nong-joo-wau
Ki-ant-whau-ka (Corn Planter)
Kau-neh-shong-goo

See my blog about the large contribution of the Iroquois Confederacy toward becoming a big part of our Constitution, and more about Joseph Smith and the Onondaga Indians here.

Also a blog about the 85 Native Americans who were baptized for the dead in 1877 at the St George Temple here. IT IS AWESOME!

The missionaries visited the Wyandots (Hurons), the Delaware’s, the Cattaraugus (Seneca Iroquois), and the Shawnees during this first Lamanite mission. While we do not know for sure why these groups were chosen for proselyting, Lori Taylor has noted that each of these Native nations claimed prophetic traditions. “The Hurons spoke of Deganawidah, the Master of Things and the Peacemaker, a Huron prophet who taught the Iroquois Confederacy a new social order of cooperation. The Delaware’s followed Neolin, a prophet who encouraged his people to reject European ways in favor of the old ways, in order to gain favor with the Great Spirit. Neolin was associated with Pontiac and his war in 1763-1764. The Iroquois believed in Handsome Lake, a prophet who received heavenly visitations in 1799-1800 from four visitors who encouraged him and his people to embrace traditional practices and to observe the ceremonial cycle. He encouraged his people to give up alcohol, witchcraft, and other vices. And lastly, the Shawnees followed Tenskwatawa, brother of the famous Tecumseh, who taught that the Shawnee needed to reject white ways in order to push back white settlement. Tenskwatawa learned from Handsome Lake and taught some things that appears to be influenced by Christianity. Although it is unclear how much the early Mormons knew about these prophets or the Native peoples who claimed them, Taylor’s speculation that the missionaries proselyted the Wyandots, Delaware’s, Cattaraugus, and Shawnees for this reason remains intriguing. Equally fascinating is Taylor’s analysis of a story told by some contemporary Iroquois that JS knew about Handsome Lake’s teachings (who was active in western New York until his death in 1815) and that the Book of Mormon was shaped by Handsome Lake’s ideas.[7] Whether there is any truth to such accounts awaits further investigation by ethnohistorians, but one thing is certain, the Book of Mormon and early white Mormon interpretations of it had more in common with the apocalyptic visions of Neolin, Tenskwatawa, and other Native prophets than with the views of most other white Americans of the nineteenth century.” Lori Taylor
_______
[1] Deloria, Indians in Unexpected Places, 15-16.
[2] Duffy, ?The Use of ‘Lamanite’ in Official LDS Discourse,? Journal of Mormon History 34, no. 1 (Winter 2008): 131.
[3] Walker, “?Seeking the ‘Remnant’: The Native American during the Joseph Smith Period,? Journal of Mormon History 19, no. 1 (1993): 1-33. Walker argues that historians have largely failed to recognize the centrality of Native Americans in early Mormonism. Mormon historians are not alone in marginalizing the importance of Native Americans when writing about nineteenth-century America. See Susan Scheckel’s The Insistence of the Indian: Race and Nationalism in Nineteenth-Century American Culture for a discussion of the centrality of Natives in nineteenth-century America and the tendency of twentieth-century historians to emphasize slavery as the central race question of the century. Much of the new New Indian History of the last two decades has recovered the power and agency of Native peoples in early American history. See Richard White, The Middle Ground, Alan Taylor, The Divided Ground, Ned Blackhawk, Violence Over the Land, and Pekka Hamalainan, The Comanche Empire, for some of the best examples of this new literature.
[4] As quoted in Underwood, The Millenarian World of Early Mormonism, 80.
[5] ?The Book of Mormon,? The Painesville Telegraph, 30 November 1830, 3.
[6] Thanks to Robin Jensen, the 2004 Joseph Smith Papers Student Researcher of the Year, for checking the reference for me.
[7] Taylor, ?Telling Stories About Mormons and Indians,? PhD. Diss, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2000, 141-60, 306-51. Taylor notes that Handsome Lake’s nephew, Red Jacket, spoke in Palmyra in 1822. Native Americans and early Mormonism. Juvenile Instructor

As I said many times, Common Sense is how Personal Revelation begins. Thanks for reading.

Mulekites- Up the Mississippi or the St Lawrence? We ask a Navy Captain

Captain Philip Beale British Navy Captain and Adventurer

Maritime adventurer Philip Beale has led a life of exploration, searching for answers to some of the great mysteries of ancient civilizations. His adventures began when he was chosen for Operation Drake, sailing the brigantine Eye of the Wind from Fiji to Papua New Guinea. Later, Philip joined the Royal Navy as an officer, and after leaving the Navy, he then led a successful career in finances. Years later, in Indonesia, Philip commissioned construction of a replica vessel depicted at the Borobudur stupa. He then navigated the Borobudur Ship Expedition across the Indian Ocean sailing far as Ghana in the West coast of Africa. The Borobudur Ship is now on display in its own dedicated at Museum at the Borobudur Temple in Indonesia. His next big project was the Phoenician Ship Expeditions.

What Does Philip Beale Think?

As you see below, I asked Philip a question about the best route of a 600 BC ship to America. Either from Gibraltar northwest to the St Lawrence Seaway or from Gibraltar southwest to the Gulf of Mexico and up the Mississippi River. His answer is a big reason why I believe the Mulekites landed in Zarahemla by way of the Mississippi River, and not through the St Lawrence. See Omni 1:16 which says, “And they [Mulekites] journeyed in the wilderness and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth.”

If the Mulekites had been “there from that time forth”, That is where they landed. If they used the St Lawrence Seaway they could not have landed directly at Montrose, IA without stopping and by foot traveling many miles to find another river to then get to Montrose. If they used the Mississippi River, they would have traveled by ship all the way to the Des Moines Rapids without stopping.

This is just my opinion, as my good friend Wayne May feels they came through the St Lawrence. Neither of us know for sure, but I feel mine makes more sense to me.

Below is my email from Rian Nelson to Philip Beale

“So even though the northern route to the St Lawrence seems shorter travel that way would be because of the winds? How many days would it take in your ship for you to travel from Tunisia to the Mouth of the St Lawrence River? How many days from the Mouth of the St Lawrence to Nauvoo, Illinois? Also understanding the Great Lakes could have been higher in 600 BC how hard would it be to cross the Great Lakes going west to Lake Michigan and then to the Mississippi River and down to Nauvoo?

How many days would it take in your ship for you to travel from Tunisia to the Mouth of the Mississippi River? How many days also from the Mouth of the Mississippi to Nauvoo, Illinois? How many days was your actual 2020 expedition from Tunisia to Florida?

There is of course the Des Moines Rapids by Keokuk, Iowa on the Mississippi. If Mulek traveled up the Mississippi from the Gulf of Mexico to those rapids, would it have been possible that the rapids could have been higher in 600 BC to have crossed the rapids a few more miles to land near Nauvoo?”

Thanks so much for your help, Rian Nelson

Email from Philip Beale to Rian Nelson Jan 4, 2022

“Hi Rian,

Thanks for your email the other day and sorry for my delayed response.

I think in general the so-called Northern route is a non-starter for an historical/maritime point of view because as you will see from the attached chart (below), the currents and winds (which have been the same for thousands of years) go against the norther route. Unless the Phoenicians invented the internal combustion engine or sailed to meet the Vikings first in Norway, it just does not make sense.

This is the chart Captain Beale sent me in his email.

However, the southern route is just like a conveyer belt all the way to the Caribbean from the Med. For the rivers we would have to look at the distances involved but I think at best you would be looking at 10 miles per day through rowing.

Happy to do a bit more work on this but I thought I would send this to get started.”

Regards Philip

Study The Maps

Rian says, “I believe if you study the maps below, they will be an important key to your understanding the voyage of the Mulekites. I have used Captain Beale as my guide to understand sailing of a 600 BC Phoenician ship. He has traveled 30,000 miles and is very educated in this travel.”

Captain Beale said to me, “traveling up the Mississippi River could easily have been done with a technique called “tacking.”

Beating to windward on a series of port and starboard tacks, tacking between each at points 1, 2, and 3. Wikipedia

“Tacking or coming about is a sailing maneuver by which a sailing craft (sailing vessel, ice boat, or land yacht), whose next destination is into the wind, turns its bow toward and through the wind so that the direction from which the wind blows changes from one side of the boat to the other, allowing progress in the desired direction. Sailing vessels are unable to sail higher than a certain angle towards the wind, so “beating to windward” in a zig-zag fashion with a series of tacking maneuvers, allows a vessel to sail towards a destination that is closer to the wind that the vessel can sail directly.

A sailing craft, whose course is downwind, jibes (or “wears” if square-rigged) by having the apparent wind cross the stern from one tack to the other. High-performance sailing craft may tack, rather than jibe, downwind, when the apparent wind is well forward.” Wikipedia

Here is my projected voyage of the Mulekites and of Lehi.

See my maps about the many voyages to the Promised land. I sincerely believe the Jaredites came from Babel through to Persian Gulf on the first set of barges and ended up in China or Japan with the second set of barges traveling 344 days as Ether says, to the Northwest coast of America near Seattle. See my blog here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/jaredites-2-sets-of-barges-pacific-landing/

If you want more details on any voyage. Don’t just dismiss these theories, study and ask questions. Firm Foundation Expo Facebook post Feb 10, 2024 Rian Nelson [email protected] or 801-931-9031

This is a picture from Philip Beal of his voyage from Tunisia to Ft Lauderdale Florida. ending in April 2020.

We know where Mt. Moriah is, where did the Jaredites & Nephites Live?

The purpose this blog, is to share some information, that I would love our Church to consider in regard to the geography of the Book of Mormon.

