First Presidency memo of 1993 explaining the Church's neutrality on the location of the Hill Cumorah.
- Type
- Letter
- Hearsay
- Direct
- Reference
First Presidency Memorandum, April 23, 1993
- Audience
- Brent Hall
- Transcription
The Church emphasizes the doctrinal and historical value of the Book of Mormon, not its geography. While some Latter-day Saints have looked for possible locations and explanations because the New York Hill Cumorah does not readily fit the Book of Mormon description of Cumorah, there are no conclusive connections between the Book of Mormon text and any specific site that has been suggested.
- BHR Staff Commentary
According to the FAIR Latter-day Saints website: "The 1993 fax was sent by Senior Executive Secretary for the Office of the First Presidency, Carla Ogden, to Brent Hall of FARMS." FAIR also explains how a cover letter from Bent Hall accompanied this memo with the following: "I thought you would be interested in this FAX from Michael Watson, secretary to the First Presidency. We have been receiving a number of questions from the Oklahoma, Texas area where anti-Mormons are using a letter from Brother Watson to a Bishop where Brother Watson said that the Church supports only one location for Cumorah, and that is the New York location. I talked with him on the phone the other day and told him of the questions that were coming to us. He responded that the First Presidency would like to clear up that Issue and he would FAX me with that clarification. Thanks [signed] Brent [Hall]"
- Citations in Mormonr Qnas
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