Home

H38 Virus

 

  1. Thomas Stuart Ferguson
  2. J.A. Washburn
  3. John E. Clark
  4. William J. Hamblin
  5. J Theodore Brandley
  6. Virginia Elieson & Sanford Elieson
  7. Peter Covino, Jr.
  8. C. W. Clark
  9. Lynn Rosenvall & David Rosenvall
  10. Lawrence Poulsen
  11. Joel Hardy
  12. James Warr
  13. John Sorenson
  14. Patrick L. Simiskey
  15. Rodney Meldrum
  16. Wayne May
  17. V. Garth Norman
  18. John Lund
  19. Stephen Carr
  20. Dr. F. Richard Hauck
  21. Joseph Allen
  22. uft36
  23. Just Marlene Newell
  24. W. Vincent Coon
  25. Phyllis Carol Olive
  26. L. H. Pearson, Ph.D.
  27. Scott Hamilton
  28. Duane R. Aston
  29. Delbert W. Curtis
  30. Paul Hedengren
  31. Ralph Olsen
  32. Chet Meek
  33. Aric Turner
  34. Eugene L. Peay
  35. P. Douglas Kiester M.D.
  36. Del DowDell
  37. Joshua B. Mariano & Edwin Goble
  38. Journey of Faith: The New World
  39. Reflections with Christ, Another Testament
  40. Christ in America Foundation

!! WARNING: THE H38 VIRUS HAS HIT BOOK OF MORMON GEOGRAPHY MODELS EVERYWHERE!!

 

What is the H38 Virus? H38 stands for Helamn 3:8 which says:

And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread and did go forth from the land southward to the LAND NORTHWARD and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the SEA SOUTH to the SEA NORTH, from the SEA WEST to the SEA EAST. (Helaman 3:8)

1. The Land Northward was a prized piece of land. The Jaredites lived there solely, and the Nephites protected it at all costs, living there exclusively just before their extinction in 400 AD. The land was considered "choice above all other lands."

Ether truly told them of all things from the beginning of man and that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord. (Ether 13:2)

2. The Land Northward was such a small piece of land, the scent of their dead covered "all the face of the land:"

And the scent thereof went forth upon the face of the land, even upon all the face of the land; wherefore the people became troubled by day and by night, because of the scent thereof. (Ether 14:23)

3. The Land Northward was crossed by the Mulekites, they having first landed in the northern border then traveled south later to found Zarahemla. A true model must have a LAND NORTHWARD bordered by the SEA NORTH connecting to the "GREAT DEEP." (1 Nephi 17:17; Omni 1:16; Ether 6:3, 2:25, 7:27, 8:9; Helaman 12:16; 2 Nephi 4:20)

And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation, it being so far northward that it came into the land which had been peopled and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken, which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla, IT BEING THE PLACE OF THEIR FIRST LANDING. (Alma 22:30)

 

The H38 Virus has systematically removed all references to Helaman 3:8 from Book of Mormon Geography maps. Here is a list of its latest victims:

 

Thomas Stuart Ferguson

 

Thomas Stuart Ferguson, Cumorah - Where? (book), 1947.

 

As can be seen, the H38 Virus moved the Sea North from north of the Land Northward to north of the Land Southward, and the Sea South from south of the Land Northward to south of the Land Southward.

 

Sadly, the H38 Virus did not stop at Ferguson's map, but went on to remove references to the Sea North and Sea South from the book text. In a chapter of geographical references, Ferguson rightly cites all of Helaman 3:8 (p. 23), but later, when he extracts the more "important phrases and statements" from those references, Helaman 3:8 was attacked. All that remained after the attack was the following:

#28 "the land northward," a place where the people did spread insomuch that they began to cover the entire area from the sea west to the sea east (note direction of colonization and note shipping was up coast) and where the people did "dwell in tents, and in houses of cement," and where they had cities, temples, synagogues, sanctuaries, and all manner of buildings.

Typical as other modelers, Ferguson freely adds what's not there, and removes what is as if The Book was his own. The Sea North and Sea South are removed, and his interpolations of "direction of colonization" and "shipping" are unfounded.

 

Ferguson may not have lost faith in the historicity of the Book of Mormon had he extracted the text before choosing a piece of land by which he filtered what the Book of Mormon did or did not say. Ferguson should have given up faith in Middle America not the Book of Mormon!

 

J.A. Washburn and J.N. Washburn

 

J.A. Washburn and J.N. Washburn, "An Approach to the Study of Book of Mormon Geography" 1939 - book.

The most convulted of geography models, with multiple sea's North, South, East and West without a single piece of land surrounded by four. Despite such vagaries, the Washburn's are sure they're right:

Though much uncertainty exists regarding many details of the subject, the location of the lands of the Book of Mormon appears to be established beyond any question relatively speaking. Within a few hundred miles one might be wrong in suggesting locations, but there is little possibility that one can miss the whole land. (p. 194)

Funny how a model could miss ALL prophecies of the land, the Spiritual Geography! The following quote on the Narrow Neck reflects a bias throughout the book:

One of the foremost authorities in the Church placed it (Narrow Neck) at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and a number of other students have agreed with this. The present writers have no objection though this is the RESULT OF A FEELING RATHER THAN ANY DEFINITIVE EVIDENCE. (p 198)

 

The authors do not consider it their responsibility to answer this question (two Cumorah's) even if it requires an answer, yet they are sincerely interested in the answer. If their conclusions are in error, as indicated in the introduction, there is no need to find an answer at all. (p. 208)

The authors are immune from learning. If they are not right, the truth doesn't matter.

John E. Clark

 

 

Source: A Key For Evaluating Nephite Geographies by John E. Clark.

 

Here, the H38 Virus removed the Sea South from the Land Northward and placed it south of the Land Southward. To miss this point demonstrates an overall lack of understanding of Book of Mormon geography. On the other hand, if your model doesn't work, you can always revert to calling things "metaphors:"

The reference to north and south seas fits nicely into the Mesoamerican scene as part of a metaphor for the whole earth and was probably used in a metaphorical sense in the Book of Mormon." (A Key For Evaluating Nephite Geographies by John E. Clark in FARMS Review: Vol. 1, Issue 1, pp. 20-70 A review of "Deciphering the Geography of the Book of Mormon" by F. Richard Hauck Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1989, p. 65)

The H38 Virus has effectively removed the Sea's North and South from the Land Northward. Clarke makes it clear in the following statement, that he, like Washburn will never adjust his thinking:

 

I am convinced that the reference to a north sea and a south sea is devoid of any concrete geographical content. All specific references or allusions to Book of Mormon seas are only to the east and west seas. Any geography that tries to accommodate a north and south sea, I think, is doomed to fail. (Ibid.)

