The Western Hemisphere—The Land of Promise -- Part I

One of the most important understandings of the geography of the Land of Promise is to recognize what exactly constituted the promised land consecrated to both the Jaredite and Nephite nations (including both the Mulekites and in a way, the Lamanites).

We are told through modern-day revelation that the area in the middle of North America was the original location of the Garden of Eden, and that when Adam was ejected from Eden, he settled in an area a few miles to the north where present day Adam-ondi-Ahman is now located. John A.Widtsoe stated that Eden was in the upper part of what is now the state of Missouri, and Brigham Young declared that the Prophet Joseph Smith told him “that the garden of Eden was in Jackson County Missouri and when Adam was driven out of the garden of Eden, he went about 40 miles to the place which we named Adam Ondi Ahman.”

We also know that after the Flood of Noah’s gime, this hemisphere was reserved, or hidden, from mankind until the Jaredites were led here. It remained hidden until Lehi was led here some 1300 years later. And it was still hidden from manhind in general for another 2000 years until the Europeans arrived.

The first of these Europeans was Columbus, who Nephi saw in a vision—“and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren who were in the promised land” (1 Nephi 13:12).

So Nephi tells us three things:

1. The man came from across the ocean

2. The man came to Nephi’s brethren (the Lamanites)

3. The man came to the promised land

We are also told that this man was followed by others who also crossed the ocean (1 Nephi 13:13).

Thus we see this man, a Gentile, leading a parade of other Gentiles who came across the ocean to land in the promised land, who were followed by “many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise” and that these Gentiles “scattered” Nephi’s brethren who were “smitten” by them. (1 Nephi 13:14).

So from this we learn that this man (Columbus) and others (Spanish Conquistadors) came to the Land of Promise (1 Nephi 13:12). Now, since Columbus and the conquistadors never set foot in the area of the United States or Canada, but Columbus only in the Caribbean and Central and South America, and the conquistadors in central Mexico, Central America and South America, we must conclude that the “promised land” Nephi saw them visit was somewhere between Mexico City and the Chilean border of South America.

In addition, Nephi goes on to tell us about the forming of the American colonists and the origination of the United States (1 Nephi 13:16-19), which extends the promised land also into North America, specifically the area of present-day United States. This is also stated by many modern-day prophets, including Joseph Smith.

Therefore it can only be concluded that the Land of Promise encompasses South America, Central America, and North America—the entire Western Hemisphere.

To claim that only the United States, or only the Eastern U.S., or only the Great Lakes area, is the Land of Promise is absolutely without merit and without scriptural reference. Nephi made it abundantly clear that Columbus and the others came to his brethren, which were not in North America, for Columbus never set foot in the continental United States or in Mexico--or in Mesoamerica for that matter.

The Great Lakes Theorists might want to recognize Nephi’s vision, which was the same vision accorded Lehi (1 Nephi 11:1, 6), which was given to him by an Angel (1 Nephi 11:14; 13:11), making it quite clear that Nephi and his brethren (the Lamanites) were not in North America.