Geography of the Book of Mormon

Dear Readers,

This is something that I have been confused about since I was in Lander, WY on my mission. I was raised believing that the Book of Mormon peoples were on both of the American Continents. 
I had a vague understanding that the Nephites were in North America, "The Land Northward" and the Lamanites were in South America, "The Land Southward". Thus meaning that the stories of the Book of Mormon all would have taken place in Central and North America, besides the un-precise geography of the missionary expeditions of Ammon and his brethren. 

Then, while watching a movie called, "DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography", I was introduced to a new concept, that the entirety of the Book of Mormon, and its people, were on the North American Continent. 

This was troubling for me. I felt like everything I knew or had imagined about the Nephites and Lamanites and their culture was wrong. Thus, it took me to my knees. I prayed for God to give me comfort concerning this matter, at least until after my mission, where I could study it out further.

Thus, I come to my creation of this post. What I shall show hereafter are some of the evidences I have found for and against different locations for the Book of Mormon to have taken place, ultimately summed up by my own belief, after having weighed geography, anthropology/archaeology, scripture, and revelation together.

First of all, I will mention the actual DNA truths that the movie pointed out. I have confirmed these quotes with their sources.


"Science" 2 January 1998: Vol 279 no 5347 pp 28-29
Calibrating the Mitochondrial Clock by Ann Gibbons

"Regardless of the cause, evolutionists are most concerned about the effect of a faster mutation rate. For example, researchers have calculated that “mitochondrial Eve”—the woman whose mtDNA was ancestral to that in all living people—lived 100,000 to 200,000 years ago in Africa. Using the new clock, she would be a mere 6000 years old.

No one thinks that's the case, but at what point should models switch from one mtDNA time zone to the other? “I'm worried that people who are looking at very recent events, such as the peopling of Europe, are ignoring this problem,” says Laurent Excoffier, a population geneticist at the University of Geneva."

Mitochondrial Eve: The Plot Thickens
Trends in Ecology and Evolution (tree) vol 12 issue 11 November 1997 p 422-423
"They sequenced 610 base pairs of 197 individuals from 134 independent mtDNA lineages...and found...such a high mutation rate would indicate that Eve lived about 6500 years ago - a figure clearly incompatible with current theories on human origins."

This is further proof that the Bible is correct, and adds evidence to creation, rather than evolution.

The movie goes on to mention that part of why Rob Meldrum created this presentation, was because of a study conducted that had the results of the American Indians, especially in South and Central America, having Asian ancestry. In conducting his own research inquiry, he discovered these references. 


"Science" vol. 280, 24/04/1998, p. 520
Genes May Link Ancient Eurasians, Native Americans
"Anthropologists have long assumed that the first Americans, who crossed into North America by way of the Bering Straight, were originally of Asian stock. But recently they have been puzzled by surprising features on a handful of ancient American skeletons, features that resemble those of Europeans rather than Asians,"
"The new data, from a genetic marker called Lineage X, suggest a 'definite--if ancient---link between Eurasians and Native Americans,' says Theordore Schurr, a molecular anthropologist from Emory University in Atlanta..."
"Now a new genetic study may link Native Americans and people of Europe and the Middle East..."

"Science" vol. 280, 24/04/1998, p. 520
Genes May Link Ancient Eurasians, Native Americans
"Haplogroup X was different... They analyzed blood samples from Native American, European, and Asian populations and reviewed published studies. 'We fully expected to find it [Haplogroup X] in Asia", like the four other Native American markers, says Brown."
"To their surprise, however, haplogroup X was only confirmed in the genes of a smattering of living people in Europe and Asia Minor, including Italians, Finns, and certain Israelis."

Distribution of mtDNA Haplogroup X among Native North Americans
Amerian Journal of Physical Anthropology 110:271-284 1999
"Curiously, haplogroup X is found in modern populations of Europe and Southwest Asia but not in those of Central Siberia, which is now regarded as the source of the peopling of the New World."

Haplogroup X has been confirmed to be an ancient haplogroup, because of its relations to several different peoples related by genetics, but not related in language. This is deduced because of how  languages change over time when groups are separated regionally. 

All of this helps prove that not only are there "Native Americans" or more accurately "American Indians" that have genes tying them back to Israel and European heritage, but that the Book of Mormon is correct in its cooperation with the Bible and the truths contained therein. 

