Chapter Thirteen The Daughters of Ishmael

The daughters of Ishmael had powerful, but hitherto unrecognized, roles in shaping the Zion society of the Americas. Theirs is the untold story of the Book of Mormon, a story lost with the missing Book of Lehi. It is not merely that the daughters of Ishmael came from a prominent family and had certain confidence in their worth. They were women who embodied the profound values of their culture shaped by worship of their Heavenly Mother. How do we know this? It was only Lehis family, Nephis brothers, who struggled with the implications of the vision of the Tree of Life. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi chapter 15) Consider the commandments Lehi received in the wilderness that accompanied the Vision of the Tree of Life (we only hear about these commandments much later and have not associated them meaningfully with the vision, let alone with the Mother of God). (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2 and 3) These commandments show that the worship of the Divine Mother specifically requires the loyalty of one man to one wife and generally prohibits polygamy. In His commands, the Lord described the daughters of Ishmael as the fair daughters of this people. He declared, I delight in the chastity of women, as exemplified by them. The language used by God in this passage mirrors the metaphors of the Tree of Life Goddess. God described the daughters of this people (beginning with Ishmaels daughters) as fair, chaste (virginal) and tender. This mirrors the vision
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of fair, pure virginal Mary. Jacob further depicted the 2nd generation of womens feelings as exceedingly tender chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:7) This charming portrayal of the women, the pure in heart (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:10) subtly but deliberately mirrors back the virtues of the Divine Feminine and exemplifies the Native American doctrine that women are sacred. We shall see the striking evidence is that Ishmael was indeed the last of the line of Ephraims birthright male heirs. (The appropriately named Ishmael is associated earlier in the Bible both with wandering in the desert and losing the birthright to another heir.) Ishmaels choice daughters, then, manifested the best and highest tradition of the holy fathers and of the holy mothers of the patriarchal line. The two sons of Ishmael? Not so much. Therefore, in the females of the family was focused the hope in securing the many promises that God made to the patriarchs. We shall see that it was the women who endured the heat of the day when the hearts of the men (their brothers) had failed. From the very start of the journey to the Promised Land, God, as revealed through the pleasing metaphor of the Tree of Life, determined things were now going to be entirely different for women. That doesnt mean it wasnt still a struggle for some of the men. But a generation later, Jacob, described the fruits of love in marriage according to these very commandments given to Lehi. Behold, the Lamanites your brethren are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our fatherthat they should have save it were one wife Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 3:5, 7) (This fidelity of the Lamanite men speaks very well of their

fathers, Laman and Lemuel. Whatever their issues were with male authority, they surely submitted to, and fully reciprocated, Sariahs love.) It is a sons love and respect for his mother that provides the basis of authentic love in marriage. That precious marital love, which is the wellspring of lifes meaning, is one of the glorious fruits offered by the Mother of God. But it is not merely the requirement to love one another, for the Lord commanded; There shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:27) This prohibition includes mistresses or affairs in the morally neutral parlance of our day. The Fullness of the Gospel requires a husband to be entirely into his wife, as she naturally is toward him (when she is not wounded), thy desire shall be to thy husband. (The Holy Bible, Genesis 3:16) Hence, the express oneness of the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine, whose meaning is love, was decreed as the standard for marriage in the Americas. Only this kind of marriage accords with honoring our Heavenly Mother. It also shows just how much God truly hates the way women have been treated by us men through the long ages. Our disrespect and crimes against women are shown by these commandments to be at the very heart of what God thinks is wrong with our world culture. But the other thing these royal matriarchs brought to their marriages was a mighty heritage, one that elevated whoever married them into a prince of the House of Ephraim, though he were only of Manasseh. In the Bible, when each parent has an inheritance, the child is identified with the greater of the two. The daughters of Ishmael embodied the greatest heritage there ever was or can be, except for Mother of Messiah. This glorious inheritance came through these powerful women of Ishmaels Ephraimic line. Hence, the tribes of Lehi are all Nations of Ephraim. In this, these 5 fair mothers of nations proved that

their lineal legacy was far from a trivial one. Although, only one of these matriarchs could pass on the greater priesthood Birthright of Ephraims heritage to one of her sons, she and the rest her sisters, additionally, gave birth to whole nations of Ephraimites. Now the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 1:13) These tribal distinctions, in light of the missing covenants of the Lord, turn out to be crucial in understanding how the righteous people of Zion people escaped the downfall of the wicked Nephites. I count eight nations of Ephraim, though there were only the five brides. We will get to that discrepancy. This Book of Mormon scenario of many nations of Ephraim is the only way the following prophecy could ever have been fulfilled. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his fathers hand, to remove it from Ephraims head unto Manassehs head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. (The Holy Bible, Genesis 48:17-20)