 

John Clark Model Reviewed

William J Hamblin

 

[no pic]

 

The virus is fond of John Clark. The mention of his name is enough to infect an article as occurred in "Basic Methodological Problems with the Anti-Mormon Approach to the Geography and Archaeology of the Book of Mormon, William J. Hamblin, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 2, Issue - 1, Pages: 161-97, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1993:

North and South Seas

Wilson also raises the question of how the sea north and sea south fit with the Limited Geography Model (3b), a matter which has been fully analyzed by John Clark.(Clark, "Key for Evaluating," 63–67) The north and south seas are mentioned only twice (Helaman 3:8; Alma 22:32), in a vague general sense. Clark rightly attributes these references to common ancient macrogeographical world-views of the earth surrounded by the primordial "ocean." THUS THE MINOR AND VAGUE MENTIONS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH SEAS REFER TO MACROGEOGRAPHICAL COSMIC WORLD-VIEWS OF SEAS SURROUNDING THE ENTIRE LANDMASS, RATHER THAN SPECIFIC IDENTIFIABLE BODIES OF WATER.

Their argument fails for the same reason they justify its use - the lack of repetition. If the meaning they attributed to the expression were true, the expression would occur MORE often when warranted. Consider the following verse:

And thus it did come to pass that the people of Nephi began to prosper again in the land, and began to build up their waste places and began to multiply and spread even until they DID COVER THE WHOLE FACE OF THE LAND BOTH ON THE NORTHWARD AND ON THE SOUTHWARD FROM THE SEA WEST TO THE SEA EAST. (Helaman 11:20)

 

And now I, Mormon, would that ye should know that the people had multiplied, insomuch that they were SPREAD UPON ALL THE FACE OF THE LAND and that they had become exceedingly rich, because of their prosperity in Christ. (4 Nephi 1:23)

 

But behold, the land was filled with robbers and with Lamanites; and notwithstanding the great destruction which hung over my people, they did not repent of their evil doings; therefore there was blood and carnage SPREAD THROUGHOUT ALL THE FACE OF THE LAND both on the part of the Nephites and also on the part of the Lamanites; and it was one complete revolution throughout ALL THE FACE OF THE LAND. (Mormon 2:8)

 

And they began to know that the Son of God must shortly appear; yea, in fine, all the people upon the FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH FROM THE WEST TO THE EAST BOTH IN THE LAND NORTH AND IN THE LAND SOUTH were so exceedingly astonished that they fell to the earth. (3 Nephi 1:17)

 

Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the WHOLE EARTH except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen! (3 Nephi 9:2)

 

The author (Mormon) is expressing "ALL OF THEIR LANDS" yet failed to use the so-called metaphor: "from the SEA SOUTH to the SEA NORTH, from the SEA WEST to the SEA EAST. "

 

J Theodore Brandley

 

Click for a review: A North American Setting by J Theodore Brandley

 

Virginia Elieson & Sanford Elieson

 

Virginia Elieson & Sanford Elieson "A Promised Land, The Land of Promise"

 

Peter Covino, Jr.

 

Peter Covino, Jr. of Alpha Publishing - "A Promised Land, the Land of Promise"

 

Like most modelers incorporating a Sea South, Covino has placed his south of Nephite lands instead of Jaredite lands where it was. The virus has thwarted any attempt of isolating a single piece of land with four seas, none of which being the sea the Jaredites, Nephites or Mulekites crossed.

 

Covino is unable, like Meldrum and May, to account for a Mulekite landing at the furthest reaches of their Land Northward, and their founding of the City of Zarahemla. It won't work. And like May/Meldrum, his River Sidon flows the wrong direction and Cumorah was never inhabited.

 

The following Book of Mormon geography distances don't fit either:

  • They believed they were on an isle of the sea. (2 Nephi 10:20; 29:7)
  • The Land Northward was completely surrounded by water. (Helaman 3:8)
  • The Land Southward was nearly surrounded by water (Alma 22:32).
  • The width of the land, from the East Sea to the West Sea was 1.5 days wide. (Alma 22:32)
  • The length of the land (Alma 22:29) from Bountiful on the north (Alma 27:22) to Manti on the south (Alma 16:7; 22:27) was a day. (Alma 43:18-24)
  • The width from Zarahemla to the East Sea less than a day. (Alma 58:14, 24-25)
  • The length of the Jaredite Land Northward was less than a day. (Ether 15:8-11)

Likewise the account of Coriantumr is infeasible, illogical, and ridiculous to consider on Covino's model:

22 And now when Coriantumr saw that he was in possession of the city of Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites had fled before them, and were slain, and were taken, and were cast into prison, and that he had obtained the possession of the strongest hold in all the land, his heart took courage insomuch that he was about to go forth against all the land.
23 And now he did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla but he did march forth with a large army even towards the city of Bountiful for it was his determination to go forth and cut his way through with the sword that he might obtain the NORTH PARTS OF THE LAND.
24 And, supposing that their greatest strength was in the center of the land, therefore he did march forth, giving them no time to assemble themselves together save it were in small bodies; and in this manner they did fall upon them and cut them down to the earth. (Helaman 1:22-23)


There is no single Land Northward isolated by a Narrow Neck along the western side north of the City of Zarahemla that one must traverse in order to obtain that prized piece of land - the Land of Desolation.

 

C. W. Clark - RLDS

 

C. W. Clark, "The Mound Builder and the Book of Mormon," Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly, Vol. 26, January, 1917, pp. 267-292)

Like Brandley, Elieson, Covino, and plenty more, Clark has no concept how small Book of Mormon lands are, or that there were pre-existing peoples on them before the arrival of Lehi or Mulek. It's a "hemispheric model" in other words. Really a regurgitation of the old school nonsense.

