Can you imagine any other country succeeding as the base of operations for missionary work more than the United States? With all the resources, people, wealth and organization? I don’t see China, Russia, Mexico, Germany, South America or any other place that could carry out this tremendous assignment. That’s why the USA is the Chosen Land for this event of missionary work. It is why the plates were found here and the church headquarters is located here and the Garden of Eden and the New Jerusalem will be here. America is truly a promised land. We also feel about the world and other inhabitants as Elder McConkie and Hinckley shared with us below.
“Certain lands were given to Israel for an inheritance in time and in eternity. America is the land of Joseph; it was the home of Nephite Israel, who were of Joseph, for a thousand years, and it is the headquarters of the Church in this final dispensation in which the church and kingdom of God are in the lands of Ephraim.” 1985 – Elder Bruce R. McConkie
Gordon B. Hinckley said, “I should like to say a few words about America…. No land is without its beauty, no people without their virtues, and I hope that you who come from elsewhere will pardon my saying a few words concerning my own native land, America. I know that she has problems. We have heard so much of them for so long. But surely this is a good land, a choice land, a chosen land. To me it is a miracle, a creation of the Almighty…. I was stirred in my heart by the words of our late, great President Harold B. Lee, who, speaking to a group such as this, said: This nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail…. I have faith in America. You and I must have faith in America if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.’ (Deseret News, 27 October 1973.)
THE BOOK OF MORMON IN NORTH AMERICA
“Why does the geography of the Book of Mormon matter? Think of that question if we are speaking about Israel. Does it matter where the Savior was born, or where the Biblical events happened? Yes. At Mount Moriah where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac, the Lord made a special covenant with Abraham. The land around Mt Moriah was a covenant land and God’s people were given that covenant land as long as they are righteous. However, if they disobey the commandments, God’s people will be swept off that sacred land. The Jews, Muslims, and Christians fight over control over this one piece of land, why? Because it is a beautiful piece of real estate? No, because it is a covenant land. All three religions say Mt Moriah is sacred to them and they are willing to die over it.
In the same token what is the Promised Land spoken of in the Book of Mormon? According to the Book of Mormon this Promised land must meet certain requirements to be the Promised Land. 1. No Kings upon the land 2. Land choice above all other lands 3. Land of Liberty 4. Land where sacred record is kept 5. Land kept from the knowledge of other nations. 6. Land of the New Jerusalem 7. Gentiles to scatter and afflict the Remnant. 8. The place where the “Marvelous Work and Wonder” happened. These are only 8 of 36 prophesies and promises in the Book of Mormon so it makes sense to me that the USA is the Promised Land. Not Canada, Mexico, England, or South America.
Just as Israel is a Promised Land forever, so the USA is a Promised Land forever and it does matter where this Promised Land is located. It is in the Heartland of North America. The Nephites practiced the Law of Moses. To do this they needed the following plants and animals to keep the Law. Sheep, Rams, Goats, Bullocks, Doves, Wheat, Barley, and Wine. None of these animals or items are found anywhere in Mesoamerica during the Nephites times, only in the USA. So, the specific land and where things happen is critical to us and especially to the Lord.
If we in the church cannot even decide among ourselves where the Book of Mormon happened, how confusing is that to our youth and adults? The Anti-Mormons love the idea that we don’t even know where our sacred scriptures happened. There are over 100 theories of where the Book of Mormon happened, including, Baja, Chile, Malaysia, Honduras, Peru, etc.
I know the Brethren of the Church take a neutral position on the geography of the Book of Mormon. There are many CES instructors and other BYU professors that teach the Two Cumorah theory or Mesoamerican theory, and they say a second Hill Cumorah exists somewhere in Mexico, but they aren’t sure where. I believe there is only one Hill Cumorah which is associated with the Heartland Model of the Book of Mormon. For you and I to take a neutral stand is not required. The Lord told us to read and study, and in the promise to Moroni, He said we may know the truth of ALL things, and that would include knowing the location of the Book of Mormon events. I believe knowledge of the Spirit and of the head, are both important in learning truth. I used to believe in the Mesoamerican theory, but after much research I believe the Heartland Model just makes so much sense.
