There are only two promised lands in the world. Old Jerusalem (Israel) and New Jerusalem (United States). The Lord has covenanted with His people to obey the commandments and as long as they do, His people will live in those lands. The covenant on the lands will be on those two lands “forever.” The covenant will only be upon the “people” as they are obedient. When the Lord says “Promised Land” or “Choice Land”, He doesn’t necessarily mean these two lands are the only wonderful and beautiful lands in the world, but that these two lands have been set aside for His people.
“These two covenant lands, one New World and one Old World, would be provided with the necessities for their success in blessing God’s children with the gospel and would be located conducive to the fulfillment of this responsibility. Just as ancient Israel was situated amidst the civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, Assyria and Persia, yet remained among the later civilizations of Rome and Greece at the time of Christ, so too the New World covenant land would be provided with all things necessary for its success. It would also be situated to best take advantage of its location to bless other nations and peoples, to become a shining beacon of hope and light and bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world as had ancient Israel. These two lands were covenanted and promised by God for the inheritance of His covenant people throughout the history of mankind and these same two promised lands are designated as the final gathering place for God’s chosen people, Israel. They are, namely, Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem. Both of these physical locations are known through history and through revelation respectively, and are not speculative (D&C 84:1-4).” Rod Meldrum
“Choice” can mean excellent or superior, but it can also mean carefully selected for a righteous people to dwell and prosper. The Book of Mormon uses it in the last connotation:
‘And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people’ (Ether 2:7; emphasis added).
“This does not mean that the land of North America is ‘superior’ to all other lands. However, it was ‘carefully selected’ for a special purpose. For the Jaredites it was a land chosen for a ‘righteous people.’ For the Nephites, it was ‘carefully selected’ as a land of promise and a covenant land for a remnant of the House of Israel.
“The covenant land can be a blessing and also a cursing in that, if the people don’t keep the covenant, they are worse off than had they never entered the covenant in the first place. In this sense, America has been carefully selected not only as a promised land for the Jaredites and the Nephites, but as the central place for the Lord’s marvelous work and a wonder in our day. America has been chosen to host (i) the restoration of the Gospel, (ii) the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, (iii) the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and (iv) the restoration of Priesthood authority and keys for the gathering of Israel and the salvation of the dead. These blessings come with great responsibilities. America is not “superior” to any other land created by God. “This is consistent with the basic principle that God is no respecter of persons, that He speaks to all His children wherever they live: ‘Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth My word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?’(2 Nephi 29:7; emphasis added).
“In this sense, every land can be a promised land for the people who live there. We should appreciate all respective homelands for every nation or peoples in every continent. Understanding the history of Book of Mormon connections may help us recognize that all people can develop their own spiritual connections and traditions with their respective homeland.” – Jonathan Neville. Annotated Book of Mormon page 509
There are 36 Prophesies and Promises contained in the Book of Mormon which indicate the land of the United States of America IS THE PROMISED LAND for His people in these last days. This land of the United States and the Land of Israel will ALWAYS have the Covenant with them, whether or not His people are righteous. The Lord will just find another group of His people to place on these two chosen lands. (See the Annotated Book of Mormon by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum page 510-511)
View a video clip of 6 of these Prophesies and Promises below..
Annotated Book of Mormon Available Here!
“In a revelation given through Joseph Smith Jr., the Prophet, to Oliver Cowdery (Second Elder of the
Church, at Fayette, New York, September 1830, who was ordained Assistant President of the Church in
1834) the Lord directs him to the Lamanites saying: “And now, behold, I say unto you that you shall go
unto the Lamanites and preach My gospel unto them; and inasmuch as they receive thy teachings thou
shalt cause My church to be established among them; and thou shalt have revelations, but write them not by way of commandment. And now, behold, I say unto you that it is not revealed, and no man knoweth where the city Zion shall be built, but it shall be given hereafter. Behold, I say unto you that it shall be on the borders by the Lamanites” (Doctrine and Covenants Section 28:8-9; emphasis added). In a subsequent revelation given through Joseph Smith Jr., the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, September 22 and 23, 1832, the Lord states where the location will be: “…Yea, the word of the Lord concerning His church, established in the last days for the restoration of His people, as He has spoken by the mouth of His prophets, and for the gathering of His saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem. Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased” (Doctrine and Covenants Section 84:2-3; emphasis added).
Pres Nelson said, “The Book of Mormon reveals that Joseph, the son of Jacob who was once sold into Egypt, foresaw the Prophet Joseph Smith and his day and noted that there would be many similarities in their lives. Centuries later, the Prophet Joseph stated, “I feel like Joseph in Egypt.” The Book of Mormon reveals that the inheritance of Joseph, son of Israel, was not forgotten when land was distributed to the tribes of Israel, as promised in the Abrahamic covenant. Joseph’s inheritance was to be a land choice above all others. It was choice not because of beauty or wealth of natural resources, but choice because it was chosen to be the repository of sacred writings on golden plates from which the Book of Mormon would one day come. It was choice because it would eventually host the world headquarters of the restored Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days. And it was choice because it is a land of liberty for those who worship the Lord and keep His commandments.” President Russell M. Nelson President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles June 23, 2016. Seminar for New Mission Presidents Bold added.
https://missionary.lds.org/content/dam/mportal/mission-presidents/pdfs/snmp/2016/The-Book-of-Mormon-A-Miraculous-Miracle-President-Nelson-2016-SNMP.pdf
North America is a choice land, a land that ushered in the restoration of the Gospel with the translation
of the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God, and a land that has a future destiny in being the
location of the city of the New Jerusalem in which those of the House of Israel shall dwell.” Annotated Book of Mormon page xxiii
