The Book of Mormon puzzle has challenged bright minds for over 180 years. Mormon’s code has now been broken. The cities, lands, and bloodlines have been found in the “chronicles” written by the Quiché and Cakchiquel Maya. The correlation with the Book of Mormon accounts provides solid name and location anchor points for Desolation, Teancum, Bountiful, Zarahemla, and the original Hill Cumorah. The original families, including Nephi, Sam, Jacob, Joseph, Zoram, and Mulek have been found – including Gadianton and Kishkumen, the “eagles” and the “weasels” respectively.
My goal was to find the Book of Mormon footprint in space and time to rebut those pastors who, for lack of substantiating physical evidence, deceive their congregations about the credibility of Mormon’s story. When my Lutheran friend challenged, “We know where Jerusalem is; we know where Nineveh is; but you Mormons don’t know where anything in the Book of Mormon is,” I took it very personally. I have met my objective – the places and people are found. Lack of archaeological evidence has led some to relegate the Book of Mormon to just a book of “faith” rather than a book of history or geography. The “faith” concepts could have been treated much more concisely, so why all the detail that was so difficult to write?
The Book of Mormon is alive -- real people, real history, and real experiences which the Lord uses to talk to your heart while you read. The honest in heart will know it is true. If one reads the Book of Mormon, but fails to know it is true, too much “baggage” was brought to the experience. Baggage can be misinformation, prejudice, pride, or sin. Work with the Lord on your baggage.
Joseph Smith was promised, “I will cause the earth to testify of the truth of these things.”1 And so it has. We are being flooded with information that can be appreciated by those seeking to know. But, even education can narrow one’s focus to where the obvious is no longer obvious. The ability to “think outside the box” has led to discovery of the Book of Mormon lands, cities, and peoples – including a Chinese connection.
Real people, in real history, having real experiences, leave real tracks – so where are they? A lifetime of reading the Book of Mormon, a desire to know, and extensive research have led me to find it all – virtually everything Mormon mentioned is in a rather small region in southern Guatemala, western El Salvador, and western Honduras.
This website, MormonTopics.com, shares the discoveries. The available books discuss the discovery process and the findings, point-by-point. Not only the places, but many of the individuals and their family lineages, and stories from the Book of Mormon have been found in the native writings.
1. LeGrand Richards,
Conference Report, October 1946, pp. 125