In the past few years as I have read and studied Hannah Stoddard’s research about possible Nephites in Europe, I have been fascinated with the concept.
I can imagine at the final battles of the Nephites and Lamanites, or well before those battles, as a Father, Mormon and Moroni would understand the end was near for their race of Nephites. I am sure they were worried for their children and other family members survival.
“And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually; for I saw thousands of them hewn down in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land. And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away.” Mormon 2:15.
This was in 350 AD, just 35 years until the utter destruction of the Nephite civilization. This may have been a good time for Mormon to warn his family to flee the northern area of North America, or be destroyed. Sodus Point north of Cumorah on the banks of Lake Ontario which let on the St Lawrence to the Atlantic was only 28 miles away, and to the East of Cumorah near Boston was the Atlantic Ocean about 350 miles on foot from Cumorah.
I can imagine Mormon putting his family on a boat and sailing the Atlantic or out the St Lawrence Seaway to Spain, or Europe for safety. It is very likely many Nephites are now living in many parts of that world.
There was also a promise to Lehi, as he was speaking to his youngest son, Joseph, that the Nephites would not be utterly destroyed. “And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this , which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it so be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel. “And now, Joseph, my last-born, whom I have brought out of the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee forever, for thy shall not utterly be .” 2 Nephi 3:2-3
Revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith (D&C 3) using the Urim and Thummim
Joseph’s revelation tells us that many of the tribes and nations of people will obtain a knowledge of the Savior all over the world.
“16 Nevertheless, my shall go forth, for inasmuch as the knowledge of a Savior has come unto the world, through the of the Jews, even so shall the of a come unto my people—
17 And to the , and the Jacobites, and the Josephites, and the Zoramites, through the testimony of their fathers—
[Who were their fathers? Nephi, Mosiah, Alma, Mormon, and more. Could the Zoramites be other Asians, or Hebrews, or Egyptians]?
18 And this shall come to the knowledge of the , and the Lemuelites, and the Ishmaelites, who in unbelief because of the of their fathers, whom the Lord has suffered to destroy their the Nephites, because of their and their abominations.
[Could their fathers be Africans, Arabians, Russians, and Chinese? Certainly possible].
19 And for this very are these , which contain these records—that the of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to his ;
20 And that the might come to the knowledge of their fathers, and that they might know the of the Lord, and that they may the gospel and upon the merits of Jesus Christ, and be through faith in his name, and that through their repentance they might be saved. Amen.” D&C 3:16-20
Other Sheep
“That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one .
18 And now, because of and they not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the concerning this thing unto them.
19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you.” 3 Nephi 15:17-19
Other, Other Sheep
And from the Book of Mormon we also hear,
“1 And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have , which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister.
2 For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them.” 3 Nephi 16:1-2
That means He loves us ALL! The entire world and every person. Some have heard his word and others have not, but before judgement, all will have an equal opportunity to hear the gospel whether in this life, or in the life to come. What a beautiful blessing.
Savior in Japan?
Elder Alma O. Taylor said, “The following is an outline of the prayer, as I remember it… “Spoke of the righteousness of Lehi and of the great faith of Nephi in doing whatsoever the Lord commanded him. Also spoke of those, who, because of iniquity, had been cut off from among the Nephites and cursed with a dark skin, like unto the Lamanites, the blood of Lehi and Nephi had been transmitted unto the people of this land, many of whom have the features and manners of the American Indians. Asked the Lord that if this were true, that he would not forget the integrity of his servants Lehi and Nephi, and would verify the promises made unto them concerning their descendants in the last days, upon this people, for we felt that they were a worthy nation…
Words of praise unto God for preserving the people of Japan from the power of the Great and Abominable Church, and that he had blessed the Japanese with sufficient knowledge to see the shallowness of the man-made Christianity which was sought to be introduced among them…
Spoke of the righteousness of Lehi and of the great faith of Nephi in doing whatsoever the Lord commanded him. Also spoke of those, who, because of iniquity, had been cut off from among the Nephites and cursed with a dark skin, like unto the Lamanites, the blood of Lehi and Nephi had been transmitted unto the people of this land, many of whom have the features and manners of the American Indians. Asked the Lord that if this were true, that he would not forget the integrity of his servants Lehi and Nephi, and would verify the promises made unto them concerning their descendants in the last days, upon this people, for we felt that they were a worthy nation.” Journal of Elder Alma O. Taylor, Relief Society Magazine JANUARY, 1921, pg. 199-203 See Complete Japan blog here
Nephites in Polynesia?
