Sacred Text about Zarahemla by Kevin Price PhD
“Those who have a copy of the Annotated Book of Mormon edited by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum, please turn to page 528 and 529 and you will read text written by one of our friends who was an Associate in the Church History Department.(ACHD). I also include the text on page 528 and 529 of the Annotated Book of Mormon below.
While talking with ACHD about an hour ago (Nov 24, 2021), he told me he was in the room with editors chosen by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when some of the text from the Prophet Joseph Smith was being extracted for the “Joseph Smith Papers,” and he saw the text in Section 125 about the revelation concerning the location of the City of Zarahemla. ACHD was surprised at how little attention the editors and writers gave to this specific text, but he was greatly impressed by its importance. He felt this revelation was very important and made notes of the text that was later recorded by David Hocking and Rian Nelson in the Annotated Book of Mormon on the pages referenced above. I am surprised at how many members of the Church give little importance to the revelation in D&C 125:3. They have the attitude that the Lord revealed trivia. Trust me, the Lord NEVER reveals trivia. The Lord is opening great hidden treasures to those who are willing to learn and open their hearts and mind.
Why I was Called on the Phone
I tell my friends to call me Kevin and my critiques to call me Dr. Price. Many of my friends know my BS and MS degrees are in plant ecology with many hours also in wildlife management. My PhD is in Biogeography with specializations in satellite remote sensing and aerial image acquisition and processing acquired from aircraft and drones. I also work with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) imagery collected using lasers mounted in aircraft. I was a professor at Utah State University, University of Kansas and Kansas State University and have published over a 100 refereed journal articles on the use of remotely sensed data for studying rangelands and forest lands all over the world. This is how I would know the typical cost of LiDAR image acquisition – it is very expensive. The scanner alone used in this acquisition is over 1.5 million dollars.
When I was called on the phone by ACHD who is closely following the work and research of the Heartland Research Group on the Zarahemla Temple site, he was very excited about the LiDAR data we just collected a few days ago. He knows my credentials as I mentioned above, and that I would know exactly how expensive it would be to fly a plane with Lidar equipment over our proposed area. When I mentioned to him how much we should have paid for the overflight, vs. how much we actually paid, he was shocked, and he knew the Lord had opened the blessings of Heaven to our group.
I am reminded of D&C 59:21 that says, “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.”
It also says in D&C 59:24, “I, the Lord, have spoken it, and the Spirit beareth record.” I apply this verse strongly to the revelation in D&C 125:3 – The Lord bore testimony to me when I read this passage, that Zarahemla is on the west bank of the Mississippi River (River Sidon), and we know according to the Book of Mormon, that Zarahemla had a temple. Those who doubt Wayne May’s location can look elsewhere, but I am sticking with his divining rod’s guided by the Spirit. (Wayne has known this location for over 5 years). I am not going to be a Laman or Lemuel doubting the Liahona as a guiding source. I have found nothing in my interaction with Wayne that would suggest he is not a tool in the hand of the Lord. I find the fact that the Zarahemla Temple site is exactly west of the current Nauvoo Temple more than coincidental – it is right where I would expect it to be.
I do not wish to offend the Lord, so I am testifying that the Lord, not me, was behind making the LiDAR mission possible for 88 cents per acre as opposed to $30 to $150 dollars per acre normally charged, just to collect the LiDAR data let alone process the data for us as well. I am blessed with great friends, who make important research possible, as we search for the Temple of King Benjamin.
Best wishes.”
Kevin Price
[email protected]
M 785-393-5428
“We first learn of the name Zarahemla in Omni1:12: “Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. Behold, I will speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla.” Zarahemla was the leader of his group who descended from Mulek, son of Zedekiah, king of Judah (Omni 1: 15, 18). Within the land, which was named after him, was the city of Zarahemla, eventually to become the Nephite capitol. The Book of Mormon has 164 references to either the land of, or the city of Zarahemla for many hundreds of years before and after the coming of Christ to the Promised Land.
