From the diary of Christopher Columbus:
“From my first youth onward, I was a seaman and have so continued until this day…Wherever on the earth a ship has been, I have been. I have spoken and treated with, learned men, priests, and laymen, Latins, and Greeks, Jews and Moors, and with many men of other faiths. The Lord was well disposed to my desire, and He gave me in abundance, of astrology, as much as was needed, and of geometry and astronomy likewise. Further, He gave me joy and cunning in drawing maps and thereon cities, mountains, rivers, islands, and harbours, each one in its place. I have seen and truly I have studied all books–cosmographies, histories, chronicles, and philosophies, and other arts, for which our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my emprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But how can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?”
Latter-Day scriptures identify this man and confirm the influence that fell upon Columbus to set him “upon the sea.” “And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.”
The Prophet Nephi was further told; “And this land shall be a land of Liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles. An I will fortify this land against all other nations.”
The annals of history have established American to be a land unexcelled in its provision of freedom to the inhabitants. Nowhere else in the world can a nation be found which allows the people to govern as does America. Nowhere else in the world can be found an economic system which allows for individual achievement as does America.
Further evidence of the special place America has as a bastian of freedom can be extracted from a close study of events during the revolutionary war. In a war that found the Colonists outmanned and outclassed, miracle after miracle brought Washington’s men to victory. One such example is the battle of Cowpens. The patriots lured the British into a pursuit wherein 400 plus colonists waited to ambush them. After a brief battle the colonists retreated across the Catawba River. When the British reached the river a surprise flash flood made the river impassable. The British waited for the waters to recede then pursued the colonists to the Yankin river. After the colonists crossed the Yankin the river reached flood stage causing the British to once again wait a day to cross. For a third time, the oolonists crossed the Dan river with the same result thus preventing the British from pursuing them. The British commander said “We would have caught the colonists again had the rivers not risen.” This is just one example of many miracles that demonstrated the hand of divine providence in giving victory to the Americans.
Believing that Columbus, in his own words, was inspired by the Holy Ghost is recognition by those of us who believe his words, of the hand of God in preserving America as a land of promise.
Move to the 2016 American Presidential election. All polls and reports as late as the night before the election predicted a landslide victory for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate for President. It was not until late into the night that shock set in. Hillary lost the rust belt; the firewall that had, for decades, given democrats victory after victory. Pundits are, to this day, baffled as to what happened and most explanations are conjecture. Everything’s from Hillary’s failure to campaign in the rust belt states to James Comey’s email investigation statements. All conjecture.
I have my opinion. America has gradually moved away from the promise of freedom to a country where government is our dictator. More and more we are being told through regulations how we should act and think. It was Ronald Reagan who said; “Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not to run their lives.” Uncontrolled spending and a burgeoning national debt have caused the Golden Goose to begin consuming its own eggs. And the list goes on.
The direction of our government has to change and I believe it did so in a dramatic, if not miraculous fashion on November 8, 2016. Across the land from governorships, congressional seats all the way to the presidency, the voters asked to have freedom from the bondage of oppressive government removed from their lives.
The polls were wrong because so many voters were tired of the hate and vitriol poured out upon them when they expressed their views. They therefore, remained silent. Their views were expressed at the polls.
It is my opinion that the same spirit that guided Christopher Columbus to the land of promise fell upon voters who were tired of government control of their lives. They voted their conscience and it made the difference. By so doing all the freedoms we hold dear can be preserved.
I believe strongly in the power of prayer and my prayers to God, the giver of freedom, for the country prior to the November election went something like this:
“Please bless the voters of this great land to select the person who will best preserve the freedoms that we hold so dear.”
Did the same spirit that fell upon Columbus also fall upon the voters in 2016?
authorbobtait 