Although some scholars insist that the Polynesian ancestors came from the Orient and sailed east to settle Polynesia, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has always taught that they sailed west from America. In 1818, Stuart Meha, a Maori Latter-day Saint from New Zealand, sent a telegram to the Church leaders thanking them for the privilege of allowing a group of Maori saints to travel to Salt Lake to go through the temple. In the telegram, Brother Meha added the words: “Who knows but that some of Hagoth’s people have returned–perhaps!”
Where did Hagoth Travel?
Later, the First Presidency of the Church, and some of the General Authorities, gave a welcome, in Wandermere Park, in honor of this party of Maori Saints from New Zealand. In a speech delivered on that occasion, President [Joseph F.] Smith replied to the telegram: “I would like to say to you brethren and sisters from New Zealand, you are some of Hagoth’s people, and there is NO PERHAPS about it!” Continuing, President Smith told how it had been given to him by the spirit, while laboring in Hawaii, that the Polynesians were descendants of Lehi. Brother Meha testifies that these statements touched his heart, and he had no more uncertainties as to whether the Polynesians were truly of the House of Israel.” (Quoted in Step by Step in the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner The Personal Testimony of Stuart Meha,” Waipawa, H. B., New Zealand
Nephites in Mexico?
This article will discuss an interesting theory that correlates those Nephites who migrated into the Jaredite land northward (Isthmus of Tehuantepec), with a recently discovered language/culture that existed in the Isthmus from about 100 BC to AD 500. It will also show a brief overview of the Mesoamerican language system and how it probably had a common beginning prior to ca 2000 BC. This identification of a distinct language/culture within the Isthmus of Tehuantepec that coincides with the Nephite culture within the Jaredite land northward is also significant additional evidence that the Book of Mormon did in fact take place within Mesoamerica.” NEPHITES AND THE EPI-OLMEC (in the Isthmus 100 BC to AD 400) by Joe V. Andersen February 2012
Quetzalcoatl as Christ?
“It is claimed that LDS scholars believe that Quetzalcoatl was Jesus Christ. However, since Quetzalcoatl’s association with a “feathered serpent” constitutes “snake worship,” some Christians claim that this association is therefore inconsistent with worship of Jesus Christ.
Some LDS authors have seen Christian parallels to Quetzalcoatl. At least some of these parallels were probably imposed, however, by the secondary sources who also sought a Christian connection to native myth. Quetzalcoatl plays a minor—if any—role in modern LDS apologetics. Critics should not, however, act as if the association of a “snake” with Christ is completely foreign or strange—certainly the brass serpent placed on a pole and raised up by Moses has some symbolic links to Jesus.
Whether Quetzalcoatl can tell us anything about the Book of Mormon, however, remains unproven. FairMormon does not at present recommend relying on this as “evidence” for the truth of the Book of Mormon account.” FAIR Latter Day Saints
Nephites in Europe
For over a century and a half, we assumed the Nephites struggled to extinction. What if remnants escaped to Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Burma, etc.–to become nations, kindreds, tongues and people? Episode 1: Nephites in Europe An ancient Icelandic text records a royal family in Northern Europe descending from a prince by the name of Nefi or Nephi. Another Northern European tribe was known by a name that likely means the “people of Nephi.” Did Nephites travel to Europe? Episode 2: Nephite Survivors in Prophecy Did righteous Nephite families escape and spread throughout the world? Was Joseph Smith a descendant of Joseph, son of Lehi? Why did the Lord tell Joseph Smith that the Book of Mormon would be given to Latter-day Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites and Zoramites as well as Lamanites, Lemuelites and Ishmaelites? Runtime: 1 hr 2 min Guest Appearances: John D. Nelson, Scott N. Bradley, Timothy Ballard.
As with the story of the Nephites in Europe, and with the legend of the lost book of gold, in Burma below, none of us know the complete truth. I feel it is very important to research and keep an open mind to this wonderful knowledge and then pray about it to confirm your feelings. Remeber, “we may know the truth of all things.”
The Legend of the Lost Book of Gold-Burma
Could there also be Nephites in Burma, as many who live there attest to?