 

As for the mounds, Clark attributes the large "effigy" mounds to the Jaredites; the "higher class" mounds to the Nephites; and simple "burial" mounds to the Lamanites.

 

Clark circumscribes the progress of Book of Mormon events to mound locations with the overall view they were constantly moving north from Peru to Ohio. He does not say whether they went to Cumorah in New York or not. He forgets that the Nephites migrated only three times, thus, there should only be three populated areas - Land of Nephi, Zarahemla, and the Land Northward. And the Jaredites stayed solely in the Land Northward.

 

Without understanding the size of Book of Mormon lands, how one interprets the geography verses, and the archaeological record can be wrong. Only then can one interpret which mounds belonged to whom. We know that not all Lamanites were reckless, therefore, the mounds outside of Book of Mormon lands were Lamanite mounds.

 

Lynn Rosenvall & David Rosenvall

 

Lynn Rosenvall & David Rosenvall - Baja

 

The H38 Virus succeeded in placing the Sea North (Salton Sea) in place of the Sea East in their Land Northward; and the Sea South, south of the Land Southward.

 

Having an isolated Sea North does not work. The Mulekites came to the Land Norhward via the Sea North/Ripliancum, which was connected to the Great Deep, (which they crossed to get there) which is impossible with their model.

 

The Sea South is only cited in reference to the Jaredite Land Northward. To make the Baja model work, they interpret "land round about" to mean the Sea South:

"Mormon in his description of the land of Nephi also includes a noteworthy phrase—'the regions round about'...The southern sea boundary of their land—possibly a 'round about' shaped cape."

The twisting of scripture is often employed by geography enthusiasts. This is how it actually reads in full:

And it came to pass that the king sent a proclamation throughout all the land, amongst all his people who were in all his land who were in all the regions round about which was bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west—and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided. (Alma 22:27)

They misuse a second verse as well:

"This description of a circular land area is reinforced by the concept that the Nephites had 'hemmed in the Lamanites on the south, that thereby they should have no more possession on the north'” (Alma 22:33).

The actual text:

32 And now, it was only the distance of a day and a half’s journey for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful and the land Desolation, from the east to the west sea; and thus the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla were nearly surrounded by water, there being a small neck of land between the land northward and the land southward.
33 And it came to pass that the Nephites had inhabited the land Bountiful, even from the east unto the west sea, and thus the Nephites in their wisdom, with their guards and their armies, had hemmed in the Lamanites on the south, that thereby they should have no more possession on the north, that they might not overrun the land northward. (Alma 22)

As can be seen, the "hemming in" occurred in the Land Bountiful just south of the "small neck of land" that led into the Land Northward. What was south of this line of fortification they made in the Land of Bountiful? Was it a body of water as they propose, even the Sea South?

 

No. South of the Land Bountiful was the Land of Zarahemla, Land of Nephi, the Lamanite Lands of Possession and the Land of First Inheritance. They were "hemmed in" by those Nephite lands, not a fictitous sea.

 

There is an irresistible tendency by some to claim that a sea existed south of the Land of First Inheritance since, "no one went there," they surmise, "there must be nothing there." There was something there - Native American tribes who Laman and Lemuel aligned with.

 

Nephi was told by God (2 Nephi 5:5) to go north, not because there was a sea south of the Land of Inheritance, but because He wanted them to merge with the Mulekites and then to inhabit Jaredite lands.

 

Ripliancum is the Sea North. The final Jaredite battle originated at the West Sea and they fought easterly AWAY from it. Then, they went north to Ripliancum, and from there they fled "southward (Ether 15:10)." Ripliancum is on the north, not west.

 

Regarding Salt Seas

 

The Rosenvalls prefer a modern dictionary to define the word "sea" instead of the scriptures:

But what is meant by the term “sea” when describing a body of water? The New Oxford American Dictionary defines a sea as “the expanse of salt water that covers most of the earth's surface and surrounds its land masses.” The term “sea” is sometimes incorrectly used to describe a fresh water lake, for example, the Sea of Galillee, which today is more accurately called Lake Kinneret.

That is not correct. The Biblical use of the word "sea" in reference to an inland fresh water lake is indeed "sea:"

OT - "Even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth (Galilee) on the other side Jordan eastward. (Joshua 13:27)

NT - "Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias." (John 6:1; see Mark 1:16; Mark 7:31; Matthew 4:15,18; Matthew 15:29)

To buoy their approach, they try and claim that "many waters" means "salt water:"

"Obviously, the Book of Mormon people would have readily understood that the expansive sea they “beheld” from their camp along the Arabian sea coast, and called “Irreantum” or “many waters,” was salt water and not fresh water. Thus Nephi’s record appears to define “many waters” as a large body of sea water."

Rosenvall(s), like many geography enthusiasts, confuse the expression of "many waters" for the name of a substance (salt water), or the identification of a certain body of water (near the Land Northward and Cumorah), while ignoring its use to describe something volumnous:

And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters. (Ether 6:7)

Clearly "the deep" identifies the salt water ocean; and "many waters" was (as Nephi stated) merely an expression of volume. If the Rosenvalls wish to maintain their interpretation, they must apply it to the prophecies as well:

10 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.
12 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.
13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.
29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them. (1 Nephi 13)

Obviously 1 Nephi 13 is about America, the Puritans, the Pilgrims, the Colonists, the Colonial War, Great Britain, France, Spain, the American Indians, etc. and the Atlantic Ocean - not the Pacific!

 

The salt water oceans on the other hand are described as "the great deep:"

...he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. (2 Nephi 4:20)

...bringing them across the great deep into the promised land; (Ether 7:27)

...our fathers brought across the great deep? (Ether 8:9)

This title however is never used to describe any bodies of water surrounding Book of Mormon lands. The "great deep" did not border Book of Mormon lands. Baja cannot be Book of Mormon lands.

 

Climate

The Rosenvalls spend an inordinate amount of time drawing connections between the climate of Israel and that of Baja. They fail to understand matching the climate of Israel has little relevance to identifying promises of the Book of Mormon, already fulfilled. For example, Nephi said they were led to a "better land." The Rosenvalls fail to show how Baja is "better than" Israel. (2 Nephi 10:20)

 

Notable deficiencies: Why they consider this dry, rocky, desert area worthy to be called: "choice above all others"? Or where the "many rivers are?" Or how they "sent forth by way of shipping" for timber? Early in their modeling we encouraged them to abandon the Baja model due to its Land Northward and Spiritual Geography deficienceis, but so far they haven't heeded the warning.

