Understanding Mormon’s Map – Part IV

The last feature to be mentioned in Mormon’s writings that explain the Land of Promise and fill out the map, is an event that took place during Captain Moroni’s creation of his flag of liberty. This also has to do with a misunderstanding of Mesoamerica and Great Lakes theorists regarding the Land North and the Land South mentioned in Alma.

This unique feature, that is the Land North and the Land South is mentioned only three times in scripture, and all have to do with the Land Southward. As Mormon wrote:

“Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored” (Alma 46:16). And at this time, Moroni “poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was south of the land Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and on the south -- A chosen land, and the land of liberty” (Alma 46:17)

Thus, the Land North and the Land South are not the same as the Land Northward and the Land Southward, since Mormon tells us that the Land Southward “the land which was south of the land Desolation” had two divisions—the land north and the land south. That is, the Land Southward was divided into two divisions—the Land North and the Land South.

This is also the understanding of these terms in Helaman when it is written: “And behold, there was peace in all the land, insomuch that the Nephites did go into whatsoever part of the land they would, whether among the Nephites or the Lamanites. And it came to pass that the Lamanites did also go whithersoever they would, whether it were among the Lamanites or among the Nephites; and thus they did have free intercourse one with another, to buy and to sell, and to get gain, according to their desire. And it came to pass that they became exceedingly rich, both the Lamanites and the Nephites; and they did have an exceeding plenty of gold, and of silver, and of all manner of precious metals, both in the land south and in the land north. Now the land south was called Lehi and the land north was called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south. And behold, there was all manner of gold in both these lands, and of silver, and of precious ore of every kind; and there were also curious workmen, who did work all kinds of ore and did refine it; and thus they did become rich. They did raise grain in abundance, both in the north and in the south; and they did flourish exceedingly, both in the north and in the south. And they did multiply and wax exceedingly strong in the land. And they did raise many flocks and herds, yea, many fatlings” (Helaman 6:7-12).

Thus, Mormon tells us that within the Land Southward, that is, in “all the land which was south of the land Desolation,” there were two divisions, the Land North, called the Land of Mulek, and the Land South, called the Land of Lehi, for the Lord led Mulek into the Land North—where he landed and always dwelt and where Mosiah found the Mulekites—and Lehi into the Land South, which became known as the Land of First Inheritance in the Land of Nephi, west, along the seashore.

Thus, we see that the Land of Promise is configured with four divisions of land:
Land of Promise with Land Southward, Land South, Land North and Land Northward)

Such a map becomes crystal clear when we accept the words Mormon wrote, word for word, without trying to determine what Hebrew words meant, or why the Nephites did not know directions, or that seas meant lakes, etc. The Book of Mormon was written in “our own language to our understanding” and should be both read and accepted in that manner.