To celebrate the kickoff to the 2025 NFL season (Eagles -7.5 vs the Cowboys), we begin in the obvious place with a discussion of Orson Hyde’s letter to the Missouri Republican in 1861, providing commentary on the Civil War. They read an email from a litner who shares how she used to be afraid of Church history and how the podcast has given her confidence in the face of anti-Mormon garbage, and Richard shares his feelings on the idea of putting Gospel and Church history topics “on a shelf”…spoiler alert, he doesn’t like the expression. Kristy’s KorneЯ (Last Minute Lesson Prep): We ran out of time. There is no way your Sunday School teacher will be getting D&C 94 through 97. Use any of the three-part rerelease from D&C 93 last week, and you should be in great shape. Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2027: ⁠ https://standardoftruth.com/tours Our 2026 tours are sold out, but if you would like to join us in the future, here is a link to our 2027 tours: ⁠ Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com Rex’s Elders Quorum President’s Show Notes: • 00:01:20 – Richard’s new glasses, carrots, and “big carrot conspiracy” • 00:03:40 – Football season talk (NFL & College) • 00:09:20 – Listener mailbag begins • 00:09:36 – Testimony of Emer Harris and family connections • 00:15:00 – Listener Danica’s email on family faith struggles and church history fears • 00:25:00 – Richard’s thoughts on “putting things on the shelf” vs. gaining testimony • 00:31:00 – Discussion of Lyman Johnson’s regret and the value of faith • 00:35:00 – Dawson’s email introducing Orson Hyde’s Civil War commentary • 00:37:00 – Civil War Prophecy context: hindsight bias and the problem of interpreting prophecy. • 00:39:00 – Challenges of Second Coming prophecies and people’s tendency to over-interpret. • 00:40:30 – Specifics of Joseph Smith’s prophecy: slavery, South Carolina, and secession. • 00:43:00 – Why hindsight makes the Civil War “seem obvious,” but it wasn’t. • 00:45:00 – South Carolina newspapers downplaying fears of a large-scale war. • 00:47:00 – Border state (Missouri) newspapers hoping for compromise to avoid war. • 00:51:00 – Virginia’s “scandalous” call for 10,000–20,000 militia—later dwarfed by actual numbers. • 00:53:00 – Historical context: the Nullification Crisis and its contrast with Joseph’s prophecy. • 00:55:00 – War of 1812 Hartford Convention—New England nearly seceding. • 01:00:00 – Hindsight bias analogy: Neville Chamberlain’s “peace for our time.” • 01:02:00 – Why critics’ arguments against Joseph Smith’s prophecy are hollow. • 01:05:00 – Civil War prophecy in early manuscripts and the Pearl of Great Price (1851). • 01:07:00 – Prophecy credibility, critics’ weak arguments, and final remarks.