To further prove this, the Prophet Joseph Smith called missionaries in Doctrine and Covenants 28:8, to preach the gospel to the "Lamanites". Those individuals served missions in the Ohio reservations. Having mentioned to you, my readers, the DNA evidences, which have yet to be explained through regular migration means, such as the Bering Straight, could in all likely hood, be the result of boat transportation by Lehi and his family.

Now that I have discussed some things that I could not actually prove or discern from just reading the Book of Mormon, I will begin by how Lehi left Jerusalem.

In 1 Nephi 2:4-5, Lehi departs from Jerusalem, with his family, into the wilderness, near the shore of the Red Sea. Below is the "possible route" that the Book of Mormon Institute Manual has.

This course is then fairly confirmed by an article in the February 2001 Ensign: news of the Church: LDS Scene which states: "Book of Mormon linked to Site in Yemen. A group of Latter-day Saint researchers recently found evidence linking a site in Yemen, on the southwest corner of the Arabian peninsula, to a name associated with Lehi’s journey as recorded in the Book of Mormon.

Warren Aston, Lynn Hilton, and Gregory Witt located a stone altar that professional archaeologists dated to at least 700 B.C. This altar contains an inscription confirming “Nahom” as an actual place that existed in the peninsula before the time of Lehi. The Book of Mormon mentions that “Ishmael died, and was buried in the place which was called Nahom” (1 Ne. 16:34).

This is the first archaeological find that supports a Book of Mormon place-name other than Jerusalem or the Red Sea, says Brother Witt. "

Thus, with the path fairly confirmed, there is now the means of transportation. Now, the boat was not made after the workmanship of man, but after the design of God. This would mean more function, stability and be very close to the ships that Columbus used with their harnessing of wind. Thus with the world wind currents (below)

The ship would have been propelled by the wind roughly the entire way. Especially with a compass like device such as the Liahona, they would have been able to steer. (1 Nephi 16:10) This course also would take the ship right through the area where storms are formed, near Morocco and Portugal, that can create the hurricanes which devastate the east coast. A ship designed by God would withstand such a storm, while have the people on board severely afraid for their lives. (1 Nephi 18:13)

So, if this is the verified beginning, what about the verified end? We know that both groups of people, the Nephites and the Jaredites, were wiped out at a place called the Hill Cumorah,(Mormon6:4) or Hill Ramah (Ether 15:11), respectively. This is the same hill that Joseph Smith claimed that he received the gold plates (The Book of Mormon) from, being buried under a rock. He did this in upstate New York. This would mean that the Hill Cumorah is roughly here, by the great lakes. (see below)

I found and wonderful website: http://www.mormongeography.com/
A new model for the Book of Mormon Geography
By James Lee Warr
On this site, Mr. Warr takes great effort to prove the geography of the Book of Mormon in Central America, with the landing and etc. Which I was very appreciative of. Sadly, if such a place was the scene of the Book of Mormon, he placed the Hill Cumorah in Cerro San Gil, Guatemala. (See Below)

Thus, it would be like proving the geography of the Book of Mormon by disproving its origin, meaning, the plates being found in upstate New York.
Not to mention the narrow neck of land. In Alma 22:32, it describes this neck of land being a day and a half's journey. Nowhere in Central America is there a narrow enough stretch of land. Panama itself is 40 miles wide, and filled with mountains and forest. In the past, I had dismissed this by saying that this was before Christ's death, and that the mountain range was formed during all of that destruction. This would be true, if it was Aaron who actually recorded this. Instead, it is a written account, that was later abridged by Mormon. Thus it has Mormon's insights and clarity after the destruction at Christ's death.

This means that the purposed stretch of land, from the DNA movie is the next best bet.

I found an amusing website :http://www.bookofmormonpromisedland.com/Walk%20the%20Walk.htm which has the statement/story of a gentleman who actually walked this purposed line along Bountiful in a day and a half.

Thus, we have proven that my old theory of the Book of Mormon's landscape was quite false. Yet, the purpose of learning about the geography of the Book of Mormon was to help grow a firmer testimony of it and the message it holds. So let us continue.

When Lehi and his family landed, they traveled many days into the wilderness. If they landed in the gulf of Mexico, as depicted above, it is a very marshy, swampy, quagmire area. They would need to travel inland to find a good place to camp, thus the Land of Nephi. Also, it is important to note the use of tents (Mosiah 2:6), very similar to the American Indian teepee.

