Out of the darkness and destruction which marked his death, the resurrected Lord declared to the Nephites on the American continent: "I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father in the beginning . . . (3 Nephi 9:15).
According to T.J. O'Brien, the "feathered serpent" hero/god who inspired the later historic Quetzalcoatl/Kukulcan/Gukumatz, existed long before there was a Toltec nation (see illustration) . . .
Known as the creator Quetzalcoatl, or "god of our flesh," this previous mystery man was the only member of the old native pantheon said to ever possess a human body--suggesting he was once a real person of high esteem. It was this "first," this most "ancient god" who seemingly had such a profound effect upon later cultures . . .
One of the earlier cultures that had contact with the Valley of Mexico as early as 1000 B.C. was the ancient and mysterious Olmecs. Although no legends exist from that period, they left numerous identifying objects at the mountain site of Chalcatzingo, and also at the cave of Juxtlahuaca where art historian Gillett Griffin discovered and identified a feathered serpent. Another is seen on a stone at the Olmec site of La Venta. Powerful as the Olmecs were, it would be strange indeed if something of their culture did not leave its mark on [the Valley of Mexico]. And perhaps it did, at Cuicuilco (kwee-kweel'-coh), an ancient ceremonial center immediately south of Mexico city which was destroyed by the volcano Xitle (Sheet'-leh) around 200 B.C. Still imbedded in thick lava can be seen a large circular stone pyramid often identified with Quetzalcoatl and the ancient wind/rain-god. [T.J. O'Brien, Fair Gods and Feathered Serpents, pp. 56, 58,76]
3 Nephi 9:15 I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning ([Illustration]): Approximate Comparisons of Old and New Worlds. [T.J. O'Brien, Fair Gods and Feathered Serpents, p. 162]
3 Nephi 9:15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth ([Illustration]): Christ Is the Creator. "Behold, I am Jesus Christ the son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are." Artist: Robert T. Barrett. [Thomas R. Valletta ed., The Book of Mormon for Latter-day Saint Families, 1999, p. 521]