Brigham Young and the Land of the Nephites

The following statement from President Brigham Young comes from a letter written in 1876 dealing with the issue of missions and the Mormon settlements in Arizona. Brigham wrote:

"Nor do I expect we shall stop at Arizona, but I look forward to the time when settlements of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will extend right through to the city of Old Mexico, and from thence on through Central America to the land where the Nephites flourished in the Golden era of their history, and the great backbone of the American continent be filled, north and south, with the cities and temples of the people of God. In this great work I anticipate the children of Nephi, of Laman and lemuel [native Indians] will take no small part."

[Brigham Young to William C. Staines, 11 January 1876, Letterbook 14:124-26, cited in Leonard J. Arrington, Brigham Young: American Moses, 382. Thanks to Charles Clark and John Clark for bringing this reference to my attention].