Crossing the River Sidon

In our search for physical evidences of the Book of Mormon lands in the United States, we need to start with Zarahemla and the River Sidon.  From the 600 BC to 400AD, the Book of Mormon lands were described in the book itself.  Zarahemla was the largest city in the area and according to https://zarahemla.site/that-great-city “the most frequently mentioned place by name in the Book of Mormon.”

The U.S. Geological Survey tells us that the Mississippi River is one of the world’s largest river systems.  It is made up of several large tributaries making it the largest river and river system in North America.  It flows 2,340 miles from its source at Lake Itasca through the midcontinent of the United States all the way to the Gulf of Mexico passing by New Orleans.

From the National Park Service River Facts the name "Mississippi" comes from the Anishinabe people (Ojibwe Indians.) They called the river "Messipi" or "Mee-zee-see-bee," which means "Big River" or "Father of Waters." Dakota Indians called the river "Hahawakpa," meaning "River of the Falls" in reference to the falls we now call the Falls of St. Anthony.” 

So what does the River Sidon have to do with the Mississippi River and Zarahemla?

First, we learn the word Sidon is the Greek name which means “fishery” for the ancient Phoenician port city of Sidonia which is now Lebanon.  Many Native Americans have considered this river a great resource for fish.

We read about Prophet Joseph Smith receiving a revelation from God which is written in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 125 in verse 3:

 “3 Let them build up a city unto my name upon the land opposite the city of Nauvoo, and let the name of Zarahemla be named upon it.”  Interestingly enough, the word Zarahemla in this verse has a cross reference to Omni 1:14 in the Book of Mormon which says:

14 “And they discovered a people, who were called the people of Zarahemla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of Zarahemla; and also Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass which contained the record of the Jews.”

For years and years the Heartland theory has matched the River Sidon with the Mississippi River.  How is this possible? We read in the Book of Mormon itself that Zarahemla is close to the River Sidon. According to The Book of Mormon, the River Sidon is east of Zarahemla which lines up with what 

Joseph Smith reveled. It would make sense from a geographical point of view that the River Sidon is the Mississippi River. As more study is done, we find that there is a possibility of finding the place of the war mentioned in Alma.

From Alma chapter 2 verses 27 and 28 and verses 33 through 35, “And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them.

28 Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and the Amlicites did fall before them.

33 But Alma, with his guards, contended with the guards of the king of the Lamanites until he slew and drove them back.

34 And thus he cleared the ground, or rather the bank, which was on the west of the river Sidon, throwing the bodies of the Lamanites who had been slain into the waters of Sidon, that thereby his people might have room to cross and contend with the Lamanites and the Amlicites on the west side of the river Sidon.

35 And it came to pass that when they had all crossed the river Sidon that the Lamanites and the Amlicites began to flee before them, notwithstanding they were so numerous that they could not be numbered.”

We know that the bodies of the Lamanites who had been slain were tossed into the waters of the River Sidon. We just have to find it.  An exciting event will be taking place during the first week of August of this year on the Mississippi River. A group of more than 15 professionals in science and engineering will be joining together to search for this spot. A 32-foot Pontoon Mississippi Riverboat named “Truth” is being outfitted for this expedition. Surveys of this land and river area are being studied.  Using SENSYS, advanced magnetometry (which measures the magnetic pull of objects under the ground) and military-trained scuba diving, we will be able to see and chart the river bottom.  Hold onto your hats as all of these preparations are taking place to find the crossing of the River Sidon.

For more information: Zarahemla.site

Discovering the Promised Land

Discovering the places we read about is very exciting. As we read descriptions and narrations of these faraway places, we visualize through site, smell, sound and feel of what they would actually be like. What would it be like to actually visit the places in the Book of Mormon we have read about for so many years?  When I visited the Sacred Grove, my testimony grew exponentially of the First Vision. When I visited Nauvoo, my love for those pioneers filled my heart to over flowing in appreciation of what they experienced and saw through their eyes and understand how they felt.  It was an amazing reality.

For those trying to understand the places of the Book of Mormon, we search that book for clues and then find evidences of where they are located. Let me start from the beginning. A letter written to John Wentworth who was the editor of the Chicago Democrat, from Joseph Smith was very instrumental in beginning to understand where the Nephites and Laminates lived.

Here an excerpt of that letter which start the clues: “I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of this country', and shown who they were, and from whence they came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws, governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people was made known unto me: I was also told where there was deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the ancient prophets that had existed on this continent ...”

 

Joseph Smith wrote for the Times and Season Newspaper in editorials called “American Antiquities” which corroborates wars described in the Book of Mormon with archaeological finds in northern America. Josiah Priest also contributed some of this information under the approval of Joseph Smith.  His statements were as follows: "Weapons of brass have been found in many parts of America, as in the Canadas, Florida, etc., with curiously sculptured stones, all of which go to prove that this country was once peopled with civilized, industrious nations.”

 

In other readings, the Times and Seasons associates earth, timber and metal works found in northern American including artifacts of mount builder societies with implements and construction as described in the Book of Mormon.  It’s fascinating to put the pieces together.

 

In another letter written by Joseph Smith to N.C. Saxton, editor of the Rochester Observer, January 4, 1833 reprinted in the Times and Season November 15, 1844 it says:

 

“The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians; having been found through the ministration of an holy angel, and translated into our own language by the gift and power [of] God, after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years, containing the word of God which was delivered unto them. By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph that was sold into Egypt, and that the land [of] America is a promised land unto them, and unto it, all the tribes of Israel will come, with as many of the Gentiles as shall comply with the requisitions of the new covenant.”

 

What we have in our country is evidences of those early people of this continent who made covenants with God to live in this Promised Land.  Nephites and Lamanites left behind a great history here and although we cannot see some of those evidences, they are still there waiting to be discovered.

 

One such place was told by Joseph Smith from a vision of these areas which was written down by Wilford Woodruff, Heber C. Kimbal, George A. Smith and many others:

 

"On the top of the mound were stones which presented the appearance of three altars having been erected one above the other, according to the ancient order; and the remains of bones were strewn over the surface of the ground. The brethren procured a shovel and a hoe, and removing the earth to the depth of about one foot, discovered the skeleton of a man, almost entire, and between his ribs the stone point of a Lamanitish arrow, which evidently produced his death. Elder Burr Riggs retained the arrow. The contemplation of the scenery around us produced peculiar sensations in our bosoms; and subsequently the visions of the past being opened to my understanding by the Spirit of the Almighty, I discovered that the person whose skeleton was before us was a white Lamanite, a large, thick-set man, and a man of God. His name was Zelph. He was a warrior and chieftain under the great prophet Onandagus, who was known from the Hill Cumorah, or eastern sea to the Rocky mountains. The curse was taken from Zelph, or, at least, in part-one of his thigh bones was broken by a stone flung from a sling, while in battle, years before his death. He was killed in battle by the arrow found among his ribs, during the last great struggle of the Lamanites and Nephites."

 

That is an incredible writing and what an incredible find and message from the Prophet Joseph Smith of this great warrior. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to hear of these stories and will continue writing about the search and discover of evidences of  the Book of Mormon in the United States.

For more information see: Finding Zarahemla