Here they also built wood buildings, including a temple modeled after Solomon's Temple (2 Nephi 5:16), only not as extravagant. They also made use of gold, silver and precious ores. There were also goats and horses. (1 Nephi 18:25) Now, there are wild goats all over North America. They prefer the mountains, because otherwise they fell prey too easily to the predators. 

The horses are quite controversial. Many archaeologists are confident in the fact that horses were not introduced into America until Columbus's time. However, as the movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron indicated so well, the horses thrived in the wild. In the Book of Mormon Institute Manual chapter 5 we find, "There was controversy regarding horses in the Western Hemisphere before Columbus arrived. However, modern archaeological discoveries have shed new light on the subject: “‘Fossil remains of true horses, differing but very slightly from the smaller and inferior breeds of those now existing, are found abundantly in deposits of the most recent geological age, in almost every part of America, from Escholz Bay in the north to Patagonia in the South. In that continent however, they became quite extinct, and no horses, either wild or domesticated, existed there at the time of the Spanish conquest, which is the most remarkable as, when introduced from Europe the horses that ran wild proved by their rapid multiplication in the plains of South America and Texas that the climate, food, and other circumstances were highly favorable for their existence."

Next, in Doctrine and Covenants 125:3 Joseph Smith calls the land on the other side of the river from Nauvoo, Zarahemla. This puts Zarahemla here (see below) across the River Sidon, or Buffalo Creek as we know it today. This is directionally confirmed by Alma 6:7, in which Zarahemla is on the west side of the river. 

Another city to mention is the City of Lehi. In Alma 50:15, it is described as being built after a "particular manner" which was "north by the borders of the seashore". Reasonable comparison can be drawn with the ruins of the city in East Fork Works Clermont County, Ohio.

Now, it is obviously not on the seashore of one of the great lakes, but it is on the seashore of a lake, William H. Harsha Lake. There is no doubt that it is made after a "particular manner" with references to a menorah, an oil lamp, and some other symbols found in the Holy Temple. 

This city, as well as countless others found in this area, are built with mounds of earth, and were build by those who were called the "Mound Builders".

The Ojibwa Indians, located by the Great Lakes, wear turbans, and are considered the "Mound Builders". 

Zelph Mound Account: History of the Church vol 2:79-80 Joseph Smith, during the Zion's Camp march, said:
"During our travels we visited several of the mounds which had been thrown up by the ancient inhabitants of this country--Nephites, Lamanites, etc., and this morning I went up on a high mound, near the river, accompanies by the brethren. From this mound we could overlook the tops of the trees and view the prairie on each side of the river as far as our vision could extend, and the scenery was truly delightful. 

On the top of the mound were stones which presented the appearance of three altars having been erected one above the other, according to the ancient order; and the remains of bones were strewn over the surface of the ground. The brethren procured a shovel and a hoe, and removing the earth to the depth of about one foot, discovered the skeleton of a man, almost entire, and between his ribs the stone point of a Lamanitish arrow, which evidently produced his death. Elder Burr Riggs retained the arrow. The contemplation of the scenery around us produced peculiar sensations in our bosoms; and subsequently the visions of the past being opened to my understanding by the Spirit of the Almighty, I discovered that the person whose skeleton we had seen was a white Lamanite, a large, thick-set man, and a man of God. His name was Zelph. He was a warrior and chieftain under the great prophet Onandagus, who was known from the eastern sea to the Rocky mountains. The curse was taken from Zelph, or, at least, in part--one of his thigh bones was broken by a stone flung from a sling, while in battle, years before his death. He was killed in battle by the arrow found among his ribs, during a great struggle with the Lamanites."


Lake Ontario and the other Great Lakes can easily be considered seas, especially when taken in the Jewish idea of sea. Comparing Red Sea, Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee. There are places on Lake Ontario where you cannot see the other side. 

In Helaman 3:8, it says, "...from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east." Thus attributing the rest of the great lakes, and no other lake, sea, or ocean formations in such cardinal placements are found in the Americas.

Another memorable body of water was the "waters of Mormon". (Mosiah 18:5) Which had a "fountain of pure water", that was large enough to gather a group of 204 people around and baptize them. (Mosiah 18:16) Brother Meldrum speculates that this fountain is located at Big Springs Missouri. I am inclined to agree with him because of the clearness of the water, and the amount of water that pours out of that spring. I think that it was roughly between 200-800 gallons of water per day.