It is important then to understand the significance of the revelation given to the prophet Joseph Smith in March 1841. The revelation is in response to Joseph’s concern for the members of the church living in the territory of Iowa:
“What is the will of the Lord concerning the saints in the Territory of Iowa?‘
Verily, thus saith the Lord, I say unto you, if those who call themselves by My name and are essaying to be My saints, if they will do My will and keep My commandments concerning them, let them gather themselves together unto the places which I shall appoint unto them by My servant Joseph, and build up cities unto My name, that they may be prepared for that which is in store for a time to come. Let them build up a city unto My name upon the land opposite the city of Nauvoo and let the name of Zarahemla be named upon it. And let all those who come from the east, and the west, and the north, and the south, that have desires to dwell therein, take up their inheritance in the same, as well as in the city of Nashville, or in the city of Nauvoo, and in all the stakes which I have appointed, saith the Lord’” (Doctrine and Covenants 125:1-4).
Recent research has been conducted to determine if this revelation was the first indication that a Book of Mormon city would be associated with a location in North America. Previously Joseph had received revelations naming the New Jerusalem (D&C 45:64-67) in March 1831, and Adam-ondi-Ahman (D&C 116) in May 1838, with both being in the state of Missouri.
During the Nauvoo period of Church history between 1839, and 1844, Joseph Smith had many dealings with the Lamanites of the area. He was well acquainted with the Indian people of the Eastern United States during early Church History development. He had written in the early 1830s that “the Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith [2002], 13). Even in the 1830s he had authorized special missions to the Native Indian people of the area (Sections 30 and 32 of the Doctrine and Covenants). Joseph escaped the Liberty jail in Missouri on April 16, 1839 and crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois by April 22, 1839. Within days the Prophet again crossed the river and “went to Ioway [sic] made purchases.” (Joseph Smith Papers, Journals, V. 1, 336.)
There are three different historic accounts from the 1839-1841 era that provide insights to when the name Zarahemla was first used.
First: Approximately eight weeks after his escape from jail, we read from The Joseph Smith Papers an entry as follows:
2 July 1839-Tuesday“Tuesday,
Spent this day on the Iowa side of the [Mississippi] river. Forenoon went in company with Elders Rigdon and Smith, Bishops Whitney and Knights and other to visit a purchase lately made by bro Knights as a location for a town, advised that a town be built there…” (Ibid., 344). Note however, the following entry from Joseph Smith, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints V. 3, [1948], 382: “Spent the forenoon of this day on the Iowa side of the river. Went in company with Elders Rigdon, Smith, and Bishops Whitney and Knight, and others, to visit a purchase lately made by Bishop Knight as a location for a town, and advised that a town be built there, “and called Zarahemla.”
Conclusion: The phrase “and called Zarahemla” was added to the narrative post 1841.
Second: In the Manuscript History account of another early Church leader, Brigham Young, we find a reference as follows: “July 2 (1839). Brothers Joseph, Hyrum, and others came over the river to Montrose, and went out on the prairie and looked out the sight for a city for the Saints, which was called Zarahemla.
”Significantly, however, the actual Brigham Young Journal in the possession of the Church History Library, and in the handwriting of Brigham Young, including brief notes in 1839 for only September and October, does not have a reference to Zarahemla. He only mentions visits to Montrose and Quincy during this period.
Conclusion: The phrase “which was called Zarahemla” was added to the narrative post 1841. This journal is in the Church History Department and several individuals have viewed or had view of this journal and have read the words penned by Brother Brigham Young.
Third: There are two different Elias Smith Journals of 1839-1841 (Smith, Elias, Journals 1839-1841) in the possession of the Church History Library. The first is a small 4 x 5 inch sheet of paper folded in half and forming a small booklet. Elias makes brief references in 1839 to October 12 and 19. He then makes entries for 1840. These include “April 6 conference in Nauvoo”, “July 12 conference at Ambrosia. chosen Bishop of the branch of the Church in Iowa”, and “July 18 ordained to that office.” Brief August entries are the 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th. He then makes reference to “Sept 6th meeting in Nashville”, “13th fyo” (word not decipherable), “14 Joseph Smith Senior died and buried 15th”, and “16th, Des Moines steamer came up from Quincy”.