 

Few points of geography can be twisted or ignored, but a sea south and north of the "land choice above all others" are not one of them. Baja will never work, but it's a fun place to visit.

 

Lawrence Poulsen

 

Lawrence Poulsen

Larry Poulsen

 

Here the virus has removed the four seas from the Land Northward, and has placed them around the Land Southward. Unfortunately the Land Southward did not have a Sea South.

 

Joel Hardy

 

Joel Hardy

 

Here the virus has removed the four seas from the Land Northward, and has placed them around the Land Southward. Unfortunately the Land Southward did not have a Sea South.

 

James Warr

 

James Warr

Mormon's Clues, A New Look At Book of Mormon Geography, 2006 (Internet edition 2001), James Warr

 

Aside from lacking four bodies of water, Warr exemplifies how blinded one can become when fixated upon a physical model before extracting the internal. Here are several contradictions:

The key to Book of Mormon geography is the narrow neck of land. It is the most important clue that the prophet Mormon left us. (p. 11)

 

It should be a unique feature which ought to be easily identified, and around which we could assemble the remainder of the geography. Most researchers consider it to be an isthmus that connected the land southward and the land northward. If this geographic feature could be positively identified, it would solve the riddle of Book of Mormon lands, and all else would naturally fall into place. (p. 11)

 

How did this feature appear to the Nephites? First of all, it's narrowness would have been observable from the ground. Remember, the Nephites didn't have access to modern maps or aerial views of landscape, so they described what they could actually see. (p. 11)

Notice how in one breath Warr acknowledges the narrowness from eye level and in the next contradicts:

It could be traversed in 1 to 1.5 days. This would make it approximately 15-40 miles wide (See discussion on distances in chapter 9; see also Alma 22:32; Helaman 4:7). (p. 12)

 

At one time in Jaredite history, the narrow neck was blocked by a plague of poisonous serpents so that neither man nor beast could pass (see Ether 9:31-34). (This could only occur in a warm climate, with a water barrier on both sides of the narrow neck.) (p. 12)

From eye level, how is even a street block considered narrow, let alone 15-40 miles? Does he honestly believe snakes blocked a 15-40 mile stretch of land? Why a warm climate? As we document on the Land Northward page, Lockport, New York was notorious for rattlesnake infestations. A unique specie that adapted to the snow, perhaps evidence of a once warmer climate.

It should have a separate feature called the "narrow pass." This "narrow pass" is described as leading from the west sea to the east sea and from thence into the land northward (Alma 50:34; 52:9). (p. 12)

As will be seen from the scriptures he cites, they don't describe a west-to-east direction, let alone a 90 degree turn north:

And it came to pass that they did not head them until they had come to the borders of the land Desolation and there they did head them by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward yea by the sea on the west and on the east. (Alma 50:34)

 

And he also sent orders unto him that he should fortify the land Bountiful and secure the narrow pass which led into the land northward lest the Lamanites should obtain that point and should have power to harass them on every side. (Alma 52:9)

Usually it is the uninspired punctuation or incorrect physical geography that causes one to misinterpret verses. In either case, those two verses hardly support what Warr claimed.

The city of Bountiful was some distance south and eastward from the narrow neck - probably at least a day's journey (see Alma 50:32-34). (p. 12)

Again, the verses do not support what he claims:

32 Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of Morianton and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain possession of those parts of the land, which would lay a foundation for serious consequences among the people of Nephi, yea, which consequences would lead to the overthrow of their liberty.
33 Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to head the people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land northward.
34 And it came to pass that they did not head them until they had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east. (Alma 50)

 

John Sorenson

 

John Sorenson - "Mormon’s Codex: An Ancient American Book" (See a video further down the page.)

 

Without rehearsing the twists and turns of my thinking and accommodation to the scientific facts, I simply say that the Book of Mormon is an ancient Mesoamerican record, derived ultimately from a codex or native book written in the fourth and fifth centuries AD. Over 400 elements of the book’s text are written in a manner and display content that cannot be accounted for except by supposing its Mesoamerican origin. Of all the theories of origin for the Book, the only acceptable explanation for how it came to be published in English in 1830 is that offered by Joseph Smith. No nineteenth-century person (nor any twentieth-century individual) could have known enough about ancient Mesoamerican civilization to account for the depth and breadth of the “Mesoamericanisms” the scripture contains. Reference

 

"I'm doing my last book," Sorenson said. "At age 85 it ought to be my last." The book is "Mormon's Codex: An Ancient American Book." Sorenson said the book will cover "at least 420 points at which the Book of Mormon has Mesoamerican material in it, material that could not possibly have been included by anyone except an ancient Mesoamerican writer of the fourth century A.D." He said there was no publisher for the book yet, but hoped to find one soon.

***No publisher for the capstone of his life's work containing "420" evidences of the Book of Mormon?? ****

"Finally there will be an answer to those who say, 'There's no archeological evidence of the Book of Mormon.' There will be hundreds of pages of it in spades." "It is what it is," Sorenson said. "It is exactly what it said it is." Reference

John Sorenon Model Reviewed

 

Patrick L. Simiskey

 

Patrick L. Simiskey - The Zarahemla Puzzle - January 2004

 

Rodney Meldrum

 

Rodney Meldrum - DVD Presentation

 

The H38 Virus shuffled his four seas so they are in conflict with one another.

Rodney Meldrum Heartland Model Reviewed

 

Wayne May

 

Wayne May - This Land Reviewed

 

V. Garth Norman

 

V. Garth Norman, Archaeologist *THE DEFINITIVE MESOAMERICAN BOOK OF MORMON LANDS MAP* *40 years in the making* *Book of Mormon–Mesoamerican Historic Geography* An Introduction to Book of Mormon History. Ancient American Foundation (AAF)

 

John Lund

 

John Lund - Mesoamerica and the Book of Mormon, Is This the Place? (book)

 

Stephen Carr

 

Stephen Carr - BMAF - Book of Mormon Archaeological Forum

 

Dr. F. Richard Hauck

 

Dr. F. Richard Hauck - "Deciphering the geography of the Book of Mormon : settlements and routes in ancient America" (Deseret Book, 1988) - Archaeological Research Institute

 

Hauck, like most (if not all) academicians invested in Mesoamerica, would die before admitting their life's work had zero relevance to the geography of the Book of Mormon. Like we mentioned with other ancient societies and their ruins, they are fascinating, but they are not Jaredite, Mulekite, or Nephite.

