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The True Location of Hill
Cumorah (Ramah)
Despite
much research and perseverance made by various individuals and groups,
particularly, F.A.R.M.S., Skousen, Sorenson, the Simmons, H. Lynn Herman
(The Academy), Hava Pratt, and various others in their theories that the
actual location of Cumorah was somewhere in Mexico or Central America,
I firmly stand my ground even though their convictions may seem just as
strong to them, that I know for a fact that the hill in New York is the
actual Cumorah of the Nephites and the Ramah of the Jaredites.
The
most intriguing of the research made on the location of Cumorah has
been done by H. Lynn Herman and Hava Pratt, though they do not know each
other they have both been led to different hills in the Tres Zapotes /
Cerro-Rabon area in Central America. Both of them have stories from
the locals about each of these hills having a cave of treasures inside,
both of them have eyewitness accounts of strange men who walk into the
hill and talk about a treasury, to sit down with either one of them could
lead one to be convinced they are right. Both would most likely tell you
that you were wrong if you thought Cumorah was somewhere else. Although
I have been taught that some of the ancient caves do in fact connect to
a vast underground network in which leads to portals which can take someone
to another hill almost instantly, I am sticking to a more logical theory
for now. Something of this significance would have been mentioned if Moroni
took armies underground and transported them back and forth through the
caverns.
The
spirit has shown me that there are indeed caves of records in the central
America location, but it is not Mormon's cave of records. These other caves
are tied in with the Mayan saga, and from earlier civilizations. They are
those who left Lemuria and Atlantis in Ancient times, and this is the area
spoken of by J.J. Hurtak and Edgar Cayce. I was shown that the cave
in Oaxaca was used to preserve ancient records during the time of the great
deluge, when the flood waters rose and the ancients went to the top and
deposited their history and secrets of their science, technologies, their
culture and spiritual beliefs. As well that this is a very dangerous territory
and guarded quite well. All those who were led to this site in Tres
Zapotes before know of the danger there, but perhaps they merely assumed
it was Cumorah as they accused Joseph of doing. Are they prophets,
seers and revelators? Are they called to bring forth the Nephite records?
Has Moroni and Joseph Smith come to them personally and told them they
are right and have they held the Nephite records in their hands?
If they have, then perhaps there is something of a much larger scale going
on here then we both realize.
Although
the face of the land was changed during the crucifixion of Christ, there
are still reports of the land after it was changed. The narrow neck
of land spoken of in detail by Mormon and Moroni and other Nephites was
said to be only a days journey at the lesser portion. The great lakes
region is full of great waters and fountains and springs and is not far
at all from the hill in New York, the narrow neck of land that separates
the two lakes is only about 13 miles at the lesser part and about a day
and a half's walk by foot at the greater part, Lake Erie has in the past
also been referred to by Natives as the West Sea. One of these groups
of natives were the Onondagas tribe, which is interesting since Joseph
found the white lamanite Zelph in Illinois around large burial mounds similar
to Cumorah in New York, and that Zelph served under the great prophet Onondage,
or Onondagas who was known from the Atlantic ocean, Cumorah, to the Rocky
Mountains. Although some might merely accuse Joseph of stealing these
tribal names and attributing them to Nephites, I know that he did not do
that. Nephite tribes often named entire tribes after a great prophet or
a leader, after all the Nephites themselves are named after Nephi which
stuck to them the whole time they lived on this continent.
These
Hopewell mounds were said to have been built around 500-600 BC, and some
of the newer ones, around 300-400 AD about the same time-frame of the last
Nephite battles. Knowing that Joseph Smith spoke out of revelation and
vision, being taught by Moroni where exactly the Nephites lived, I doubt
he would just merely assume that these were Nephite mounds, and I strongly
doubt Joseph just assumed, as Lynn Herman and others say, that he and the
other early saints just assumed the hill in New York was the actual Cumorah.
He didn't assume anything else, why would he assume something as major
as this? Joseph knew exactly what he was talking about.
How
can I be so sure that this is the Hill despite all the dedicated research?
For the same power of the Lord that hid these records up, were these records
shown unto me, in a like manner that they were shown unto Joseph Smith
Jr., and his witnesses. For I have seen the records and have been
taken inside the cave at Cumorah in New York. I was given the opportunity
while awake to hold the Brass Plates of Laban (Moses) in my hands and page
through their leafs as I would a normal book, and I did feel the hieroglyphs
thereon, which looked in the appearance of Egyptian, and before my eyes
a phrase from the book of Isaiah was translated, and the phrase "A great
and marvelous work is about to come forth unto the children of men..."
was displayed before me.
Two
times since have the plates been shown unto me, and from the mouth of that
Nephite prophet who buried them up in Cumorah did he say "You shall testify
that ye have seen these things, and that the time for their coming forth
is soon at hand." And I Enoch Theos, servant and prophet of the most High
God, even Jesus the Christ, testify that I have seen these things and that
the Book of Mormon was indeed translated by the gift and power of God through
his servant Joseph Smith Jr. and that again the Lord is rising up prophets
for the final restoration of all things in this latter-day.