Not to mention, the scriptures talk about places to hide. There are even remnants of ancient stairs here.

Next, when Christ died, cities were destroyed by fire (3 Nephi 8:8).
Stones don't burn, like this Mayan temple.

 But the wood houses in North America burn. Like this longhouse.

People were taken up in whirlwinds (3 Nephi 8:16). Like a tornado

Are most abundantly found in this region. Tornado Alley.

There are also references to the use of cement by the Nephites (Helaman 3:7). Amazing how the pueblo resembles cement work.

Then there is the majestic buffalo. I had the opportunity to see a few on my mission in Montana. They migrate, from the north, and are found mostly on the west side of the Mississippi. Thus, they are likely some of the "wild beasts" that the Book of Mormon talks about, also including deer, elk, and moose. I will quickly mention the "Cureloms and the Cumoms" (Ether 9:19) are possibly buffalo, because I am not sure if Joseph Smith knew what a buffalo was called, and possibly the mastodon. Considering both of these were well before the Nephites and the Lamanites.

Also, the buffalo have helped to prove that bodies left un-buried disappear and dissolve into dust. 60 million buffalo were slaughtered on the plains, and their bodies have easily disintegrated in a mere 200 years, let alone the bodies of humans from 400 A.D.

Yet, within the fore mentioned mounds of dirt, there are bodies and artifacts.
Including head plates of copper (Alma 43:38)

breast plates of copper.

I realize that what is shown above is not what most of us view as a breastplate. I usually think of medieval knight suit of armor breastplates. This, however, is more like the breastplates that Israel used, form example, the breastplate of Judgment in the tabernacle/temple

arrowheads of both copper and stone (Alma 49:2)

There has also been some controversy over the terms of metals such as "steel" and "brass". For brass, the term bronze was not used until much later and began in England, as reference to a special type of copper tin alloy. The the Book of Mormon, and even Biblical "brass" could also mean bronze, or just a copper tin alloy. 

As for "steel". Book of Mormon Institute Manual Chapter 5 says this. "One commentator explained the use of steel in theBook of Mormon: “The overall question of the use of metals by Book of Mormon cultures is an important topic that deserves detailed attention [see John Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon (1985), 277–88]. … There are five explicit references to metal weapons and armor in the Book of Mormon. Two are references to Near East weapons: ‘the blade [of Laban’s sword] was of the most precious steel’ (1 Nephi 4:9), and Nephi’s bow was made of ‘fine steel’ (1 Nephi 16:18). The existence of steel (that is, carburized iron) weapons in the Near East in the early sixth century B.C. has been clearly demonstrated. Robert Maddin writes, ‘To sum up, by the beginning of the seventh century B.C. at the latest, the blacksmiths of the eastern Mediterranean had mastered two of the processes that make iron a useful material for tools and weapons: carburizing and quenching’ [“How the Iron Age Began,” Scientific American, Oct. 1977: 131]” (William J. Hamblin and A. Brent Merrill, “Swords in the Book of Mormon,” inWarfare in the Book of Mormon, ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin [1990], 345–46)." 

There were parts of the middle east that were using steel. Lehi, being a "merchant or smith with ties to Egypt" (http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Lehi), would have easily gotten or made a steel bow for Nephi, and Laban being such a person of nobility could have obtained a sword of steel, either by purchase, or by stealing, as he was so prone to do (1 Nephi 3:26). 

There were also several such remains and artifacts that have been discovered in New York.


Antiquities of the State of New York p 100
"...the area was a depository of the dead. It was a pit excavated to the depth of four or five feet, filled with human bones,... Hundred seem to have been thrown in promiscuously, of both sexes and all ages. Numberous barbs or arrow-points were found among the bones and in the vicinity."

Antiquities of the State of New York p 144
"In excavating the canal through the bank... another burial-place was disclosed, evidently more ancient, for the bones crumbled to pieces almost immediately upon exposure to the air,... The number of skeletons are represented to have been countless..."

Also, the American Indians, more than those located in South and Central America, wore the notorious Lamanite loincloth.(Alma 3:5) 

Lastly, I would like to mention, that I was not entirely wrong with my original understanding. My perception was dictated on the possibility of the Lamanites spreading and doing all kinds of things down in South America. Due to those original DNA findings, of those people being of Asian decent, it is likely that the Lamanites found the tribes of Asians that did cross over, either by the Bering Straight or by other means, and had relations with them. This would also account for the Lamanites always having superior numbers when fighting the Nephites (Alm 43:51). Thus I was partly right, that the Lamanites had mingled, at least in part, to the point of being on Central and South America.