 

Due to his efforts to prepare a new volume to correct the errors of his first, we will watch each segment as he posts them on the Meridian Magazine web site. As far as we know, he is the first to claim that part of the Spiritual Geography™ was fulfilled in Guatemala. He is certain, absolutely certain that his view is right:

"The only possible location where events of the Book of Mormon occurred was within Central America, specifically the region of eastern ancient Mesoamerica, which comprises Guatemala, southeastern Mexico, and Belize. This is because it is the only locality in the world that meets the geographic and cultural criteria as specifically stated in the Book of Mormon. I can state this without equivocation because of years of analytical experience and field testing in Guatemala and Mexico."

That is nonsense. What he meant to say, was, "According to my Book of Mormon cultural interpretations, and geographical extrapolations, I have a match." No one doubts that he successfully reverse engineered his model. What is debatable however, are his extrapolations.

"In addition to the consistency of the text and of the setting, there is a second compelling witness that this area of Mesoamerica was the homeland of the Jaredite, Nephite, and Lamanite people: it is the central location where the restoration of the Lord’s covenant promises are being reestablished among the remnant of His ancient peoples of the Book of Mormon."

What an odd thing to say. The first Quatemalean conversion occurred in 1948, yet the Book of Mormon came forth in 1828! What was the Book of Mormon doing for its first 120 years if not fulfilling prophecy?

"Nephi spoke of this restoration of covenant blessings in 1 Nephi 22:5-12 wherein—citing the prophecies of Isaiah—he prophesies that his descendents and the descendents of the Lamanites would lose their knowledge of the Gospel and become scattered and later gathered together by the Gentiles. He states in verses 8 and 12 the following:

And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed…. Wherefore he will bring them out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.

Can a similar experience be identified among native indigenous peoples in the variety of alternative North American locations for the setting of the Book of Mormon?"

What part of that prophecy was fulfilled in Guatemala? Did religious refugees flee their mother countries and go to Quatemala? Were those refugees white, and did they come by the "multitudes?" Do they own said Book of Mormon lands in Guatemala? Is the largest demographic on those lands white? Are those white Gentiles who are inhabiting Book of Mormon lands greater than all other nations? Are they free of oppression? Did those white Gentiles scatter, but also gather the indigenous peoples of those lands? Together, did they found a new government that respects religious freedom and Jesus as their head?

 

The truth is, Guatemala is the antithesis of Book of Mormon prophecy:

  1. 16% white.
  2. 50%-60% Catholic.
  3. 40% Protestant.
  4. Lowest literacy rate of all Central American nations.
  5. Between 500,000 and 1.5 million Guatemaleans fled their lands to go to America.
  6. Its largest source of income are funds sent back from America by immigrants there.
  7. There is not a single natural harbor on its western border (where Lehi and Hagoth docked).
  8. 56% of its population are living under the poverty line.
  9. A "Pariah State" due to its "legacy of societal violence, and dysfunctional law enforcement and judicial systems."
  10. According to the State Department, Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America.
  11. "Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination country for Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor."
  12. In 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem. (CIA World Fact Book)

With these facts (and more), how can anyone confuse those fruits as being from a Promised Land? It is too late in the game to conceive of any nation other than the United States of America as fulfilling Book of Mormon prophecy, and to deny the obvious, is to admit prejudice.

 

We suggest Hauck abandon any idea of confirming Book of Mormon events in Guatemala, focus entirely on Mesoamerica or archaeology, or better yet, join us.

 

Until modelers respect the Internal Geography - all of it, they only muddy the waters for first time investigators to this holy book.

 

As one person put it, to claim those short South American Indians are kin in any way, shape or form to the mighty men of the Book of Mormon is preposterous. The Iroquois (who were the current inhabitants of Book of Mormon lands when it came forth) and bone discoveries in Western New York are.

 

Joseph Allen

 

 

uft36

 

On the Trail of the Plates of Mormon by uft36.

 

In conversations, uft36 has said he does not believe that a group of people would stay in one area for hundreds of years as the Jaredites, Mulekites and Nephites did. He argued, they must have been separated by hundreds of miles or else they would have "run into each other."

 

Our reply:

  1. People move to look for food or water, they had plenty of both.
  2. People move for safety reasons. Take the example of Alma and "the people of the Lord" (Mosiah 18:34-35) who fled from the armies of King Noah. They traveled a mere eight days and there built a city. (Mosiah 23:3,20)
  3. They were surrounded by thick wildernesses.
  4. They were surrounded by deadly animals.
  5. They were surrounded by Lamanites and later Gaddianton Robbers.
  6. God appointed the time they would "run into" each other.
  7. The Pilgrims (as an example) did not go anywhere for a hundred years.

Perhaps the greatest evidence that people do stay put, (If their needs are being met) for hundreds of years is the fact that Native American Indians were diversified in languages so much that one tribe could not understand another less than 20 miles away:

It is worthy of remark that so great a diversity of language exists among the numerous tribes. They vary frequently not over 5 or 6 miles; (The Dutch mile is equivalent to 3 and a fraction English miles.) forthwith comes another language; they meet and can hardly understand one another. There are some who come 60 miles from the interior and can not well understand those on the river. (William A. Ritchie, Pre-Iroquoian Occupations of New York, Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences, Rochester, NY, 1944, p. 20)

 

Just Marlene Newell

 

Just Marlene Newell - Joseph Smith Model - Web site

"I became intensely interested in this subject while living in Provo, UT, and attending BYU. After reading several theories, I decided that I would find out for myself if the Book of Mormon provided enough information to precisely locate its key cities. This is the result of that effort."

