Book of Mormon Geography: Confirming the Prophet Joseph Smith’s Continental View

By Neil David Holland

Book of Mormon Geography discovers new evidence that supports the Prophet Joseph Smith and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Current popular views on Book of Mormon geography discredit statements made by the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Mesoamerican Model does not support the destruction of the Jaredite and Nephite civilizations at Hill Cumorah in New York State. The Heartland Model discredits Joseph Smith's written statements about Lehi landing south of the Isthmus of Darian (Panama) and Zarahemla being in Guatemala. The author of Book of Mormon Geography began an inspirational study based on only internal evidences within the Book of Mormon. This exercise produced the basic map of Book of Mormon lands others have produced. When the metals in abundance for four of the lands were added and then the US Geological Survey, Country Maps, for all of North and South America were consulted, only one solution matched: First Inheritance in Ecuador, Nephi in Colombia, Zarahemla in Mesoamerica, and Moron in Guadalajara, Mexico. This geography is called by the author, the Metals Map Model. Joseph Smith's statements were then considered and found in support. Additional internal Book of Mormon evidences (climate, elevation differences, River Sidon, etc.) were all supportive. One of Mormon's descriptions of Book of Mormon geography in Alma 22 was found to be chiastic. It describes not one, but two isthmuses. A southern one between the original Land Nephi and Zarahemla is the "small neck of land ... narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west" - Panama. Another is described further north between Bountiful and Desolation. This is the "narrow neck of land" also described with a "narrow pass" - Tehuantepec in Southern Mexico. This clarifying chiastic description is a new discovery. The only challenge to the Metals Map Model was the 12/13-day journey of Alma and the church through the wilderness between Helam (8 days from City Nephi) and Zarahemla. A narrative timeline showed this journey was normally three to four months, thus creating a potential internal conflict within the Book of Mormon. On closer examination, a phrase used to describe Alma's journey "by the power of his (God's) word" was found to be used in the Book of Mormon only for miraculous events in which earthly elements were manipulated by the power of God's word or those of His appointed servants. This is also a new discovery and suggests that the 12/13-day journey should not be used to constrain the Mesoamerican Model. The great destruction at the time of Christ's death has been described by experts as effects from an explosive volcanic eruption. The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Database was consulted and several massive eruptions were found to occur in Central America and Ecuador/Southern Colombia around the time of Christ's crucifixion. This is a new discovery that is supportive of the Metals Map Model and the Mesoamerican Model, but not the Heartland Model. The Metals Map Model does support the idea that Nephites, Mulekites and Lamanites did populate much of North America based on Mormon's description of migrations north beginning 55 BC, and his short description of the final war with Lamanite King Aaron. The Nephite's retreated north from Zarahemla through Bountiful, Desolation, Antum (probably Teotihuacan), and many other lands north to the Land and Hill Cumorah. Mormon specifically described these people as numerous and having many records which he could not include in the Book of Mormon. Book of Mormon Geography supports official 1842 First Presidency positions on Book of Mormon geography, based on these findings and the cited work of Dr. John L. Lund on the Joseph Smith "Times and Seasons" editorials. There is no reason to cast doubt on Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon statements.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1673248306
• ISBN13: 9781673248302
• Release Date: April 2020
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 140 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.3" x 6.0"