I hope that you have enjoyed both my research, and the way in which I have presented it. The facts, the scriptures, and the revelations have convinced me on the Book of Mormon's geography, and I hope that you too find that it strengthens your testimony. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to comment them below.

Love,
Jacobugoth

Facebook Request 4: My Testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Dear Readers,

This is the last of my Facebook requests that I have so far received. I had originally asked for requests in the hopes that I could find more narrow subjects to bear my testimony on... instead, a lovely girl by the name of Shy asked me to just bear my testimony. So this post is dedicated to her.

I was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Being thus raised, I was surrounded by the Mormon influence, but what I found, especially around the age of 17, is that all I had gained was a testimony that God is my Father, and that Jesus Christ is His son and my Savior. I mostly chalk this up to the gift of the Spirit, (Moroni 10:11) "and to another, exceedingly great faith...". Though, it is also from having so many of my prayers answered. Indeed, I have such great faith that my prayers can be answered, and that Jesus Christ and God the Father are real, that I would refer to it more as knowledge than faith.

Growing up, I have always been a very strange, weird child. Generally a freak. So, at the age of 17, I decided to pray one night, with all of my heart, as the most desperate desire of my soul, to know why I am the way that I am. I was answered through my dream. It contained two parts, though I will only mention the relevant meaning of the second part, because I hold both very dear and close to my heart. My answer was: there are people in this world, that only I can help, because I am the way that I am.

I had not considered even serving a mission. My family was very understanding about it. They would like me to serve a mission, but they did not expect or require it of me. I am very thankful to them for that, because I know that the pressures in the church can send young men onto a course, that may be a righteous course, but trodden begrudgingly, and is soon departed from.

So, with the age to serve a mission being 19, and I was close to being 18, I actually considered going, probably for the first time in my life. I just figured, that if there are people out there that only I can help, then serving a mission would be a good way to try and find them. But, I wanted to make sure that what I would be called to preach on my mission was true.

I knew that there is a God in Heaven, that Jesus Christ was His Son, and I knew that they answered prayers. This got me on the path of studying out my beliefs. I rationally figured that serving a mission would be a good way of find those I am meant to help, but, since I did not know if the doctrine was true, I was completely willing to leave the church and find God's true church, wherever that may be. I believe I was 18 by this point, and again, knowing how understanding my parents are, knew that they would not look down on me should I walk a different path.

Without the distractions of peer pressure or doubt, I planned ahead. I had found, at a nearby park, a location that I felt really close to. Like my own little wooded area. My own sacred grove. I chose a Monday morning to walk out to this location, and kneel down to ask my Father in Heaven if the Book of Mormon was true and if Joseph Smith was indeed His Prophet, a true Prophet. Part of why I felt so inclined to choose a location, in nature, and to pray there, is because in my studying of the church, I found that I related to Joseph Smith.

I too felt that the powers of darkness had combined against me, almost in my infancy. My mother had a stroke when she was pregnant with me. I grew up a freak, feeling like I had no friends, like I was alone. For years, tried to keep my suffering in silence as I battled depression. I felt like God must have an amazing plan for me, and important plan. Indeed, part of me, expected to receive an undeniable witness of God's will, possibly through the visitation of a heavenly messenger.

Note: this is not the place, but same park

When I reached my destination, I took off my glasses, and kneeling down, my face in my hands, bent low, I prayed to my Father in Heaven. I told Him the desires of my heart, that I know He is real, I know Jesus Christ is real, I know I am willing to follow Him, I desire to know which church is true, if the Book of Mormon is true, if Joseph Smith was a true Prophet. I poured out this desire, like the tears from my face. Then, after closing in Christ's name, I waited. I waited some more. When my tears finally dried, I straitened my back and looked up at the sun, shinning through the trees. I felt no different. No burning in my bosom, as the scriptures say. I did not feel more loved, I did not feel like I received an answer at all.

Replacing my glasses, I stood up and just began to walk, wandering around the park. I don't think that I saw anyone else there. I walked, and walked, for several hours, just looking at the beauty around me, and trying to figure out why my prayer was not answered.

