North America is the Land of the Nephites
Nearly all those familiar with the early statements by the Prophet Joseph Smith touching on potential Book of Mormon lands know that he clearly indicated them to be in North America. This is evident in the historically verified accounts wherein he declared revelation such as in the Wentworth Letter, the American Revivalist Account, the Zelph Accounts and Joseph’s handwritten letter to Emma while on Zion’s camp. In addition, the prophet revealed a Nephite altar at Adam-ondi-Ahman, mentioned the land of Manti was near Huntsville, Missouri, and revealed that this land was “the borders of the Lamanites” (see D&C 54:8). Furthermore he received revelation from the Lord for the location of Zarahemla (see D&C 125:3) and New Jerusalem (see D&C 84:1-6) which Christ Himself declared to be on Book of Mormon lands (3 Nephi 20:22), both of which are absolutely located in North America. These accounts and their indications are not speculation based, but historically documented fact.
Plain and Precious Things of the Book of Mormon
“…It appears indubitable from the two records, the Bible and the Book of Mormon, that the intent and true meaning of the Law of Moses, of its sacrifices, etc., were far better understood and comprehended by the Nephites than by the Jews. But in this connection, it must not be forgotten that a great many most plain and precious things, as the Book of Mormon states, have been taken from the Bible, through the ignorance of uninspired translators or the design and cunning of wicked men.” – John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom: Selections from the Writings and Discourses of John Taylor, Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co. [2002]
The Lamb of God and the Law of Moses
“This month shall be unto you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you [using the Gregorian civil calendar this would be between mid-March and early April, see p. 308]. Speak ye [Moses] unto all the congregation of Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house. And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls, every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year [born in early Spring]. Ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats. And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month.” (Exodus 12:1-6; emphasis added). “And this day shall be unto you for a memorial. And ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. Ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” (Exodus 12:14). Annotated Book of Mormon page 15
No Sheep in Mesoamerica
“Sheep, of course, are one of the animals required under the law of Moses, along with goats, bulls, and oxen. Enos reiterated that the people of Nephi did raise “flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.” Enos 1:21. Mosiah emphasized that the people grew wheat and barley, both needed for the law of Moses. Mosiah 9:9. None of these species are found in Mesoamerica, which is why Mesoamerican advocates suggest the small Mexican brocket deer might be a goat and the tapir an ass. They also believe the Llama or Agouti may be a substitute for the sheep or goat. By contrast, there is evidence of sheep, goats, rams and bulls in the North American setting.
Goat and Wild Goat
“Goat and the Wild Goat: “Nephi lists those animals that are essential in keeping the Law of Moses. The Lord, who gave the Law to Moses for the typifying of Christ, provided the family of Lehi a land that was filled with those specific beasts needed to perform sacred symbolic ceremonies to maintain the covenants He gave to the House of Israel” – Annotated Book of Mormon page 38 and see Amberli Nelson. (See p. 493.)
3 Essential Truths about Nephite Observance of the Law of Moses
“First Truth: Not only did the Nephites “strictly” keep the law of Moses (as indicated in 37 verses in the Book of Mormon (see Alma 30:3, Mosiah 13:29-30, Jarom 1:5), but they did so with delight as it was seen by them as both a collection of types of Christ and a means of coming unto Him. Occasionally even the Lamanites were known to “strictly” observe the law (Hel. 13:1).
Second: In “observing to keep the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the Law of Moses” (2 Ne. 5:10), the Nephites would have necessarily observed all the feasts or “holy days” given to Moses by Jehovah. These are recorded in Exodus and Leviticus and are known as “holy convocations” or “rehearsals” and they typify the life and mission of Jesus Christ in profoundly beautiful ways.
Third: It was absolutely essential for these Jewish Lehites to be brought to a land that would provide an abundance of all the plants and animals required to keep the Law of Moses, with its concomitant Holy Days or festivals. Based on the latest archaeological findings, it can now be irrefutably shown that the Heartland of North America is the only location in the Western Hemisphere where all ten of the essential items were found anciently including; lambs, oxen, goats, doves, barley, wheat, grapes, and altars made of stacked, unhewn stones. These aforementioned items have not been found in the archaeological record of the pre-Columbian peoples of Mesoamerica.” “An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me… in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar…” Exodus 20:24 – 26 Amberli Nelson MBA and the Annotated Book of Mormon
Observing the Law of Moses
In order for Lehi’s family to keep the commandments and covenants of God, they were required to live the Law of Moses. Throughout the history of the Nephites, those keeping the records will indicate that they did observe the law (see Jarom 1:5, p. 122; Mosiah 13:29-30, p. 170; and Alma 30:3, p. 261), and was seen by them as both symbolic of Christ and a means of coming unto Him (see Jacob 4:5). The Nephite record is a witness that observing the law would bring them to Christ. Even “…the Lamanites did observe strictly to keep the commandments of God according to the Law of Moses.” – Helaman. 13:1; and Annotated Book of Mormon p. 369. 1 Nephi 4:14-16 “And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which He spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: “Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep My commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.” Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the Law of Moses, save they should have the Law. And I also knew that the Law was engraven upon the Plates of Brass. 