“I feel that the location of the many Book of Mormon events happened in the United States of America. I will support and follow the Brethren where ever they say it is located, but what if they never tell us and we find out it was our duty as Latter-day Saints to find this out on our own? I would just love for all to consider a North American setting for the Book of Mormon. I believed as many others did about two Cumorah’s for 40 years But, with new information in the Joseph Smith Papers and Letter VII written by Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith in 1835, I am so excited about the new knowledge the Lord is sending us today to strengthen our testimonies. Additional new information I’ve heard is that Joseph Smith may have translated two separate sets of plates. Most people have never heard about that. Jonathan Neville is an amazing Church History researcher and he has a new book titled, “Whatever Happened to the Golden Plates”. I believe his research is solid, and it is explained in the new josephpapers.org website. Is it critical to our salvation? No. But is it cool? Yes. There is so much we can learn, and I love it.” Why Geography Matters by Rian Nelson
Click for Full Article Elder Jeffrey Holland shares the following about heart and head learning.
“Truly rock-ribbed faith and uncompromised conviction comes with its most complete power when it engages our head as well as our heart… truth borne by the Holy Spirit comes with, in effect, two manifestations, two witnesses if you will—the force of fact as well as the force of feeling… I believe God intends us to find and use the evidence He has given—reasons, if you will—which affirm the truthfulness of His work…” Jeffrey R. Holland The Greatness of Evidence Aug 2017
A Prophetic Warning To A Specific Latter Day Nation – The United States of America
“While an understanding of the physical location where the Book of Mormon history actually took place may not be essential for individual salvation, it was certainly considered of sufficient importance to the ancient prophets to warrant significant space on the plates in forewarning a specific nation that would one day occupy those same lands. Knowledge of the location of the Promised Land with its associated covenants may very well be essential to the “salvation” or continuation of that nation.
In order to make it perfectly clear so that no one could misunderstand which latter day nation they were warning, the ancient Book of Mormon writers offered 36 prophetic descriptions of that nation, prophesying it to be a “mighty Gentile nation above all other nations” and eight times referencing it as the “land of liberty.” They gave indication of the covenant by prophesying it would be a land of “prosperity and security.” They also claimed it to be where the gospel would be restored (the marvelous work and a wonder would occur, 2 Nephi 25:17, 27:26) and the New Jerusalem built (D&C 84:1-4), both of which are known respectively through historical fact and prophetic revelation. These facts remove the actual geography of the Book of Mormon from the realm of speculation, conjecture and theory to a firm foundation of fact and truth, upon which a better understanding of the Book of Mormon lands can be built.
Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles published in the December 2012 issue of the Ensign magazine an article in which he states that, “The United States is the Promised Land foretold in the Book of Mormon–” Continuing, he wrote, “…a place where divine guidance directed inspired men to create the conditions necessary for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was the birth of the United States of America that ushered out the Great Apostasy, when the earth was darkened by the absence of prophets and revealed light. It was no coincidence that the lovely morning of the First Vision occurred just decades after the establishment of the United States.”
Thus modern Church leadership is completely consistent with and supportive of the scriptures and Joseph Smith’s statements…
It is critical to understand the precise nation the ancient prophets were desperately trying to warn so that those people would know of assurity which nation’s future had been seen in vision in order to take corrective action to avoid or at least prepare for the impending destruction. It is certain that the ancient prophets who saw our day in vision would have known that should the United States of America fail as a nation it would directly impact the latter-day Churches divine mandate and mission to proclaim and spread the gospel throughout the world.” Rod Meldrum excerpts from “The Scriptural Basis for the Heartland Model” Full article Here!
HEBER J GRANT
“It was not by chance that the Puritans left their native land and sailed away to the shores of New England, and others later followed. They were the advance guard of the army of the Lord, predestined to establish the God-given system of government under which we live and to make America, which is the land of Joseph, the gathering place of Ephraim, an asylum for the oppressed of all nations, and prepare the way for the restoration of the gospel of Christ and the establishment of his church upon the earth” – Heber J. Grant, Conference Report, [April 1930].
“The Book of Mormon reveals the important interrelationships between the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement. One cannot fully comprehend the Atonement without first understanding the Fall; and the Fall of Adam cannot be fully understood without first understanding the Creation. These three great doctrinal pillars sustain each other in God’s eternal plan.
