The Jaredite Civilization » Coming to America

About 2,200 years before Jesus was born on Earth, there lived a group of people near the Tower of Babel called the Jaredites. Although most people of that time were wicked, the Jaredites were lead by two righteous men: Jared and his brother, a spiritual leader named Moriancumer.

Sources:
• Book of Mormon Student Manual, (2009), 361–68
• Choate, Jane McBride. “Scriptural Giants: The Brother of Jared Saw the Finger of God”. Friend Magazine of the LDS Church. November 1988.
• Book of Mormon Stories, (1997), 143–44
• Eternal Marriage Student Manual, (2003), 188–97

When, in his wrath, Jesus cursed the builders of the great tower by confounding the common language—the original language spoken by Adam and Eve—so that now no one could understand one another, Jared asked his brother to plead with Jesus not to confound the language of their family and friends.

Sources:
• Parry, Donald W. “The Flood and the Tower of Babel” Ensign: The Magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, January 1998.
• Book of Mormon Stories, (1997), 143–44
• Book of Mormon Student Manual, (2009), 361–68

Jesus had compassion on Moriancumer and Jared, and he did not confound the language of their family and friends. Jesus told Moriancumer to gather their flocks, male and female, and to gather seeds of every kind. He told Moriancumer that he would lead the Jaredites to the promised land of America and make them into a great nation.

Sources:
• Ether 1:34-43
• Book of Mormon Stories, (1997), 143–44
• Choate, Jane McBride. “Scriptural Giants: The Brother of Jared Saw the Finger of God”. Friend Magazine of the LDS Church. November 1988.

When the Jaredites reached the great sea that divides the lands, they set up tents and lived by the seashore for four years. Then Jesus appeared to Moriancumer in a cloud and instructed the Jaredites to build eight small, light watertight boats with no windows. To let in air, they were to make two small holes that could be plugged up when the barge submerged underwater.

Sources:
• Ether 2:13-23
• Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual, 2012 Lesson 144: Ether 2
• Book of Mormon Student Study Guide, (2000), 187–188

Climbing to the top of the mountain, Moriancumer asked Jesus to touch each of the stones to cause them to glow so they would provide light in the boats during the journey. Jesus touched each of the stones and Moriancumer saw the hand of Jesus. Jesus told Moriancumer that no one had ever stood before him with such an extreme amount of faith.

Sources:
• Ether 3:9
• Book of Mormon Stories, (1997), 143–44

So great was Moriancumer's faith that he once said to Mount Zerin, "Remove!" and it was removed. At Moriancumer's request, Jesus showed his entire self to him, saying, "Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. Never before have I shown myself to any human whom I have created." Moriancumer was surprised that Jesus had a body of flesh and bones.

Sources:
• Ether 12:20, 30
• Ether 3:8-15

Jesus taught and showed many things to Moriancumer, and instructed him to engrave it all in a sealed record written in a strange language. Jesus gave Moriancumer two stones that would allow a person to be able to translate what was in the record. These stones are the very same Urim and Thummim used by Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon 4,000 years later.

Sources:
• Book of Mormon Stories, (1997), 143–44
• Ether 3:21-24
• Book of Mormon Student Manual, (2009), 361–68