I understand the position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which says on their website, “Some believe that the history depicted in the Book of Mormon occurred in North America, while others believe that it occurred in Central America or South America. Although Church members continue to discuss such theories today, the Church takes no position on the geography of the Book of Mormon except that the events it describes took place in the Americas.” Gospel Topic Essays

CES Map

I understand CES has approved and handed out many copies of these maps created by Taylor Halverson and Tyler Griffin as I show below.

Here is what LDS Living Magazine said about these maps. “Creating a map or a virtual app for Book of Mormon geography has been a bit more challenging because there is no widely accepted location to pin on our modern maps.

While many individuals and groups forward various theories on Book of Mormon geography, the LDS Church officially holds a position of neutrality as to geographic locations.

Some members are either apathetic or confused by proposed Book of Mormon geography models. Tyler and Taylor sympathize with the challenge many learners experience and are motivated to bring some sense of clarity and meaning to learning Book of Mormon geography.

In this LDS Perspectives Podcast, Nick Galieti discusses the usefulness of mapping Book of Mormon geography with Tyler Griffin and Taylor Halverson.

Their efforts are not aimed at situating the Book of Mormon within America but rather within the text.  They hope that their app will facilitate more in-depth study from youth who are often confused by the geographic references in the text.

The model may also help readers gain a respect for how geography plays a role in motivating characters in the Book of Mormon to make certain decisions.” Exploring the World of the Book of Mormon with Taylor Halverson and Tyler Griff[eth]in. LDS Living Aug 1, 2017

Unlike the effort of the CES map, the Heartland are aimed at the true setting for the Book of Mormon not just an effort to make the text match.

Two Manifestations

Elder Holland said, “But it should be noted that truly rock-ribbed faith and uncompromised conviction comes with its most complete power when it engages our head as well as our heart…

Truth borne by the Holy Spirit comes with, in effect, two manifestations, two witnesses if you will—the force of fact as well as the force of feeling…

I believe God intends us to find and use the evidence He has given—reasons, if you will—which affirm the truthfulness of His work…

Our testimonies aren’t dependent on evidence—we still need that spiritual confirmation in the heart of which we have spoken—but not to seek for and not to acknowledge intellectual, documentable support for our belief when it is available is to needlessly limit an otherwise incomparably strong theological position and deny us a unique, persuasive vocabulary in the latter-day arena of religious investigation and sectarian debate…” Jeffrey R. Holland Greatness of the Evidences Brigham Young University August 16, 2017

New Scripture Central Video

In a new video by Scripture Central titled, “The Greatness of the Evidence | A Marvelous Work | Episode 1”, they are attempting to show the importance of two learning methods, as Elder Holland says,  “two witnesses if you will—the force of fact as well as the force of feeling”

The information that the Heartland Group and Firm Foundation have been sharing now for over 20 years is attempting the same thing as Scripture Central has been, “The force of fact as well as the force of feeling.”

It seems to me that the Church has Scripture Central, and FairMormon maps and dialogue about Mesoamerica, yet Firm Foundation maps and information is not considered to be shown on our Church websites. Those Heartlanders like Rod Meldrum, Wayne May, Jonathan Neville, and Hannah Stoddard are mostly ignored by the Mesoamerican groups. I do acknowledge Kirk Magleby in the “Marvelous Work” new video, showed some possible evidence of the Book of Mormon in Tennessee, and I would appreciate the Church to show that same consideration.

Heartland Map vs Fantasy Map and RLDS Map

Here we compare the several maps presented by the RLDS Church in 1914 and the Fantasy Map of Scripture Central. The only difference between these two maps is the Fantasy map has been turned 90 degrees so the text of the Book of Mormon saying northward or southward matches better with the N-S position.

Now compare the Heartland map below with the Fantasy Map and notice they follow the same position of Nephite cities. The Land of Inheritance is at the bottom on the Fantasy map and it is Florida on the Heartland map, and Cumorah is at the top of the Fantasy map as a make believe place, and the Heartland map shows Cumorah in NY where is should be. Side by side notice Ether 10:20 and how the Heartland maps follows the text saying, “And they built a great city by the narrow neck of land, by the place where the sea divides the land“, [Sea is Erie and Ontario] and in the Meso map the opposite is shown that, the Land divides the sea.

Chosen Land, not Better Land

No land in the world is better than any other land, but the Lord Himself “chose” the area of America for the Garden of Eden, Adam-Ondi-Ahman, SLC, NY Cumorah and more. It is fine wherever you think the geography began. We are all entitled to our own opinions. Elder Perry said, “The United States is the promised land foretold in the Book of Mormon—a place where divine guidance directed inspired men to create the conditions necessary for the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Elder L. Tom Perry Ensign Dec. 2012.

Also, Gordon B. Hinckley said, “I should like to say a few words about America…. No land is without its beauty, no people without their virtues, and I hope that you who come from elsewhere will pardon my saying a few words concerning my own native land, America. I know that she has problems. We have heard so much of them for so long. But surely this is a good land, a choice land, a chosen land. To me it is a miracle, a creation of the Almighty….” Gordon B. Hinckley, Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled 1974.

President Monson said, “The Lord gave a divine promise to the ancient inhabitants of this favored country (the United States): ‘Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ” (Ether 2:12). Our Heavenly Father inspired the leaders of…the United States of America, that they might together, under His direction, having been raised up by God for the purpose, establish the Constitution of this country and…Bill of Rights, that by the year of our Lord 1805 [there would be] a climate where our Heavenly Father could send into this period of mortality a choice spirit who would be known as Joseph Smith, Jr.” Teachings of Thomas S. Monson by Thomas S. Monson 2011.

Lastly, Joseph Smith said while on Zions Camp in 1834 in Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi River,  “The whole of our journey, in the midst of so large a company of social honest and sincere men, wandering over the plains of the Nephites, recounting occasionally the history of the Book of Mormon, roving over the mounds of that once beloved people of the Lord, picking up their skulls & their bones, as a proof of its divine authenticity…” Joseph Smith Papers Letter to Emma Smith, 4 June 1834 Page 56.

I love all people and all Lamanites, wherever they live, but in my opinion the Book of Mormon events began in the Heartland of America, and through war, marriage, migration, or other causes, many parts of South and Central America and the world in general, may possibly also have the blood of Father Lehi. But I believe the Book of Mormon events began in America. I know the Church is neutral on this subject, which I appreciate, but for me, the beginning was in this Promised Land of America. Thanks to Scripture Central for giving the Heartland Theory a say in their discoveries, as I pray the Church will consider as well.

Greatly Disturbed Faith

We know in this world today, that Satan is using every means necessary to deceive us, and I believe the world not thinking our Church knows where the Book of Mormon events began, just adds to that confusion. We even have Joseph Fielding Smith in about 1954, saying that including the Mesoamerican theory mingles with what Joseph Smith originally taught, will disturb the faith of our members, and it has.

Joseph Fielding Smith said, “This modernistic theory of necessity, in order to be consistent, must place the waters of Ripliancum and the Hill Cumorah some place within the restricted territory of Central America, notwithstanding the teachings of the Church to the contrary for upwards of 100 years. Because of this theory some members of the Church have become confused and greatly disturbed in their faith in the Book of Mormon. It is for this reason that evidence is here presented to show that it is not only possible that these places could be located as the Church has held during the past century, but that in very deed such is the case… It is known that the Hill Cumorah where the Nephites were destroyed is the hill where the Jaredites were also destroyed. This hill was known to the Jaredites as Ramah. It was approximately near to the waters of Ripliancum, which the Book of Ether says, “by interpretation, is large, or to exceed all…

It must be conceded that this description fits perfectly the land of Cumorah in New York, as it has been known since the visitation of Moroni to the Prophet Joseph Smith, for the hill is in the proximity of the Great Lakes and also in the land of many rivers and fountains. Moreover, the Prophet Joseph Smith himself is on record, definitely declaring the present hill called Cumorah to be the exact hill spoken of in the Book of Mormon. Further, the fact that all of his associates from the beginning down have spoken of it as the identical hill where Mormon and Moroni hid the records, must carry some weight. It is difficult for a reasonable person to believe that such men as Oliver Cowdery. Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, David Whitmer, and many others, could speak frequently of the Spot where the Prophet Joseph Smith obtained the plates as the Hill Cumorah, and not be corrected by the Prophet, if that were not the fact. That they did speak of this hill in the days of the Prophet in this definite manner is an established record of history.” Doctrines of Salvation Joseph Fielding Smith Chapter 12

“The world is becoming increasingly secular. It is essential for seminary and institute teachers to be ever more helpful and exemplary for young Latter-day Saints “who have to defend their faith while living in a culture that often denies it or, worse yet, demeans it.” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the Seminaries and Institutes Annual Training Broadcast on June 12, 2019


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Why does the Geography Matter

I  along with many others have heard asked, “Why does the geography matter?” Think of that question if we are speaking about Israel. Does it matter where the Savior was born, or where the Biblical events happened? Yes. At Mount Moriah where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac, the Lord made a special covenant with Abraham. The land around Mt Moriah was a covenant land and God’s people were given that covenant land as long as they are righteous. However, if they disobey the commandments, God’s people will be swept off that sacred land. The Hebrews, Muslims, and Christians fight over control over this one piece of land why? Because it is a beautiful piece of real estate? No, because it is a covenant land. All three religions say Mt Moriah is sacred to them and they are willing to die over it.

In the same token what is the Promised Land spoken of in the Book of Mormon? According to the Book of Mormon this Promised land must meet certain requirements to be the Promised Land. 1. No Kings upon the land 2. Land choice above all other lands 3. Land of Liberty 4. Land where sacred record is kept 5. Land kept from the knowledge of other nations. 6. Land of the New Jerusalem 7. Gentiles to scatter and afflict the Remnant. 8. The place where the Marvelous Work and Wonder happened. These are only 8 of 36 prophesies and promises in the Book of Mormon according to the book  “Prophecies and Promises.” It makes sense to me that the USA is the Promised Land.  Not Canada, Mexico, England, or South America.  

