Book of Mormon Geography

What is this, you ask?  A sketch, or drawing of sorts? 

Why yes, yes it is.  I'm a nerd for Book of Mormon geography, and this is my map of where it all went down. 

While I won't say that it did or didn't happen in one region or another, I will say that this is my interpretation or layout of how it's described during the period from Alma-Helaman.  I appreciate having a layout, so I can envision the movements of all the armies.  Having it set out like this allows me to ponder some questions.  Like in Alma 51, it says that the city of Nephihah was so strongly fortified that Amalickiah refused to go against it.  Instead, he headed for the city of Moroni (bottom right), and then continued on to take Lehi, Morianton, Omner, and Mulek.  (It doesn't mention here anything about Jershon or Antionum.)  They were headed toward Bountiful, when they were repulsed by Teancum and his men, who were "great warriors".  I gather that Teancum and his men were likely the best of the Nephite forces; their elite.  So why were they kept up in the north-east corner, when the Lamanites would've likely come up from their lands, in the south (the land of Nephi)?  Having a good sense of the layout of the land helps bring up questions like these.  Good things worth pondering. 

Another interesting thing is that the "narrow neck of land" took one and a half days for a Nephite to cross, from the east to the west seas (Alma 22:32).  Was this on foot, or horseback?  Something I'd surely like to know.  (And now that I looked, I already need to make an adjustment to my map.  Bountiful goes all the way from the east sea to the west sea, not just the north-east corner.  Alma 22:33)

One can say that the geography got all messed up when Jesus was crucified.  Cities were sunken, burned, raised up and down... so it might all be entirely different from what it was.  But I really enjoy having something to imagine with.  Hopefully someday soon it'll all be revealed.  What a fun day for all that will be!

~Jen:)

Ammon, descendant of Zarahelma

It's been fascinating to read the Book of Mormon in a relatively fast manner.  It's allowed me to grasp things through different glasses.  There's a section in Mosiah and into Alma where there's a bit of a "flashback", where so many different stories are told quite quickly, and it's often been hard for me to keep them straight.  I hope to record on here some notes to keep the stories a bit more clear in my mind.

One thing I caught yesterday in Mosiah 7:3 was the description about Ammon.  Often when we take lazy perspectives on the Book of Mormon, we just assume that most of the main characters are descendants of Lehi, and then Nephi as well.  They're all lumped into the label "Nephites" for general reference.

In regards to Ammon, we learn that he is "a descendant of Zarahemla" –a Mulekite.  For the reference chain on this, read Mosiah 7:3, Omni 1:14-15, and Mosiah 25:2.  (If you click on Mos. 7:3, there's a hyperlink that'll lead you to Omni, then to Mosiah.  Cool!)  That means he was a descendant of Mulek, son of Zedekiah, king of Judah.  He was not of the descent of the family of Lehi. 

Ammon and about 40 others, to include his three brothers, were sent to find the people of Zeniff, who left Zarahemla about 79 years prior to settle in the land of Lehi-Nephi.  When they encountered Limhi and his guards, they (Ammon & bros.) were taken, bound, and imprisoned for several days. 

(The Lamanite King before King Limhi, by Minerva Teichert)

Upon giving an opportunity to speak with Limhi again, they all basically get reintroduced.  We learn of Limhi's background, but *thus far* there is nothing spoken to say if he's a Nephite or Mulekite.  I'm excited to read the account that was kept from Zeniff down to Limhi, and learn more about what went on! 

~Jen:)