Where can we find the multitude of nations of Ephraim promised in this prophecy, if not the Americas? Did father Jacob (Israel), who had divided the birthright between his grandsons, realize the multitude of nations would come from a single family? It helps to explain a lot of other things in the Book of Mormon account. For one example, the otherwise inexplicable mystery of why the Book of Mormon is called the Stick of Ephraim. (Doctrine & Covenants, 27:5) Most of the tribes of the Americas are matrilineal to this day as a result of this new beginning created through these powerful women. The definition of matrilineal isbasing descent through the maternal line. (Websters Dictionary) That includes the inheriting of land and other property as well. These matriarchs were the prizes. That each mothered nations is proof of the true significance of their fathers status as the birthright heir of Ephraim. The Native Americans are truly the Children of God. Thus, the Promised Land was designated as a land of worship of the One God, which by definition includes the Divine Feminine. With the fullness of the Gospel came commandments for husbands and wives to love each other (the fullness of the law of chastity few live) and the forbidding of whoredoms, specifically including polygamy by threat of destruction and captivity. The Promised Land, then, was explicitly prepared for the protection of women, particularly righting the wrongs toward women that have forever taken place in the Old World. We recall that a much-aggrieved Nephi saw his future descendants destroyed. And it came to pass that I beheld, and saw the people of the seed of my brethren that they had overcome my seed (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 12:20) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints takes the definitive position that no righteous community survived the destruction of the wicked Nephites. As the introduction to the Book of Mormon states, After thousands of years, all were destroyed, except

the Lamanites, and they are the principle ancestors of the Native Americans. (The Book of Mormon, Introduction) Latter Day Saints realize that the blessings of the Native American people were extended to us Gentile Europeans. This has naturally led to our assumption that we Latter Day Saints are, therefore, the saints worshiping the Tree of Life in the vision. Likewise, we have always thought we must be the Zion people of the last days, also described repeatedly in the vision of the Tree of life. We now learn, however, that the Tree of Life is the symbol of Americas Mother Earth Goddess. Therefore, we cannot possibly be those saints worshipping Her. And if we are really honest with ourselves, we are not a Zion people, either. Its not merely that we have failed to live the higher laws of sharing that the Native Americans were living when they were discovered and nearly destroyed, by our European ancestors. Our God rejected us as a Zion people. For shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Verily, I say unto you, Nay. (Doctrine & Covenants, 84:59) Our expulsion from our only Zion inheritance came hand in hand with the news that we were also under official condemnation for failing the test of the Book of Mormon. (The Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 26:8-11 (see page _ in the introduction of this book to review the test) There is more to the test than honoring Mary as Mother Earth. All of these blessings come with obligations, For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation. (Doctrine & Covenants, 82:3) The adoration of Mother Earth is an example of a greater light, but with that comes a higher standard of respect and honor towards women, the requirement to be true stewards for the land, but also the priority of caring for the poor.

began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as desiring many wives... (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 1:5) And so, we have remained under the greater condemnation, and were told why. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written (Doctrine & Covenants, 84:56-57) That we have never understood the New Covenant offered to us betrays the fact that our reading of the Book of Mormon fails the Test of Belief. (The Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 26:8-11) We became a preparatory church waiting for our second chance to live up to our Zion commitments. (Doctrine & Covenants, 105: 9-13) But, in reality everything is waiting on us. Instead of obtaining Zion, we remain under condemnation, and that cannot change until [we] repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon. It is not only that we havent repented; for how can we repent of something we dont understand? We have seen here that there really was something wonderful about our Heavenly Mother, Mary, Whom we never believed, waiting for us in the pages of the Book of Mormon. Just that fact alone shows us that we did not perceive one of the two main points of our restoration. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 13:26, _) Nor have we accepted the other main point of the Fullness of the Gospel, And also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 13:26) I will show that the saints worshipping the Tree of Life in the Last Days, are the righteous descendants of the Book of Mormon prophets, called the Righteous Branch, who have preserved

their Zion to our day. There are great and marvelous wonders awaiting our acknowledging them the greater things in Zion. The Lord plainly told us He was raising up a Righteous Branch. Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:25) The word might makes it sound iffy, as if the Lord God Omnipotent might or maybe He might not succeed, but in reality that is merely an old fashioned turn of phrase. The Lord declared that He was going to raise up a righteous branch from Lehi and Ishmaels seed and that is precisely what he did and we shall see how He did it. Therefore ye need not suppose that ye can turn the right hand of the Lord unto the left, that he may not execute judgment unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel. (The Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 29:9) We have never accepted the fact that the Lord brought the full patriarchal order of the priesthood to the Americas, even though the evidence is there to be found, if searched out. But we dont have to have all the proofs since God promised it, as He did in Jacob chapter 2. Its not Nephis fault that he assumed we would still have the Book of Lehi and so he didnt explain it all twice. Everyone has always believed that because Ishmael had five marriageable daughters, and because Lehi had four sons (plus Nephis additional friend, Zoram), that Sam surely married one of the daughters of Ishmael. The math seems to add up. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife. (The Book of Mormon, 1