The
past two years I have not been drawn there but recently things have been
opening up about Cumorah lately. A week ago I was taken away in spirit
and was being shown maps of the hills in the area and that records were
to come forth soon. I do not remember all the details, but this one
man was there teaching me, he was interviewing or asking me questions about
where the Nephites were really located. I was telling him I learned
of others saying they lived in Mexico and others had found hills down there
which they believed are cumorah, he then corrected me and told me to heed
the early history of the church and that will show me they knew where the
Nephites lived.
More recently after the vision I
had on the 13th of September, the spirit directed me to go on the internet
early Sunday morning and look at some topographical maps and satellite
images of the Palmyra / cumorah area. The spirit told me I would
find some things if I did so. I found that the mound behind hill
cumorah a little less than 3/4 a mile long is exactly a straight line,
as three other mounds in the area are parallel to cumorah. These
mounds are exactly like the ones in Ohio which were found to contain mass
graves and tombs, if the mound behind cumorah is a tomb, which I have been
revealed it is, it could easily hold several thousand bodies. Moroni
and some others lived for about 40 years after that battle, that was plenty
of time to bury the bodies up in tombs. Carrie and I also found a
mound about 3/4 mile south-east of Cumorah which looked peculiar, looks
man-made and looks as if it could be an entrance into the second mound.
Click on the above image for full
view.
At
the north end of Cumorah is where the stone box and the Gold Plates of
Moroni were found. Behind Cumorah there another mound about 3/4 mile long
which is similar to Hopewell burial mounds found all over Ohio and update
New York. These mounds were found to have mass graves, signs of a
great battle and bodies heaped on top of one another. As well these
mounds were also found to contain relics, stone boxes, pottery, weapons,
treasures and the like. For the Hopewell and Oneida native believed that
they would take these things with them into the next world. This
is also an Egyptian custom, and as well the Nephites would have retained
some Egyptian customs because the brass plates of Laban were Egyptian.
On the south - west side of Cumorah is what I found a strange marking on
the ground which looks like a question mark, as well exactly parallel to
this about 1/4 mile to the east on the other side of Cumorah there is a
smaller mound which looks apparently man made, and as well there is another
strange marking on the ground which looks again like a question mark, this
small mound begins exactly at the start of the long straight mound in the
middle, and looks as if it could have been an entrance into the middle
mound.
Click on the above image for full
view.
Some interesting notes is
that there was a hill Onidah in the Book of Mormon in which Alma preached
from the top of, as well a hill north of Shilom which a tower was erected
on top of. There is a tribe in northern New York called the Oneida which
had a hill with the remnants of a tower.
Below is some good information I
found on the Tanners website, although they are known widely as anti-Mormon
their research on this topic has touched some points I am trying to prove
here.
"Within recent
years there has arisen among certain students of the Book of Mormon
a theory to the effect that within the period covered by the Book
of Mormon, the Nephites and Lamanites were confined almost entirely
within the borders of the territory comprising Central America and the
southern portion of Mexico—the isthmus of Tehauntepec probably being
the "narrow neck" of land spoken of in the Book of Mormon rather than the
isthmus of Panama."
"This theory
is founded upon the assumption that it was impossible for the colony of
Lehi's to multiply and fill the hemisphere within the limits of 1,000 years,
or from the coming of Lehi from Jerusalem to the time of the destruction
of the Nephites at the Hill Cumorah. Moreover, they claim that the
story in the Book of Mormon of the migrations, building of cities,
and the wars and contentions, preclude the possibility of the people
spreading over great distances such as we find within the borders
of North and South America...."
LOCALE OF CUMORAH, RAMAH, AND RIPLIANCUM. This modernistic theory
of necessity, in order to be consistent, must place the waters of Ripliancum
and the Hill Cumorah some place within the restricted territory of Central
America, notwithstanding the teachings of the Church to the contrary
for upwards of 100 years. Because of this theory
some members of the Church have become confused and greatly disturbed in
their faith in the Book of Mormon. It is for this reason that evidence
is here presented to show that it is not only possible that these places
could be located as the Church has held during the past century, but that
in very deed such is the case. It is known that the Hill Cumorah
where the Nephites were destroyed is the hill where the Jaredites were
also destroyed. This hill was known to the Jaredites as Rama. It was approximately
near to the waters of Ripliancum, which the Book of Ether says, "by interpretation,
is large, or to exceed all." Mormon adds: "And it came to pass that we
did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents round
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."
EARLY BRETHREN LOCATE CUMORAH IN WESTERN NEW YORK. It must be conceded
that this description fits perfectly the land of Cumorah in New York,
as it has been known since the visitation of Moroni to the Prophet Joseph
Smith, for the hill is in the proximity of the Great Lakes and also in
the land of many rivers and fountains. Moreover, the Prophet Joseph Smith
himself is on record, definitely declaring the present hill called Cumorah
to be the exact hill spoken of in the Book of Mormon.
