Did the Mulekites Land Among the Jaradites?

If the Land Northward, where the bones and ruins of buildings were found by Limhi’s 43-man expeditionary force, was the landing site of the Mulekites as Mesoamerican theorists so stubbornly claim, why is it that no one in the Limhi group, nor Limhi himself, nor anyone in Zarahemla even knew about this northern land or its people?

The 43 men King Limhi sent to find Zarahemla became “lost in the wilderness for the space of many days, yet they were diligent, and found not the land of Zarahemla but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among many waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel” (Mosiah 8:8).

Limhi himself obviously had no idea who the people of the north were, saying “For I am desirous that these records should be translated into our language; for, perhaps, they will give us a knowledge of a remnant of the people who have been destroyed, from whence these records came” (Mosiah 8:12). He also said, after finding out that Mosiah could translate the plates “Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates, and these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men.”

Now, Ammon, to whom Limhi was speaking, was “a strong and mighty man, and a descendant of Zarahemla” (Mosiah 7:3), yet he gave no indication that he either knew about this Land Northward, or knew of any of those people who had been destroyed there.” Had the Mulekites landed in the Land Northward and mingled among the Jaradites as Mesoamerican theorists so adamantly claim, certainly the knowledge of the Jaredites would have been known to Ammon.

Now in the city or land of Zarahemla, there “were not so many of the children of Nephi, or so many of those who were descendants of Nephi, as there were of the people of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek, and those who came with him into the wilderness” (Mosiah 25:2). Obviously, then, during Mosiah’s reign, there were numerous Mulekites in Zarahemla, yet these very people had no idea about the Land Northward nor the people who had been destroyed there. Eventually, Mosiah translated the Jaredite plates: “And this he did because of the great anxiety of his people; for they were desirous beyond measure to know concerning those people who had been destroyed” (Mosiah 28:12). When the translation was completed and the people heard the “account of the people who were destroyed, from the time that they were destroyed back to the building of the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people and they were scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth, yea, and even from that time back until the creation of Adam. Now this account did cause the people of Mosiah to mourn exceedingly, yea, they were filled with sorrow; nevertheless it gave them much knowledge, in the which they did rejoice” (Mosiah 28:17-18).

How is it possible that no one in Zarahemla, that was a descendant of Mulek and those who came with him, knew anything about the people of the Land Northward, nor of their history, battles, and wars if they landed among them? The idea that the Mulekites landed in the Land Northward, as Mesoamerican theorist contend is ludicruous. The Mulekites knew nothing of the land nor the people when Mosiah translated the plates of Ether.

Thus, Mesoamerican theorists from John L. Sorenson onward have all tried to foster a situation upon us that is simply not supported by the scriptural record. The Mulekites did not land in the Land Northward and did not know the Jaredites except for Coriantumr whom they did not understand his language nor his writing. Amaleki makes this perfectly clear that the Mulekites land in the area where Mosiah found them (Omni 1:16). To say differently is to change the scriptural record in a most disingenuous manner.