Nephi 16:7) When Nephi says my brethren at times he means Laman and Lemuel and Sam, but sometimes he means just Laman and Lemuel. (The Book of Mormon, Nephi 12:19; 1 Nephi 13:10; 1 Nephi 16:22; 1 Nephi 17:54) Other times it isnt clear whom he means by the plural word brethren and you must draw your own inferences from context, as in 1 Nephi chapter 15. But here is the key. Nephi and just his oldest two brothers, Laman and Lemuel, became founders of princely houses. Inexplicably, loyal Sam did not. Therefore, Sam must not have married one of these royal ladies. We never hear of Samites. This is an unsolved mystery as regards Sam. We know how he valiantly supported his younger brother, Nephi, in his prophetic leadership, standing up to their powerful big brothers, Laman and Lemuel. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 2:17) You would expect that Sams loyalty alone would have resulted in Gods special favor. Yet, when it came time for these brothers to receive their fathers patriarchal blessing, Sam, though present, was left out altogether and then blessed apart from his brothers. In this case, even the iniquitous Laman and Lemuel were preferred above Sam. Years before, the two families had ceremonially gone down into the ship every one according to his age (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 18:6) But now, Sam was blessed last of all, not only after his three younger brothers, but even after some of his nephews and nieces and then, finally, after Ishmaels sons. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 4:10) He alone was not blessed as a part of Lehis household. Whatever happened to Sams status? Again, the answer is that Sam did not marry one of the daughters of Ishmael, after all. Therefore, Lehi blessed Sams descendants to be included with those of his little brother, Nephis who did. And thy seed shall be numbered with his seed; and thou shalt be even like unto thy brother, and thy seed like unto his seed; and thou shalt be blessed in all thy days.

(The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 4:11) Sure, Sam was promised by Lehi to be blessed in all thy days, but Nephi blessing exceeded Sams, And also, I, Nephi, had been blessed of the Lord exceedingly. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 16:8) Because Sam did not get a wife of the birthright family of Ephraim, like unto all his brothers, he couldnt name his children after himself as a founding head of a tribal nation, the Children of Sam. Instead, and unlike the others, Sams children were explicitly numbered among the Children of Nephi, forever after called Nephites. Sams lesser status is a fact, even though he was later acknowledged among the righteous ancestors; Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men. (The Book of Mormon, Alma 3:6) Why had good Sam been pointedly left out? Again, it can only be explained by the prerogatives of Ephraims birthright being at play. But, if Sam didnt marry the fifth daughter of Ephraim who did? The fact that it has never occurred to us that Lehi was commanded by the Lord to take a second wife to raise up seed (when the Lord plainly stated that His purpose), really tells us something about our unconscious resistance to the very idea of polygamy (yikes!) among this much beloved, founding family, does it not? So we think it is okay that our early Mormon ancestors practiced polygamy, but not Lehi? Nevertheless, as we have seen, the text systematically undercuts Sams presumptive marriage. We know he had children, but can only assume he had married previously, or married a retainer of the family, of the many that surely accompanied them in their travels (but who did not have standing or place to even be mentioned, as was Zoram). (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 4:34) My savvy brother, Steven Hamblin, penetrated this great mystery, and

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with it the much greater one of how the patriarchal priesthood was preserved as it passed from the Old World to the New. A great many have tried to put that together, including me, but the credit goes to my younger brother Steven. For everyone knows that Lehi was of lesser Manasseh and so he, alone, could never have brought the fullness of the patriarchal priesthood Birthright to the Americas. And Ishmael, who was of Ephraim and presumably could have, died in the wilderness of the Deserted Quarter. No, but Lehi sure could have fathered the birthright heir, as he surely did, with a choice daughter of Ishmael, who was of the House of Ephraim. That would mean both parents would have contributed their own birthright to a chosen son, who then possessed the full birthright of the House of Joseph, once more. There are indications Lehi possessed the lesser birthright of the House of Manasseh, that I discuss elsewhere. The lineage of Book of Mormon peoples is always proclaimed as the House of Joseph, not merely as Ephraim, for they have both of the birthrights restored back into one. It was this unnamed maiden (at least, unnamed in Nephis account) who gave birth to Jacob and Joseph. Sariah had already raised her family of four strapping sons and was old by 6th century BC childbearing criteria. Steven first showed me that God commanded Lehi to marry one of Ishmaels daughters in order to raise up seed to the House of Joseph. Since then, more details have been filled in. First, the Lord stated His intention in The Book of Mormon, Jacob Chapter 2, Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. By this we know that God was deliberately bringing Lehi and Ishmaels family to the New World

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expressly to raise up a Righteous Branch of Joseph the Patriarch, according to His promises to the fathers. Then God roundly condemned the filthy practice of polygamy when He doesnt command it, For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts. Then the Lord stated the one and only exemption, For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people He had already announced that it was His intension to raise up seed, and now He is naming Lehi as an exception, I will command my people. Jacob then confirmed that, indeed, Lehi had been so commanded, but that the men Jacob was preaching against had not. And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were given to our father, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:23-34) There are different ways in which the phrase these commandments were given to our father can be taken. There is the highly significant sense where Lehi was specifically commanded to raise up the seed of Promise, and that by his taking a second wife of Ephraim he fulfilled these commandments. And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord which had been given unto him (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 16:8) But we took these same words in a trivial sense; the way that best supported our practice of polygamy, that Lehi was simply given these random commandments that were against polygamy. Against polygamy, unless God commanded it as we LDS insisted in our case. This last construction is a profound misinterpretation of these scriptures, not to mention of the events that led up to them. It is ironic that finally recognizing that Lehi was actually commanded to marry a plural wife exposes our false practice

