These days, all of the smart people know Columbus didn’t “discover America.” He was a complete monster who killed and enslaved. In fact, Columbus was a fascist just like Hitler.
This seems to be what is taught at least.
For a different view, actually looking at some of the available history, I suggest this series of posts.
Start reading here.
If you only want to read about whether Columbus was a monster go straight to this post.
Modern-day revelations make it abundantly clear that only defensive wars are justified.
Again and again, righteous people are protected when they sue for peace, pray sincerely to God, build up their defenses and do not pursue offensive wars. The Nephites learned this the hard way near the end of the Book of Mormon:
And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites that they began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.
And we read in the Doctrine and Covenants 98 that we as a people should “renounce war and proclaim peace” and continually petition for resolving our differences with our enemies.
Russia has not invaded the United States. We as a nation are exactly like the last Nephites, pursuing a doomed course of “going up” to fight battles when we should remain at home, build up our defenses and sue for peace.
Just yesterday, President Biden said Putin is “not joking” about using nuclear weapons and warned that a nuclear “Armageddon” is possible. Meanwhile, our supposed ally, Ukrainian President Zelensky, called for “preventive strikes” against Russia by the West.
So, the United States is considering a posture of striking first against Russia when we are financing a proxy war in a country on Russia’s border that is filled with millions of ethnic Russians. How do you think Russia will respond?
We got a very unfortunate hint from President Medvedev who said it is impossible to negotiate with the West because the West only wants Russia’s “complete and unconditional surrender.” Let’s look at some history from the perspective of Russia:
This Church News article looks at some interesting numbers on President Nelson’s temple-building push since he became the prophet.
He has announced 118 temples over 1,723 days as Church president — a rate of a temple announced every two weeks!
Here are some more interesting numbers:
The geographic breakdown of the 118 temples is as follows:
Temples are getting closer and closer to members. When I first joined the Church in the 1990s, the closest temple was a five-hour drive away. Now, there is a temple just a half-hour drive away.
I lived in Brazil for several years, and members tell crazy stories about how they used to take a week to travel to the Sao Paulo temple, which was the only one in the country for many years. Now there are 18 temples in Brazil.
And how about President Nelson announcing on Sunday four new temples in the Mexico City area?
I will never forget hearing these words from President Nelson at the October 2018 General Conference:
The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith. I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.
At the time, I had no idea what the “home-center, Church-supported” curriculum would entail. But soon thereafter we as a family started studying the “Come Follow Me” curriculum five days a week. And the changes have literally helped save us during difficult times.
At the beginning, there was some resistance to a Family Home Evening type of environment five nights a week. My three sons did a bit of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Just a bit.
But now, believe it or not, my sons, all of them Young Men, look forward to our Come Follow Me time of scripture study and Gospel discussion.
It is not an accident that Come Follow Me was introduced soon before the pandemic. While so many people suffered through the unnecessary and tyrannical lockdowns, we were able to concentrate on the Gospel an hour or so a day as a family. Two of my three sons suffered severe depression from the forced isolation and closing of schools. I believe it was the Come Follow Me program that helped keep them alive.
Now my sons — and the rest of the family — are stronger and filled with faith. What does not kill you makes you stronger, and that applies here.
The Sabbath day is even more of a delight. The influence of the adversary has decreased, and the changes in our family have been dramatic and sustaining. I feel like the Come Follow Me program has created an invisible shield around our home. This does not mean that nothing bad will happen to us — we are certain to have challenges in the days ahead just like everybody else. But we will be stronger and more able to face these challenges.
At the April 2018 General Conference, President Nelson famously said: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” The Come Follow Me program helped increase that influence in our home, and it has helped us survive spiritually.
So, what will we hear at General Conference this weekend? I predict many messages that will continue to help us survive spiritually. It will be a delight.
Some interesting things are happening in Jerusalem, and they may or may not lead to the building of the third temple in the coming years.
Before we go on, why is this significant? Consider the following from Joseph Smith in talking about the things that must come to pass before the Second Coming of the Savior:
“Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the temple, &c., and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance.” (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 5, p. 337.)
If we read that plainly, it appears a temple in Jerusalem must be built before Jesus will return.
With that in mind, we read: “Ben Gurion Gearing Up to Bring All 70 Nations Straight From the Airport to Third Temple.”
Ben Gurion, Israel’s largest airport, located in Tel Aviv, has announced plans for a 2023 high speed rail line that will transport travelers directly to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. According to the story, the terminal station near the Western Wall will be named for the U.S.’s 45th President, Donald J. Trump (cue weeping and wailing from the never-Trumpers).
While the Israeli government has not publicly announced plans to build a new temple, there are some hints, like an informational flyer distributed by the government in Jerusalem’s ultra-orthodox neighborhoods, answering questions about how the new train line might affect them. The flyer included this cheerful graphic:
Yes, that graphic shows people happily riding the train to perform sacrifices near the Temple Mount, which can only be done at…a future temple!