The H38 Virus has removed any mention of the Jaredite Land Northward on the site:

  1. Introduction
  2. The Joseph Smith Model
  3. Macro Mapping
  4. ZARAHEMLA's borders and the River Sidon
  5. Bountiful and Manti
  6. Zarahemla and Gideon
  7. Minon, the hill Amnihah and the Wilderness Hermounts
  8. Melek, Ammonihah, and Noah
  9. Sidom
  10. Jershon and Antionum
  11. the Hill Riplah
  12. The wilderness near Ammonihah
  13. Moroni, Nephihah, and Aaron
  14. Lehi and Morianton
  15. Omner, Gid, and Mulek
  16. Cities in Jershon
  17. 2-Front Lamanite Invasion
  18. Capital Parts of ZARAHEMLA
  19. NEPHI's Northern Border
  20. Zeniff's Colony
  21. Alma's Colony
  22. The Expedition to find ZARAHEMLA
  23. The Sons of Mosiah
  24. Lamanites become a cohesive society
  25. Nephite colonization of the land northward

The virus was so thorough, if one does a search for "Helaman 3:8," it's no where to be found.

"In summary, these 21 articles provide the following six key identifications:"

  • "the hill Cumorah in New York state is where the Nephites and Jaredites fought their last battles and where Mormon buried the plates "
  • "the Jaredites occupied most if not all of present day United States and Mexico"
  • "Lehi landed just south of the Isthmus of Darien"
  • "the Land of Zarahemla was located in the former Kingdom of Guatemala"
  • "the Maya Ruins in Stephens' Incidents of Travel are primary candidates for cities named in the Book of Mormon"
  • "the Nephites spread throughout the United States"

The H38 Virus removed the Seas South and North. Though this model may be congruent with statements made (or approved) by Joseph Smith, it bears little resemblance to the geography of the Book of Mormon.

 

W. Vincent Coon

 

Choice Above All Other Lands: Book of Mormon Covenant Lands According to the Best Sources by W. Vincent Coon

 

Touted as being:

  • "The Genuine Setting for the Book of Mormon"
  • "Book of Mormon Covenant Lands"
  • "About So Much More Than Geography"
  • "A must read for those seeking solid answers"
  • "Choice above all other lands"
  • "According to the BEST SOURCES"

The H38 has wrecked havoc in this model. The very land that "covenants" made "choice above all others" IS OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES:

Q. Did sacred events of the restoration not take place on land that was inhabited by peoples of the Book of Mormon?

A. "Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony Pennsylvania..."

 

This is part of his "Genuine Setting:"

 

Coon assures readers: "God is not the author of confusion." (1 Corinthians 14:33), and that his model makes sense because of these dots:

Peter, James and John...Susquehanna river (D&C 128:20, see Finger Lakes and Hill Cumorah Church history maps 1, 2, and 3 current edition of the LDS scritpures).

With the Finger Lakes region of Western New York in mind, consider the following verse:

"And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the Hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers and fountains; and here we had hoped to gain an advantage over the Lamanites. (Mormon 6:4)

And:

D&C 57:1-2 ...the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints. Wherefore this is the land of promise and the place for the city of Zion.

As was pointed out on the New Jerusalem page, Missouri is not part of Book of Mormon lands. Vincent Coon.

 

Vicent Coon Model Reviewed

Phyllis Carol Olive

 

Phyllis Carol Olive - Lost Lands of The Book of Mormon (book), Lost Tribes of The Book of Mormon (book), Christ's New World Flock (book)

 

Carol has conflicting maps. This map was taken from her web site and is presumed to be the most current. As can be seen, the virus has jumbled the seas around so there is not a single piece of land surrounded by four bodies of water. To make matters worse, she places most of the Land Northward (Choice above all other lands.) outside of the boundaries of the United States. Those Promised Lands would never have a king or queen, as Canada does.

 

Here she placed the Sea South south of the Finger Lakes area, which lands were never inhabited during Book of Mormon times. No one lived in Cumorah. (The Lost Lands of The Book of Mormon, p. 208)

 

L. H. Pearson, Phd - Book of Mormon Geography – Requirements and Considerations

 

No map was present, but the H38 Virus was able to do damage conceptually by replacing the Sea South with the Sea North:

#29. The land where the majority of the Nephites and Lamanites spent most of their time was nearly surrounded by water.

 

Alma 22 contains what is probably the best description of the geography of the land of the Nephites and Lamanites in the Book of Mormon, however this chapter is complemented by other references that further reinforce and clarify the description given by Mormon. The book of Helaman indicates that there was not only a sea east and a sea west, but there were seas on the north and the south as well.

8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east. (Helaman 3:8)

The sea on the north was described as a divide between the lands. The land above this sea was where the Jaredites lived and called the Land Desolation by the Nephites and Mulekites. The land south was where the Nephites lived until they were driven northward into the Land Desolation.

Pearson failed to adhere to the principles he espoused on his web page and has ignored the text. The Sea North was "NORTH" of the Jaredite Land Northward. Where the virus moved the Sea South to is not mentioned. Pearson at least connected the fact that the Sea that Divides the Land is the same as one of the other seas - the Sea South however.

 

These are the other errors:

#3. The land of Nephi must be south of Zarahemla and Zarahemla south of Bountiful. There must also be a dividing line of some kind between the lands of Nephi and Zarahemla. (Alma 50:7, Alma 22:29, Alma 22, 27.) [6]

Wrong, Alma 50:7 makes it clear the Lamanites were driven "south" of the "Land of Zarahemla" into "THEIR OWN LANDS." The uninspired verse division at verses 7 and 8 throws most modelers off.

#21. The only river mentioned in the Book of Mormon is the Sidon. Analysis of the extensive textual references to it and its relation to the land of Zarahemla shows that the land essentially constituted a major portion of the drainage basin of the river.

Because we are told there were hills on either side of the City of Zarahemla, the conclusion it was a "major drainage basin" is not supported. Obviously there were other rivers/streams on the other side of those hills.

#24. Nothing is said directly in the Book of Mormon about the houses of the Nephites, but a few inferences shed some light. That the city of Zarahemla "did take fire" (3 Nephi 8:8) from lightning (see 3 Nephi 8:7) confirms their perishable nature... [1] [p. 61]

This is hardly worthy of a concern, but signifies how Pearson fails to adhere to what he believes everyone else should. It does not say that lightning caused the fire, only that Zarahemla did take fire. The "quaking" in verse 6 could have been the cause of the fire as their candles and torches fell over.