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of polygamy, wherein we wrested the scriptures to justify ourselves in sin as did Jacobs contemporaries. So we know Lehi was commanded to marry a second wife at the time he had the vision of the Tree of Life, but for him it was the path of obedience that led him to the Sacred Tree. The Lord carefully explained that He only commands plural marriage to insure the continuation of the patriarchal line, in this case restoring the House of Joseph, specifically referred to as the seed. Paul explained that the seed exclusively refers to the chosen seed of the single family of patriarchal heirs. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. (The Holy Bible, Romans 9:7-8; Hebrews, 11:18; Genesis 21:12) The promise is that the birthright line will continue throughout all time and into eternity. Since Jacob is telling the men folk, who are, incidentally, the real deal of the House of Joseph (the legendary Righteous Branch) established in their own Promised Land, that they are wresting the scriptures to justify polygamy, what makes us Gentiles think we could have raised up anything but children of the flesh? Of course, we never understood this distinction. The fact that the seed only refers to the single heir of promise in a typical generation, as was Isaac, went over our heads. But when we want something so badly that our eye is no longer single to the glory of God, we dont see so well, take it from me. And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 8:23) There can only be one Isaac and polygamy is only commanded if such an one cannot be raised up by the present Heir of the Birthright in the normal course of things, and even then it can only be God that does

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the commanding. What this means is that Lehi and a choice daughter of Ishmael produced two very special sons, Jacob and Joseph. These sons of Lehi were of greater lineage standing than even their father and so their descendants were named Jacobites and Josephites and not Lehites. The Jacobites and the Josephites are pure nations of the seed meaning they are all authentic children of God. This is particularly true of Joseph whose descendants include the single family line bearing the Children of the Promise, the legitimate Birthright line (who may practice polygamy when so commanded). This is why each founded his own nation of Ephraim, though the five daughters of Ishmael married their three older brothers, their family friend, Zoram, and their Dad. Sam did not. There were also the two sons of Ishmael resulting in a nation of Ephraim apiece. That is now we get eight nations with only five daughters. We Latter Day Saints seized one tiny loophole sentence, in the midst of a whole passage condemning polygamy. For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:30) We took this exceptional sentence (about raising up a single birthright heir) as justification that we were, all of us, commanded, as an entire church, to raise up seed with plural wives and so went down the forbidden path of polygamy. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 8:28) Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not. (Doctrine & Covenants, 8:10) We added the irrelevant verse fragment of Jacob Chapter 2 to Section 132 of the Doctrine & Covenants to further, scripturally justify our practice of polygamy. Added to these were further, equally inapt parallels to the lives of the ancient patriarchs, they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob

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2:23; Alma 13:20) When not commanded by God to legitimately raiseup the birthright seed, polygamy becomes the prime example of the Forbidden Fruit. Adding a frothy topping of self-righteous, polygamist narcissism and that only renders this bitter fruit even more abominable. (The Holy Bible, Isaiah 5:20; The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:15; 2 Nephi 15:20) For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water (The Book of Mormon, Moroni 7:11) Our LDS practice of polygamy never was happiness for the majority of women. It was certainly never a manifestation of the Love of God, nor did it lead us to the Tree of Life, rather, far from it. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:35) For if we seek the wrong things, the Book of Mormon warns us, God will take away His plainness from us. In this case we lost the plain and precious things of the Divine Mother, as our Tree of Life. Instead, the Lord gave us polygamy. But behold, the Jews sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 4:14) Polygamy was looking way beyond the mark and we certainly stumbled as a people, bringing discredit upon the cause of Zion, they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in

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committing whoredoms, (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:23; Alma 13:20) We recognize the deceit and hypocrisy in those who have continued the practice to this day. I believe that God did command Joseph Smith to practice plural marriage, because he desired it. Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience. (The Book of Mormon, Alma 29:5) That is why we must be careful what we ask for, because we will surely get it, if that is what we insist want, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires. (The Book of Mormon, Ether 3:2) This does not mean I do not honor Joseph Smith as a great prophet. But Joseph never thought polygamy applied to the whole body of the Church. And now we know that no one of us could have raise up seed to the patriarchal line, not ever. The spirit of polygamy, as practiced by the Church of Jesus Christ in the 19th century and by breakaway sects ever since, is not of God. It doesnt mean God did not give us a restoration of the gospel, for He surely did, nor does it mean we do not have a glorious future as a repentant church. It is perilous to receive a manifestation of Christ and easy to end up on the wrong side of things, as most others have done before us. And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation. (Doctrine & Covenants, 88:65) With the Restoration of the Gospel to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, God was offering to bring all the women of the Americas out of bondage, through restoring to Gentiles the worship of the divine feminine as Mother Earth.

