SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 42 The World of Forty-Nine

[To be read at the end of "The Gold Rush"]

A few of the men working at Sutter's Mill were former members of the Mormon Battalion, who were working their way from San Diego to their new home in Utah. They had found employment through Sam Brennan, a leader of the Church in the San Fransisco area. President Faust had this to say about Sam Brannan in the October 2002 General Conference (James E. Faust, “I Believe I Can, I Knew I Could,” Ensign, Nov. 2002, 49).

"Church history includes incidents of priesthood holders of great capacity. A few were brilliant but also erratic and unreliable and so lost the spiritual gifts and talents with which the Lord had so richly endowed them. I would like to tell you about one such.

Samuel Brannan led some Saints around Cape Horn on the ship Brooklyn. They made a brief stop in Hawaii before docking at San Francisco Bay. He became convinced that the main body of the Saints should not settle in the Rocky Mountains but should go on to California. So he traveled east and encountered the first party of emigrants under the leadership of Brigham Young in Green River, Wyoming. He used all of his persuasive powers trying to convince Brigham Young to take advantage of the opportunities which he felt California offered. Brigham Young responded, “Let us go to California, and we cannot stay there over five years; but let us stay in the mountains, and we can raise our own potatoes, and eat them; and I calculate to stay here.” 9 Brannan stayed with the main body of the Saints for a few days, but then, because he was headstrong and self-centered, in August of 1847 he headed back to California.

Like the big engine that wouldn’t condescend to pull the cars over the mountain, Sam Brannan was not focused on building up the kingdom of God. Instead he was directed toward business and making money. He became the first millionaire in California, with numerous business ventures and extensive land holdings. Because he had been the leader of that group of Saints, President Young asked him to account for the tithing that he had collected from the members of the Church in California, including those involved in the gold rush, but he did not do so. Nor did he use those funds to establish the Church or to help the members there.

For a time and a season, Brannan was very successful in establishing enterprises and acquiring land for his own benefit, but eventually he fell on hard times. His family did not stay together. When he died he was alone, broken physically, spiritually, and financially. For 16 months no one claimed his body. Eventually it was placed in San Diego’s Mount Hope Cemetery. Sam Brannan accomplished much in his life, but in the end he paid a terrible price for not honoring his priesthood stewardship and having failed to follow the prophet of God."

It would be wise to remember the prophet Jacob's counsel: ". . .Before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God (Jacob 2:18)."

SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 41 New Zealand and Her Rulers

The native people of New Zealand are called Maori. When President David O. McKay went to dedicate the temple in New Zealand in 1958, referring to the Maori, he prayed, "We express gratitude that to these fertile islands thou dist guide descendants of father Lehi and Hast enabled them to prosper." So here we encounter another story of the people of Lehi and the Gentiles, just like Nephi and Isaiah prophesied centuries ago.

SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 40 Mexico and Her Neighbor

Now of interest to us as Latter-day Saints, is that the Mormon Battalion was formed at this time to help fight in the Mexican-American War, which we are about to read about. The Mormon Battalion was made up of men (and a few women) who left the pioneers to answer the call of the country who had months before expelled them from their homes. Upon receiving a request from the United States government to form a battalion, Brigham Young asked that 500 men volunteer. These men underwent a great march from Iowa/Nebraska through Colorado, eventually ending up in San Diego without having to fight in any battles.

As a result of this war, the United States gained an amount of territory greater than what the Lousiana Territory yielded. This included not only Texas, as we know it, but the Great Basin, part of which became Utah and other parts became areas to which Brigham Young sent people to colonize.

One of the heroes of Texas, Sam Houston, has been called a friend to truth (see Brent Gardner, “Heroes of Everyday Living,” Heber J. Grant Oratorical Contest, November 28, 1962, BYU Speeches of the Year, 1962, p.7); as such he was a friend to the Saints and defender of Brigham Young. As a Senator, he argued against going to war with the Mormons (see Preston Nibley, Brigham Young: The Man and His Work, 4th ed., p.313 – 314).

Although the Mexican-American War was short-lived, it provided not only the sanctuary the Saints needed after being driven from Illinois, but also room to grow in numbers.

SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 39 China Adrift

While in the British Isles, “on March 13, 1840, John Taylor went with Joseph Fielding to hear a lecture on the so-called Opium War with China. The war had begun as a result of China's efforts to keep opium out of the country and to expel British merchants who persisted in importing it. Fiercely opposed to the war, the irate speaker proclaimed that China had a right to keep the drug out and that the British were guilty of all manner of corruption. Fielding and Taylor were "well satisfied with the Lecture." The spirit of the address, wrote Fielding, "is that the Pagan Chinese have far more noble Principles than the Christians, so called, who will grow or sell anything, even [the] Souls of Men for Gain. . . . The Americans have protested against the Conduct of the British in attempting to blockade, etc. I pray God to turn all these things to his own Glory & that Truth may triumph (James B. Allen, Ronald K. Esplin, and David J. Whittaker, Men with a Mission, 1837-1841: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the British Isles, p.97 – 98)."

“It is interesting to note that the restored Church made an initial effort at a China mission within a decade of the opening of China to the "west." At a special conference August 2, 1852, Hosea Stout, James Lewis, and Chapman Duncan were called by President Brigham Young to carry the gospel to China. The brethren left Great Salt Lake City October 20, 1852, and sailed from San Francisco, March 8, 1853. They, too, arrived at Hong Kong, April 27, 1853-the British settlement and base acquired as a result of the Opium War of 1842 (Dr. G. Homer Durham, “The China Mission,” Improvement Era 1941)”.

SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 37 Trouble in Africa

The Zulu Kingdom

Before he died, King Benjamin counseled his sons to “remember that were it not for these plates [of Nephi], which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries of God (Mosiah 1:3).”

We find that the tribes of south Africa suffered because they had no records to help them remember their history. However, once records of their doings were recorded, we find that their struggles were not unlike those of the Nephites and Lamanites.

Shaka, King of the Zulus, was not unlike Amalickiah, a Nephite who aspired to become king. Being rejected by his people, Amalickiah sought power among the Lamanites. Having found favor with the king, Amalickiah soon found himself commanding the Lamanite armies, which he put to use for his own desires. After murdering the king who befriended him, he sent his men out to attack the Nephites in their lands. Mormon records that no matter how difficult the mission, Amalickiah would send his army into battle, “for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people (Alma 49:10).”

Like Shaka, Amalickiah made decisions in anger. In his wrath at the failures of his armies, Amalickiah swore “that he would drink the blood of Moroni, [head of the Nephite armies]. But behold, we shall see that his promise which he made was rash (Alma 51:9).” Amalickiah was killed and succeeded by his brother, Ammoron, who continues in his brother’s murderous ways. Upon his death, the Lamanites cease their pursuit to enslave the Nephites.


The Boers and the British

As the Boers left their adopted homes, driven by disagreements with the British laws, their trek has been compared to the Mormon pioneers who were driven west by religious persecutions seeking to live the way the felt was right.

SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 38 American Tragedies

The Trail of Tears

Fifteen hundred years before the events that we’ll read about today happened, Mormon wrote about his people saying they would “be scattered and driven about as chaff before the wind.” He further wrote “the seed of this people may more fully believe [the] gospel, which shall go forth unto them from the Gentiles. But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven and scattered by the Gentiles; and after they have been driven and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel (see Mormon 5:15-20).

Here is a story of one way this came to pass.


Nat Turner’s Revolt

The events that took place here coincided with the Saints moving to Jackson County, Missouri. Some of the hostilities that occurred were as a result of the local Missourians and the Saints, who were mostly Northerners, disagreeing about the slavery issue. With the great influx of the Saints, the Missourians felt that they would be outvoted in the slavery issue. With the Nat Turner’s revolt in recent memory, many felt that the Saints would incite the local slaves to rebellion as well. This fear only inflamed the bad feelings already existing between the two groups (for more information see Garr and Johnson, eds., Regional Studies in Latter-day Saint History: Missouri, p. 343) .

SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 36 The Slave Trade Ends

Long before we came to this earth, we fought for our right to be
free. Jesus Christ offered Himself to become our Savior to free us
from the bonds of sin. Once we came to the earth, the war for freedom
continued as there were those who sought to enslave others. As the
Spirit of the Lord came to rest on the minds and hearts of more and
more people, they came to realize that all men were created equal and
they made efforts to correct this evil. It was not easy to break
these bonds, for there were many who sought for riches which slavery
brought to them, but more and more people began wanting to do what was
right.