As President Hinckley said, “I should like to say a few words about America…. No land is without its beauty, no people without their virtues, and I hope that you who come from elsewhere will pardon my saying a few words concerning my own native land, America. I know that she has problems. We have heard so much of them for so long. But surely this is a good land, a choice land, a chosen land. To me it is a miracle, a creation of the Almighty….” Keep Faith with America, commencement address at Weber State University, Ogden, Utah on 6 May 1999 )

Israel and America

Just as Israel is a Promised Land forever, so the USA is a Promised Land forever and it does matter where this Promised Land is located. The Nephites practiced the Law of Moses. To do this they needed the following plants and animals to keep the Law. Sheep, Rams, Goats, Bullocks, Doves, Wheat, Barley, and Wine. None of these animals or items are found anywhere in Mesoamerica during the Nephites times, only in the Heartland of America. So, the land and where things happen is critical to us, and especially to the Lord.

If we in the Church cannot even decide among ourselves where the Book of Mormon happened, how confusing is that to our youth and adults? The Anti-Mormons love the idea that we don’t even know where our sacred scriptures happened. There are over 100 theories of where the Book of Mormon happened, including, Baja, Chile, Malaysia, Honduras, Peru, etc.

I pray that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will begin to make a clearer definition for where the events began in the Book of Mormon, or at least give equal time to the Heartland theory. There are great Lamanites and even Nephite descendants all over the world, but where did it all begin, that is an important question.

Columbus Discovered the Arawak-Taino Culture from Florida

People in Florida of Timucuan heritage

Welcome to our virtual Yucayeke where you can find out more about the Arawak Taino people, gatherings, Taino history community programs and more. American history begins with Arawak Taino history.

The Arawak Taino vision is to awaken, preserve and teach our living Arawak (Taino) Native American culture with the right to self-determination as descendants of the Tribe of First Contact-The Arawak Taino.

If you are interested in learning about your indigenous Arawak (Taino) heritage and becoming a part of a growing and vibrant community check out the link to Descendants of Puerto Rico’s First Nations

Seneco Kakona! (Many blessings)

 

Jaredites & Nephites all Manner of Copper and Ore

Jaredites, Worked All Manner of Tools, Ore, and Weapons

“And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore, they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did work all manner of fine work. And they did have silks, and fine-twined linen; and they did work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves from their nakedness. And they did make all manner of tools to till the earth, both to plow and to sow, to reap and to hoe, and also to thrash. And they did make all manner of tools with which they did work their beasts. And they did make all manner of weapons of war. And they did work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship. And never could be a people more blessed than were they, and more prospered by the hand of the Lord. And they were in a land that was choice above all lands, for the Lord had spoken it. Ether 10:23-28

Michigan Copper

“And behold, also, they have brought breastplates, which are large, and they are of brass and of copper, and are perfectly sound. And again, they have brought swords, the hilts thereof have perished, and the blades thereof were cankered with rust…” Mosiah 8:10-11

“And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war—yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for war.” Jarom 1:8
Archaeologist Michelle Bebber of Kent State University, Kent, made these replicas of copper arrowheads and knives crafted by people of North America’s Old Copper Culture. MICHELLE BEBBER/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY EXPERIMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY LAB

SWORDS OF IRON, STEEL & COPPER IN NORTH AMERICA

“…they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper.” (Ether 10:23)

If you are looking for the ores mentioned in the Book of Mormon, they do exist in abundance, and they have been found in North America. Many iron and copper swords HAVE been discovered. When most scientists or archaeologists find an unexplained item in their research, they very often label it a fake, or too good to be true. Since very few experts are looking in North America for iron and steel, it is ignored when they do find it. We will list many pictures and articles about iron and copper swords and other items found in North America in this article.

Personal Collection of Wayne May

Artifacts, Bones, Axes, Iron and Forts near Cumorah

25 June 1776–15 Dec. 1846. He was a Miller. Born at Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania. Lived at Livonia, Livingston Co., New York, 1792–1834. Stockholder in Kirtland Safety Society. Served as second counselor in Kirtland elders quorum, 1837. Ordained a high priest, 1844, at Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois.

“From the time Father Bosley* located near Avon [Livingston County, NY], he found and plowed up axes and irons, and had sufficient to make his mill irons, and had always abundance of iron on hand without purchasing. In the towns of Bloomfield, Victor, Manchester, and in the regions round about, there were hills upon the tops of which were entrenchments and fortifications, and in them were human bones, axes, tomahawks, points of arrows, beads and pipes, which were frequently found; and it was a common occurrence in the country to plow up axes, which I have done many times myself. “The hill Cumorah [the Jaredite hill Ramah] is a high hill for that country and had the appearance of a fortification or entrenchment around it. In the State of New York, probably there are hundreds of these fortifications which are now visible, and I have seen them in many other parts of the United States. “Readers of the Book of Mormon will remember that in this very region, according to that sacred record, the final battles were fought between the Nephites and Lamanites. At the hill Cumorah, the Nephites made their last stand prior to their utter extermination, A. D., 385.” – Life of Heber C. Kimball, by Orson F. Whitney, Salt Lake City, UT: Stevens & Wallis, Inc. [1888], 25. Quoted in Annotated Book of Mormon page 492 by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum Page 477 Final battles were not in Mesoamerica. As Joseph Fielding Smith said, “In the face of this evidence coming from the Prophet Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer, we cannot say that the Nephites and Lamanites did not possess the territory of the United States and that the Hill Cumorah is in Central America. Neither can we say that the great struggle which resulted in the destruction of the Nephites took place in Central America. If Zelph, a righteous man, was fighting under a great prophet-general in the last battles between the Nephites and Lamanites; if that great prophet-general was known from the Rocky Mountains to “the Hill Cumorah or eastern sea,” then some of those battles, and evidently the final battles did take place within the borders of what is now the United States.Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation Vol. 3 Ch. 12

Steel Sword in Virginia

Click picture to purchase Ancient American Magazine. This Ancient America LDS Special Edition covers a wide variety of topics from Native American Traditions, Archeological evidence of the Book of Mormon in North America, and writings from Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon leaving no doubt that America is the The Promised Land of the scriptures.

“It seems to be a well-established fact that the bodies of nearly all those buried in mounds were partially, if not entirely, consumed by fire, before the mounds were built. This is made to appear by quantities of charcoal being found at the centre and base of the mounds—stones burned and blackened— and marks of fire on the metallic substances buried with them. It is a matter of much regret that on not one of the articles yet found have been discovered any letters, characters, or hieroglyphics, which would point to what nation or age these people belonged. We have been told by an eyewitness that a few years ago, near Blacksburgh, in Virginia, eighty miles from Marietta, there was found about half of a steel bow, which, when entire, would measure five or six feet; the other part was corroded or broken. The father of the man who found it was a blacksmith, and worked up this curious article, we suppose, with as little remorse as he would an old gun-barrel. Mounds are very frequent in that neighborhood, and many curious articles of antiquity have been found there. It is related from good authority that an ornament composed of very pure gold, something similar to those found in Marietta, was discovered a few years since in Ross county, Ohio, near Chillicothe, lying in the palm of a skeleton’s hand, in a small mound. This curiosity, it is stated, is in the museum at Philadelphia.” North America’s Indian Traditions, Archaeology & Book of Mormon II Ohio’s Ancient City edited by Wayne May Reprinted from The Wonders of the World, Boston, Massachusetts: The John Adams Lee Publishing Company, circa 1850.

Nephite Ore in East Tennessee

Scroll of Copper
“I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.” 2 Nephi 5:15 Shortly after the Nephites separated themselves from the Lamanites (establishing the land of Nephi), Nephi states that he “did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us.” Lehi after landing in Florida and prospering there, Nephi and his people fled from Laman and Lemuel. Most likely they traveled north up the Flint river of the Chattahoochee River. We know they traveled “many days”. Travel time by boat up the river to a place near Helen, Georgia would take 7-9 days which would qualify for “many days” as spoken in the Book of Mormon. Once reaching the head of the Chattahoochee River the Nephites could have easily taken the Hiawassee River at its head, north to the Tennessee River right into Chattanooga Tennessee. This is where I propose the City Nephi was located. The necessary ores for Nephites are found in abundance in East Tennessee in the area near Ducktown. The mine there has extracted over 15 million tons of copper ore in modern times. The French Huguenots enjoyed friendly relations with the Mountain Apalachee Indians, who were mining gold, copper and silver near their villages. The gold came from what is now Georgia; the silver from western North Carolina; and the copper from southeast Tennessee. To honor his friendship with these Native Americans, De Laudonniere named the region, “Les Montes Apalachiens.” Moroni’s America page 351In 1799, gold was discovered in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, when Conrad Reed found a 17-pound “glittering stone” in Little Meadow Creek. In 1828 Dahlonega, GA was the site of the first major gold rush in the United States. Ducktown TN was the center of a major copper-mining district from 1847 until 1987. The district also produced iron, sulfur and zinc as by products.

Collection of David Johnson, and the late Dr. E.W. Johnson.

Copper did not define the people of the Old Copper Complex, or those who followed, archeological evidence would suggest that copper had utilitarian, and perhaps ceremonial, uses but was not essential to their existence. Copper in the Lake Superior Region was a complement to stone materials, it never replaced stone. Native copper had a place in the lives of indigenous peoples for at least 7000 years, up to the 18th century.
It is the amateur archeologists, Indian artifact
 collectors and metal detectorists who have defined the fullest extent of Old Copper Complex sites. There are not enough professional archeologists to scour the areas traversed by amateur archeologists, artifact collectors and metal detectorists. My father and I are aware of many sites, as are other collectors, that are unknown to professional archeologists, and which have produced, and continue to produce a multitude of copper artifacts. Finds by amateurs have established that there are Old Copper Complex sites scattered throughout Wisconsin, Michigan,  Minnesota and Ontario, far more than have been reported by archeologists and archeological journals in recent times. As metal detectors have become more numerous and more sensitive, more and more copper artifacts are being found in areas where they were not previously reported.
 
