What bravery! They died with their boots on!' remarked one of
the Zapatista executioners about the surreal way Rafael Monroy
and Vicente Morales had stood to receive the fusillade of bullets
that pierced their bodies. The terror of facing an execution squad
notwithstanding, no cowering, begging, or hysterics marred their
calm and stalwart resolution to not renounce their faith. Instead,
the men reaffirmed their religious convictions, emphasizing that
the only arms they possessed were not concealed military weapons
but rather their sacred texts'the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
This volume gives readers an intriguing look at the tumultuous
but faith-filled experiences of the Saints seeking to establish a
piece of Zion in Mexico. From the founding of the LDS Church
amid revolutionary war in the late nineteenth century through
the trials of organizing the faith in the state of Hidalgo into
the 1950s, this book places historical Mormon figures clearly
within the context of the country's society, economy, and
polity. Readers will learn the background and details of how
the Church survived Mexico's civil war of 1910'17, when its
members were under severe duress from insurgent militias as
well as their own government. Members with ties to Mexico or
anyone with an interest in Church history will enjoy discovering
this somewhat unknown chapter of building the kingdom.