PRESIDENT RUSSELL M. NELSON
“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
BRUCE R. McCONKIE
“Certain lands were given to Israel for an inheritance in time and in eternity. America is the land of Joseph; it was the home of Nephite Israel, who were of Joseph, for a thousand years, and it is the headquarters of the Church in this final dispensation in which the church and kingdom of God are in the lands of Ephraim.” (McConkie, Bruce R., A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 511.)
EZRA TAFT BENSON
The Lord’s Base of Operations by Elder Ezra Taft Benson Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles Conference Report, April 1962, pp. 103-106
“My brothers and sisters, everywhere:
With joy and gratitude I face you today in, and from, this historic Tabernacle. I am grateful to be here: for this fellowship, for freedom to meet in peace, to speak without fear, to attend this inspirational conference.
I thank God for freedom—the right of choice. I am grateful for this great nation in which we meet. Every true Latter-day Saint throughout the world loves the USA. The Constitution of this land is part of every Latter-day Saint’s religious faith.
To us, this is not just another nation, not just a member of the family of nations. This is a great and glorious nation with a divine mission and a prophetic history and future. It has been brought into being under the inspiration of heaven.
It is our firm belief, as Latter-day Saints, that the Constitution of this land was established by men whom the God of heaven raised up unto that very purpose. It is our conviction also that the God of heaven guided the founding fathers in establishing it for his particular purpose.
The founders of this republic were deeply spiritual men. They believed men are capable of self-government and that it is the job of government to protect freedom and foster private initiative.
Our earliest American fathers came here with a common objective—freedom of worship and liberty of conscience. Familiar with the sacred scriptures, they believed that liberty is a gift of heaven. To them, man as a child of God, emphasized the sacredness of the individual and the interest of a kind Providence in the affairs of men and nations. These leaders recognized the need for divine guidance and the importance of vital religion and morality in the affairs of men and nations.
To the peoples who should inhabit this blessed land of the Americas, the Western Hemisphere, an ancient prophet uttered this significant promise and solemn warning: “Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ . . .
“For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands, wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God” (see (Ether 2:12,10).
Ancient American prophets six hundred years before Christ foresaw the coming of Columbus and those who followed. These prophets saw the establishment of the colonies (1 Ne. 13:12-13), the war for independence (1 Ne. 13:17-19), and predicted the outcome. These prophecies are contained in a volume of scripture called the Book of Mormon. This sacred record, a companion volume to the Holy Bible, which it confirms, is an added witness to the divine mission of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Redeemer of the world.
How I wish every American and every living soul would read the Book of Mormon. I testify to you that it is true. It tells about the prophetic history and mission of America. It gives the comforting assurance that God has kept this great nation, as it were, in the hollow of his hand in preparation for its great mission.
Yes, the Lord planned it all. Why? So America could serve as a beacon of liberty and in preparation for the opening of a new gospel dispensation—the last and greatest of all dispensations in preparation for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. To achieve his purposes the Lord had to have a base of operations. Later he revealed to a modern prophet that the Constitution of this land was established by “wise men” whom the Lord “raised up unto this very purpose” (see (D&C 101:80). The Lord also directed that the constitutional laws of the land, supporting the principle of freedom, should be upheld and that honest and wise men should be sought for and upheld in public office.
The establishment of this great Christian nation, with a spiritual foundation, was all in preparation for the restoration of the gospel, following the long night of apostasy. Then in 1820 the time had arrived. God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ made their glorious appearance. I give you a few words from the Prophet Joseph Smith, who was the instrument in God’s hands in restoring the gospel and establishing the true Church of Christ again upon the earth. In response to humble prayer Joseph relates: “. . . I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
“. . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (JS—H 1:16-17).
To me this is the greatest event that has occurred in this world since the resurrection of the Master—and it happened in America.
Later, other heavenly messengers came to restore the authority of the Holy Priesthood and important keys essential to the opening of the final gospel dispensation. The Church was organized in 1830. Immediately, in response to divine command, missionary-messengers began to carry the important message of salvation throughout the world. It is a world message intended for all of God’s children. And so, once this nation was well established, then the Church was restored and from here the message of the restored gospel has gone forth. All according to divine plan.
