These are the facts:
- It’s a fact most modelers claim spiritual insight for their models
- It’s a fact Joseph said that deceiving spirits had gone forth deceiving the world (D&C 50:2)
- It’s a fact Joseph said long pilgrimages had been undertaken under the auspices of deceiving spirits (TPJS, 1977, p. 205)
- It’s a fact God’s Spirit is NOT divided therefore, most modelers have been deceived
- It’s a fact being divided confuses the public, which weakens the message of the Book of Mormon
Geography enthusiasts must consider why they are interested in the geography and what they have to contribute. An example of rampant “spiritual” guidance can be found with The Hill Cumorah Expedition Team:
On several occasions we have been the recipients of inspired messages, inspired prayers, inspired blessings and divine revelation.
Includes “strong” spiritual witnesses, visions and visitations by the Three Nephites.
Testimony of Randall Lawrence 2009
“As I left the Temple, I experienced the Spirit strongly as a mantle or “Comforter” in finding and finishing all my research on the Hill Cumorah and especially in this new information regarding the Three Nephites. I was even more excited about going on the trip!”
“There was a powerful presence of the Spirit with this visit.”
“While waiting, I felt a powerful experience of the Spirit regarding the Three Nephites, powerful like prior to the trip. It is only my subjective testimony with no objective proof (sight, encounter), but I believe they were present there and stand by my testimony!”
Testimony of Neil Steede 2006
“The 2006 expedition to Cumorah began with some ambiguity. We realized that obtaining entrance into the cave we have been attempting to open over the last three years was highly improbable. Moreover, the realization had come that the more we thought about Joseph Smith’s experience of viewing the cave at Cumorah, we realized that these caves were not appropriate. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery’s vision witnessed that they observed what was described as a shallow cave. We knew that the caves we were investigating were very deep and connect with a myriad of other caves, therefore there were several problems.”
“Realizing that I am bias, I would still express my belief that the Holy Spirit has moved us into a new realm of discovery.”
While meditating and reflecting, a scene opened before me. I immediately understand that I am now at the same ravine almost four hundred years after Christ. That is to say I have gone back in time…
“I can only thank the Lord for loving me enough to allow me to have this experience and yet remain intact, thus allowing me a much fuller comprehension of what actually happened at the very site which we explore.
Thus now armed with a much larger array of archaeological evidence than ever before and armed with an unimaginable insight I believe that our team is much closer to becoming the tool that God needs to have in place for his final day revelations.”
2010 Hill Cumorah Expedition Team Spring Expedition
“The 2010 Hill Cumorah Expedition Team Spring Expedition took place from March 20th through March 27th of 2010. This year saw a change in the usual way that our expeditions take place. [i.e. Having been led along by deceiving spirits whose end will not bear fruit.] While previous expeditions are comprised of groups of seven or more people who travel two weeks and focus mainly on the Hill Cumorah in the northern area of the State of Oaxaca, this year saw a group of four who spent the largest portion of time at the ruin site of Teotihuacán.”
“After saying our graceful goodbyes to Sergio and Reuben, we ended the evening with a very good devotion and reassurance that God is directing this work and we are privileged to be a part of it-“
“…it began to become very, very clear; Teotihuacán is the same expression of the Christ as found with the City of Enoch…The people who designed and built this city were full of the Spirit of Christ and gave their all to express it.”
“Now more than ever we are convinced that Teotihuacán is the structural representation of the faith system of the remnant Jaredite Christians; it is their testimony of Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection.”
“Teotihuacán is Nuahtl for “Birthplace of the Gods.” We now understand that this site is the celestial marker of the planetary positions when Jesus was born and should be interpreted more like “The place that marks the birth event of God.” Beyond that the site is a teaching tool concerning the ages of man and the role of the Savior. It is the Jaredite record of Christ.”
Another fine example is Dr. Jerry L. Ainsworth, the dreamcaster at Mormon Sites Rising From the Dust:
“On this website you will read about exciting new findings that are beginning to reveal possible geographic locations for places and events recorded in the Book of Mormon. You’ll learn about the challenge Dr. Jerry L. Ainsworth, author of the popular book “The Lives and Travels of Mormon and Moroni,” has accepted to provide physical evidence towards proving the location of the hill in Mexico where it’s most likely that the final Nephite battles took place.”
