Can We Really Locate the Land of Promise?

In order to locate the Land of Promise we need to keep in mind that Nephi, Jacob, Mormon and Moroni left us a partial blueprint in their descriptions of the Land of Promise—a factor seldom fully considered by the many theorists who have spoken and written about their beliefs and opinions. In using these descriptions to locate the land promised to Lehi, a few factors cannot be—but often are—ignored.

This blueprint is a list of descriptions left us by Mormon about the Land of Promise and what it looked like, what was within it, and evidences of its existence. The list actually is quite long, with many items completely ignored by those who promote one model or another.    
While modern-day comments and descriptions may be helpful, this critical list of descriptions is found only in the scriptural record of the Book of Mormon. It is by far not only the most important basis, but in fact, the only basis on which to form a discovery or opinion of where the Land of Promise was located. This is because it was written and provided by a series of prophets, directed by the Spirit, who lived most or all of their lives upon the land, and was translated by a prophet whose translation was verified by the Spirit.

The problem lies with all of the Heartland/Great lakes theorists as well as those who promote Mesoamerica as the location—frequently ignoring those scriptural references that disagree with their points of view. As an example, Jacob, who was born in the wilderness during the eight-year journey to the area Lehi called the Land of Bountiful. 

Jacob Speaking to disgruntled Nephites who thought the lord had forgotten them since they were no longer at Jerusalem

 

Speaking in the Temple Nephi built, Jacob taught: “let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land, for the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are upon an isle of the sea” (Nephi 10:20, emphasis added).

Now to make sure we understand this “isle of the sea,” the Lord provided a dictionary of the language spoken and understood in the New England states where Joseph Smith grew up, that provides a definition of the word isle: “A tract of land surrounded by water, or a detached portion of land embosomed in the ocean” (Noah Webster 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, emphasis within quotes added).

Again, to make sure “isle” was understood, Jacob added: “great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our brethren” (2 Nephi 10:21, emphasis added). Additional other Old Testament usages: “And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea” (Ester 10:1).

 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea (Isaiah 11:11).

“Keep silence before me, O islands;  and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment” (Isaiah 41:1). And also: “Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands” (Isaiah 42:12).

The Philistines attacking Israel

 

“According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence” (Isaiah 59:18). Also, “Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor” (Jeremiah 47:4). Caphtor was Chittim or Kittem, the name for Cuprus, or Cypress, an island in the Mediterranean. See also Jeremiah 2:10 and 27:6,emphases above added). Lastly: “Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure” (Ezekiel 26.18).

Yet, despite this clear and concise language of Jacob, and the verifying transcription of his words as written down by Nephi, nearly all theorists discount this information and attempt to explain it away using singular examples of non-island meanings.

The point is, Jacob said they were on an island; Nephi wrote down “island,” in his sacred record; Joseph Smith, led by the Spirit, transcribed it as island, since the word “isle” in 1829 was the word for island because, according to Noah Webster, the word “island” did not exist in any other form; and thus we have “isle” in the Book of Mormon meaning ”island.”

So we continue to publish what those scriptural references are and show where they are not used and do not support these numerous and erroneous views of those who place the Land of Promise in areas not supported by Mormon's many descriptions and many other the scriptural references.”

Thus, to find the location of the Land of Promise, we have to find an area that now and/or during the time of the Jaredites/Nephites, matched the entire list of descriptions found in the Book of Mormon. And we have to do it without changing the meaning, twisting the words around, inserting words that are not in the scriptural record, or deleting words or ideas that do not agree with one’s personal point of view, or claiming that these erstwhile prophets did not know what they were writing about, such as not knowing directions or what their land was like, or how it was laid out from north to south, or whether or not they meant sea when they said sea, etc.
Another example is when Samuel the Lamanite foretold that the land would be changed at the time of the crucifixion of the Lord, saying “And behold, there shall be great tempests, and there shall be many mountains laid low, like unto a valley, and there shall be many places which are now called valleys which shall become mountains, whose height is great” (Helaman 14:23). Thus, the Land of Promise must have mountains that are so high or unusual that Samuel singled them out with the term “whose height is great.”

Mountains whose height is great

 

The Andes are the highest mountain range outside Asia, the longest continental mountain range in the world at about 4,300 miles in length and 430 miles wide, with its highest point at 22,841 feet, and containing the world’s highest volcanoes. It has over 50 separate volcanoes above 19,685 feet, and 25 mountain peaks over 20,000 feet. No other area in all the Western Hemisphere can boast of so many mountains “whose height is great” and very obviously, would have been noticeable from most any part of Andean Peru as they are today. Thus matching Jacob’s further comment that these signs will he seen by all Nephites: “And the angel said unto me that many shall see greater things than these, to the intent that they might believe that these signs and these wonders should come to pass upon all the face of this land, to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men—and this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment might come upon them; and also if they are condemned they bring upon themselves their own condemnation” (Helaman 14:28-29).

In fact, these examples of the Land of Promise, i.e., being on an island (at least until the time of the crucifixion); and having extremely high mountains that could he seen throughout the Land of Promise

Another example is Moroni’s statement found in Ether when he said, “And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms” (Ether 9:19, emphasis added). Thus, there must be two animals that were unknown to Joseph Smith in New England America in 1829, but were present in the Land of Promise of great importance to its inhabitants—so great, their value surpassed horses and donkeys and were equal to elephants (not in purpose, but in value). In addition, there were two grains on a par with wheat, corn and barley, but were unknown to Joseph Smith living in the farm country of New England in the 1820s.

The point is that there are scores of examples in the writings of these early prophets that tell us where we can find Lehi’s Land of Promise.