Matching the List of Descriptions in the Scriptural Record – Part III

Continuing from the previous post regarding the lists that theorists have created for their individual models, yet seldom refer to the scriptural record in forming their lists. It should be noted that these theorists’ lists that supposedly point out the main or major areas that are to be found in the Land of Promise, not only contain items that are not defensible as pointed out in the first two articles, but that they often avoid the very mention of some very specific and quite clear descriptions that Mormon listed as existing in the Land of Promise—but not in their model.

Volcanoes spew smoke and vapors into the air, sometimes covering hundreds of miles—multiple volcanoes could fill the air with impenetrable smoke for a thousand miles

 

As an example, in mentioning volcanoes in the Land of Promise, Heartland and Great Lakes theorists strongly claim “volcanoes” are not mentioned in the scriptural record (since there are no volcanoes in the land of their models), and therefore, not found in the Land of Promise. However, the disciple Nephi makes a very convincing case or argument for volcanoes when he describes what took place:

• When the three-hour earthquakes and storm ceased, he said: “then behold, there was darkness upon the face of the land” (3 Nephi 8:19, emphasis added);

• “There was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness” (3 Nephi 8:20, emphasis added);

• “And there was not any light seen, neither fire, nor glimmer, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, for so great were the mists of darkness which were upon the face of the land” (3 Nephi 8:22, emphasis added);

• This mist and vapor of darkness blocked out all light for three days before it evaporated.

Thus, the theorists’ beliefs and opinions of their Heartland or Great Lakes theories, as well as Mesoamericanists, are not valid unless they can show convincing scientific understanding that explains away Mormon’s abridgement of the disciple Nephi’s observations of the terrible destruction that took place in the Land of Promise at the time of the crucifixion as being nothing more than simple cosmetic effect, as John L. Sorenson has emphatically stated.

As examples of these descriptive events or things not covered by theorists, we find:

Quinine was the only plant derivative to cure deadly fevers like malaria prior to the 20^th Century

 

1. Plants providing a cure for deadly fevers (Alma 46:40)—obviously, the climate and conditions of the Land of Promise led to the contracting of deadly fevers. As Mormon put it: “And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land” (Alma 46:40, emphasis added).

So what plants and herbs could cure deadly fevers? None are noted historically in the Heartland, Great Lakes, or Mesoamerica, but in Andean South America we find that the only cure anciently, and until modern science synthesized it, was quinine (it took 150-years to synthesize the naturally-occurring antimalarial drug, which was considered a milestone in organic chemistry although it has never been produced industrially as a substitute for natural occurring quinine).

Quinine, the only natural cure for malaria and fevers, was indigenous to, and only found in, ancient Peru, where the Cinchona tree grew, that from its bark, quinine was and is made—a remedy known and used in Andean South America for thousands of years.

2. Contrary to every theorist and their views, Lehi’s Land of Promise was an island. These theorists maintain a view that the word “isle” used in the scriptural record means a distant coastal land; however, Jacob stated they were on an island—as he said in the temple to a gathering of Nephites: ““Now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, 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. But 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 10:20-21, emphasis added).

It should be noted that Nephi was recording this two-day conference of the Nephites, and shortly after Jacob’s comment above, he wrote: “And now, Jacob spake many more things to my people at that time; nevertheless only these things have I caused to be written, for the things which I have written sufficeth me” (Jacob 11:1, emphasis added).

It should also be noted that verification of this “island” is found in the “four seas”—north, south, east and west—listed in as being around the Land of Promise (Helaman 3:8); and Mormon states that the Land Southward was nearly surrounded by water except for the Narrow Neck of Land (Alma 22:32).

An island is an island, and the Land of Promise was an island in the midst of the sea

 

It is interesting that though Helaman described the Land of Promise being surrounded by water in his description of the spread of the Nephites who: “did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east” (Helaman 3:8, emphasis added), theorists ignore these references to the Land of Promise being an island;

3. While the scriptural record makes it clear that in the Land of Promise there were buildings of every kind (Mosiah 8:8), no buildings have been found in the Heartland and Great Lakes areas, but have been found in Mesoamerica and Andean South America—of the latter two, those in South America are older, far more numerous, and far more sophisticated in design and building achievement;

4. The Temple Tower Noah built (Mosiah 11:12). No such structure has been found in the Heartland or Great Lakes, and none among the buildings of Mesoamerica that meet the criteria Mormon outlines of Noah ornamenting a temple, and: “he built a tower near the temple; yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the top thereof and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of Shemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites; and he could even look over all the land round about” (Mosiah 11:12).

Only in Andean South America are such luxurious temples found, with Spanish chroniclers listing their beauty and exquisite furnishings, including walls completely covered with sheets of gold, and elegant silver furnishings and imitations of plants and animal statues—in fact, the amount of gold and silver provided Pizarro by the Inca Emperor, amounted to 1,326,539 pesos de oro, which is about half a billion dollars today (this was only a part of all the wealth the Spanish took out of Peru).

The so-called “ransom room” in Cajamarca, where the Inca Emperor, Atahualpa, was imprisoned by the Spanish conquistadores 

 

After the battle of Cajamarca, Atahualpa, the Inca Emperor offered Pizarro to buy his liberty by filling the room where he was kept prisoner with gold and the two following rooms with silver, up to the level of the reach of his arm. The room was 22 feet long and 17 feet wide, while the red line marking the height of the Inca's reach, was 9 feet high. Atahualpa also offered to twice fill a smaller room with silver.

While some theorists may acknowledge that a tower existed, they cannot show where it was built, let alone pinpoint its location as described by Mormon—however, the tower next to a temple is not only known, but the foundation of its exact location, as the Spanish descried, has been found and uncovered and available to be seen today—only in Andean South America was such a tower found, and it was written and described by all chroniclers since it played such an important part of the conquest of Peru.

Top: Rounded stones show ancient building ability; Bottom: The foundation of a very high round tower in the exact location the Spanish described

 

This tower, called Muyucmarca in Quechua, is also known as La torre de Cahuide—the “the tower of Cahuide,” who was an Inca leader in 1536 who jumped from the top of the tower rather than be taken prisoner by the Spanish—was a very tall tower (only the foundation remains) with an important historical value. It is known that the Inca general Titu Cusi Huallpa (also called Cahuide) jumped from the highest part to avoid being taken prisoner by the Spanish during the Incan resistance of 1536.

(See the next post for more information and comparing of the three popular theories against Andean South America)