Heartland and Phoenicia Is Moving Forward

May 28, 2022

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Here is a recent update from Mike and Betty LaFontaine and John Lefgren of the Heartland group’s recent email. Join them in Fort Madison near Montrose, Iowa on June 6th for a program and fund raiser. You can assist in rebuilding the Phoenicia Ship. Email: [email protected]

The Phoenicia Ship purchase and voyages are several of the many discoveries of Heartland Research Group and supported by the FIRM Foundation. Native Americans Mike and Betty LaFontaine have been instrumental along with Dr. John Lefgren in obtaining the purchase of the replica 600 BC ship called Phoenicia, which has been sailed over 30,000 nautical miles by Captain Philip Beale, Retired British Navy. Captain Beale took a 2009 voyage from Jerusalem around the Horn of Africa and back to Israel. His goal was to prove the ancient mariner Herodotus could circumvent the African Continent in a trade route. On this voyage the Phoenicia came within 400 miles of Florida and could have easily landed there, where we believe Lehi of the Book of Mormon most likely landed. See

Read Rod Meldrum’s blog all about the importance of the Voyages in relationship to the Book of Mormon Evidence:
https://wp.me/p8C4C3-2NJ

On a second voyage in 2020, Captain Beale again set sail in the Phoenicia and traveled from Tunisia to Florida, proving the possibility that Mulek could have traveled the same route to North America. Incidentally, Captain Beale is not a member of our Church and his goals of voyage are very different that we saints. Yet, Captain Beale has assisted us tremendously in his discovery voyages. He is intrigued by our goals and is trying to learn more from us all.

Captain Philip Beale with Mike and Betty after successfully reaching Florida from Tunisia in 2020.

Today Captain Philip Beale is Flying from London to Salt Lake.

Right now Captain Philip Beale is on a direct flight from London to Salt Lake. His American trip is significant for the next phase of the PHOENICIA. He will meet with community leaders and entertainers in Utah, including high-level meetings with people who manage the Sundance Film Festival in Park City.

After Salt Lake, Philip will fly to Los Angeles, where next to Disneyland, he will present in the Bower Theater to the members of the Explorer Club of Southern California. After his live show in California, Philip will travel to Fort Madison, Iowa, where he will meet with the mayor and other civic leaders to discuss the location and building of the PHOENICIA SHIP MUSEUM. At 6:00 p.m., Monday, June 6th, there will be at the Riverfront Pavilion on the Mississippi and Open House, where the public will be able to meet and talk with Philip.

For the last two decades, thousands of people in the Old World have given their enthusiastic support to Philip for the construction of PHOENICIA. This support came from historians, scientists, government ministries, universities, museums, research institutes, and artists. We calculate that the direct financial support for the PHOENICIA since 2000 has been more than $3,000,000.

We are excited that in the first week of June 2022, we will begin the important work of bringing the PHOENICIA back to life on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Anyone who wishes to critique what we are doing will first have to account for the enthusiastic support from the Old World.

We pledge our full support to the rebirth of the PHOENICIA to honor the ancient connection between the people of the Old World and the people of the New World.

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Embassy of Lebanon, Washington, D.C.

There are so many people in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa who know Philip Beale and his crossing of the Atlantic on the PHOENICIA. We are grateful for this international interest.

Yesterday we received an email from the Embassy of Lebanon commenting on an invitation to come to the Open House at Fort Madison.

Here is a quote from the text of the email from the Lebanese Ambassador.

Thank you for your email and for reaching out. Unfortunately, Mr. Wael Hachem will not be able to attend due to previous commitments. He is very sorry to have to miss this important event but he is looking forward to following updates on the future plans for the Phoenician Ship Museum in Fort Madison. Please do not hesitate to reach out, if the embassy can support you in any way in the future. Again, he deeply regrets missing this and wishes you a successful event. Please send us any photos or press following the event.