Elder Matthias F. Cowley said: "Nephi declared in the name of the
Lord that God had decreed that this land (the American continent)
should be a land of liberty, and that there should not occupy it any
people that would hold in servitude any other class of people (see 2
Nephi 1:7)." The work of freeing people from bondage became a
world-wide movement, providing opportunity for the work of the Lord to
be accomplished.

SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 35 Mexican Independence

Like the colonists in the English colonies, the Mexican people often
were oppressed by the ruling country of Spain. As many colonists in
the north sought independence, the people of Mexico sought freedom
from their opressors. In freedom could the Gospel of Jesus Christ be
taught and accepted. In freedom could the kingdom of God be built.
This is the story of how it began in Mexico.

SOTW 3 Annotated for LDS Ch. 34 Freedom for South America

Latter-day Saints have a unique perspective on the events in South
America because we have the Book of Mormon which explains why the
Americas are special to our Heavenly Father.

Jacob, brother of Nephi taught:

The Gentiles shall be blest upon the land . . . and this land shall
be a land of liberty . . . and there shall be no kings upon the land .
. . and I will fortify this land against all other nations. . . for
this is a land choice above all other lands (2 Nephi 10: 10-12, 19).

Elder Ezra Taft Benson wrote:

God raised up wise leaders among [the South American] progenitors
which afforded Latin American countries political freedom and
independence. I only mention the names of a few whom God raised up to
accomplish His holy and sovereign purposes: Jose de San Martin,
Bernardo O'Higgins, and Simon Bolivar. These were some of the
"founding fathers" of [the South American] continent.

I believe it was very significant that when independence came to the
countries of South America, governments were established on
constitutional principles-some patterned after the Constitution of the
United States. I believe this was a very necessary step which preceded
the preaching of the gospel in South America. ("The Righteous Need Not
Fear," LaPaz, Bolivia, 10-18 January 1979.)

Perhaps no man in the secular history of the Americas was more an
instrument of prophecy than was Bolivar. When other liberators,
fighting for freedom from Spain, were yet willing to be ruled by kings
of their own choosing, he stood fast for the principle of no kings in
America. He was himself prophetic. He foresaw that this country should
be united-all its separate parts-and should be able to stand against
all enemies, and that its destiny was to be that of arbiter and guide
to other nations.

Bolivar dreamed of America "as the greatest country in the world, not
because of wealth and extension, but because of its glory and
freedom."
(Ramona W. Cannon, "American Tradition of Freedom," Improvement Era, 1940).

Elder Melvin J. Ballard referred to Jose de San Martin as the "George
Washington of South America."

Spy Club

This club was created for my nine-year-old son and his friends who are interested in becoming spies. Turn out for this club has not been consistent, but there are four other boys who have come, ages 8-10.
I have tried to avoid any topic that would encourage deceitfulness or deviancy, but hope that no one finds the topics too offensive.
References: Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing (Code); Spy Science (Gadget and Activity); Spies and Spying: So You Want to be a Spy (format and Technology); Spies and Spying: Spies in History (History); The KnowHow Book of Spycraft (Code and Technology) and the International Spy Museum Website which has a page describing their Spy Camp (for the idea).

The following is our weekly meeting agenda in the order of Code, Technology, Gadget, Activity, History, Treat:

Week 1 Quick Codes, Concealment, False Sleeve, sole, Hide and Seek, Bible Spies, Message in a cup

Week 2 Pig Latin, Disguises, Disguise Kit, Locating Bugs, Alfred the Great

Week 3 Morse Code, Map Reading, Spy Glass, Identifying Clues, Russia’s Thousand Spies

Week 4 Semaphore, Spyology, Hardcover Book, Quick Thinking, Walsingham

Week 5 Rosicrucian Cipher, Observation, Invisible Ink, Hiding, Spies of the American Revolution

Week 6 Pencil Rubbing, Analysis, Sunglasses with Mirrors, Mapping, Napoleon’s Spy

Week 7 Cryptography, Cryptography, Frequency Chart, Decoding, Black Dragons

Week 8 FINAL MISSION

American Girls' Club

American Girls’ Club: Kit and the Great Depression

This club was created for my seven-year-old daughter to give her an opportunity to interact with some of the neighbor girls during the summer. We have an 11-year old neighbor girl who is “too old” for the club, but wants to participate. The others are in the 7-10 age range though we have had younger siblings come and participate. We never had had any exposure to the American Girls, other than I had heard of them. No one in the club owns a doll.