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For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands. And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts. For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:31-33) How does this passage not fairly describe our own misguided misadventure with polygamy? It was as loathsome as everyone said. And we must admit we were driven from city to city right out of the then United States. That wasnt enough so they sent Johnstons army to subdue us. The proof of the pudding is that we lost control of our own destiny, even though we had fled to the wilderness. Just read the first manifesto about the destruction awaiting us without our ending polygamy. But merely stopping polygamy was not repenting of it. We would never have achieved Statehood without finally ending our then secret practice of polygamy. Mormon men folk include unrepentant, though non-practicing, polygamists. I cannot share the scriptures showing the path leading to Mary, as our Tree of Life and not speak out against polygamy. There was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:15) I am not pretending to be in the right way, certainly not after disgracing myself. I am showing

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that we stumbled, and that we still must repudiate our false version of this doctrine, not merely stop its abhorrent practice, so as to make things right. Sisters, we were utterly wrong about polygamy. Its disempowering burden fell on you and made you sick, like us. It is almost too awful to dwell on. The mighty prophet, Lehi, was one of the legitimate exceptions to the rule forbidding polygamy. He was honored, quite unexpectedly, to begin a new branch of the patriarchal line through marriage. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 1:5; 1 Nephi 5:4-5) Reading the Brass plates, Lehi discovered his genealogy. He was of the House of Joseph (through Manasseh). Then God instructed Lehi to send specifically for Ishmaels family, whose patriarch agreed to go into the wilderness with his family of women after we did speak unto [Ishmael] the words of the Lord. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 7:4) Why did Ishmael drop everything and take his vulnerable daughters into the desert when he learned that Lehi had the Brass Plates (the scriptures Nephi had retrieved)? We shall see that Ishmael was necessarily the heir of the patriarchal priesthood birthright of Ephraim, whose unworthy sons evidently failed to live up to their responsibilities as heirs. Maybe neither was found to be heir of the Birthright. The Bible stories detailing his forefathers and mothers many struggles to carry on the chosen line, underscore the weighty charge that necessarily preoccupied aging Ishmaels mind. He had apparently not been commanded to take another wife as a solution to his defaulting sons. Jerusalem was facing destruction and it looked like the holy birthright must end with him. The Nephi and his brothers may have told Ishmael the pertinent details of their fathers genealogy. There are indications

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that Lehi was the heir of Manasseh I discuss elsewhere. Because we lost the Book of Lehi, we do not have these compelling words of the Lord that Nephi spoke to Ishmael, nor the explicit confirmation of whether each were patriarchs of their respective Houses. They were both priests of the higher, priesthood. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 7:22) That one was a high priest of Ephraim and the other Manasseh, is a sufficient key, given everything else. It would have been simple just to confirm his fathers and Ishmaels true lineages, but clearly that was no accidental oversight. Nephi explicitly left that precise information out. He took a chapter to explain that the genealogy didnt matter to him because such things are pleasing to the world, and he commanded his children in future only to write the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi chapter 6) Nephis ostentatious refusal alone arouses our heightened curiosity to suspect their genealogies must be stellar. Either this unresolved question over proofs is meant to be for us a test of belief, (The Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 26:8-11) or Nephi feared such exalted lineages would excite pride in his descendants, who might use the genealogies to divide into classes. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 9:30; Alma 32:2; 4 Nephi 1:26) Either way, we shall see that there is abundant evidence in Nephis writings to believe Ishmael was the true possessor of the Birthright, if we so choose. At any rate, and despite Ishmaels own standing, his lackluster sons were non-entities (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 7:6; 16:20, 37; 18:9, 17; Alma 18:38) Possibly, each shirked his responsibility by marrying outside of their bloodlines, as Esau once had. (The Holy Bible, Genesis 27:46) Still, each had enough heritage to father a nation of Ephraim in the New World. Millennia before, father Israel (Jacob), had once divided the single,

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priesthood Birthright of the patriarchs between two branches of the House of Joseph, those of his sons Ephraim and of Manasseh. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. (The Holy Bible, Hebrews 11:21) Now we see that a marriage, long anticipated brought renewed vigor to a line now spent (as evidenced by the nullity sons of Ishmael) reuniting the long sundered House of Joseph of Egypt. My own brother noticed in the passage about the ship voyage to the Americas, that Nephi spoke of my Father, and my parents (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 18:17), but then later, in the same context, tellingly described the mother of his two little brothers as being, their mother, not his. And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 18:19) This is definitive. We would have expected Nephi to say, our mother, if indeed their mother was his mother, Sariah. But Nephi had already described his own mother, and my parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon their sick-beds, without, however, mentioning his little brothers. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 18:17) It is an offhand, but revealing distinction. Nephi casually disclosed that his brothers were actually half-brothers. His separate descriptions of the two mothers provide a stark contrast between Nephis own, the grey-haired and near-death Sariah versus their youthful, though miserable mother, unable to nurse her distraught boys (she is in the company of Nephis wife, according to their age). This passage alone conclusively shows Lehi entered into a second marriage.

