Chapter IV.
Jesus in America—The Book of Mormon Version

The wildest—and most American—twist in Mormon theology:
**After the Resurrection, Jesus doesn’t just head back to heaven.
He goes on tour. And yes—he drops in on pre-Columbian America!**

Jesus said he had “other sheep”—literally:
„I have other sheep that are not of this fold” (John 10:16; see also 3 Nephi 15:21).
Mormons take this literally:
Jesus lands in America, meets the Nephite crowd.

Quick recap:
The Nephites, according to Mormon lore, were descendants of Jews who sailed to America around 600 BC.
They set up their own civilization—Nephites and Lamanites (the “ancestors of Native Americans”)—living a parallel biblical epic on a whole new continent.

Jesus speaks to the crowd—super moving, super epic:
“I come to you just as I came to those in Jerusalem, because you too are my sheep.”

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1. The Jesus Visit

Straight out of the Book of Mormon.

After the resurrection, the land shakes, storms roll in, darkness and terror…
And then:

“And behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in white; and he came down and stood in the midst of them.”
(3 Nephi 11:8)

Jesus shows his wounds:

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified would come into the world… Reach out your hands and come to me, so you can feel the prints of the nails in my hands and feet, and the wound in my side.”
(3 Nephi 11:10–15)

Heals the sick, blesses the children:

“He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them… He prayed for them, and angels came down from heaven and encircled them with fire.”
(3 Nephi 17:21–24)

He teaches, introduces baptism, sets up communion, preaches like he did on the mount:

“Verily, verily I say unto you, you must be born again; for unless you are born again, you cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”
(3 Nephi 11:38)

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2. Spiritual and Social Fallout

After his visit, there’s an era of peace and unity that lasts generations:

“There were no arguments or fights among them, and everyone treated each other fairly. They were all equal… there were no rich and no poor.”
(4 Nephi 1:2–3)

Jesus promises:

“Verily, verily I say unto you, you are my sheep; and as long as you obey, we’ll meet again.”
(3 Nephi 15:24–25)

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3. Iconography, Pop Style, Popcorn

In Salt Lake City, every mural is loaded with:
Jesus in white robes, jungle/mountain backdrop, surrounded by kneeling Native Americans in pre-Columbian garb, sometimes holding eagles and llamas, lifting kids up—basically a living meme of:

“He drew all the little children to him and blessed them.”
(3 Nephi 17:21)

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4. Religious Meaning—What’s the Point?

This isn’t a European import—America gets its own New Testament.
Mormons become a new “chosen nation”—not just another bunch of immigrants, but heirs to a direct Jesus appearance.

Every new temple is a “second Jerusalem,”
every service a rerun of America’s gospel scenes.

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Straight from the Book:

“Great and marvelous are the works of the Lord on all the earth… He hasn’t shown everything he’s done to humanity.”
(3 Nephi 26:14)

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Who Is Jesus to Mormons?

The official name:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints—
which, let’s be honest, is the only denomination that puts Jesus’s first and last name in the title just in case you forget who’s in charge.

Jesus is the Son of God the Father—but…
in Mormon theology, God the Father has a physical body (yep, just like you or me).

Jesus is the “firstborn son of God,”
and his “spirit brother” is… Lucifer (aka Satan).
Yep: in their cosmic genealogy, Jesus and Lucifer are just two rival siblings from the same celestial block.

And all of us are “God’s children” too, just on a lower level—
everyone can level up, because God was once a human, and every human can become a god!

Mormon Jesus = Bible Jesus + Feature Update

For Mormons, Jesus is the central figure of salvation:
– dies on the cross, rises again,
– brings new law,
– guarantees eternal life to anyone who sticks to the rules.
But also:
– shows up in visions,
– sends new revelations to church leaders.

Christ: Prophet, Coach, CEO of Salvation

Jesus isn’t just God—he’s the model leader, manager, motivator.
Every Mormon is supposed to copy Jesus at work, at home, in the community.

Mormon Jesus is a „yes-man” for success—healthy, hardworking, family-oriented, always in a suit, always on time.
He’s a global hero, family guy, world traveler, leader, and America’s first-ever coach.

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