While not professional archeologists, my father and I have collected Old Copper Complex artifacts for more than 35 years and between us have amassed a collection of over 3800 copper artifacts, about 3000 of which have been self-collected, as well as some stone and pottery artifacts (different period) collected from the same area as the Old Copper Complex sites. Our collection includes copper artifacts from Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, New York, Manitoba and Ontario.
 
When hunting artifacts we log each find as to type, measurements, location and date found, produce a sketch of each artifact and photograph the site.  Our finds come from farm fields, construction sites, river banks, and lake shores, we do not despoil archeological sites with our collecting. We steadfastly refrain from excavating burials although we know of their locations, considering this action by those other than a professional archeologist to be grave robbing. Unfortunately most professional archeologists look upon artifact collectors who use metal detectors with disdain, unworthy of serious recognition and seem to place them in the same category as “pot hunters”. However, I would argue that the artifacts that we, and others, collect would otherwise remain buried and be unavailable for study. We have made our collection available for study and have been visited by archeologists for that purpose. Without artifact collectors like us the true extent of the Old Copper Complex would not be as well defined as it is.
 
All artifacts seen above are: pictured on this website are from the collection of David Johnson, and the late Dr. E.W. Johnson. These artifacts were all collected on private land with the permission of the land owner, and no burial sites were disturbed.
 
The collecting and study of Old Copper Complex artifacts is an interesting adjunct to my overall mining artifact collection. Click on My Mining Artifact Website below to see some of my mining artifact collection.

North America’s First Metal Miners & Metal Artisans

Have you ever thought about who the first metal miners and metal workers in North America were? What metal did they mine, where did they mine it, and what did they do with it? In order to find the answers to these intriguing questions we have to look back several thousand years before the birth of Christ.
 
Large deposits of 99%+ pure native copper are known on the Canadian North Shore of Lake Superior, Isle Royale and the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan, and some minor deposits in Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. Reports of these Lake Superior Region copper deposits were heard by the earliest French explorers of the Great Lakes Region, including Samuel de Champlain in 1608. Champlain received a foot long specimen of native copper from an Algonquin Indian chief and sent it to King Henry IV of France. There were no immediate attempts to locate the source of this copper. However, prior to 1800 there were limited attempts to locate the source of the native copper that was spoken of by explorers and indians of the region. These earliest post-european contact attempts to locate and exploit the copper deposits ended in failure.
 
By the mid-1840s, when the first modern copper mines were opened in the Keweenaw Peninsula, miners began to find traces of earlier mining efforts. Throughout the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale, pits and trenches dug into the rock were discovered, some as deep as 20 feet and others only a few feet deep. These pits and trenches showed evidence of copper having been removed from the rock, and in some cases copper was found partially worked out of the rock but still in place. In association with these pits and trenches were found literally tons of grooved and ungrooved hammerstones, as well as some finished copper artifacts (knives, spearpoints, spuds, celts, awls, etc.), copper preforms, and unworked cached copper.
An interesting point of fact is that these old copper workings were found on every major copper lode discovered on the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale by miners in historic times. It was the presence of these old copper workings which led to the discovery of many of the copper deposits that were discovered and mined in historic times.
 
Many theories have been advanced as to who these early copper miners were, some both incredible and unbelievable. These fanciful theories run the gamut from Phoenicians to Berbers to Minoans, Bronze Age Europeans to Vikings, but there is no empirical archeological evidence to support any of these theories. While almost anything is possible, I will wait for the demonstration of empirical evidence before believing any of these unproven theories.
 
Our own Euro-centrist racial bigotry allows some to ignore the obvious, that being that this copper was first discovered, mined and fashioned into tools, weapons and ornaments by the indigenous peoples of the region. Rather than admit that indigenous peoples could have mined native copper and fashioned items for everyday use, some “scholars” would have us believe that the copper was mined and worked by a “virtually unknown race of  people” or Euro-Mediterranean peoples. There is, in fact, unbroken continuity in indigenous peoples, based upon artifact and skeletal evidence, in the Upper Great Lakes Region.
 
There is archeological evidence that indicates prehistoric Native Americans began to populate the area we today call Wisconsin at least 11,500 years ago. The end of the last Ice Age, the Pleistocene Epoch, saw the first human inhabitants arrive in the Western Great Lakes Region. As the glaciers receded vast new terrritories were opened to habitation. These post-Ice Age hunter-gatherer cultures have been named the Archaic Period or Archaic Tradition. In the Great Lakes Region the Archaic Period spanned from about 8000-1000 BC or 10,000-3,000BP (Before Present). [Editors note: Although we can’t totally trust the dating timeline, we would however consider these ancient dates happened in the Jaredite time periods of 2200 BC and even into the Adamic period].
 
One of the lasting effects of the last glacial period on the Great Lakes Region was the scouring of the rock that holds the copper deposits. This glacial scouring action exposed veins of native copper, as well as shearing off innumerable copper pieces of varying sizes, transporting them miles, or even hundreds of miles to the south. This transported copper, found mostly in glacial gravel deposits, is known as “float copper”. It was deposited as the glaciers melted and receded northward. This float copper is found in sizes from that of less than a pea to many tons in weight. I have personally found float copper, with a metal detector, almost 200 miles south of its potential point of original. Float copper was readily available to the indigenous population during the Archaic Period and would have first been found while looking for material from which to manufacture stone implements. Experimentation would have demonstrated that this copper was malleable and could be fashioned into useful shapes. It is only a small step from finding the float copper to eventually finding the exposed copper veins, akin to gold prospectors following placer deposits to their point of origin. We have to realize that the vegetation of the Lake Superior Region was significantly different thousands of years ago than it is in historic times. The amount of  forest overgrowth was considerably less, allowing exposed copper veins to be located more easily.
Archaeologists believe that there is some overlap between the Middle Archaic and Late Archaic, especially in the use of copper, and that the copper use which was thought to be characteristic of the Late Archaic actually began in the Middle Archaic and developed over time. The first indigenous peoples who actually mined and utilized the copper were labeled “Old Copper Complex” or “Old Copper Culture” by archeologists. Old Copper Complex, as opposed to Old Copper Culture, is a term used to convey the idea that copper working and usage is a multi-cultural rather than a single-culture phenomenon in North America.
 
There is disagreement among the archeological community as to the time period to ascribe to the Old Copper Complex. Dates range from over 7000 years BP to 3000 years BP. The greatest disagreement seems to be over the beginning age of the Old Copper Complex. Carbon-14 testing of organic materials found with Old Copper Complex artifacts has established a date of at least 6000+ years BP. Carbon testing of wood remains found in sockets of artifacts in our own collection has produced dates as old as 5900+ years BP. Copper continued to be used into proto-historic times, long after the demise of the Old Copper Complex. Many of the copper artifacts from the Old Copper Complex differ from those of later manufacture, with many of the later artifacts being smaller, less utilitarian and more ornamental. Early European traders found native americans using copper tools and weapons wherever copper was available. Many copper artifacts originated in the post-european contact period, native-americans used worn-out and damaged copper pots and other copper trade items to manufacture arrowheads, knives and ornaments. People have always used what was available to them and copper was available for thousands of years.
 
Since I earlier stated that there is no verifiable physical evidence of the Lake Superior copper deposits having been worked by those other than indigenous peoples, what evidence does exist to prove that the indigenous peoples were the ones who worked the copper deposits and manufactured the copper artifacts found today?
 
Some of the first hard evidence came, in May of 1945, when two fishermen found some copper artifacts protruding from the eroding bank of the Mississippi River at an old steamboat landing site known as Osceola Landing, in Grant County, Wisconsin. Following this initial discovery, numerous copper artifacts were removed from the site by local collectors and were subsequently identifed as Old Copper Complex artifacts. Old Copper Complex artifacts include, but are not limited to, varieties of socketed spuds (photo 1), crescents (photos 2,3,4 & 5), celts (photo5), fishhooks and harpoons (photo 6), conical spear and atlatl dart points (photo 6), awls, rat-tail spearpoints (photo 7), knives (photos 3,4,8,9 & 10), socketed spearpoints (photos 11 & 12), and other pieces of undetermined utility, as well as beads and bracelets, none of which had previously been found in situ prior to those at the Osceola Site, all previously reported finds being numerous surface finds or isolated caches in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and central to northern Wisconsin.
Of great importance was the discovery, by professional archeologists, of skeletal remains in association with many copper and chipped stone artifacts. It is estimated that there were approximately 500 burials at the Osceola Site. The major contribution of the Osceola Site was the demonstration of a cultural complex that included Old Copper Complex artifacts. The Osceola Site tied Old Copper Complex artifacts to a distinctive chipped stone industry and burial complex. The fact that cemeteries were found is evidence of long-term attachment to particular places which were returned to again and again, this illustrates long-standing connections between native people and the lands they occupied. Additionally, the inclusion of artifacts with the dead is an indication of belief in an afterlife and the desire to honor the dead with appropriate ceremonies. While not the earliest evidence of burial ceremonies in North America, it is one of the most obvious manifestations. See entire article here:” [email protected]
“Earth’s largest and purest copper deposits are found around North America’s Great Lakes. At some point, Native Americans learned to harvest the ore and heat, hammer, and grind it into tools. They left behind thousands of mines and countless copper artifacts, including lethal projectile points, hefty knives and axes, and petite fish hooks and awls. Today, it’s not uncommon to meet residents of the region “who have buckets of copper artifacts [that they’ve found] tucked away in their basements,” says David Pompeani, a geologist at Kansas State University, Manhattan, who studies ancient mining. When researchers began to date the artifacts and mines, they saw a perplexing pattern: The dates suggested the people of the Old Copper Culture began to produce metal tools about 6000 years ago and then, for reasons that weren’t clear, mostly abandoned copper implements about 3000 years ago. After that, early Native Americans used copper mostly for smaller, less utilitarian items associated with adornment, such as beads and bracelets. “The history is just so peculiar,” in part because many other ancient cultures didn’t abandon metal tools once they learned how to make them, Pompeani says.” Ancient Native Americans were among the world’s first coppersmiths, by science.org

“The World is Falling Apart-Your Fears are Justified”

Our great friend and patriot , Pamela Romney Openshaw, who knows, loves, and supports our United States Constitution, and the founding principles of freedom, shares a wonderful blog for us today.

