mapman

OK, I found the reference. From here: 11. “John the Revelatorâ€: The Written Revelations of John Taylor | Religious Studies Center

I think I read somewhere that the "prophecy" Wilford Woodruff wrote down in his journal was just something that was being passed around (kind of like chain e-mails). I'll see if I can find a reference.

For more information on theodemocracy and the Council of the Fifty, I would suggest these sources: The Council of Fifty - FAIRMormon BYU Studies - The Council of Fifty and Its Members, 1844 to 1945 BYU Studies - “It Seems Like Heaven Began on Earthâ€: Joseph Smith and the Constitution of the Kingdom of God Theodemocracy By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog Utah Government Publications Online BYU Master's Theses on Mormonism : Compound Object Viewer

As for the roles of the tribes, Jacob's blessings of his sons in Genesis 49 may be insightful.

It is my opinion that most people are probably descended from all twelve sons of Jacob. This is almost statistically certain: http://tedlab.mit.edu/~dr/Papers/Rohde-MRCA-two.pdf If this is the case, then the patriarch is recieving revelation about which tribe the person should be adopted into based on what their life mission is.

Right, there are apostles that aren't part of the Quorum of the 12. For example being part of the First Presidency means you're not part of the Quorum although you still are an apostle. There is some evidence that the Three Witnesses were apostles even though they never were part of the Quorum. They were the ones that selected and ordained the apostles that became the original twelve. D&C 18 talks about how Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer are to find the twelve and also says this: "And now, Oliver Cowdery, I speak unto you, and also unto David Whitmer, by the way of commandment; for, behold, I command all men everywhere to repent, and I speak unto you, even as unto Paul mine bapostle, for you are called even with that same calling with which he was called." (verse 9)

When originally recorded it was called "the gift of working with the sprout". (see here)

I missed these: Giddonah - Gidanah Onidah - Oneidah Morianton - Morionton Shiblom - Shiblon

Polygamy was causing Utah a lot of problems. It was illegal so many prominent Mormons were being put into prison and the federal government was threatening to confiscate Mormon property including the Salt Lake Temple which they had been working on for decades and had spent huge amounts of money on. The federal government also refused to make Utah a state until they abandoned polygamy. The polygamy problem was one of the factors that led to the Utah War, one of the biggest conflicts in the US until the Civil War. Wilford Woodruff realized that if polygamy had continued it was likely that all the Mormon leaders would end up in prison, they would lose their temples, and would eventually be forced to stop polygamy. Wilford Woodruff went to the Lord because of his concerns and he was told that they did not need to continue practicing polygamy.

I'd love to see that, it sounds very interesting.

Considered the best by whom? I think that Bushman's is much better. He does history right: use historical evidence instead of phsychoanalytical analysis of people. I think Hugh Nibley's review is right on: Hugh W. Nibley: "No, Ma'am, That's Not History"

When I searched for Jacob 4:7 on the home page it went directly here: Jacob 4Â Isn't that what it used to do too?

I'm not sure I understand. I was saying that the only time it could possibly be ethical to invade Mexico was if the Mexican government declared war on the cartels and gangs and then asked the US to help them, as opposed to the idea proposed in the OP. I doubt this would be the best decision, though. I'm not sure how helping the Mexican government break up cartels and gangs is like "gang beating up on somebody or terrorizing their hood". I realize Mexicans are coming to the US for help and I think we should help them and make it easier for them to imigrate. Maybe I didn't explain myself clearly?

Moses 1 actually talks a lot about this. Moses realizes that he is no more than the dust of the earth, except for the relationship with God he was in. Satan came to Moses trying to weaken him by calling him son of man. Moses saw that Satan had no glory and knew he was a son of God.

Mormon polygamy was often portrayed in popular culture back then as being something like a Middle-eatern harem. People today think of the FLDS compounds where all the women have to wear dresses. These perceptions are incorrect. I agree that it is ridiculous to think that Joseph was abusive. However, in many people's minds polygamy and abuse and repression of women are all inseparably connected.

I think that it is significant that none of Joseph Smith's wives ever accused Joseph of being abusive or feeling repressed even though some eventually left the Church. That is not true for many fundamentalist groups.

I think that the only way we could invade Mexico ethically is if Mexico declares civil war and then they ask us to help them out.

I am not committed either way, but there are several sources providing evidence that Fanny Alger was a plural wife. I admit that it is debatable. However, whether or not Joseph practiced polygamy in Ohio I think that it has been shown that the doctrine was revealed to him there. See this article: Journal of Mormon History, Volume 05, 1978 In any case, my point was that there isn't evidence that Joseph's polygamy was different than many people think and perhaps less troubling than they think it is.

Many critics depict Joseph's polygamy as being an excuse to satisfy his sex drive. Unfortunately for them there isn't evidence for this. For Joseph it was a difficult thing for him to live. He was given the commandment about 1831 and had one plural wife, Fanny Alger, in Kirtland. That marriage ended and he didn't really live the commandment fully until the Nauvoo period (rumor had it because a sword-bearing angel appeared to him). He had about 34 wives. The real reason Joseph Smith practiced polygamy was because God told him to as a way to seal more families together. This site has good information: As a personality of the nineteen

I noticed that from reading Royal Skousen's The Book of Mormon: the Earliest Text that some of the names were different from the official edition. He explained that Joseph would spell out the name out the first time and then not the rest of the times. This meant that names were not always spelled consistently. The official edition has mostly the first spellings, but a few are not. This is a complete list of these names: current spelling - original spelling Amalekites - Amlicites Angola - Angolah Comnor - Comron Ezias - Ezaias Ezrom - Ezrum Gadianton - Gaddianton Giddonah - Gidanah Jacobugath - Jacob-Ugath Jeneum - Joneum Kishkumen - Kishcumen Midian - mistakenly put in place of Middoni Morianton - Morionton Mulek - Muloch Onidah - Oneidah Pahoran - Parhoron Shiblom - Shiblon Shiblum - Shilum Zenock - Zenoch I don't know a lot about Hebrew, but I'd guess that these differences might make a difference in forming etymologies.

Weren't the first Mormon pioneers illegal immigrants in Mexico? I'm not sure if that's true, but it is what I have heard.

Here it is 14: Salt Lake LDS (Mormon) Temple Here it is 12: Salt Lake Temple - Mormonism, The Mormon Church, Beliefs, & Religion - MormonWiki I'm curious to know what the actual number is because I can only think of where three of them are.