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The full tally of children from Lehis second marriage were Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters... (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 5:6) When, years later, failing Lehi went to bless his family, it was these youngest sons of the chosen daughter who received the longest and most significant blessings. It was while searching the chapter introducing those blessings that my brother found the decisive scripture, explicitly substantiating the fact of Lehis second marriage to a daughter of Ishmael. And now my son, Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my sons who are the sons of Ishmael, behold, if ye will hearken unto the voice of Nephi ye shall not perish (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 1:28) Who are these sons of Lehi, who are the sons of Ishmael? Lehi is referring to Jacob and Joseph. We would say they are Ishmaels grandsons, but Lehi is consistent when he later says to Lamans children, Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my first-born (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 4:3, 9) How do we know that my sons who are the sons of Ishmael, really refers to Jacob and to Joseph? Otherwise not mentioned by name in chapter 1 of 2 Nephi, those two scions were the stars of the show and the main focus of Lehis patriarchal blessings. Their individual blessings are whole chapters each, while the sons of Sariah share an initial chapter, together. This is because the older brothers were of Manasseh while their younger half-brothers were the legitimate heirs of Ephraim, too. They were the kind of sons Ishmael always wanted but did not live to behold. How do we know for certain that Lehi wasnt just referring to Ishmaels adult sons? We have seen, already, that Lehi blessed Ishmaels adult sons after he finished blessing his immediate family. Behold, he spake unto the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 4:10) Jacob and Joseph, though grandsons of Ishmael, were still

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children of Lehis immediate family whom he blessed first. Anyway, Ishmaels married sons were no sons of Lehi. This clear, yet forever unnoticed (except by Steven), reference to the younger brothers as being both sons of Ishmael and of Lehi is proof positive of Lehis second marriage to one of Ishmaels daughters. Another, now seemingly self-evident, clue (that Jacob and Joseph were sons of a second marriage, and not of Sariah), is found in the fact that Jacob was called my first-born in the wilderness. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:1) This confusing title, suggesting a second, firstborn son of Sariah, doesnt make sense and would seem to be an unnecessary, even provocative slap in my first-born Lamans face (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 4:3) Laman was notoriously jealous of his rights as the eldest and whose abusive behavior toward Jacob is even acknowledged in the latters patriarchal blessing. But the title of firstborn is germane were Jacob actually to be the eldest of a second wife. Of course, it was in the wilderness that Lehi and the mother of Jacob were joined in matrimony to save the patriarchal line. Hence, And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren. Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:1-2) Jacob was the firstborn son of a second wife whom his father married in the wilderness. Lehi says a great deal in his blessings to these two sons, but it was younger Joseph who inherited the Birthright of the Everlasting Covenant of the priesthood with its promise of an everlasting posterity.

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Lehi plainly promised his son Joseph, that thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 3:3), unlike Nephis doomed descendants. That meant that there would always be a preserved remnant through little Joseph. And again, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 3:23) In other words, this branch of the family line was promised continue into the later days, unlike the wicked Nephites. For the Righteous Branch is the righteous remnant of the House of Joseph of Egypt, after whom Lehis son Joseph was named. The book is none other than the Brass Plates, the book of scripture Nephi and his brothers had earlier retrieved, also foretold to be handed from father to son until it goes forth to all nations in future. Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon. (The Book of Mormon, Alma 37:4-12; see also 1 Nephi 5:18-19) This is the book the Josephites were promised to perpetually honor by the foreknowledge of God. This further illustrates and confirms their preserved, righteous status come down to our day. Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls. And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved and he will also still show forth his power in them unto future generations; therefore they shall be preserved (The Book of Mormon, Alma 37:6-8, 19) The preservation of the Brass Plates by the preserved Josephites has confounded the wise. The Brass Plates have been preserved by being kept and handed down

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from one generation to another to come forth in the Restoration of All Things through the Josephites, who likewise enjoy the same promise of preservation. Additionally, Josephs descendants were forever given the Promised Land of the Americas, conditional only upon young Josephs personal righteousness. And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 3:1) You will notice that the promise of an everlasting inheritance to the Josephites was explicitly given with thy brethren (those who would be numbered among the Josephites) which we shall see includes the Jacobites, the Zoramites and even some Nephites. The contemporary Righteous Branch claim all the tribes of Native who honor their righteous traditions, that is who think like they do as opposed the Europeans. This covenant of the Lord flatly contradicts our LDS assertion, found in the Introduction, all were destroyed, except the Lamanites. We shall soon see how Jacob obtained from God his own promise of preservation for his descendants, like unto Josephs promise. These sworn promises of God are real, though foreseen to be neglected by Latter Day Saints who have not believed the Book 0of Mormon enough. This is the much coveted covenant of an everlasting inheritance in the Americas, that will be shared liberally with whomever is numbered among the Righteous Branch. In contrast, whoever is numbered among the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has no such promise. Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that whoso repenteth not must perish. (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi

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14:5) This verse links our repentance with the covenants guaranteeing security we have failed to understand and believe. Without being numbered among the Righteous Branch no Natives or Europeans, not even Latter Day Saints, have a future in the Americas. The Righteous Branchs divine promise of the Land of Zion for thy security forever, is the third (in 2 Nephi 3), scriptural witness confirming the Josephites everlasting, preserved status by covenant. What this means is that the holy lineage of the patriarchs, shown here to exist in 600 BC, found unexpected renewal and obtained further promises to continue forever. (My first book, The Righteous Branch, is a more thorough review of the all Lords covenants with the patriarchs.) The contemporary Righteous Branch were never scattered by the Gentiles but continue to live securely in their remote, arid homeland. This spot of ground was poorer than the first it hath brought forth much fruit. (The Book of Mormon, Jacob 5:23) The exciting news is that remnant of the Righteous Branch of Lehi has come down to the present time. The Book of Mormon prophets are alive and well. I have met and studied with them and they blessed me to write these books, this one in particular showing the fullness of the Gospel as contained in the Book of Mormon. We all may know the righteous children of the Book of Mormon people, the likes of Lehi, Sariah, Nephi, Alma, Mormon and moroni. They are a wonderful and even a magical people. And, as we shall see, this Righteous Branch is a hot topic.

Personal Story
I am now going to tell what happened with me that led me here. It is an awful story but you may as well hear it from me. Since before my LDS mission I was very interested in spiritual healing and it dawned on

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me that we LDS do not have a systematic way to help people with their weaknesses and wounds. By that I mean, we dont have a class or program where people who are struggling or falling apart can go to solve their problems in the context of our faith. As a church we employ Mental Health professionals and refer our most vulnerable people out. This utter reliance on a godless, quazi-science reflects a lost battle for the souls of our people that was never really fought. After studying with a philosopher at BYU in the late 1970s I believed I could train as a psychologist and keep my testimony. By 1992 I was a psychologist living in rural Utah, and had come to believe (correctly) that understanding the mystery of Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) was a key to understanding the nature of our spirits. I prayed to know these things and in due course was given what I asked for. In addition to my regular practice, I worked intensively to heal SRA with several women and men. In that process, the scriptures became very real for me. Several, exhausting years later I knew a lot but had also failed. As a consequence of my failure I knew I was going to loose everything. In brief, I had learned how to guide married couples in healing a spouses sexual wounding. Childhood sexual abuse infringes on free agency, since a child cannot knowingly consent. Thus, anyone who was sexually abused as a child, is deeply conflicted about sex (or shut down so as to be unaware) and is not fully free to love and trust a mate. The childs spirit fragments in an effort to rid him, or her of the dreadful implications arising from sexual abuse. We come down to earth for experience, but after eating this bitter fruit we shut down, rejecting that portion of us that was turned-on, thus hardening ourselves from ever experiencing the possibility of wholehearted love between a husband and wife. That precious, marital love is a Fruit of the Tree of

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Life. The solution is found in a form of repentance to make the individual whole once more, except this repenting is of the abusers sin against the child. It is someone elses sin, but we get to repent of its consequences for us. This process, where Jesus says all must come unto Him, restores free agency. And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost (The Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 9:20) This unexpected avenue of repentance brings the wounded, child-like part of the spouse back into the present consciousness to be healed through Christ. The child-like part of a wife or husband, who actually experienced the abusive, sexual event must brought back into the present time and sufficiently owned, which is daunting. Coming unto Christ with our broken hearts is a spiritual or energetic endeavor requiring us to face our worst fears involving all the energy of heart (The Book of Mormon, Moroni 7:48) in order to work through the layers. Again, the wounded partner must literally, become as a child, the same child who was abused. (The Holy Bible, Matthew 18:3; The Book of Mormon, Mosiah 3:18) His or her spouse then patiently follows the Three Steps of Spiritual Healing; 1) to acknowledge the feelings of that wounded part of his or her spouse, 2) to love them in that place, and 3) to assist to bring him or her unto Christ. (There can be a lot to this basic process.) We are taught there must be opposition in all things and this truth applies within our spirits most of all. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:11) When we reject a part of our spirit, due to trauma, that part of us stays bound by trauma, wherefore, it must needs remain as dead. It is only through providing new experience that this spiritual death may transform through the atonement, and