 

Pearson goes on to repeat the mistakes of others as he misinterprets the current United States as the fulfillment of prophecy, rather than colonial America, which excluded Missouri. In other words, Missouri was not Book of Mormon lands and the New Jerusalem Joseph attempted was not the one prophesied of, that would be set up on Book of Mormon lands prior to the Book of Mormon coming forth. (3 Nephi 21:21-26)

 

Likewise does Pearson confuse the Line Bountiful that was a 1.5 days wide, with a 1 day wide line that was fortified. The key is one was located at the north side of Bountiful and bordered on Desolation and the other was on the south side of Bountiful. (Alma 22:32, 3 Nephi 3:23 ). [http://bookofmormongeography.org/book-of-mormon-geography-line-bountiful]

#32. The Jaredites landed on the shore of the land Desolation which implies that it was accessible, at least at that time, by ocean travel.

30 And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation, it being so far northward that it came into the land which had been peopled and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken, which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla, it being the place of their first landing. (Alma 22:30)

The Land Northward, in its entirety was called "Desolation," which was surrounded by FOUR seas and was always "accessible."

#33. Note that Jacob considers their location to be upon an "isle of the sea." This being the case, any location in the Americas could be considered an "isle of the sea."

Wrong! Their "isle of the sea" was unique, being surrounded by four seas on the north and three on the south, and their lands were only 1.5 days wide. It is infeasible how someone could willy nilly apply specific Book of Mormon land promises to "any" location in the "Americas," no doubt his attempt to pander to the Mesotheorists, etc.

#36. Book of Mormon geography may have changed since the times of the Nephites and Jaredites. Theories claiming a limited geography in proximity of the Great Lakes region rely on this consideration. There is good reason to believe that the geography in that region has changed.

This argument should go away and never return. The boundaries, i.e. the seas, DID NOT MOVE, NEITHER DID THE NARROW PASSAGE CHANGE! (Mormon 2:29).

#41. There was considerable discussion among the early Brethren of the Church about the location of Book of Mormon Lands. Joseph F. Smith, John A. Widstow, B. H. Roberts, and others indicated that the location of the Book of Mormon lands as yet had not been made known and therefore no authoritative reference could be traced to revelation.

As we establish under the "Cumorah" menu link, Widstoe, Smith and MANY OTHERS confirmed that the Hill Cumorah in Palmyra is "The" Hill Cumorah. From there, the rest may be backwards traced

 

Scott Hamilton

 

Hamilton did a good job to identify Ripliancum as the Sea North. He also placed it where it should be - north of Cumorah. However, like most, he did not pass the H38 Virus unscathed. The virus diluted the Sea North to the exclusion of all others.

The Book of Mormon tells us it means “large or to exceed all”. This description fits Lake Ontario perfectly. However we also need to consider that they may have been referring to the whole system of the Great Lakes. This body of water would have also been known to the Nephites as the North Sea Helaman 3:8.

Book of Mormon lands were only 1.5 days wide, and "limited" in size, something Mesotheorists understand. Though the Great Lake levels have fluctuated, the archaeological record goes back to Jaredite times in the places that matter - borders, where Lehi landed, the City Bountiful, the Land Northward, etc.

 

Other errors:


Relief Map - Western New York

 

It is dishonest to claim this is a "relief map" as if it accurately reflects how the water looked. Like Book of Mormon models, this "relief map" has been altered to favor his/their interpretation. To accurately interpret the flow of water and the lay of the land, one must consult watershed maps. We use official watershed maps, and they do not support this artistic rendering. What's more important, Hamilton/Olive trace the Narrow Neck to the east side of Book of Mormon lands, when it says it was on the west, with 1.5 days of land to its east, something impossible in their model(s).

Having previously shown that Book of Mormon geography is anchored in western New York and using the information discussed above, makes it possible to identify the bodies of water that were nearly surrounding the land of Nephi and Zarahemla. By shading the Genesee River Gorge and the Lake Carl region in blue the east and south seas become apparent (see figure 2). As we observe Lake Ontario to the north, Lake Erie to the west, the old East Sea to the east and Lake Carl to the South we see a land nearly surrounded by water. According to Alma 22: 32 within this region lie the locations of the land of Nephi and Zarahemla.

The H38 Virus struck a blow and moved the true location of the Sea South to south of the lands Zarahemla and Nephi instead of south of the Jaredite Land Northward. Another modeler has failed the test.

This is not to say that the Nephites and Lamanites did not spread out across the American Continent. Every indicator suggests that they did - but the Book of Mormon contains the history of those who lived in a specific area between the east sea and the west sea that were about 40 miles apart in western New York - see Alma 22:32 below. Additionally all of the history occurs in a localized region in and around Zarahemla.

More confusion and double-speak. On the one hand Hamilton says Book of Mormon lands were small, but on the other he just claimed their people spread "across the American continent." He goes on to claim the prophecies of the Book of Mormon were fulfilled by the United States, but fails to isolate "when" they were. Colonial America is "when" all land prophecies were fulfilled, which excluded Missouri. On Hamilton's Bibliographical listing are several titles having to do with the Hopewells. By this we conclude, he wants to respect the text, but is unable to let go of old Hemispheric concepts.

 

Point in fact, Book of Mormon lands were hidden, isolated, and small.

 

Duane R. Aston

 

Duane R. Aston - Return to Cumorah (book), The Other Side of Cumorah (book)

 

As can be seen, the virus has jumbled the seas around so there is not a single piece of land surrounded by four bodies of water. To make matters worse, he places the entire Land Northward (Choice above all other lands.) outside of the boundaries of the United States.

 

Delbert W. Curtis

 

Delbert W. Curtis, "Christ in North America" 1993 - book.

The H38 Virus has moved the Sea West south of the Sea South and the Sea East north of the Sea West. Other deficiencies include the Niagara River/Gorge for the River Sidon. Obviously Delbert has not seen what he purposes from eye level. You can't cross the Niagara Gorge like they crossed the River Sidon. It's head or source was not a sea. Mulek's landing was in the furthest point north of the Jaredite Land Northward - not Zarahemla.