This then becomes the Lord’s base of operations in these latter days. And this base will not be shifted out of its place—the land of America. This nation will, in a measure at least, fulfil its mission even though it may face serious and troublesome days. The degree to which it achieves its full mission depends upon the righteousness of its people. God has, through his power, established a free people in this land as a means of helping to carry forward his purposes.
“It was his latter-day purpose to bring forth his gospel in America, not in any other place. It was in America where the Book of Mormon plates were deposited. That was no accident. It was his design. It was in this same America where they were brought to light by angelic ministry. It was” . . . [here] “where he organized his modern Church, where he, himself made a modern personal appearance” (Editorial, Church News).
Yes, it was here under a free government and a strong nation that protection was provided for his restored Church. Now God will not permit his base of operations—America—to be destroyed. He has promised protection to this land if we will but serve the God of the land. He has also promised protection to the righteous even, if necessary, to send fire from heaven to destroy their enemies (1 Ne. 22:17; Ether 2:12).
No, God’s base of operations will not be destroyed. But it may be weakened and made less effective. One of the first rules of war strategy—and we are at war with the adversary and his agents—is to protect the base of operations. This we must do if we are to build up the kingdom throughout the world and safeguard our God-given freedom.
How will we protect this base of operations?
We must protect this base of operations from every threat—from sin, from unrighteousness, immorality, from desecration of the Sabbath day, from lawlessness, from parental and juvenile delinquency.
We must protect it from dirty movies, filthy advertising, from salacious and suggestive TV programs, magazines, and books.
We must protect this base from idleness, subsidies, doles, and soft governmental paternalism which weakens initiative, discourages industry, destroys character, and demoralizes people.
We must protect this base from complacency—from the dangerous feeling that all is well—from being lulled away into a false security. We must protect this American base from the brainwashing, increasingly administered to our youth in many educational institutions across the land, by some misinformed instructors and some wolves in sheep’s clothing. Their false indoctrination, often perpetrated behind the front of so-called academic freedom, is leaving behind many faithless students, socialist-oriented, who are easy subjects for state tyranny.
“At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected?” asked Abraham Lincoln, and answered, “. . . If it ever reaches us, it must spring up among us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time or die by suicide.” (Springfield, Ill., Jan. 27, 1837.)
The only threat to the liberty and independence of the American people from abroad is the threat of world communism spreading from its base in the Soviet Union. But the best authorities are confident that the Soviets will not provoke a major war. Their economy would not support it.
Lenin said, “The soundest strategy in war is to postpone operations until the moral disintegration of the enemy renders the mortal blow possible and easy.” Commenting on Lenin’s statement the Indianapolis Star adds: “Where then does the real danger lie? It lies with us—the American people . . .
“Other great civilizations have died by suicide. The first free people, the Greeks, died thus.
“And why did Greece fall: ‘A slackness and softness finally came over them to their ruin. In the end more than they wanted freedom they wanted security, a comfortable life, and they lost all—security, comfort and freedom.’
“It is the same with Americans today. The danger that threatens us is an internal danger. It lies in our hearts and minds and not in the hands of Khrushchev.
“It is our own ignorance—ignorance of our own history and our heritage of liberty that threatens us. It is our ignorance of the true nature of our enemy, socialistic communism, that threatens us . . . Our own lack of faith in freedom and ourselves, our own lack of confidence in the greatness of America and all that she stands for, morally and materially, is what puts us in mortal danger.
“Too many of us are afraid—afraid of atomic war, afraid of the disapproval of our allies or the neutrals, afraid of the threats and boasts of the bloated tyrants in the Kremlin, afraid to offend others by taking action to defend ourselves.”
Yes, we are afraid to live righteously according to eternal principles—economic, moral, and spiritual. This is our danger. We must never forget that nations may—and usually do—sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity. As Jenkin Lloyd Jones said, “It is time we hit the sawdust trail. It is time we revived the idea that there is such a thing as sin—just plain old willful sin. It is time we brought self-discipline back into style . . .