Finally it dawned on me... almost like a voice in my head that was not quite mine. From that very morning I felt peaceful. Even on my walk to my own personal sacred grove, did I not hear the birds chirping so wonderfully. Were not all of my senses heightened, and just filled with peace. Indeed, this entire morning, wandering out here, has this feeling departed from me? No. I know that God answers prayers, and if there was ever a point in my life for Him to lead me onto the right path, this would be it. So, maybe this peace is the answer to my prayer, an answer that He chose to give before I even asked the question.

This is when I learned, for myself, a true, deeper meaning of faith. If God wanted me on another path, He could have told me, so this must be the right path, at least for now. So yes, this could be considered convincing myself, but I "CHOSE" to accept the peace as my answer. I learned that faith is not something you acquire, nor is it something that is given to your, or that you spontaneously have. Faith is a choice. A choice to do good, to follow God. Faith is choosing the better part. That day, I chose.

With this testimony, I went forth and served a mission for the LDS church, preaching Mormonism, or more properly called, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On that two year journey, I learned so much. I learned that, because God could do such a better job than snot nosed twenty-year-olds, that the mission is less for actual missionary work, and is more for the missionary. I learned more about myself than all the years before hand. I learned more about my body, and it's limitations and strengths. I learned more about the doctrine, feeding and building upon my testimony.

I also had the opportunity to learn more about other religions, and I found out that this is the most true church on the earth, indeed, if ANY other church currently upon the earth was true, my very soul would not be satisfied. I like how the mother of my favorite mission companion put it... though I don't remember her exact words. She roughly said, that the majority of religions, especially all of the variations of Christianity, teach the same thing. Do unto others and you want them to do to you. Be nice, serve God. Love one another. So if so much is the same, then it is the differences that should matter. Indeed, all of that love and doing good is what happens in this life. It is what happened before this life, and what happens after this life, that makes the most difference.

I learned from a Jehovah's Witness that they believe that all our "spirits" are actually just part of God's Spirit, thus it is a portion of His spirit that enters us for the breath of life. For me, this does destroy some sense of individuality... "'I' think, therefore 'I' am". So that does not sit right with me. Then, they believe in an afterlife quite Biblically based. That when Christ comes again, He will govern this world, and that those who followed Him and His example, will be resurrected and live in paradise. The 144,000 chosen are to be resurrected, like Christ, as "spiritual" beings, or "celestial" beings, while the rest of the multitude of Christ's followers will be physical or of a "terrestrial" nature. For the rest of eternity, they will live in this paradise, with Christ as the King, and the 144,000 as other leaders, all under Jehovah. This kind of heaven sounds nice, I mean it is paradise, but it does not satisfy my soul. I know that eventually, science will all be mastered, and then life will just continue. No progress, no growth. Stagnant, for all eternity.

The same problem comes with other religions, either you are reincarnated over and over again, reach nirvana meaning nothingness or being part of everything, or you wind up in a heaven, where you are at peace, and restful, but without any progression. This could never satisfy my soul. I know what it is like to be blissful, but without some purpose, some cause, some growth, there is no satisfaction.

If you are reading this and you are not a Mormon, I hope that you understand that I mean no offence, especially if I did not represent or understand your religion very well. I ask for you to please comment your beliefs and maybe your testimony of why you believe your faith. I am merely trying to state my understanding of why the LDS church is the only religion that is true upon the earth. Indeed, this is the only religion that has answered every question I have had.

For, not only do we believe in a pre-existence as individuals with God, as His spirit children, we believe that after this life we can progress and become just like Him. For, what is the point of children, if they do not grow up and become like their parents.

I leave these things with you, that I know for myself that God lives, that Jesus is His Son and that He is the Christ, the same that lived a perfect life, suffered for us in the Garden of Gethsemane and gave His life on the cross all for our sake. I know that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet of God, that God bestowed upon him power and authority to translate the Book of Mormon which is a record of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the American Continent, for God loves His children everywhere, and to restore the fullness of Christ's Gospel back to the earth. I know that the priesthood, or the authority to act in God's name is upon the earth, and that the mantle of Prophet-hood, as I call it, has been passed down to our current Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I know that God loves His children today, as in days past, and that He does speak to us today. He is not dead nor doth He sleep. I know that because of Christ, all will be resurrected from the dead, and then judged according to their works and desires of their hearts. I know that this mortal shell shall be outgrown and receive immortality, and I often pray for that day to come speedily. I leave these things with you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Holy Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Rock of Heaven, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, Amen.

Love,
Jacobugoth