“As I looked up from the grove of trees, my eyes fell upon the large pyramid called El Castillo, (the Castle). I stood frozen in front of this huge edifice, totally amazed at its stony grandeur, its eerie silence. I was unable to move or speak – I just stood there staring at it. Then my heart began to race. Chills spread over my whole body. Finally, I began to weep.”
“Jerry attends a ward where he is not given a calling for years. So he goes to the Lord in prayer and the Lord says, “come with me and I’ll use you.” He then begins to travel through mesoamerica in earnest, using all the exciting skills he learned in his youth.”
“From that moment on, Jerry was transformed…On Jerry’s third trip to the Yucatan…He went SCUBA diving to see ancient ruins…He uses his skill as a pilot to fly over remote areas…the jungles of Mexico and Guatemala…After a number of years it became clear to Jerry that he was to write a book…Six years later the manuscript was completed. Editing took an additional year…to the Lord and was told to publish the book himself…creates his own publishing company…total costs of these contracts was between $ 375,000 and $ 400,000…Jerry began to borrow against all of his possessions…Thanksgiving Day of 1999 Jerry spends the whole day in fasting and prayer…Lord’s answer is simply, “Get it done”…One of the things Jerry prays for, is to become closer to Moroni…On Christmas Day Jerry spends the whole day in fasting and prayer…my God, I feel so alone…New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Jerry Ainsworth once again went to the Lord with fasting and prayer…Jerry has now second and third mortgages his home, sold his new car, cashed in his life insurance and put close to $ 100,000 on credit cards…So far Jerry has sold over 15,000 books and repaid the $ 400,000 he borrowed to publish and promote his book.
If you love the Book of Mormon and its people as much as I do, you’ll want to learn all you can about our Finding Cumorah project, and what’s about to happen south of the USA border. Knowing where the Book of Mormon stories played out has given me a fresh perspective on the Book of Mormon, and has brought to me vivid dreams of its people. It could happen to you too.
Another example is Verneil Simmons
Report on Saturday’s event – Verneil Simmons
Verneil Simmons shared her testimony Saturday evening, May 29, describing her life-long quest for the location of the ancient Hill Cumorah where Mormon placed the sacred records. About 125 people attended the event, a beginning in our promotion of fellowship among Book of Mormon believers in the church.
The official map published by the church in 1894 placed the hill in Western New York, the place where Joseph obtained the plates. That map was the winner of a church wide contest and was not based on any archeological evidence. Even simple comparisons with the descriptions of the hill portrayed in the Book of Mormon and the hill in New York show inconsistencies.
Verneil’s quest began in 1932 with the visit of a stranger, whom her parents believed was one of the three Nephites. It required an intense study of the geography as recorded in the Book of Mormon and years of research in Mexico. Her entire family became involved. One significant clue was discovered by her son Gareth in the mid-sixties. He found a 1933 report from a young student detailing the legends at Jalapa de Diaz, a village at the base of Hill Rabon in Southern Mexico. One of them described three men who yearly came to the mountain and announced that they are guardians of the records of an ancient culture.
A comparison of Hill Rabon with the requirements that the Book of Mormon’s geography placed on it, as well as a trip by part of her family to the mountain’s base, confirmed it as the long-sought location.
Verneil’s testimony ended with account of another mysterious stranger who approved her husband’s intentions to share a photo of the hill with the saints for the first time. This happened in 1972. Verneil’s husband, Wayne, tried to meet the stranger after the meeting, but he had disappeared. No one present had seen him come or go. Neither did any know who he was. Wayne believed that he was one of the three Nephites, putting the confirming seal and approval on Verneil’s life-long quest.
Verneil said that the night’s testimony was the first time that this valiant latter-day saint has shared all the high points in the history of her remarkable discovery.
by Bob Moore
Another strange view:
“Verneil Simmons suggests that the wise men were from the New World possibly Nephi, his brother Lehi and Samuel, the Lamanite prophet (1986:198-199).” (Shirely Heater, “Signs and Wonders of His Birth,” Quetzal Codex, ed. Shirly Heater, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 7)
And another:
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. (J.A. Washburn and J.N. Washburn, An Approach to the Study of Book of Mormon Geography, 1939, p. 194)
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. (Ibid., 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. (Ibid., p. 208)
And another:
This book is a large geographic setting like no other book available. The Book of Mormon geography book, A Promised Land, The Land of Promise, is one of our books at Alpha Publishing available for purchase at www.LDSMusicAndBooks.com. Virginia Elieson was inspired with this geography, while with her patriarch husband and mission president in Dallas here organized into a book by Peter Covino, Jr. There is nothing like this available anywhere, it will surprise you. Because it contradicts many “church scholars” who adamantly disagree with the prophets, the main stream book stores have refused to carry it even though it has been in print since 1986.