Nephi recounted when commanded to obtain the Plates of Brass: “Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the Law of Moses, save they should have the Law. And I also knew that the Law was engraven upon the Plates of Brass” – 1 Nephi 4:15-16. The Law of Moses was instituted to bring the children of Israel to Christ, “And for this intent we keep the Law of Moses, it pointing our souls to Him” – Jacob 4:5. The Law provided for seasonal holy ceremonial assemblies whereby specific items were symbolically used to focus the people’s actions and thoughts on the role the Holy One of Israel (Jesus Christ) had on their salvation (see Annotated Book of Mormon pp. 15, 142, 144, 169 and 300). 
The Prophet and Historian Mormon, when reviewing the history on the Large Plates of Nephi, noted that “…the Lamanites did observe strictly to keep the commandments of God according to the Law of Moses.” (Helaman. 13:1; p. 369). Joseph Smith wrote in his Church History to Mr. John Wentworth, “The principal nation of the second race fell in battle towards the close of the fourth century. The remnant [the conquering Lamanites] are the Indians that now inhabit this country.” (See p. 551.) Mordecai M. Noah (1785-1851), a prominent Jewish lay leader published his, “Discourse of the Evidences of the American Indians Being the Descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel,” New York, James Van Norden, 1837. He based his discourse on their religious beliefs and seasonal ceremonies, “In their divisions of the year in four seasons, answering to the Jewish festivals of the feast of flowers [Feast of Weeks; see p. 300], the day of atonement, the feast of the tabernacle, and other religious holydays,” and, “By their laws of sacrifices, ablutions, marriages; ceremonies in war and peace, the prohibitions of eating certain things, fully carrying out the Mosaic institutions.” (p. 8.) He writes, “The most sacred fast day uniformly kept by the Jews is the day of Atonement, usually falling in the month of September or in early October…Precisely such a fast, with similar motives, and nearly at the same period of the year, is kept by the Indian natives generally…[James] Adair (see p. 544) stat[ed] the strict manner in which the Indians observe the revolutions of the moon, and describing the feast of the harvest, and the first offerings of the fruits, gives a long account of the preparations of putting their temple in proper order for the great day of atonement, which he fixes at the time when the corn is fully eared and ripe, generally in the latter end of September.” Discourse of the Evidences of the American Indians Being the Descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel,” New York, James Van Norden, 1837 (p. 14.
Offerings and Sacrifices
Nephites Kept and Observed the Law of Sacrifice
The Nephites definitely kept and observed the law of sacrifice, yet no procedural explanations of how such sacrifices were performed are presented in the Book of Mormon. However, there are three instances of animal sacrifice offerings recorded that shed some light on this: The first instance was an offering sacrifice performed by Lehi in the Arabian wilderness using an altar of stones in order to give thanks to God for his family’s deliverance: “And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God” – 1 Nephi 2:7. The second is an animal burnt offering when Lehi and Sariah rejoiced on the return of their sons from Jerusalem: “And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord, and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel” – 1 Nephi 5:9. The third was also a burnt offering of sheep or goats (flocks) performed in the new land of promise when king Benjamin gathered the people at the temple in Zarahemla and “took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the Law of Moses” – Mosiah 2:3. Amulek taught that sacrifices were symbolically a reminder of the future great and last sacrifice of Jesus Christ: “And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal” – Alma 34:14. Source: Annotated Book of Mormon by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum Pages 532-33
Fantastic Side-Note in Zarahemla
“In August 2020, at the proposed Zarahemla Temple Site near Montrose, Iowa (see p. 127), some descendants of Native Americans returned to a place where their ancestors 16 centuries ago may have grown and harvested Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata var. villicaulis; a medicinal herb) for the treatment of fevers and diseases that can result from malaria caused by mosquito bites in seasonal hot summers. The seeds come from the ancient temple site that was necessary for believers to keep the Law of Moses. The harvested seeds connect to a people who had a highly developed civilization on the rivers and the lakes of the Heartland of America. These seeds are so small, but their connection is so large.” (John Lefgren, Ph.D., Kevin Price, Ph.D.(Photos courtesy of Kevin Price) and Wayne May) Annotated Book of Mormon page 300