Prologue
In 1827, Christian missionaries travelled into the jungles of Burma to bring the gospel to an indigenous group known as the Karen people. As the missionaries began teaching the Karens from the Bible, they were astounded to discover that the Karens already worshipped a deity they called “Y’wa”, had a detailed creation story with striking parallels to the biblical Eden narrative, and had many other folktales mirroring the traditional accounts found in Genesis.1
That same year, a world away, Joseph Smith Jr. obtained a mysterious artifact that would become the Book of Mormon, published in New York in 1830. This book told of an ancient lost civilization: a monotheistic splinter from the house of Israel that settled an distant “promised land,” whose founding story involved contentious brothers, some of whom embraced God’s words, while the others rejected them. The book contains prophecies concerning the Gentiles: how the gospel would be brought back through them, and the unbelieving factions would be restored the to knowledge of the true God. The story concludes with the account of the last believer, who seals up a book of gold which contains these holy words, promising that his brothers will someday obtain his words, and then flees for his life.2
In the 1840s, Reverend Francis Mason, one of the early missionaries to the Karen, published several treatises detailing his findings, observations and interactions among the Karen people. One of these was called “The Karen Apostle,” a memoir about the first Karen convert, Ko Thah-byu.3 Mason and other missionaries continued working with the Karen people, and learned more and more about their traditional mythology. One legend that continually surfaced told of an elusive “lost book of gold” that was once among the people, but was taken by a “white Westerner” or “foreigner”, with a prophecy that the Karen would one day regain the words from this lost book. One recounting of this legend goes:
Our book of gold that Y’wa gave,
Our book of silver that he gave,
The elders did not obey.
Lost, it wandered to the foreigner.4
In 1853, another missionary, Reverend E. B. Cross, referencing much of Mason’s work, wrote a more detailed article that would be published in the Journal of the American Oriental Society. In this article, Cross tells of the tradition of prophets among the Karens, and how these prophets taught that “the white foreigners were in the possession of all the words of God, and that they would one day come and restore to the Karens the true knowledge of God, which they professed themselves to have lost, and would restore their books containing the word of God.”5
Cross further retells Karen legends surrounding their origin as a tribe, telling of a ‘younger brother,’ also known as the ‘white Westerner,’ who God receives, and “warns him not to remain in the country of the elder brother,” and escapes “to a country in the West.” The legend is eluded to in this traditional Karen verse:
The Karens were the elder brother;
They obtained all the words of God.
They did not believe all the words of God,
And became enemies to each other.
Because they disbelieved God,
Their language divided.
God gave them commands,
But they did not believe him,
And divisions ensued.6
The Bible as the Lost Golden Book
The Christian missionaries picked up on this tradition, and the Bible was presented to the Karen people as this “lost golden book.” The foreign missionaries were evidently the “white brothers” who were coming to bring the forgotten knowledge of God back to them. Even now, this legend, and its connection to the Bible, is cited in Burmese Christian Ministries. Saw Ka Law Lah, a modern Burmese pastor, explains:
The Karen have legends. It says that in the beginning, God had three sons, the eldest son is the Karen, and the second son is the Burmese, and the third son is the white man. But, the youngest brother read the book, and take it away, so he becomes educated and prosperous.
And when the eldest brother realized that the book disappeared, they longed for the book, and the story continued that one day, the youngest brother will come back and give the book. If the youngest brother come back and give the book, then it is the Golden Book that god gave to him, so if he study it, he will [prosper] like the youngest brother.
So in the 19th century, during the 19th century when the American Baptist mission came to Burma, all [the] Karen people went to meet him, and asked for the Golden Book. “You [took] our golden book, why not giv[e] [it] back [to us]?” The missionary had no idea, then [they] related the story that this [the Bible] is the book.
“You are prosperous now because of this Golden Book; we want that Book back, so that our children will be prosperous too. And according to our legends, you will someday come and give it back. Now, where is the book?”
Then, the American mission [took] the opportunity, the Bible was translated to Karen, and when the Bible was completed, the Karen became Christian in a rapid motion, and every Karen who learned that this is the Golden Book we received back, they accepted Christianity in a very rapid motion.7
To this day, the Karen people remain an anomaly in their large-scale acceptance of Christianity among neighboring groups, and are celebrated as an example of God preparing the people of the earth for the gospel.8
Echoes of the Book of Mormon
Nearly 100 years after the first Christians’ exposure to the Karen and their legends, Hugh Nibley, noting the findings of E.B. Cross, saw some unmistakable similarities between the Karen narrative and the Lehite account found in the Book of Mormon. He stated that “the case of the Karens is particularly interesting because those people have displayed such astonishing cultural affinities with the Jews that some observers have even claimed them to be of Jewish origin. If that is so, their history may have paralleled Lehi’s in more ways than one.”9 It appeared that the Book of Mormon story—with tales of golden plates, family feuds, rejecting God’s words and prophets, and promises of restoration to the remnant of their seed by means of the return of a lost book—could be overlaid on the Karen legends with far more compelling connections than the Bible could be.