Q. What was the genesis for her creation of the map? A. Both she and her husband felt the land they proselyted in, Texas, was part of the history of the Nephites and the Lamanites.
And another:
“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.” (Dr. F. Richard Hauck, Deciphering the geography of the Book of Mormon: settlements and routes in ancient America, Deseret Book, 1988, Archaeological Research Institute; Meridian Magazine June 2, 2010
And another:
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, the Book of Mormon, lived.” (Delbert W. Curtis, Christ in North America, 1993, p. 12)
As I was pondering those statements from the Ensign, into my mind came some passages from Ether. ‘The Jaredites started fighting on the narrow neck of land; they fought eastward to the seashore, then south to Cumorah.’ With the above passages CAME THE THOUGHT, ‘Reverse those directions and see what you find.’ I got a map of the state of New York; north of Cumorah was Lake Ontario, and west along the lake shore was a narrow neck of land. WHAT A WONDERFUL FEELING FILLED MY BREAST. There is a narrow neck of land, right where the book of Ether suggested it should be. (Ibid., p. 264)
And another:
By implication Mr. Meldrum leads people to conclude that he is restoring revelatory insights lost to the Church and its leaders for more than a century. In an e-mail letter to his supporters, Mr. Meldrum wrote:
Within 48 hours the Lord provided the answer to how this was to be accomplished… What a tremendous blessing!… Within 48 hours again the Lord provided another ‘miracle’… So the Lord is watching out for this project!(www.fairlds.org/Book_of_Mormon/MisguidedS.html#en6)
While Mr. Meldrum may be the private beneficiary of God’s miracles, it is not appropriate to publicly reference such miracles as evidence for God’s support and endorsement of his efforts.
He then goes on to claim that he RECEIVED A BLESSING from an emeritus Church authority that DIVINELY SANCTIONS his work. Mr. Meldrum insists that the blessings received by him and his wife affirms “the validity [of] the…work in which we are engaged.”(www.fairlds.org/Book_of_Mormon/MisguidedS.html#en7) Most Latter-day Saints know that the recitation of a blessing to others with the intention of convincing them that one’s course is in harmony with the powers of heaven is absolutely forbidden by scripture.
Mr. Meldrum also states that the blessing promised his information WILL GO OUT TO MILLIONS and the Saints will “declare anew the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”(www.fairlds.org/Book_of_Mormon/MisguidedS.html#en8) Of course, it would only need to be declared anew if it weren’t being declared now, something that should astonish any missionary-minded Latter-day Saint.
The bottom line is that if a Book of Mormon geography were to be divinely revealed, such a revelation will not come through Mr. Meldrum or anyone else other than he who has the keys and authority to receive revelation for the Church: Thomas S. Monson. (www.fairlds.org/Book_of_Mormon/MisguidedS.html)
And another:
After nearly EIGHT YEARS of research and study, I could see that the puzzle of Book of Mormon geography comes together beautifully…(Duane R. Aston, Return to Cumorah, 1998, p. 3)
…demonstrate that the lands of the Book of Mormon are found mainly in the area of western New York, with lands reaching into Canada on the north, and the states of Pennsylvania [he having grown up there] and Ohio on the south. (Ibid., p. 5)
After nearly 3,000 miles of travel through these lands, camping along the way, my plane headed for home. As it climbed into the clouds, seen on the hazy southern horizon, lay a land beyond that I believed was the ancient land of Nephi. My hope is that someday I might share with others some the EXPERIENCES that I obtained there. (Ibid., p. 46)
And another:
Those interested in the geographical location of the Book of Mormon lands readily recognize that only direct revelation given the Prphet himself can give us a definitive answer to the true location of the Book of Mormon lands. Until that information is given, however, we have only those God-given powers of reason to rely on in coming to some conclusion of the matter. Even so, we are all entitled to the promptings of the Spirit, and, thus, I MUST GIVE DUE RECOGNITION OF THE PROMPTINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS WORK. I simply could not have done it alone. (Phyllis Olive, The Lost Lands of the Book of Mormon, 2000, p. 327)
And another:
I hope no one will be offended if I ACKNOWLEDGE THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THIS PROJECT. The mistakes are mine, but most NEW UNDERSTANDINGS CAME FROM HIM. I WAS OFTEN TAUGHT AS I WROTE. I CAN’T CLAIM ANY OF THE NOVEL INSIGHTS AS ENTIRELY MY OWN. (Patrick L. Simiskey, The Zarahemla Puzzle, Vol. 1, A Study in Nephite Geography, 2004, p. xi)
He fully expects the study of Book of Mormon geography to be a primary focus for the remainder of his life. (Ibid., p. xii)
I think it is correct to say that we have only “scratched the surface” in the study of ancient civilizations in Panama…and that the excitement aroused by it may be akin to that in 1830 when the Nephite record…came forth. (Ibid., p. 233)
And another:
This book is, in part, Goble’s journey with Book of Mormon geography. He indicates how, at one time, he believed in the Heartland theory, then became skeptical of certain parts of that theory. Now he promotes the Hemispherical theory.