Other than give the girls time to socialize in a purposeful setting, our main objective is to have fun as we learn a bit about life during the Great Depression. These activities are planned for a 2-hour period once a week. We initially tried to read the books together, but we ran out of time and attention. So now we just have a running commentary as we do each activity.

I included the Manners section because: 1) I found a book about it and 2) I felt that it would be a good addition to our studies and 3) it seemed appropriate for the time period we were studying.

References: The six “Kit Books” from American Girl (borrowed from the library), these include a section “Peek into the Past” from which we study the history part; Kit’s Friendship Fun (I did buy this one), which contains the crafts, games and cooking activities; and Oops! The Manners Guide for Girls (also borrowed from the library), from which we derived our weekly manners practice. Finally, I recently ordered a “Portrait of American Girlhood,” which is a curriculum guide based on the American Girl Series that I hope to use, but I don’t know what it’s like yet.

Here's what we do each week listed in order of History, Game, Craft, Cooking, Manners:


Week 1 The Great Depression, Fan Race, Paper Box, Waffles, The Basics


Week 2 School, Alphabet Traveling, Pencil Holder, Banana Fritters, Let’s Talk


Week 3 Christmas, Do This, Do That, Clutch Purse, Goldenrod Eggs, C’mon Over


Week 4 Growing Up, I Say Stoop, Jigsaw Puzzle, Vanilla Shakes, Ooh!


Week 5 Outdoors, Barnyard Confusion, Marble Maze, Iced Herb Tea, Yum!


Week 6 Changes for America, Tag and Sing, Scottie Pillow, Bread Pudding, Let’s Go


Week 7 Church, Button Race, Fruity Freezer Jam, Ambrosia, Yikes!& Big Occassions

Hungring and Thristing after Righteousness

This is a note of encouragement for those who don't feel the closeness to the Lord as they would like. I recently came out of one of those times.

Late last summer I could feel that I was no longer close to the Lord. I could feel that I was no longer able to feel His spirit strongly. I could feel that my prayers were not up to par. Though I knew that I wasn't on spiritual climb, I knew too that I had to hang on until I could continue upward. That feeling of hungring and thirsting after righteousness was absent. I knew how I should be but didn't feel like I could get there.

There were many days when I didn't want to bother to pray or read or go to my church meetings. There were some days where I just forgot to read or pray and I would think, "oh, well, I'll do it tomorrow." But for the most part I thought I'd better hold on to the iron rod. Having thought that, I realize that it was probably one of those foggy places Lehi described in his dream.

Then this spring I began to feel that yearning again where I could feel that I wanted and could work towards strengthening my relationship with my Heavenly Father. It was as if there were an awakening within me that allowed me to seek and find.

So my message is that there may be times where we are clouded by life or circumstances, but that is when having hold of the iron rod becomes critical. Our testimonies must be in place, our daily prayers and scripture study must be daily. If not, we will not be able to continue on the path when we can't see where we are going. If we don't already have hold of the rod then when we can't see, we won't be able to find it.

Restoration v. Reformation

Two weeks ago I attended a workshop at a homeschool conference entitled "Restoration v. Reformation." I was totally caught unawares by the actual content of the workshop. I was expecting some encouragement to help us look at educating our children in a new way rather than just try to mimic what is being done elsewhere, but with our own improvements. However, the message I took away from it was that we should be teaching (particularly history) from a Latter-day Saint perspective, meaning not just include God in our conversations, but actually talk about how these things fit into God's plan. In other words, there are good Christian texts out there, but they do not go far enough in explaining how events are a part of God's plan.

So I've determined to create "An Annotated Story of the World for Latter-day Saints," by searching out quotes from scriptures and the prophets concerning the events set forth in "The Story of the World." Perhaps someday I'll write my own complete book, but in the meantime since I rather like the book, I've decided this is the better path for me to go right now. I intend to publish this somewhere, probably here, chapter by chapter, as we come across each chapter in our studies.

I hope they will be of some use to someone. We've tried it once already in our studies, Story of the World, Vol. 3, Chapter 34 "Freedom for South America." It was a good place to start because I was immediately successful in finding quotes from prophets concerning the events that happened! It was an amazing testimony to me in two ways. 1) There were many things said about the men who fought to bring freedom to the people of South America and Mexico, which prepared the way for the Gospel to be spread; 2) it was a confirmation to me that what I was doing was the right thing.