Waters of Mormon
Encyclopedia
The Waters of Mormon, in the 18th chapter of the Book of Mosiah
(in The Book of Mormon
), is a body of water where about two hundred Nephite
s were baptized.
, these Nephites were en route to Zarahemla
when they came to “a place which was called Mormon
, having received its name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.” This place of Mormon contained “a fountain of pure water” near which the prophet Alma
—a fugitive from King Noah
’s court—“did hide himself in the daytime from the searches of the king” and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ
to “as many as believed him” .
“[A]fter many days,” a “goodly number” of people had “gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma.” Alma was no doubt moved by his audience’s willingness to “[believe] on his word”; thus, he encouraged each of them to have faith, repent, and be baptized unto Christ. “And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, … what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord…?”
As Alma’s audience agreed, the prophet descended into the waters of Mormon and began his work by first baptizing a man named Helam. During the baptism of Helam, “both Alma and Helam were buried in the water,” as Alma renewed his own covenant with the Lord while also serving as example for his followers. He then proceeded to baptize “every one that went forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God. And they were called … the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church” .
Latter-day Saint scholar David Lamb, of the Ancient America Foundation, argues that these events form the true source of the title of the Book of Mormon.
Note that the Land of Mormon is how the Prophet Mormon received his name, and hence, the font from which the Book of Mormon's title sprang . Mormon discusses their beauty in the eyes of the converts as well .
, the Waters of Mormon are alleged to be Lago de Atitlán
in the highlands of Guatemala
. According to the limited New York setting
which accepts the location of Cumorah
inferred in LDS scripture, the Waters of Mormon were located near the eastern shore of Lake Erie
, identified as the Book of Mormon’s “west sea”. A growing number of LDS recognize the North American “Mound-builder” setting as the original setting for the Book of Mormon.
Book of Mosiah
The Book of Mosiah is one of the books which make up the Book of Mormon. The title refers to Mosiah II, a king of the Nephites at Zarahemla. The book covers the time period between ca 130 BC and 91 BC, except for when the book has a flashback into the Record of Zeniff, which starts at ca 200 BC,...
(in The Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
), is a body of water where about two hundred Nephite
Nephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
s were baptized.
Summary
Soon after the second Nephite evacuation of Lehi-NephiLehi-Nephi
In the Book of Mormon, the land of Lehi-Nephi is the homeland of the Nephites in the early times of the Book of Mormon. The land is later conquered by the Lamanites and the remaining Nephites flee to the land of Zarahemla, home of the Mulekites...
, these Nephites were en route to Zarahemla
Zarahemla
Zarahemla is the name of a prominent land, a capital city, and a leader in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is revered by members of various Latter Day Saint churches as sacred scripture....
when they came to “a place which was called Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
, having received its name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.” This place of Mormon contained “a fountain of pure water” near which the prophet Alma
Alma the Elder
According to the Book of Mormon, Alma was a Nephite prophet who established the Church of Jesus Christ in the Americas during the reign of the wicked King Noah...
—a fugitive from King Noah
King Noah
According to the Book of Mormon, King Noah was a wicked monarch best known for burning the prophet Abinadi at the stake. King Noah, described in the Book of Mosiah, is said to have presided over a wicked kingdom guided by false priests...
’s court—“did hide himself in the daytime from the searches of the king” and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
to “as many as believed him” .
“[A]fter many days,” a “goodly number” of people had “gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma.” Alma was no doubt moved by his audience’s willingness to “[believe] on his word”; thus, he encouraged each of them to have faith, repent, and be baptized unto Christ. “And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, … what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord…?”
As Alma’s audience agreed, the prophet descended into the waters of Mormon and began his work by first baptizing a man named Helam. During the baptism of Helam, “both Alma and Helam were buried in the water,” as Alma renewed his own covenant with the Lord while also serving as example for his followers. He then proceeded to baptize “every one that went forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God. And they were called … the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church” .
Latter-day Saint scholar David Lamb, of the Ancient America Foundation, argues that these events form the true source of the title of the Book of Mormon.
Note that the Land of Mormon is how the Prophet Mormon received his name, and hence, the font from which the Book of Mormon's title sprang . Mormon discusses their beauty in the eyes of the converts as well .
Location
According to the Mesoamerican limited geography modelLimited geography model (Book of Mormon)
A limited geography model for the Book of Mormon is one of several theories by Latter Day Saint movement scholars that the book's narrative was a historical record of people in a limited geographical region, rather than of the entire Western Hemisphere as believed by some early Latter Day Saints...
, the Waters of Mormon are alleged to be Lago de Atitlán
Lago de Atitlán
Lake Atitlán is a large endorheic lake in the Guatemalan Highlands. Atitlan is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America with maximum depth about 340 meters. The lake is shaped by deep escarpments which surround it and by three volcanos on its southern flank...
in the highlands of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. According to the limited New York setting
Limited geography model (Book of Mormon)
A limited geography model for the Book of Mormon is one of several theories by Latter Day Saint movement scholars that the book's narrative was a historical record of people in a limited geographical region, rather than of the entire Western Hemisphere as believed by some early Latter Day Saints...
which accepts the location of Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
inferred in LDS scripture, the Waters of Mormon were located near the eastern shore of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, identified as the Book of Mormon’s “west sea”. A growing number of LDS recognize the North American “Mound-builder” setting as the original setting for the Book of Mormon.