“I am fed up with the educationists and pseudo-scientists who have underrated our potential as a people . . . I am tired of seeing America debased and low-rated in the eyes of foreigners. I am genuinely disturbed that to idealistic youth in many countries the fraud of Communism appears synonymous with morality, while we, the chief repository of real freedom, are regarded as being in the last stages of decay.
“In this hour of fear, confusion and self-doubt . . . let there be a fresh breeze, a breeze of new honesty, new idealism, new integrity.”
To protect this base we must protect the soul of America—we must return to a love and respect for the basic spiritual concepts upon which this nation has been established. We must study the Constitution and the writings of the founding fathers.
Yes, we must protect the Lord’s base of operations by moving away from unsound economic policies which encourage creeping socialism and its companion, insidious, atheistic communism. If we are to protect this important base, we must as a nation live within our means, balance our budgets, and pay our debts. We must establish sound monetary policies and take needed steps to compete in world markets.
If we are to protect this American base, we must realize that all things, including information disseminated by our schools, churches, and government, should be judged according to the words of the prophets, especially the living prophet. This procedure coupled with the understanding which will come through the Spirit of the Lord, if we are living in compliance with the scriptures, is the only sure foundation and basis of judgment. Any other course of action leaves us muddled, despondent, wandering in shades of gray, easy targets for Satan.
We must not fail in these pressing and important matters. We must not fall short of the great mission the Lord has proffered and outlined for America and for his divinely restored Church.
Yes, this is a choice land—a nation with a prophetic history.
God bless America and her leaders and all the free world. And may God protect his latter-day base of operation that his glorious message of salvation may go forth to all the world, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.” Ezra Taft Benson 1962
Blessing All of God’s Children With The Gospel Through Missionary Work
“Since the restoration of the gospel, one nation has consistently provided and sent more missionaries than any other nation, and that nation is the United States. Today the Church has the largest missionary force the world has ever known scattered throughout the world, yet about 80% of all missionaries worldwide come from the United States, and of the 20% serving missions from other nations nearly half receive financial assistance from Church members in the U.S.
Is it any wonder, then, why the ancient prophets spent valuable time, effort and space on the gold plates warning this specific nation not to allow the secret combinations that destroyed their civilization to get above it? It should be absolutely clear, based solely on the source of the missionary effort stemming from one latter day nation, that the United States of America is that blessed, prosperous and covenant nation on the American Promised Land. To this same land the Lord’s covenant Book of Mormon people were directed and upon this same land their ancient civilizations flourished so long as they remained righteous. The lands of the Book of Mormon prophets are today the lands now occupied by that covenant nation that God established by “wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose” (D&C 101:80) in order to “bless the nations of the earth.” That latter-day nation, according to the 36 prophecies and promises contained in the Book of Mormon, is none other than the United States of America…God’s covenant and Promised Land of liberty. See the Annotated Book of Mormon by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum.
The ancient prophets knew that should this nation, the United States of America, fall into unrighteousness, God’s judgments and subsequent removal of His covenant blessings of security, prosperity, and posterity would result in its collapse, which would have a direct and devastating impact on the latter-day Church’s ability to carry out its mission of spreading the gospel. Missionary families in a collapsing economy would likely find it impossible to support their sons and daughters, making it necessary to return them home. Such an event would undoubtedly render the Church’s missionary effort to be unable to continue to bless the other nations of the earth.
Accordingly, this nation’s covenant and founding principles must be vigorously upheld through righteous leaders in order for it to carry on its sacred responsibility to “bless the nations of the earth” with the gospel. That is why it is absolutely critical that righteous, God-loving and covenant keeping leaders be chosen to lead and guide it. And that is why it is critical to understand “where” the covenant and promised lands of the Book of Mormon were located. That nation today is the United States of America. The warnings are clear…and eminent. Therefore, based on these prophecies, it should also be absolutely clear where the lands of the Book of Mormon were actually located. It was established before the foundations of the world, it was the original Promised Land of Cainan in scripture, it became the lands that the Jaredites were lead to, and then the Nephites and then the Founding Fathers. Upon this sacred land the gospel was restored and the future New Jerusalem will be built. The pattern is absolutely clear, scripturally and prophetically consistent and profoundly important for every single Latter-day Saint.” Rod Meldrum excerpts from “The Scriptural Basis for the Heartland Model” Full article Here!