Why the Promised Land was in America:

“…in culmination of the grand scheme of schemes, this great nation, the Republic of the United States, might be established upon this land as an asylum for the oppressed; a resting place, it might be said, for the Ark of the covenant, where the temple of our God might be built; where the plan of salvation might be introduced and practiced in freedom, and not a dog would wag his tongue in opposition to the purposes of the Almighty. We believe that this was His object in creating the Republic of the United States; the only land where his work could be commenced or the feet of his people find rest. No other land had such liberal institutions, had adopted so broad a platform upon which all men might stand. We give glory to those patriots for the noble work they did; but we give the first glory to God, our Father and their Father, who inspired them. We take them by the hand as brothers. We believe they did nobly their work, even as we would fain do ours, faithfully and well, that we might not be recreant in the eyes of God, for failing to perform the mission to which He has appointed us.” Bishop Orson F. Whitney, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, April 19, 1885. Reported by John Irvine. Journal Discourses Volume 26  Page 201

“The Great Conflict: Conservative vs Progressive” by Pamela Romney Openshaw

“Do you have the feeling that the world is falling apart? Are you fearful for the future of those you love as America abandons its moral standards and its sanity? Your fears are justified. Many Americans are abandoning conservative power and individuality as they sink into progressive homogenization where leaders dictate policies, behavior, and mandatory outcomes. The conservative and progressive philosophies differ markedly. We as individuals—and the culture in general—are pulled back and forth between the policies and objectives of each of these ideologies. Each of these philosophies has its own believers, as each touts its authorities, statistics, evidence, and resources. Presented with such different points of view, truth seems uncertain and people are bewildered. Only careful evaluation and prayerful thought can bring us truth.
Purchase Here:
I clearly define these fundamental differences in my insightful, eye-opening new book, The Great Conflict: Conservative vs Progressive”. It details the origins and effects of these philosophies and those who drove them forward. Under conservative principles, America was founded on a unique system of government unknown in the modern world. The conservative philosophy embraces all we have learned throughout history. We have independence, intelligence, creativity, and determination to carry forward with things we know to be good and right. Conservatism is based on belief in God, individual rights that come directly from God, and unchanging standards of truth. These principles were initially identified by our puritan forefather, John Winthrop and his shining “city on a hill.” An honest review of our history shows the reality of what he envisioned. The progressive philosophy, by contrast, is embedded in uncertainty—an attempt to create an impossible utopia. It embraces new attitudes, new ‘tolerance,’ new procedures that have produced unintended, often dismaying, results that defy basic truth. God is disdained as man extols and elevates the Self. Individual rights are overruled by the will of the group, leaders’ demands are carved into law, and ‘truth’ vacillates. New problems emerge, problems never imagined years or decades ago. ‘Solutions’ mandate government control in this cultural takeover. Progressivism infiltrates America’s welfare system, educational system, and dwindling demographics; it suffocates our rights to speak and worship. It is undermining our economy and family paychecks. As America continues to implement and entrench progressivism, we are losing the power, influence, and superiority that we as a people nourished in the past. We find ourselves at a crossroads. What will we become? Do you want to create your own world, or do you want leaders to dictate what your lifestyle and actions will be? These questions demand immediate attention. Reading this book will open your eyes to the subtle, interconnected web that is being spun around us in these fields and many others. Years of prayerful research into politics, the culture, and individual moral standards were poured into The Great Conflict: Conservative vs Progressive. As the author, my study was complicated by the fact that, eight years ago, I began going blind. Research assistants helped me through the process of clarifying the issues we face, making this information easily available for you. Their help is gratefully appreciated! Our God-given liberties are worth preserving! We have the power to create change, and time is of the essence. Become wise on this issue. Pray for assistance, and use our books as sources of powerful information. Widespread issues are clearly explained in powerful, 5-minute vignettes, providing indisputable facts. Find the truth, as demonstrated in D&C 93:24: “[T]ruth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.” As God revealed this information to Joseph Smith, he surely must have known the challenges we would face today. Visit our website, promisesoftheconstitution.com, to order your copy of The Great Conflict: Conservative vs Progressive. You can also access my additional materials. Promises of the Constitution helps us understand our constitution, its origination, and its enemies in 5-minute vignettes. Our three-volume Constitution curriculum is an exceptional tool for in-depth individual study and teaching your children about America’s divine heritage. Also for use in homeschools and classrooms that study the Constitution. This Constitution course is used throughout the nation. Included in this curriculum are the scriptures used by the Founding Fathers to bring Christian principles to our founding documents.” (Color and bold were added) Thank you for your time and attention, Pamela Romney Openshaw

The Miracle of America, Birth of a Nation by William Norton (Book)

  The Miracle of America, Birth of a Nation is a one-of-a-kind book written by Brian P. Trotter and William S. Norton with incredible fine art photography by Helen Thomas Robson that will touch the heart and inspire you to stand up and make your voice heard for freedom. Put yourself amidst miraculous moments of faith and unity, sacrifice and triumph in Americas heritage as never before. Purchase here:

You Tube Interviews from Podcasters

Contents

More Rod Meldrum Videos and Articles below:

The Top 10 Quotes from the Gen-Z Book of Mormon Translation by Brosef Smith! Ward Radio asks Rod and Brill to read.

 

https://youtu.be/-tHX-ttTjkE?si=oweVqJkrqAAr4vrH

From Mormon Book Review
Exclusive! Rod Meldrum Speaks Out About Tim Ballard & Chad Daybell & More! https://bookofmormonevidence.org/category/videos/

Msc. Videos about the Heartland

Does Mormon 6:6 State the Plates for the Book of Mormon were not Deposited in Cumorah?

A friend of mine named Glenn asked me this question, “If the New York Hill is the one spoken of by Joseph Smith, why does Mormon 6:6 state the plates for the Book of Mormon were not deposited in Cumorah?” I believe Glenn was asking me about Mormon 6:6 which says, “save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.” This led me into a thoughtful response I share below.

“At about one mile west rises another ridge of less height, running parallel with the former, leaving a beautiful vale between. The soil is of the first quality for the country, and under a state of cultivation, which gives a prospect at once imposing, when one reflects on the fact, that here, between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed…Here, between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed. By turning to the 529th and 530th pages of the Book of Mormon, you will read Mormon’s account of the last great struggle of his people, as they were encamped round this hill Cumorah. In this valley fell the remaining strength and pride of a once powerful people, the Nephites—once so highly favored of the Lord, but at that time in darkness, doomed to suffer extermination by the hand of their barbarous and uncivilized brethren. From the top of this hill, Mormon, with a few others, after the battle, gazed with horror upon the mangled remains of those who, the day before, were filled with anxiety, hope, or doubt.” Oliver Cowdery’s Letter VII Joseph Smith Papers “Letter VII,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, July 1835, 1:155–159 .

“Many members of the Church believe the events in the Book of Mormon began in Mesoamerica and a “hill” somewhere in Mexico was “the hill” (maybe a hill like Cumorah in New York) where the majority of Jaredite and Nephites records were hidden. They do believe the plates found by Joseph Smith in New York were the ones translated to become today’s Book of Mormon. Most of these members however, also believe the final battles between the Nephites and Lamanites happened somewhere in Mexico and not in New York at what we call hill Cumorah. Here is what the heading in the Book of Mormon says in regard to Mormon 6:6. “The Nephites gather to the land of Cumorah for the final battles—Mormon hides the sacred records in the hill Cumorah” Heading chapter 6. These Mesoamericanists believe this heading refers to what happened in Mexico, not America.

We read Mormon 6:6 saying, “And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.” First if Mormon would “not suffer the records…to fall into the hands of the Lamanites…”, wouldn’t that include ANY records including “these few” plates that Moroni had left? Yes!

Let’s assume “all the records” were hid up in the hill Cumorah as Mormon says above, except the very few plates that Mormon had left and gave those to his son Moroni. Which few plates would those be? Possibly those plates that had not been written upon by Mormon so that Moroni could write upon those plates himself. We read in Mormon 8:1, “Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father.” That probably means Mormon chapter 1-6 were written on plates by Mormon. The remainder of the few plates then would allow Moroni to write a “few things” in Mormon Chapter 8 and 9. Moroni then abridges the 24 plates of the Jaredites which he includes before he finishes writing on those “few plates” as we see in Ether chapter 1-15.

We sense it was not the complete record of the plates of Nephi, nor was it “all the records”, because we know Moroni also writes his final words in Moroni chapter 1 through 10 on some of those “few plates”, Mormon had left him, and then Moroni runs out of ore as recorded in Mormon 8:5 saying, “Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written the intent thereof. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the plates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone.” Mormon 8:5

We know it had been 15 years since the death of Mormon as we read in Mormon 8:6 saying, “Behold, four hundred years have passed away since the coming of our Lord and Savior.” That means Moroni on these few plates was writing Mormon 6 verses 8 and 9, and abridging the 24 Jaredite records, and writing his own words in Moroni chapter 1-10. Were the 24 Jaredite records abridged using the “few plates” Mormon had left him, or were the few plates only Mormon 6 verses 8-9, and the Book of Moroni?

