"An LDS leader speaking at Brigham Young University in 1954 said: ""A Chinese, born in China with a dark skin and with all the handicaps of that race, seems to have little opportunity. But think of the mercy of God to Chinese people who are willing to accept the gospel, in spite of what they might have done in the pre-existence to justify being born over there."" Such was the thinking of the day-not just among Latter-day Saints- which marshaled biblical evidence for a genetic hierarchy. Similarly, Mormons have typically seen Native Americans as a fallen race of Israelite origin. Enter modern genetics to test the claim that ancient Americans were Israelites. The results- including the story of how this research has unfolded over the past few years-indicate how slowly but surely such thinking changes over time."