In 1994, Dr. Ralph Olsen, a Cornell-educated retired chemistry professor from Montana State University, drafted a book-length manuscript in which he hypothesized (among other things) that the Karen people are not merely an interesting parallel to the people of the Book of Mormon, but are actually integral to the Book of Mormon story. He further surmised that the Book of Mormon account—while literally historical—did not take place in the Americas, but rather took place directly south of the home of the Karen people: The Malay Peninsula, which covers Malaysia, Singapore, and parts of Thailand and Burma.10
The Malay Hypothesis
Dr. Olsen’s hypothesis postulates that Lehi and his family, having launched from the Arabian peninsula, traveled through the Indian Ocean, into the Bay of Bengal, and landed on the Malay Peninsula. Non-Mormon Anthropologist Harold Gladwin has suggested that around 300 BC, Nearchus, a prominent Cretian naval officer, made a journey with his fleet from the Middle East to the Malay Archipelago and beyond to the Pacific after the death of Alexander the Great. Gladwin’s proposed route takes Nearchus’ fleet through a very similar path that Dr. Olsen puts forth for that of the Lehites and Jaredites. Gladwin’s theory serves to explain several historic unknowns, such as the fate of Nearchus, and the existence of Indonesian groups claiming descent from Alexander the Great;11 and it supports the plausibility of early marine travel from the Middle East to Southeast Asia. His book entitled Men Out of Asia contains this map and proposed route:12
According to the Malay Hypothesis, the sagas of the Nephites, Lamanites, Mulekites, and Jaredites would have taken place within the confines of the Malay Peninsula. This theory has been discussed at some length in the bloggernacle, and has by-and-large either been mistaken for satire,13 summarily dismissed as wholly implausible,14 or cited as evidence that Book of Mormon geography is sufficiently amorphous to render false positives in nearly any given setting.15 Dr. Olsen, however, is convinced that he has identified “a more promising land of promise.”16
“I know the Book of Mormon is true… That’s nice, but it is not enough!”
“Whenever I hear anyone, including myself, say, “I know the Book of Mormon is true,” I want to exclaim, “That’s nice, but it is not enough!” We need to feel, deep in “the inmost part” of our hearts, that the Book of Mormon is unequivocally the word of God. We must feel it so deeply that we would never want to live even one day without it. I might paraphrase President Brigham Young in saying, “I wish I had the voice of seven thunders to wake up the people” to the truth and power of the Book of Mormon ” President Russell M. Nelson The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?
Epilogue from Part 4
Aung San Suu Kyi’s Great Faith
In 2009, an LDS man named John Yettaw trespassed into the home of prominent Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Equipped with homemade flippers and heroic charisma, he swam across Inya Lake and intruded into the heavily guarded Yangon compound in which she is continuously under house arrest. He passed the AK-47-brandishing security guards,124 and delivered to her, among other things, a copy of the Book of Mormon.125
Could Yettaw have been the ‘white foreigner’ who unknowingly brought to pass the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning the return of the Lost Golden Book?
There are some rumored underground LDS branches in Mandalay and Yangon, but there is no established foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints within the military dictatorship of Burma. Yettaw’s stunt is, to date, the most prominent advance in LDS missionary efforts to Burma, and is also a notably singular event in terms of United States outreach to Burmese leaders. Referring to the incident, Yangon citizens often quip: “China gets ping-pong diplomacy, Burma gets John Yettaw.”126
Does Southeast Asia have a greater place within the latter-day narrative and the gathering of Israel than may have previously been supposed? Joseph Smith noted that he “tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all.”127 If nothing else, perhaps Dr. Olsen’s hypothesis gives us a new context in which to consider the scripture concerning those who are “kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.”128
124 The Irrawaddy. “Yettaw Says Guards Let Him Enter Suu Kyi Compound.” The Irrawaddy News Magazine. 22 Aug. 2009 <http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=16624>.
125 James, Randy. “John Yettaw: Suu Kyi’s Unwelcome Visitor.” Time Magazine 20 May 2009. <http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1899769,00.html>
126 Stark, Peter. University of California Berekely Human Rights Fellow to Burma. “LDS Presence in Burma.” Personal interview. 10 Sept. 2011.
127 Smith, Joseph,History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Vol 6. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret News Press, 1912. 185.
128 Doctrine and Covenants 123:12
The Lords Speaks to All His Children where ever they Reside
13 And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one from the dust: Farewell until that great day shall come.
14 And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the , and also my , and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall you at the last day.
15 For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must . Amen.” 2 Nephi 33:13-15
Andrea Ashford/Comment