@
2 Depositories in One Hill Cumorah, NY

My conclusion: I believe there were two depositories at hill Cumorah in New York. One was called Cumorah’s Cave which had wagon loads (See Journal of Discourses, vol. 19, pp. 36-39 by Brigham Young) of Jaredite and Nephite records, along with the Sword of Laban, the Liahona, and many other sacred artifacts. But, the “few plates” Mormon gave to Moroni were added to the original plates of Nephi, as were the 24 Jaredite records, and then Moroni buried them all in the Stone Box at Cumorah not in the Cave of Cumorah.

As Orson Pratt says, “The hill Cumorah, with the surrounding vicinity, is distinguished as the great battlefield on which, and near which, two powerful nations were concentrated with all their forces. Men, women and children fought till hundreds of thousands on both sides were hewn down, and left to molder upon the ground. . . .

These new plates were given to Moroni to finish the history. And all the ancient plates, Mormon deposited in Cumorah, about three hundred and eighty-four years after Christ. When Moroni, about thirty-six years after, made the deposit of the book entrusted to him, he was, without doubt, inspired to select a department of the hill separate from the great depository of the numerous volumes hid up by his father. The particular place in the hill where Moroni secreted the book, was revealed, by the angel, to the prophet Joseph Smith, to whom the volume was delivered in September, A.D. 1827. But the grand repository of all the numerous records of the ancient nations of the western continent, was located in another department of the hill, and it’s contents under the charge of holy angels, until the day should come for them to be transferred to the sacred temple of Zion.” 1866 Orson Pratt Millennial Star (28 (27): 417)

In relation to these records, Orson Pratt commented in 1873: “But will these things be brought to light? Yes. The records, now slumbering in the hill Cumorah, will be brought forth by the power of God, to fulfil the words of our text, that ‘the knowledge of God shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the deep.'” (Orson Pratt, May 18, 1873, in Journal of Discourses 16:57)

The Bravest Woman in Church History That You’ve Never Heard Of

Our friend, Brian Stutzman wrote the following article for LDS Living and several publications. Firm Foundation would like to acknowledge this wonderful story by sharing it with our readers.

Mr. Stutzman sent me an email saying, “I followed closely the approval by the city of Nauvoo for the new visitor center [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints approved].

It will be on the west side of the temple just a bit north.  Our building [Brian Stutzman] is on the block east of the temple.  Right next door to where the Expositor building was!…

The building we bought is at 1279 Mulholland.  It was the Knights of Columbus building and they just moved next door after they were gifted there new building.  Ours is a 3-story building and we are making the upstairs a summer living quarters for us, the main floor a no charge summer museum, with the basement for storage.
We are hoping to have our building permit tomorrow night [Jan 16, 2024] if the city meets…they postponed last week’s meeting… and the weather is bitter cold right now out there… But regardless we have a new HVAC and other work ready to go.

Future Church Visitor Center in Nauvoo

We will see you [Firm Foundation] in the fall, and hope to see you in Nauvoo summer 2025 or after.  Our focus will be telling the Martyrdom story.  It is not being told in Nauvoo or Carthage.  Such as the Expositor or the court case after, or my favorite the story of Eliza Graham [See article below], who was the 18 year old church member who was the waitress at the Warsaw House who served the mob who killed Joseph and Hyrum the night of the martyrdom.  She testified against the 5 mob leaders the next year.

Click for Early Bird Tickets


The Bravest Woman in Church History That You’ve Never Heard Of
by Brian Stutzman

“Eliza Jane Graham may be the bravest woman in church history that you have never heard of. Eliza, a member of the church, was just 19 years old when she became the star witness for the prosecution in the trial of those charged in the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

It all started when Eliza was a teenager. Her family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. Her aunt and uncle, Samuel and Ann Graham Fleming,  not church members, moved to Warsaw, Illinois.  Warsaw was a small but thriving city just 18 miles south of Nauvoo. Situated on the Mississippi River, Warsaw became the hotbed of anti-Mormon feelings in the 1840s. Warsaw Signal newspaper editor Thomas Sharp and others fanned the flames of hate and religious bigotry toward the church and especially its leaders.

The Flemings owned and operated the Fleming Inn, also known as the Warsaw House Hotel. It was a hotel, boarding house, restaurant, saloon, and livery completely with stables. It was at this Warsaw House Hotel that Eliza found employment as a waitress, working for her aunt and uncle. Although a faithful church member, Eliza had not broadcast her religious affiliation to those in town.

The Night To Always Be Remembered

Normal life came crashing to an end for Eliza on the night of June 27, 1844, when a mob, mostly from Warsaw, attacked the Carthage Jail and martyred the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch.  Earlier that day, a group of men, about 200, had left Warsaw and gone north toward Nauvoo.  They had erroneously heard that Governor Ford had been kidnapped by church members and was awaiting rescue.

The Warsaw group, made up of two military detachments from Warsaw and one from nearby Green Plains, was greeted by a messenger from the governor as they approached a crossroads known as Golden’s Point, about halfway between Warsaw and Nauvoo.  It was close to noon.  The messenger ordered the Warsaw group to disassemble and return home.

But instead of immediately following the governor’s orders this group decided to discuss their next move.  Some, such as the group’s doctor Charles Hay, advocated returning to Warsaw, which he and a few others did. However, Thomas Sharp and Levi Williams, a colonel in the militia from Green Plains, and others, urged the mob to re-direct to Carthage.  They reminded the mob that not only did they not like Joseph Smith, but they also had political problems with Governor Ford.  Because of this, some told the mob that if they went to Carthage and killed Joseph Smith, the church members in Nauvoo might be so enraged they might immediately kill Governor Ford, thereby potentially removing two enemies of the mob from Warsaw.  After more debate, it was decided that the majority of the group would march on to Carthage.

Disguising themselves with mud and gunpowder, this group entered Carthage just after 5 pm. What followed is well known to church members: the cold-blooded murders of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. After this treachery was complete, a shout of “the Mormons are coming” was heard and the cowardly mob hastily returned to Warsaw.

Around 9pm, the mob began to return to Warsaw and went directly to the Warsaw House Hotel where Eliza Jane Graham was on duty in her waitress job. No one in town knew what had occurred in Carthage until Thomas Sharp, the first mob member to return, came into the restaurant and asked for a glass of water. Sharp waited at the Warsaw House Hotel’s restaurant until dozens of his co-conspirators joined him. Eventually, some 50-60 mob members gathered, ordered food and drink, and celebrated their wicked deed.

Eliza Jane Graham, just 18 years old at the time, listened in horror as different members of the group began describing what had happened. She gathered herself and paid close attention to what the various mob members were saying. She memorized where they sat, what they said, and how they said it. At the same time, her aunt, the proprietor of the Warsaw House, remained in the back kitchen cooking and preparing the requested meals.  Her husband Samuel was in Boston on business.

As the evening got later and more alcohol was consumed, the group began to get louder and more boisterous.  Jacob C. Davis and William Grover openly discussed the killing of the Smiths with Grover bragging that he had been the actual killer of “Old Joe.” Little did the crowd know that Eliza Graham was a church member and was taking mental notes of the various conversations. The boastful crowd finished dinner and the last of the group dispersed about 2am. A few, including Davis and Grover, retired upstairs to their rented rooms at the Warsaw House.

Almost immediately, Eliza left her employment and moved to Nauvoo to live with her parents. It was a traumatic time in Nauvoo as church members mourned the deaths of their prophet leader and the church’s patriarch.  Governor Ford, horrified that his promise of safety given to the Smith brothers was not honored by the mobs and militias in the area, promised swift legal justice.

The Trial

A few months later, in October 1844, Eliza’s uncle Thomas Graham, a non-church member, was asked to sit on a Grand Jury that was convened in Carthage. The purpose of the Grand Jury was to see if there was enough evidence to warrant a trial be held on this matter. On Saturday, October 26, 1844, this Grand Jury decided to charge nine people for the crime committed in Carthage. These nine were Thomas Sharp, Levi Williams, William Grover, Jacob Davis, Mark Aldrich, John Wills, William Voras, John Allen, and William Gallaher.

Some of those who faced these charges were celebrated as heroes. For example, Gallaher and Voras were bought new suits by the residents of Green Plains. But others felt those charged were criminals, including Governor Ford, who wrote that the mob committed “mutiny and treachery.” Out of these nine that were charged, four fled the area, leaving only Sharp, Williams, Grover, Davis, and Aldrich to stand trial about seven months later. All of these five lived in Warsaw except for Levi Williams, who lived, as noted, in nearby Green Plains.

In regards to this case, the prosecutor acknowledged that it might never be known who actually pulled the trigger at Carthage. Therefore, the charge filed was not murder but rather “the conspiracy to commit murder.”  Therefore, instead of seeking the actual murderers, the charge would instead be against community ringleaders and others who conspired to stir up the mob to commit the crimes. The charges, therefore, were brought against prominent men in the area who had influence enough to lead the crowd. Regarding this charge, Thomas Sharp clearly had the lead role in inciting anti-Mormon feelings and whipping the mob up to march on to Carthage on June 27, 1844.

Court cases were not regularly heard in this part of the country in the 1840s, but rather cases were heard twice a year in what was known as “Court Week.”  For this case, Court Week began in Carthage in May 1845. Mormon leaders counseled their members not to attend, noting that not even Joseph Smith was safe in that town. The prosecution wanted Mormon leaders to come and testify, but the leaders avoided being served subpoenas as they realized the trial was likely to be a sham anyway. For good measure, however, the anti-Mormons posted a mob of nearly 1000 people outside Carthage in an effort to keep any Mormons or their friends from attending and possibly testifying.