Further, the fact that all of his associates from the beginning down have
spoken of it as the identical hill where Mormon and Moroni hid the records,
must carry some weight. It is difficult for a reasonable person to believe
that such men as Oliver Cowdery. Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson
Pratt, David Whitmer, and many others, could speak frequently of the Spot
where the Prophet Joseph Smith obtained the plates as the Hill Cumorah,
and not be corrected by the Prophet, if that were not the fact. That they
did speak of this hill in the days of the Prophet in this definite manner
is an established record of history....
NEPHITE AND JAREDITE WARS IN WESTERN NEW YORK. In the face of this evidence
coming from the Prophet Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer,
we cannot say that the Nephites and Lamanites did not possess the territory
of the United States and that the Hill Cumorah i America.
Neither can we say that the great struggle which resulted in the destruction
of the Nephites took place in Central America. If Zelph, a righteous
man, was fighting under a great prophet-general in the last battles between
the Nephites and Lamanites; if that great prophet-general was known from
the Rocky Mountains to 'the Hill Cumorah or eastern sea,' then some of
those battles, and evidently the final battles did take place within the
borders of what is now the United States....
CUMORAH ONCE SITE OF CARNAGE AND DESTRUCTION. As I stood upon the summit
of the Hill Cumorah, in the midst of a vast multitude, only a few of whom
belonged to the Church, I tried to picture the scenes of former days. Here
were assembled vast armies filled with bitterness and bent on destruction....
IMPORTANCE OF CUMORAH UNKNOWN TO WORLD. . . ."Here it was that Moroni,
commanded by the Lord, hid up the sacred records of his people. Here it
was. 1,400 years later, that he, then a resurrected being, came to Joseph
Smith and committed these same records to the young man's care. At the
time of the Prophet's first visit to the hill, it was covered with trees;
today (1923) it is stripped and bare, save for the grass which grows abundantly.
" (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.3, Bookcraft,
1956, p.232-43.)
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LDS Apostle James
E. Talmage, in Articles of Faith, chapter 14, wrote that the Hill
Cumorah is in New York.
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LDS Apostle LeGrand
Richards, in A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, chapter 7, stated that
Cumorah is in New York.
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LDS Apostle Bruce
R. McConkie, in Mormon Doctrine, under Cumorah, reported that it
is in New York.
In 1990 the office of the First Presidency of the LDS Church stated that
Cumorah is in New York:
The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Office of
the First Presidency
Salt Lake
City, Utah 84150
October 16,
1990
Bishop Darrel
L. Brooks
Moore Ward
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma South Stake
1000 Windemere
Moore, OK
73160
Dear Bishop
Brooks:
I have been asked to forward to you for acknowledgment and handling the
enclosed copy of a letter to President Gordon B. Hinckley from Ronnie Sparks
of your ward. Brother Sparks inquired about the location of the Hill Cumorah
mentioned in the Book of Mormon, where the last battle between the Nephites
and Lamanites took place.
The Church has long maintained, as attested to by references in the
writings of General Authorities, that the Hill Cumorah in western New York
state is the same as referenced in the Book of Mormon.
The Brethren appreciate your assistance in responding to this inquiry,
and asked that you convey to Brother Sparks their commendation for his
gospel study.
Sincerely
yours,
(signed)
F. Michael
Watson
Secretary
to the First Presidency
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Thus we see that the top leaders of the LDS Church have consistently maintained
that the hill in New York is the Hill Cumorah of the Book of Mormon. BYU
professors evidently see the impossibility of the Book of Mormon story
taking place over all of North and South America and have therefore come
up with the limited geography theory. But this does not agree with the
statements of their leaders.
In 1978 the LDS Church News warned members not to get involved in trying
to figure out where the Book of Mormon story took place:
GEOGRAPHY
PROBLEMS
THE GEOGRAPHY OF the Book of Mormon has intrigued some readers of that
volume ever since its publication. But why worry about it?
Efforts to pinpoint certain places from what is written in the book are
fruitless because the record does not give evidence of such locations
in terms of our modern geography.
Attempts to designate certain areas as the Land Bountiful or the site of
Zarahemla or the place where the Nephite city of Jerusalem sank into the
sea ‘and waters have I caused to come up in the stead thereof’ can bring
no definitive results. So why speculate?
To guess where Zarahemla stood can in no wise add to anyone’s faith.
But to raise doubts in people’s minds about the location of the
Hill Cumorah, and thus challenge the words of the prophets concerning
the place where Moroni buried the records, is most certainly harmful. And
who has the right to raise doubts in anyone’s mind?
Our position is to build faith, not to weaken it, and theories concerning
the geography of the Book of Mormon can most certainly undermine faith
if allowed to run rampant.
Why not leave hidden the things that the Lord has hidden? If He wants the
geography of the Book of Mormon revealed, He will do so through His prophet,
and not through some writer who wishes to enlighten the world despite his
utter lack of inspiration on the point.
SOME AUTHORS have felt ‘called upon’ to inform the world about Book of
Mormon geography and have published writings giving their views. These
books, however, are strictly private works and represent only their personal
speculations. (Deseret News, July 29, 1978, Church News Section,
p.16)
Obviously, the
LDS Church has not changed its position. To date there is no official map
issued by the LDS Church for the Book of Mormon story.
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