Jerusalem’s location is 32 degrees north of the Equator and 35 degrees east of Greenwich. We have pondered this thought: If only we knew the latitude and longitude coordinates of Zarahemla it would not be difficult to verify the Book of Mormon lands. Unlike Jerusalem, one will not find the latitudinal and longitudinal location of Zarahemla on standard maps, but we have set forth evidence that the recorded lands of the Book of Mormon are in a zone of the middle latitudes between approximately 20 to 40 degrees north—the latitudinal zone of Baja California and southern California. The Book of Mormon account provides numerous pieces of environmental information that serve as surrogate markers for global positioning—and this geographical evidence has latitude and longitude parameters attached to it. We have confirmed this with latitude-based information in the Book of Mormon record such as the shape of the land and the location of seas, the gathering and planting of seeds, the climates, the winds, the elevation of cities, the habitats of animals and plants and atmospheric anomalies. All of these fingerprints or clues point to a middle latitude location with the configuration of Baja California. Within this middle latitude zone the peninsula of Baja California stretches from 22 to 33 degrees north and from 109 to 117 degrees west. The setting where we place Zarahemla is positioned in the center of the peninsula at a latitude of 27 degrees and a longitude of 113 degrees.

We suggest it is possible to verify a longitude of 113 degrees for Zarahemla in Baja California by the timing of the signs that appeared in the Book of Mormon lands at the Savior’s death and also his resurrection. The Book of Mormon accounts of these signs provide geographical timing information that can serve as surrogate markers for longitude positioning. This positioning follows standard procedures for measuring and mapping latitude and longitude on the earth’s spherical surface.