The case was officially called “The People vs. Levi Williams,” and the courthouse was overflowing when the proceedings began. The audience was a rough crowd and many openly carried rifles and other weapons inside and around the courthouse.

The mob and their guns intimidated the judge and the prosecution.  At the start of this trial, it was noted this was an important case where the lives of five men were at stake and the eyes of the nation were watching. The judge was Richard Young, an experienced and respected former member of the Illinois Supreme Court.

The attorney for the prosecution was Josiah Lamborn and the defendants were represented by Oliver H. Browning, Archibald Williams, and Calvin Warren, all of Quincy, and William Richardson of Rushville. Warren, ironically, had previously represented Joseph Smith several times. While attendance wasn’t kept, it is safe to say that many residents of Warsaw were at the trial to see the fate of their neighbors, friends, and militia leaders. In fact, the prosecutor publicly acknowledged that the crowd was anti-Mormon when, near the start of the trial, he told the jury that, “There are hundreds here I have no doubt who are ready to applaud you and rejoice with you if you should return a verdict of not guilty against these men.”

After the prosecution had called a few witnesses who didn’t give much testimony, they called on their star witness Eliza Graham.  Mr. Lamborn had recently found and interviewed her and asked her to come to the trial. Even though Brigham Young and the other church members felt Carthage was unsafe and had decided not to be involved in the trial, Eliza went and testified. She was just 19 years old when she gave her testimony.

Once on the stand, Eliza recounted her experience the night of the crimes. She told of how she served those boasting of the murders. Attorney Lamborn asked Eliza to tell the jury what was said by those she served. She testified that someone said “he had killed Old Jo” but then another would insist that no, they had killed Smith. Eliza testified she heard William Grover say he had committed the murders. She said that all around the Warsaw House the men were bragging and rejoicing concerning their deeds. In her concluding remarks, Eliza testified that Sharp and Davis had said “we have finished the leading men of the Mormon Church.”

Eliza also testified she had often heard Thomas Sharp threatening to kill the Smiths. Sharp had even allegedly threatened this on the morning of the murders. Eliza held strong during cross-examination and that she only found out a week prior that she was to testify at this trial.

Her testimony was received with enough prejudice that the defense was able to convince the jury to discount it. Writing about Miss Graham some years later, former Warsaw resident and famous town son John Hay shared what is probably more of a community memoir, since he was only a child at the time of the trial. Concerning Graham, John Hay wrote, “The evidence of Miss Graham, delivered with all the impetuosity of her sex, was all that could be desired-and more too. She had assisted in feeding the hungry mob at the Warsaw House as they came straggling in from Carthage, and she should remember where every man sat, and what he said, and how he said it. Unfortunately, she remembered too much.”

Returning to the trial, the defense next had their turn.  Near the end of their sixteen witnesses, the defense called on Eliza Graham’s aunt, Ann Fleming. Ann testified she had remembered a large group of men coming for dinner late on the night of the murders but none had mentioned the killing of the Smiths. Although she was in the back kitchen cooking, Ann testified she specifically did not see Sharp or Grover at her business that night. It was said that because Ann viewed the accused, as well as their friends and neighbors, as valuable customers whom she didn’t want to offend, she blatantly contradicted the testimony of her niece Eliza Graham.

On Friday, May 30, 1845, after six days of testimony, the court broke for lunch and the jury met to deliberate and decide their verdict. At 2pm that day the jury returned with a “Not Guilty” verdict. Very few were surprised. The Mormons had already figured they would never see a conviction in Carthage. The Nauvoo Neighbor newspaper did not even mention the trial. A second trial, one for the murder of Hyrum Smith, was never held because the prosecution failed to appear. When it was all over there were two murdered men, five known ringleaders, and no convictions.

In the public’s mind, at least for some, these acquittals exonerated those that stood trial for the crime. It allowed the five who stood trial not only to fit back into society free of any stigma and allowed them to excel in their professions, including being leaders in government. In the same article noted above, John Hay summarized that “there was not a man on the jury, in the court, in the county, that did not know the defendants had not done the murder. But it was not proven, and the verdict of NOT GUILTY was right in the law.” Sometime later, Thomas Sharp was asked if he had murdered Joseph Smith and he simply replied, “Well, the jury said not.”

Moving to Utah

Shortly after the trial, Eliza became a plural wife of John Pack, an illustrious pioneer and famous Mormon settler. While walking across the plains from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City, John Pack felt his wives’ dresses were too long and kicked up too much dust. Pack demanded that his wives cut their dresses so they would not kick up so much dust. Eliza refused. Angered, Pack took Eliza over his knee like a child and cut her dress shorter. When they arrived in Utah, she obtained a divorce.

Once settled in Utah, John Pack helped found the University of Utah. At the “This is the Place” monument outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, a cabin with some of John Pack’s items on display still stands.

After her divorce, Eliza then married Robert Porter and had five children. For a time they settled in Salt Lake. Feelings over the conflicting testimony at the trial in Carthage must have healed because the Flemings sold the Warsaw House and decided to move to California as part of the Gold Rush of 1849. During their move West, the Flemings went out of their way to pay a visit Eliza in Salt Lake City. Although Ann Fleming was partly responsible for the mob leader’s acquittal, she was treated respectfully and cordially on her visit to Utah.

Eliza and Robert eventually moved to Wyoming.  They settled on a ranch about eighteen miles south of Evanston near Hillyard on the Bear River. Sadly, Eliza died during the childbirth of her daughter Sady. At the time of this birth, a group of Indians had trapped the family in their home. Because they feared these Indians, Eliza’s family was forced to bury her in an unmarked grave near their home.

Lessons Learned

Eliza Jane Graham stands as a hero in church history. She stood by her story of what she saw and heard in the most intimidating courtroom setting imaginable. And although she risked potential physical harm for showing up at the trial in Carthage, and suffered her courtroom testimony being belittled and discredited, and not believed, Eliza stood true.  Perhaps more importantly, Eliza stayed true to her larger convictions of the truth of the restored Gospel. She died a faithful member of the church and her posterity has been blessed by her example and testimony.” Brian Stutzman

ChatGPT Testifies That The Book of Mormon is True & That Joseph Smith is a Prophet

Can be use for Good or Evil

Like most of you reading this, I have a firm and strong witness from Christ that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Today after watching one simple video, my witness has been strengthened.

How? The things of this world have no power over the things of God.

We have read, “And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air” Moses 3:5

This means that Lord’s work in our world is far greater than man’s work in this life. Now this seems obvious, but by watching this video, it is again confirmed by understanding that even AI and ChatGPT are not even close to Gods ability.

I do fear AI and the place it is going. Yes, AI can be a great thing just like TV, Computers, and smart phones, but they can also be misused in the hands of everyday people who trust and rely on AI too much. It can be a breeding ground for deception. Use it cautiously.

Counterfeits & Comfortable gods

In the LDS scripture guide it says under “antichrist”, says, “Anyone or anything that counterfeits the true gospel plan of salvation and that openly or secretly opposes Christ. John the Revelator described the antichrist as a deceiver (1 Jn. 2:18–224:3–62 Jn. 1:7). The great antichrist is Lucifer, but he has many assistants, both spirit beings and mortals. The son of perdition opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, 2 Thes. 2:1–12.”

Elder Holland said, “Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds.

Talk about man creating God in his own image! Sometimes—and this seems the greatest irony of all—these folks invoke the name of Jesus as one who was this kind of “comfortable” God. Really? He who said not only should we not break commandments, but we should not even think about breaking them. And if we do think about breaking them, we have already broken them in our heart. Does that sound like “comfortable” doctrine, easy on the ear and popular down at the village love-in?” The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland 2014

Don’t make God a comfortable god, by relying on the easy path and being fooled by AI and the creations of man.

What is ChatGBT?

ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool driven by AI technology that allows you to have human-like conversations and much more with the chatbot. The language model can answer questions and assist you with tasks, such as composing emails, essays, and code.

It’s currently open to use by the public for free. A paid subscription version called ChatGPT Plus launched at the beginning of February.

Who made ChatGPT?

ChatGPT was created by OpenAI, an AI and research company. The company launched ChatGPT on November 30, 2022.

OpenAI is also responsible for creating DALL-E 2, a popular AI art generator, and Whisper, an automatic speech recognition system. Source

Our great Heartland friend and educator, Jeff Downs has a very impressive son named Mike. Both Jeff and Mike have  written blogs for me on several occasions. They alerted me to the following video which will strengthen your love of the Gospel.

AI (artificial intelligence) ChatGPT was told to write the Book of Mormon and was given the same stipulations that Joseph Smith would have had to follow- the result is a rather fascinating testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. See the amazing result in this video.

Here are the additional articles that Jeff and Mike Downs have written for our blog. They are such great friends and spiritual giants.

ARTIFICIAL Intelligence and the Very REAL Book of Mormon

The Case for the Urim and Thummim

Jeff Downs can be reached here: [email protected]

Navigable River Sidon- Des Moines Rapids

I feel the Des Moines River Rapids are a significant story in Nephite, Mulekite and LDS History. The Nephites and Lamanites had several battles in the Mississippi River [Sidon] near these rapids, and then the Mulekites voyage being stopped by those rapids on their journey from Israel, on the Atlantic Ocean and up the Mississippi to Zarahemla, and finally there was an ability to cross the Mississippi River from Nauvoo to the other side at Montrose, IA [City of Zarahemla]

To me a huge witness is that the River Sidon or Mississippi River, was not only navigable for the Nephites in about 74 BC, the Mulekites in about 586 BC, and also for Joseph Smith in 1841. An amazing coincidence at the same location.

If the Mississippi River is the River Sidon as mentioned in the Book of Mormon, [which I believe it is], how could the battles in Alma 2 and Alma 43-44 speak about how easily the Nephites and Lamanites could cross that huge Mississippi River on foot? Did the disposing of dead bodies add to the swallow nature of the River Sidon at certain places?