The entries of this small record then skip forward to 1841 with three brief citations. “7 August Conference at Zarahemla. Don Carlos Smith died.” “8th Buried.” “16 Conference at Nauvoo.” There are no further references for 1841 and the record ends. It is important to know that the death date of Don Carlos Smith (cited above) occurred in August 1841. The entries on the same page as the 1840 events were actually added to that page as events occurring in August 1841.
The other Elias Smith journal consists of two 8 x12 inch pieces of paper for the year 1841. At the end of the references in February 1841, and at the bottom of the same page, he makes entries for March 1841, giving notations for eight days. Among these eight daily references are: “3rd Zarahemla surveyed about this time. Rained for the first time this spring or for two or three months.” “16th First locations made in Zarahemla by the citizens of Ambrosia.” These entries certify the revelation did indeed occur in 1841. It is interesting that Brother Smith says “about this time” because this allows for several days in early March in which the revelation could have occurred.
Conclusion: The use of the name Zarahemla is accurately associated with the March 1841 revelation in Section 125 of the Doctrine and Covenants from the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smith. This is an important piece of information provided by these early journal historians. Therefore, we have learned that previous references to Zarahemla (as cited above), which were pre-March 1841, were inserted by scribes and writers who were not the actual writers—Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Elias Smith—after the true date of the revelation.
In History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842], p. 1173, The Joseph Smith Papers, on Saturday, March 20, 1841 Joseph records: “About this time I received a revelation in the City of Nauvoo..‘ …Let them build up a City unto my name upon the Land opposite to the City of Nauvoo and let the name of Zarahemla be named upon it.'”
Comment: The Lord has named three cities in the revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants: The cities of the New Jerusalem, Adam-ondi-Ahman, and Zarahemla. He has revealed the ancient location of Adam-ondi-Ahman and the future location of the New Jerusalem in America. In choosing to name Zarahemla, a city across the river from Nauvoo, is the Lord suggesting the location of the Book of Mormon city? This consideration is due to Zarahemla being the focal point of travel and commerce, the establishment of the church, missionary work, Nephite–Lamanite interaction, temple emphasis, and prophets of former generations. Placing a “pin in the map” on this location throughout the book aids in our understanding the significance of this sacred place.” Annotated Book of Mormon by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum pages 528-529
From Wayne May Nov 26, 2021
Go to www.zarahemla.site to get the latest information on our working at Iowa site across from Nauvoo (D&C 125:3). Last Monday I just purchased 9 acres to add to our site of 15 acres. The site is now protected the best I can do. All the best, Wayne
PS: You may share this with anyone you choose
More From Kevin Price Nov 26, 2021
“I would suggest that those who have a problem with the rods should show us their candidate temple site and tell us how they located their site so we can throw rocks at them. I would like to see their site and know the method they used to find it. It is really easy to be a skeptic, but very difficult to produce credible findings. There are many who have visited the site and felt the spirit manifest the sacredness of the site.
Why am I making such a big deal out of this, it is because we have skeptics in our own group throwing rocks at Wayne over the method he used to find it. They have never suggested an alternative location, but they are trying to sow seeds of doubt. This must stop.
Anyone who thinks the Russians are going to be able to prove or disprove the location of the temple site have not given this matter enough thought. The Russians can only record electroconductivity or resistivity of the soil substrate. We knew before they walked onto the site that the temple plot was sitting on a deep pile of sand – it was excavated down to over 20 feet in May of 2015. This is the most powerful proof one can have – direct observation. The test was actually to see if their technology could detect the sand – it was not to see if Wayne was right about the temple location. The electroconductivity proved that the sand is there for those who are skeptical beyond healthy reasoning and comprehension.”
Best wishes, Kevin Price
