1 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.
2 And the angel said unto me: What beholdest thou? And I said: I behold many nations and kingdoms.
3 And he said unto me: These are the nations and KINGDOMS OF THE GENTILES.
4 And it came to pass that I saw AMONG THE NATIONS OF THE GENTILES THE FORMATION OF A GREAT CHURCH.
5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which SLAYETH THE SAINTS OF GOD, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and BRINGETH THEM DOWN INTO CAPTIVITY.
6 And it came to pass that I BEHELD THIS GREAT AND ABOMINABLE CHURCH AND I SAW THE DEVIL THAT HE WAS THE FOUNDER OF IT.
7 And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots.
8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church.
9 And also for the praise of the world do THEY DESTROY THE SAINTS OF GOD, AND BRING THEM DOWN INTO CAPTIVITY.
10 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld MANY WATERS AND THEY DIVIDED THE GENTILES FROM THE SEED OF MY BRETHREN.
11 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the WRATH OF GOD IS UPON THE SEED OF THY BRETHREN.
12 And I looked and beheld a MAN AMONG THE GENTILES, who was SEPARATED BY 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.
14 And it came to pass that I beheld MANY MULTITUDES OF THE GENTILES UPON THE LAND OF PROMISE AND I BEHELD THE WRATH OF GOD THAT IT WAS UPON THE SEED OF MY BRETHREN AND THEY WERE SCATTERED BEFORE THE GENTILES AND WERE SMITTEN.
15 And I beheld the SPIRIT OF THE LORD THAT IT WAS UPON THE GENTILES and THEY DID PROSPER and OBTAIN THE LAND FOR THEIR INHERITANCE; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.
16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the GENTILES WHO HAD GONE FORTH OUT OF CAPTIVITY DID HUMBLE THEMSELVES BEFORE THE LORD and the POWER OF THE LORD WAS WITH THEM.
17 And I beheld that their MOTHER GENTILES were GATHERED TOGETHER UPON THE WATERS AND UPON THE LAND ALSO TO BATTLE AGAINST THEM.
18 And I beheld that the POWER OF GOD WAS WITH THEM, and also that THE WRATH OF GOD WAS UPON ALL THOSE THAT WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THEM TO BATTLE.
19 And I, Nephi, beheld that THE GENTILES THAT HAD GONE OUT OF CAPTIVITY WERE DELIVERED BY THE POWER OF GOD OUT OF THE HANDS OF ALL OTHER NATIONS.
20 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that THEY DID PROSPER IN THE LAND; and I beheld a book, and it was carried forth among them.30 Nevertheless, thou beholdest that THE GENTILES WHO HAVE GONE FORTH OUT OF CAPTIVITY AND HAVE BEEN LIFTED UP BY THE POWER OF GOD ABOVE ALL OTHER NATIONS UPON THE FACE OF THE LAND WHICH IS CHOICE ABOVE ALL OTHER LANDS which is THE LAND that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for THE LAND of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the LORD GOD WILL NOT SUFFER THAT THE GENTILES WILL UTTERLY DESTROY THE MIXTURE OF THY SEED WHICH ARE AMONG THY BRETHREN.
31 NEITHER WILL HE SUFFER THAT THE GENTILES SHALL DESTROY THE SEED OF THY BRETHREN.34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel—and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father—wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the GENTILES DO STUMBLE EXCEEDINGLY, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb—I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.
35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, THESE THINGS SHALL BE HID UP TO COME FORTH UNTO THE GENTILES BY THE GIFT AND POWER OF THE LAMB. (1 Nephi 13)
Questions to Ask a Book of Mormon Geographer
- Did “many multitudes” of “white Gentiles” immigrate to the lands in your model?
- Did those Gentiles come by “the multitudes” across “the many waters?”
- Do their records say they were “led by God” to those lands?
- Were those Gentiles considered to be “humble” followers of Christ?
- Was “the power of God,” i.e. the gifts of the Holy Spirit manifested among them, like the speaking in tongues and being slain in the Spirit?
- Did the “mother countries” of those Gentiles come to battle against them “on Book of Mormon lands” and upon “the many waters?”
- Were those Gentiles “delivered” from their mother countries?
- Were there other “nations” already on Book of Mormon lands when those Gentiles arrived?
- Were those Gentiles delivered from those nations as well?
- Did “many multitudes” of those Gentiles proceed to procure those lands for themselves?
- Were the indigenous peoples”scattered and smitten” before those Gentiles, yet not entirely destroyed?
- Were those Gentiles considered “captives” in their native lands?
- Did those Gentiles bring the Bible with them?
- Were those Gentiles “stumbling” doctrinally?
- Was the Nephite record “hid up” in Book of Mormon lands, i.e. the Land of Promise?
- Did a Gentile bring forth The Book of Mormon on Book of Mormon lands, i.e. the Land of Promise?
- Did Gentiles take the Bible and The Book of Mormon to the indigenous peoples on Book of Mormon lands, i.e. the Land of Promise?