The Narrow Neck ran north to south, not east and west. The neck was not 1.5 days wide, and it ran along the West Sea which is impossible in this model. Like others, Curtis claims America fulfills Book of Mormon prophecy, yet three-fourths of the Book of Mormon lands in his model are OUTSIDE America:

Notable Quotes:

Lehi and Jared were promised a land of promise, a land choice above all other lands (1 Nephi 2:20, Ether 1:42). That land is the United States of America. (p. 260)

 

Moroni went to Mesoamerica to get more plates. (p. 251)

 

The work of these many scholars (John Sorenson, et al.) has not been in vain. The many publications have proven beyond doubt that the people of Central and South America were of the same origin as the people of the Book of Mormon.(p. 263)

 

There is no doubt in my mind that the locations presented here are the true sites of the land where the Nephites - or the believers in Christ - whose record we have, namely the Book of Momon, lived. (p. 12)

 

Paul Hedengren

 

Paul Hedengren "The Land of Lehi" 1995, 2nd ed. 1999 - book or digital download.

 

The area identified as number 1 is the Land Northward. The H38 virus removed 2-3 of the 4 seas surrounding it.

 

Other deficiencies include:

  • The River Sidon flows the wrong direction.
  • The Land Southward is void of a Sea West.
  • Book of Mormon lands directly border the Great Deep/Atlantic Ocean

Source

 

Ralph Olsen

 

Click for a review: Ralph Olsen - A Malay Site for Book of Mormon Events (Sunstone March 2004 / A More Promising Land of Promise by Ralph Austin Olsen.

 

Here, the virus has disguised itself under the quote of Helaman 3:8, but as can be seen, four seas are not present. This model is located within an Islamic state.

 

Chet Meek

 

Chet Meek

 

Aric D. Turner

 

Aric D. Turner

 

Claims to be "very different" from other models. "The combination of internal model, world location, and travel maps provides a more complete picture of the geography."

 

Turner fails to include border waters like the Sea North, Sea South, and Sea that Divides the Land in his Internal Map. Turners' "world location" fails to not place the water that was crossed (the Atlantic or Pacific) directly next to Book of Mormon lands.

 

"All significant natural forces exist to describe those mentioned in the Book of Mormon. The data to verify tsunamis and volcanism"

 

Turner uses the fallacy of "common beliefs" to make a case for tsunamis and volcanoes. Unfortunately, it said the kind of destruction they experienced had "never before been known."

 

Turner (like most modelers) ignores the land prophecies. One would think that common sense would dictate after two hundred years of fulfilled land prophecies to use them to cross-check Internal and External maps.

Eugene L. Peay

 

Eugene L. Peay, The Lands of Zarahemla: Volume One, A Book of Mormon Commentary, 1993 and The Lands of Zarahemla: Volume Two, Nephi's Promised Land in Central America, 1994 (book)

 

P. Douglas Kiester M.D.

 

P. Douglas Kiester M.D. "Where Was Mormon" (web site), Panama and Columbia

 

The virus has prevented a single piece of land from being completely surrounded by FOUR seas.

 

Besides lacking the four seas surrounding the Land Northward, the following two points are also wrong:

 

31.   The City of Bountiful is on the eastern sea. 
32.   A narrow passage into the Land of Desolation along the sea just northward of the City of Bountiful (Alma 50:34). (Retrieved 9-12-9)

 

 

As stated on our Narrow Passage page, both the City of Bountiful and the Narrow Passage are on the west side.

 

His model is void of prophecy or land promises:

"The Book of Mormon is scripture. Scripture still trumps science." -P. Douglas Kiester, M.D., May 2009

 

Del DowDell

 

Del DowDell - Nephi Code Series Books

 

The ocean Lehi, Mulek, and Jared crossed did not directly border Book of Mormon lands (see Great Sea). Sadly, his entire model is outside of the fulfilled land prophecy zone, having zero regard for official church history, church canon, and LDS prophets, apostles, and Book of Mormon witnesses who said the Hill Cumorah in Western New York was THE PLACE WHERE THE FINAL BATTLES OCCURRED.

 

Another retiree has wasted his time and money.

 

Joshua B. Mariano and Edwin Goble: Resurrecting Cumorah

 

Finally the virus has learned to eradicate models altogether:

The internal map does nothing to establish anything of value, and the hobbyist just ends up where he started. The bottom line is, the “internal map” looks just like what the hobbyist wants it to look like...Archaeologists didn't find Troy by drawing an imaginary map. (Joshua B. Mariano and Edwin Goble, Resurrecting Cumorah, 2009, p. 13)

The reason to have an internal Book of Mormon geography map is to show that the modeler understands the text, and whether a bias virus like the H38 has infected it.

 

Journey of Faith: The New World

 

 

Journey of Faith: The New World - Aired on TV BYU 2/15/08 and 4/5/9.

 

"Visiting Mexican and Central American locations in order to uncover the way of life for the Nephites and Lamanites."

 

The H38 Virus is even capable of infecting video and TV programs.

 

Two more video's have been infected:

 

Reflections with Christ, Another Testament

 

They are both called "Another Testament of Jesus Christ," the one is published by Deseret Book with Mark Mabry, Clyde Bawden, Cameron Trejo, Jason Barney, centered in Honduras, and is called "Reflections with Christ, Another Testament" with the usual incorrect stone structures in the background.

 

Christ in America Foundation

 

The second one is by Jason Bosarge with the " Christ in America Foundation" which also uses Mayan temple glyphs and a Mesoamerican model.

 

 

What is the H38 Virus looking for?

 

It is looking for a single body of land surrounded by four bodies of water. It is particularly aggressive against models with a larger northern body of water. Here is an example of what the H38 Virus is seeking to remove from Book of Mormon Geography models:

 

 

Sometimes the virus is unable to remove one or more seas, so it jumbles them around instead. Like moving the Sea West to the south (Joseph Allen), or Sea West east of the Sea South (Richard Hauck and V. Garth Norman), or the Sea South east of the Sea East. (Phyllis Carol Olive)

 

If you see any models that have been hit by the H38 Virus please alert the owners and send them a link to our site for the antidote. Also, send us a link so we can add it to our growing list of infected models. Report An Infection

 

Errors -->

Menu