NephiCode

The following comment was made regarding the last post:

MrNirom said...

Personally I believe that most people want to somehow and someway tie in the "promised land" as being the United States. Do we not feel that this land is "choice" above all others? It is hard to swallow that there is something more choice.. so of course they try to make it fit. When looking at the Malay theory.. it was also hard for me to think that "that" land was choice but before hearing about your theory.. I felt that Malay was a good one. I just wish the Lord would give a revelation to the Brethren and end all of this speculation once and for all.
August 20, 2010 9:55 AM

Normally, I would have just responded in that thread, but since others may have the same feeling, I thought I would place it in a new post. So here is my response:

Thank you for your comment. If I may respond, the entire Western Hemisphere is the Promised Land--North America promised to Ephraim's lineage and South America promised to Menassah's lineage as the double portion Joseph asked for and received. Having said that, the Book of Mormon lands (Land Northward and Land Southward) is not in the United States--no relationship can be found and none should be forced. Nephi saw the United States part of the Land of Promise in his vision, beginning with Columbus (Central and South America resulted from that) and then the Pilgrims, etc., resulting in the United States and the wars fought between England and other nations for this land, and then the wars of independence. No one should feel the U.S. is not part of the Land of Promise--and the main part for it is to be the place of the New Jerusalem, the Church government, and the Lord's leadership of his Chosen People. It should also be pointed out, as has been stated in numerous earlier posts, that thousands upon thousands of Nephites and Lamanites sailed northward in Hagoth's ships and settled a lang which was northward--suggesting it was not connected to the Book of Mormon lands. In such a case, that would have been Mesoamerica, where monuments of their building efforts can still be seen. It is also obvious that from there Nephites migrated ever northward into the present day United States, and migrated eastward into the Heartland and to the eastern seashore. But the Book of Mormon lands took place in its entirety in the Andean area of South America.

In regarding a "choice" land, the climate, natural resources, wealth, and beauty in the entire Western Hemisphere, taken as a whole, is unmatched by any other continent or combination of continents in the world---though each region has its own attractiveness. Still, the Western Hemisphere is unmatched anywhere and "is a choice land above all others." This is not to denigrate anyone's home and beloved country---it is only meant to suggest that a "choice land" is not just in the economic wealth, freedom and government it currently possesses (though that is certainly important to each of us), for those things, unfortunately, can change; but the concept is meant to speak of the land and all that goes with it, including its natural resources, beauty, and favorable status with the Lord. While South America, at this point in time, has less freedom, more turmoil, less economic wealth, etc., the land itself was blessed from the beginning, as was North America, as Moroni wrote, and it will be here, in this overall land, that the promises of the Lord will be fulfilled (as well as in the modern area of Israel).

As for a revelation, I do not see this happening any time soon because of all the attacks it would elicit from the enemies of the Church (it is the same concept that caused the Lord to have Joseph Smith translate from the small plates and not retranslate from the Large Plates after the original translation was lost by Martin Harris). However, it is written that in the last days, the Lord's spirit will be poured out and knowledge will move forth, revealing all that was beneath the earth, above the earth, and on the earth---I believe those days are upon us, and such revealing is taking place. Man has come to know more about the earth and its many aspects than ever in its history, and we are finding out more about the past and its historical evidences than man has ever before known. But to me, the best bet for anyone interested in the subject of the Land of Promise is to go by the scriptures, not somebody's theory--if a location does not fit EVERY scripture about the Land of Promise, then it is suspect, and undoubtedly wrong.

I hope this helps, and again, thank you for your comment.