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restore our free agency. That process requires courage to own the past, by bringing the same traumatized part of our spirit that had the negative event, back into the present time, truly becoming as a child. This is where a loving, safe spouse can provide the positive, sexual alternative to replace the bitter past, they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good. (The Pearl of Great Price, Moses 6:55) Unlike others, a legitimate spouse is also protected by his or her marriage covenant from catching negative energy. What I did not get then, is that the ultimate safety required to be totally vulnerable is only found within marriage. Without the assurance of that depth of commitment to the one, the core of their beloveds wound will never fully manifest itself to be healed. You can start and even make astounding progress, but without that commitment, which can only be made to one person, you cannot see it through. I surely could not provide that to multiple individuals, and I deserve that commitment, too. Ultimately then, it is only a devoted spouse who may offer such a thoroughgoing, positive set of opposing experiences to heal his or her beloved. There are many couples who can testify that I have helped them get to a much better, even joyful place through Christ. It may sound simple enough but it can be a challenge. I am one of those guys who became over-involved with his clients and had sex with a handful of them. This happened because I did not perceive they were marriageable, I wrongly believed I could help save them and did not have the faith to watch them be spiritually overcome, after I invested myself. In other words, I was crazy and it was hell. I am not trying to excuse myself, just to explain what happened. I do not think I am a righteous man, merely a repentant one. Had I had a sexual affair with someone whom I was attracted to, it

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would have been more understandable and perhaps more satisfying, but it wasnt like that. And so my life was over, but not quite. For then I found the blessed Native American Healing Tradition. In addition to being healed I learned many more things, which put everything else I had learned in perspective. The Native Healing Tradition is Christ-centered and faith-based. To be clear, my problems as a psychologist started before I sought their help, not afterwards. I have since strictly honored the law of chastity in my healing work. And because I repented of my shocking, weird behavior, I was inadvertently repenting of a similar spirit found in polygamy (that I have never been part of), but which my repentance allowed me to see properly as a doctrinal error (as discussed in chapter 13). My Teacher from Mexico, whom I first met early in 1998, was particularly helpful and gave me the peace and courage to turn myself into the State board in 2000, where I was allowed by stipulation to surrender my license. I have not practiced psychology since. My Teacher also blessed me to write this book. When I approached my stake president for help, at first he was sympathetic. But word came down to treat me differently. I had hoped I could tell my story and show what I had learned from the Native Americans. Despite my many rights and guarantees to the contrary (Doctrine & Covenants, 102:12 33), I was denied the right to present evidence and to bring witnessesthat isto be heard, let alone heard twice more, as the commandments provide. I found out later it wasnt just me but a trend. We, as a church, have changed the ordinance of excommunication. You could say that, in part, I have written this book to be heard, but not for my sake only, but for all our sakes. When it comes to the ancient law of the Testimony of Three, it means providing three scriptural witnesses to establish the truth. The single argument I have
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heard against my writing, however, is directed at me. It concerns my (admitted) unworthiness, as in how can you believe him, but not addressing the truths I show from the scriptures. That, in philosophical terms, is called an ad hominem argument. An ad hominem argument is defined as an attack on an opponents character rather than giving answer to his assertions. (Websters Dictionary) It is an appeal to prejudice rather than to intellect. But this is a dangerous fallacy on its face, one that should be well known and guarded against by Mormons. Of all people, we should know it is rash to condemn something without even studying it first. For behold, the same that judgeth rashly shall be judged rashly again; for according to his works shall his wages be... (The Book of Mormon, Mormon 8:19) Our founding prophet, Joseph Smith was warned as a youth that his name would be known for good and evil among all people. Evidently, God is not adverse to controversy, even if we are. I am sorry that my past sins may be a stumbling block for you. As if my actual sins werent bad enough, terrible lies were also said of me alleging I sexually abused my own children. I have no doubt these untruths will be exposed as the full story comes to light. I confidently look forward to this development. Yes, I did wrong things with adults in a misguided effort to combat their abuse as children, but I never abused children. My problems occurred in the context of my stand against SRA, not as an abuser as was falsely alleged. In the Native American tradition, they believe that if someone repents, but is still treated accusingly as though he has not, the same energy that the accused has repented of comes upon his accuser. We call it seeking occasion. (Doctrine & Covenants, 64:8-14) How do you know when someone truly repents? This is no mystery. By this ye may know

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if a man repenteth of his sinsbehold, he will confess them and forsake them. (Doctrine & Covenants, 58:43) I have forsaken my sins. I disgraced myself and I am truly sorry. Nevertheless, my desire to share what I have found has required me to admit my former sins many times over, as I am doing here, which has helped me learn humility. Understandably, my favorite prophets have become David and Alma the Younger. Since repenting, my mistakes no longer define me as such. The new beginnings that repentance provides allow life to go on. And since so many struggle with grievous things, there is always hire for the laborer who knows how to honor the scriptures by bringing unto Christ. For when you (or your child) are drowning in floodwaters, anyone with a life preserver becomes relevant, but the healing Word of Christ is a foundation of rock. What I have discovered, such as the mystery of the Divine Mother as our Tree of Life, is so precious to me that, like Lehi, I cant help but look around to see who is interested. That and the real fact the Times of Tribulation are almost upon us as our day of grace expires. For if I, who am a man, do lift up my voice and call upon you to repent, and ye hate me, what will ye say when the day cometh when the thunders shall utter their voices from the ends of the earth, speaking to the ears of all that live, sayingRepent, and prepare for the great day of the Lord? (Doctrine & Covenants, 43:21)

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