He is passionate about this theory, almost too passionate. At times he seems too emotionally wrapped up in this theory, to the point where it becomes difficult to distinguish between his logic and his feelings. He makes strident claims and statements, some more well-founded than others. I have the feeling that he believes he is David fighting Goliath (Limited Geography theorists). At times he seems to get so worked up in attacking Goliath that he loses some credibility. He may have been more convincing if he had more carefully, objectively, and logically presented the arguments for his theory and let the reader decide.
Instead his vitriolic attacks often detract from the arguments and logic that he is promoting. (Edwin Goble, Resurrecting Cumorah, Reviewed by J. Sherman Feher for the Association of Mormon Letters, 3/28/11)
And another:
-It will require some inspiration, as well, for this is a subject which has not yet been deciphered. It may even require revelation. (William C. Chappell, An Abridgment of the Record of Lehi, 2002, p. 92)
-This is what the author calls the “Clarified Expanded Version” of these scriptures, and is abbreviated CEV. (p. 94)
-Thus, I say that the city Bountiful was located where Panama City is today. (p. 114)
-So let me end this part of my book with a secret which has been hidden from the foundation of the world. Now the Lord has went (sic) to great lengths to keep this secret hidden, even since the translation of the gold plates of the Book of Mormon. Should I reveal it at this time, for I have received the inspiration. Behold, it was the mountain to the east near the mouth of the Magdalena River…Now if a person should climb that mountain, unto the relative direction and position, as the gold plates of the Book of Mormon was found on the Hill Cumorah within the western part of the state of New York; then, he might find a cave there which contained all the plates of the Nephites. (p. 115)
And another:
“On the judgment day, how will we feel if we know we may have known the truth about the geography of the Book of Mormon but kept quiet because of the fear of man?” (Ralph A. Olsen, “The Malay Peninsula as the Setting for the Book of Momon,” 1997, p. 246)
And another:
“I know for a fact, I know for a fact [solemn tone] that Joseph knew way, way more than he ever revealed about the history of this land.”
“I was sitting in Sunday School and all this stuff is flowing around in my brain and I’m trying to concentrate on the class, trying, but this stuff’s in my head I can’t shut it out.” (Wayne May, “Book of Mormon Geography,” Ancient American History Conference, SLC, April 1, 201)
And another:
Claims to have discovered the “Nephitic Language” and knows how to “translate” the untranslated Nephite words in the Book of Mormon. By his method, Savelli claims to have discovered the true geography, believing Nephite words have been passed down and, therefore, can be translated phonetically.
His River Sidon, shown above, flows the wrong way.
One may ask, “How do you safeguard yourself against deception?”
Answer: Read the Book of Mormon – ALL OF THE LAND REFERENCES:
- PHYSICAL
- SPIRITUAL
- INTERNAL
Then, protect those results by NOT supplanting (i.e., replacing) them with modern statements. If modern statements support a conclusion based on the PSI, fine, but stop trusting the words of man more than the unbiased, untarnished Word of God. Clearly, the adversary is allowed to play when the Word of God is set aside.