Surprising Findings

There are three lands of Nephi: first, at the land of Lehi, the land of their fathers’ first inheritance; second, in the land of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom area; and third, in the Mulek, Bountiful, Antum area near Desolation.

The “narrow neck of land” is not an isthmus but just a natural bridge (now gone) or a man made bridge across the Samalá River that was still functional when the Spaniards arrived. It is located near San Sebastián, Guatemala.

The legend of the national hero of Guatemala, Tecun Uman (also written Tecum Umam), is based in part on the history of Teancum. Even the name Te-cum is from Te-an-cum. In Quiché they refer to him as the “Lord of the Banners and Staffs”. Te-an-cum literally means “pole - up high - coat” or “coat up high on a pole”, as in “Title of Liberty”.

The Curilom to the Jaredites was the Shimnilom to the Nephites and continues to be known as the tzimin to the Maya. Today it is called the mountain cow or tapir.

Abinadi the great martyred prophet appears to be the brother of Amaleki and the son of Abinadom, which placed him in the record-keeping lineage and gave him access to all the records before he left the Zarahemla area and returned with Zeniff to the land of Lehi-Nephi. (Omni 1:12,30)