“In Baja California, and especially in the central area of the peninsula, the main source of water is springs, not the typical system of tributaries with rivers and lakes, found in more humid lands. These springs flow directly into natural fountains or heads. In common with Al Awali (the Sidon River) of Lebanon and the River Jordan of Israel, the Rio San Ignacio has a striking and beautiful, elongated lagoon or fountain at its head.” Alma 22:27.
It is interesting they would admit that in “Baja California the main source of water is springs.” Do they not understand Mormon’s description of the Land of Many Waters?
“And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites” (Mormon 6:4).
Waters – The ocean, a sea, a lake, a river, any great collection of water
Rivers – A large stream of water flowing in a channel on land toward the ocean, a lake, or another river
Fountains – A spring or source of water; the head or source of a river
Understanding that when three different words are used in a single sentence like this, they are referring to different items. In this case, it is not only springs being referred to here, but also large bodies of water (waters) and flowing rivers. Thus, it must be understood that in the Land Northward, in the area to which Mormon marched his Nephite armies, was a land with so much water, from so many sources, he called it the Land of Many Waters.
Not only is there no such natural water source in all of Baja California, Rosenvall even admits that the sources of water are springs, which would indicate water spouting forth from subterranean sources. But “waters” and “rivers,” as well as “fountains (springs),” indicate other natural water sources, such as water flowing from rains and snows atop high mountains, lakes and other pooled and flowing water sources.
In the same sentence above, Rosenvall concluded that the River Sidon was: “Directly fed by several springs, the water in this narrow lagoon runs from east to west, the same direction mentioned in Mormon’s account, “by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west,” faithfully matching this directional description (Alma 22:27).”
The sad thing about people who quote scripture is that they try to find something that agrees with their belief or model, then try to squeeze it into that support in a haphazard manner. First of all, the River Sideon is never mentioned as running from east to west, or any pooling of water at its head, as Rosenvall wants us to believe.
Alma 22:27 states: “And it came to pass that the king sent a proclamation throughout all the land, amongst all his people who were in all his land, who were in all the regions round about, which was bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west -- and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided.”Now, let’s take a look at what runs east and west:
“a NARROW STRIP OF WILDERNESS, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west.”
This narrow strip of wilderness “RAN FROM THE SEA EAST EVEN TO THE SEA WEST.”
There is no mention, indication, or reference to the River Sidon running from east to west, only that the narrow strip of wilderness ran east to west, along past the head of the River Sidon.
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