The Way Theorists Think Regarding Their Predetermined Models – Part I

In further discussion of Rod L.Meldrum’s “Heartland Model,” one cannot wonder at his interpretation of bits and pieces of Church lore and recorded history. In trying to show that the mound-building Hopewell Indians of the Great Lakes area were the descendants of the Nephites-Lamanites, Meldrum writes on his website:
"Even more importantly than what Joseph said is what he personally wrote. But even more important than what he wrote is what he DID. When commanded by God to send missionaries to preach the gospel “unto the Lamanites” (see D&C 28:8 Sept. 1830) Joseph immediately dispatched three men. Oliver Cowdrey (D&C 28:8), Peter Whitmer Jr. (D&C 30:5-6) and Parley P. Pratt (D&C 32:1-2). Parley P. Pratt recorded in his autobiography, p 56-61, “Thus ended our first Indian Mission, in which we had preached the Gospel in its fullness and distributed the record of their forefathers among three tribes…” And where did the prophet Joseph send those missionaries? To Buffalo New York, Ohio, and west of Missouri. And isn’t it ironic that he just happened to send these first missionaries to the very tribes that today have Haplogroup X (European) DNA…how did Joseph know that? How many missionaries did Joseph Smith send to Guatemala?”

While I am not a fan of the Mesoamerican scene, it must be pointed out in answer to such a wild claim that:

1. The Hopewell Indians, or the Lamanites of Buffalo, New York, Ohio, and West Missouri, were the closest Indian tribes to where the Church was located. They were also peaceful tribes, and those in which the Latter-day Saints had already made contact through their travels. It would stand to reason, unless directed otherwise, that the Lamanites nearest to them would be the first Lamanites to receive missionaries. There were also missionaries sent to the eastern U.S. and into Canada in those early days—these were missions close to home.

2. The conditions in Guatemala, in fact, all of Latin America, was not conducive to missionary work in the 1830s or even up until the 1870s. In 1821, Guatemala gained independence from Spain, and in 1824 joined the Central American Federation, but in 1838, the Federation disbanded, due to a revolt against it led by an indigenous general, Rafael Carrera, who then seized control of the newly independent nation of Guatemala. Following Carrera, Guatemala was ruled by a military dictator Justo Rufino Barrios, who was followed by many military dictators. In the 1850s, Parley P. Pratt was sent to preach in Chile, but not until the 1870s, after Meliton Trejo and Daniel Jones had translated the Book of Mormon into Spanish that missionary work began on a permanent footing in Mexico. Missionaries were not sent to Guatemala until 1947 (today membership stands at over 700,000 after 50 years of preaching there). It is obvious that the conditions for preaching to the Lamanites in the eastern U.S. was far more conducive than Guatemala (or all of Latin America) in the early days of the Church.
3. Meldrum wrote: “The very tribes that today have Haplogroup X (European) DNA.” It is interesting when someone begins to use DNA as a proof of a certain ancestry. The trouble is, there are as many interpretations of DNA origination in native American populations as there are tests. The Center for Molecular Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA., research shown in the article “mtDNA haplogroup X: An ancient link between Europe/Western Asia and North America?” does not center any percentage among the Mediterranean area, as Muldrum claims. However, DNA is suspect in any test, since its value hinges on the interpretation and evaluation of the tester. As stated in an earlier post, certainly no Lamanite DNA can be found to be consistent with that of Lehi’s progenitors since the Lord changed the overall appearance of the Lamanites (2 Nephi 5:21). And how would the creator of all DNA, the building blocks of our entire physical being, change the Lamanites’ appearance? Obviously through changing their DNA. Thus, Lamanite DNA would not match any Old World DNA found within Lehi’s or Ishmael’s originations. And any DNA testing done today to show ancient ancestry must be suspect since all races and peoples have intermarried and mixed DNA measurement over a widespread region.

One thing is certain, though. Lehi’s descendants through Laman, Lemuel, and the sons of Ismael (Lamanites) should and will be found throughout the Western Hemisphere. On that there can be no question. To try and limit that descendency to a certain region is nothing more than being disingenuous.

(See the next post -- The Way Theorists Think Regarding Their Predetermined Models – Part II)