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I have one illustrious Mormon ancestor who I later learned was deeply involved in various nefarious activities during the time of Joseph and Brigham. He is the one who is always praised and the one whom the family reunions organize around.

A traitor. A sex trafficker. A terrorist. A possible murderer. A thief.

Multiple wives, buried in his temple robes, revered for generations.

And yet in the closer part of my family I have two uncles who were in combat in WW2, one at the liberation of Buchenwald. My father was part of the Berlin Airlift that saved countless German lives. Those are my real heroes, my real examples. But you will never know their names.

Interesting. Are you sure? The next question is who is it, but maybe you don't want to say. I get it.

Maksutov wrote:A traitor. A sex trafficker. A terrorist. A possible murderer. A thief.

George A. Smith?

Dr. Shades wrote:

Maksutov wrote:A traitor. A sex trafficker. A terrorist. A possible murderer. A thief.

George A. Smith?

They knew each other well.

deacon blues wrote:Interesting. Are you sure? The next question is who is it, but maybe you don't want to say. I get it.

I'm sure. I just never saw it in that light before. I understand a bit more the situation of the descendants of Nazis and Confederates.

Maksutov wrote:I have one illustrious Mormon ancestor who I later learned was deeply involved in various nefarious activities during the time of Joseph and Brigham. He is the one who is always praised and the one whom the family reunions organize around.

A traitor. A sex trafficker. A terrorist. A possible murderer. A thief.

Multiple wives, buried in his temple robes, revered for generations.

And yet in the closer part of my family I have two uncles who were in combat in WW2, one at the liberation of Buchenwald. My father was part of the Berlin Airlift that saved countless German lives. Those are my real heroes, my real examples. But you will never know their names.

It’s sad that this one relative is more revered in your family circle than your designated heroes. For what it’s worth, I think you made the right choice in terms of who to revere.

Maksutov wrote:

Dr. Shades wrote:George A. Smith?

They knew each other well.

That narrows it down to either Porter Rockwell or Brigham Young himself. :-)

Jesse Pinkman wrote:

Maksutov wrote:I have one illustrious Mormon ancestor who I later learned was deeply involved in various nefarious activities during the time of Joseph and Brigham. He is the one who is always praised and the one whom the family reunions organize around.

A traitor. A sex trafficker. A terrorist. A possible murderer. A thief.

Multiple wives, buried in his temple robes, revered for generations.

And yet in the closer part of my family I have two uncles who were in combat in WW2, one at the liberation of Buchenwald. My father was part of the Berlin Airlift that saved countless German lives. Those are my real heroes, my real examples. But you will never know their names.

It’s sad that this one relative is more revered in your family circle than your designated heroes. For what it’s worth, I think you made the right choice in terms of who to revere.

Me too. And that's the family history that I will pass on.

Dr. Shades wrote:

Maksutov wrote:A traitor. A sex trafficker. A terrorist. A possible murderer. A thief.

George A. Smith?

I had to look this up. I did not know of his part in the Mountain Meadow Incident or that the soon to be departed wagon train was the richest one of the 19th Century. Sort of sheds a new light on the motivations involved.

moksha wrote:

Dr. Shades wrote:George A. Smith?

I had to look this up. I did not know of his part in the Mountain Meadow Incident or that the soon to be departed wagon train was the richest one of the 19th Century. Sort of sheds a new light on the motivations involved.

Mormons had been accused of theft, counterfeiting and other criminality from the early days. But you have to understand, like the story of Laban, it was all in the service of the Lord.