Did you know that during Joseph Smith’s time, the Mississippi River was crossed on horseback by Joseph, and could be crossed by walking across in some parts? The Des Moines River Rapids just south of Nauvoo was an obstacle where ships could not navigate that area until the Army Corp of Engineers cut a path so boats could then navigate the river.

I believe it was at the Des Moines rapids, that stopped the Mulekites from traveling further up to Nauvoo, on the Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico. As it says in Omni 1:16, “And they [Mulekites] journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth. It seems that very place at the Des Moines Rapids, the Mulekites would have to had stopped, and then on foot [or portage] walked just north of there to Nauvoo and Montrose, Iowa, where they were found by Mosiah in about 300 BC. Detailed blog here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/suggested-routes-of-the-mulekites/

Making the Mississippi River Navigable

“Various attempts to make the river navigable started in 1837 when a channel was blasted through the rapids by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers team led by Robert E. Lee. A canal around the rapids was built in 1877. It is now obliterated by Lock and Dam No. 19.” Wikepedia

Open your Annotated Book of Mormon to page 293, or open your regular Book of Mormon to Alma 43. As you read you can follow the action from the map below. The Mississippi River is the River Sidon and the action takes place just north of the current city of St. Louis, MO.

 

 


Cast their Dead into the River Sidon

20 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that the work of death should cease again among the people. And he took the weapons of war from the Lamanites; and after they had entered into a covenant with him of peace they were suffered to depart into the wilderness.

21 Now the number of their dead was not numbered because of the greatness of the number; yea, the number of their dead was exceedingly great, both on the Nephites and on the Lamanites.

22 And it came to pass that they did cast their dead into the waters of Sidon, and they have gone forth and are buried in the depths of the sea. “Alma 44:20-22

The information below is from Jonathan Neville’s best selling book, “Moroni’s America”

“[Alma] Chapter 43 resumes the account of the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Nephites gathered their armies in the land of Jershon, while the Lamanites came into the land of Antionum. All the leaders of the Lamanites were Amlicites (Amalekites) and Zoramites.

Captain Moroni met the Lamanites “in the borders of Jershon” (Alma 43:18), but when the Lamanites saw that the Nephites were better armed and protected with breastplates and arm-shields and thick clothing, their leaders “departed out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness, and took their journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti and take possession of the land” (Alma 43:25). [The Head of River Sidon is most likely the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Ohio River]

From the Lamanite perspective, this made sense. Moroni had fortified the land of Jershon, and presumably the sea, or mighty river, it bordered. The Lamanites could do an end run around Jershon, past the productive (bountiful) farmland into the wilderness north, and then cross the Sidon to reach Manti.

The confrontation between Moroni and the Lamanites is another battle in and near the river. Moroni “found by his spies which course the Lamanites were to take” (Alma 43:30).

31 Therefore, he divided his army and brought a part over into the valley, and concealed them on the east, and on the south of the hill Riplah; [See #5, in map above]
32 And the remainder he concealed in the west valley, on the west of the river Sidon, and so down into the borders of the land Manti. [See #4, in map above].
33 And thus having placed his army according to his desire, he was prepared to meet them.
34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites came up on the north of the hill, where a part of the army of Moroni was concealed.[See #4 on the map above].
35 And as the Lamanites had passed the hill Riplah, and came into the valley, and began to cross the river Sidon, the army which was concealed on the south of the hill, which was led by a man whose name was Lehi, and he led his army forth and encircled the Lamanites about on the east in their rear.
36 And it came to pass that the Lamanites, when they saw the Nephites coming upon them in their rear, turned them about and began to contend with the army of Lehi.


“Moroni Fortifies the Land of the Nephites” [See Alma 50] by Clark Kelley Price.


The Nephites were better armed and protected, so “the Lamanites became frightened because of the great destruction among them even until they began to flee towards the river Sidon… and they were driven by Lehi into the waters of Sidon and Lehi retained his armies upon the bank of the river Sidon that they should not cross” (Alma 43:39-40).

Moroni had stationed the rest of his army “in the valley on the other side of the river Sidon” (Alma 43:41). When his men began to “fall upon” the Lamanites and to slay them, “the Lamanites did flee again before them towards the land of Manti and they were met again by the armies of Moroni” (Alma 43:41-2).

All of this was taking place near the “head of Sidon,” because that is where the Lamanites planned to attack.

The passage describes a river that is a significant barrier, with a hill and bank on the east side and a large valley on the west side. Armies can cross it (at least at some times of the year), but it is a significant barrier. This cannot be “headwaters” as some commentators have proposed. [It is a confluence where the Mississippi meets the Ohio]

Another requirement: there must be a way out of the valley toward the land of Manti.
One place that fits this description nicely is where the Missouri River meets the Mississippi. [Another possible Head of Sidon with the confluence of the Missouri and the Mississippi]. On the east bank, there are hills. The west bank is a wide valley, with access to the north and west toward what would have been the land of Manti.

At this point, the Lamanites were surrounded. Moroni offered a truce, but Zerahemnah, the Lamanite leader, refused to enter a covenant of peace. Moroni resumed the battle until “Zerahemnah, when he saw that they were all about to be destroyed, cried mightily unto Moroni, promising that he would covenant and also his people with them, if they would spare the remainder of their lives, that they would never come to war against them” (Alma 44:19).

As before with the Amlicites, “they did cast their dead into the waters of Sidon and they have gone forth and are buried in the depths of the sea” (Alma 44:22).” Moroni’s America by Jonathan Neville page 169-173

Crossable Mississippi River for the Nephites and Joseph Smith

Rodney Meldrum says, “The Des Moines Rapids between Nauvoo, Illinois on the east and Montrose (Zarahemla) and Keokuk, Iowa on the west was formed by a hard natural limestone shelf that extended across an 11 mile stretch of the Mississippi river. It severely limited Steamboat traffic through the early 19th century. Prior to the building of locks and dams that have raised water levels 18-20 feet, it was the first location upstream from the Gulf of Mexico where the Mississippi river could be crossed… on foot. Historical records state that these rapids had an average depth of only 2.4 feet*, with most of the crossing being more shallow, especially during late summer, fall and dry seasons…

*”The Mississippi in its natural state widens from 2,500 feet (760 m) to 4,500 feet (1,400 m) in width at Nauvoo as it drops 22 feet (6.7 m) over 11 miles (18 km) over shallow limestone rocks to the confluence with Des Moines. According to records its mean depth through the rapids was 2.4 feet (0.73 m) and “much less” in many places.” Wikipedia

Why is this important? This would have been one of the most strategic locations in North America due to this crossing of a significant barrier to travel, the Mississippi River. Trade would also occur here bringing goods and people together from across the continent.

This location would also be of strategic importance in securing against foreign invasion. An ancient army would of necessity be faced with either swimming or rowing their men across to launch an attack, which in the case of the Book of Mormon could mean many thousands of men awaiting portage. The element of surprise in battle would be lost if a week were required to ferry men across the river. This major river crossing would, then, be a critical strategic location either to defend of to conquer, by allowing or restricting access to either side. Exploring the Book of Mormon in America’s Heartland by Rod Meldrum pg. 80-81

CROSSING THE MISSISSIPPI ON HORSEBACK

On August 8, 1842, a Warrant was served by Governor Carlin for the arrest of Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell who had been charged with the near fatal shooting of Gov. Lilburn Boggs. Joseph and Porter went into hiding, knowing their innocence and that this was just another attempt to thwart the work of the Lord.

From Dean C. Jesse’s The Papers of Joseph Smith, in the Illinois journal we read from the entry Aug. 11th, “It is very evident that the whole business is but another evidence of the effects of prejudice, and that it proceeds from a persecuting spirit, the parties having signified their determination to have Joseph taken to Missouri whether by legal or illegal means.” The journal continued, “12 August 1842 – Friday – This AM it appears still more evident that the whole course of Proceedings of Gov. Carlin and others is illegal”

A stratagem was conceived to trick the Sheriff and his Deputies. The journal states,” Accordingly Joseph’s new horse which he rides, (which he named Joe Duncan after the unsupportive former Governor of Illinois) was got ready and Wm. Walker proceeded to cross the river in sight of a number of Persons. One chief design in this procedure was to draw the attention of the Sheriffs and public, away from all idea that Joseph was on the Nauvoo side of the river.”

The next day, “A report came over the river that there is a several small companies of men in Montrose, Nashville, Keokuk, etc., in search of Joseph. They saw his horse go down the river yesterday and was confident he was on that side.” The Mississippi River was shallow enough on this late summer day to ride a horse across it at this location.” Exploring the Book of Mormon in America’s Heartland by Rod Meldrum pg 80-81

More about Zarahemla D&C 125

“I have a Patriarchal blessing hanging in a frame in my room, which was pronounced upon my head by the prophet and patriarch, Hyrum Smith, in the fall of 1844[1843?], which is worth more than gold to me – Gold is no name for it. The predictions are being literally fulfilled every day. I know if I prove faithful it will all come to pass. I knew then and also know now that Joseph was a true prophet of God, and that the mantle of Joseph fell on Brigham Young who was his legal successor.

I was present at the meeting when this took place and heard with my own ears and saw with my own eyes. We all thought Joseph had come back to us although we knew he was in his grave. I was standing by the temple talking to Brother Woodruff and he pointed out a spot to me on the opposit[e] side of the river about a mile and a half above Montrose, and said there would be a city and a temple built there and the place would be called Zarahemla. I was at Nauvoo when the temple was finished and dedicated. I went up into the tower and wrote my name there. As I understand, the wicked have burned that temple to the ground and it is all destroyed like the Jerusalem temple. But I expect to see that temple re-erected and the one built on the opposite side of the river to match.” Autobiography of Edward Phillips (1813-1896)