The Small Plates, An Account of Remembering 1 Nephi 6,9,19

Lehi and Nephi were both diligent record keepers. They had a great testimony of the worth of the record. I believe they continually wrote down the events of their daily lives, especially regarding the time period after they were commanded to leave Jerusalem. Nephi himself records, that the records that he and his father kept contained not only their genealogical records but an extensive account of their “proceedings in the wilderness”. I like to think that the records they were keeping were more of a daily journaling experience. It was this type of record that Mormon used when he proceeded to create his volume of scripture called The Book of Mormon, which he abridged from all the records he had received. These were the large plates, given to Joseph Smith by Moroni. We no longer have an account of these records I make mention of, due to the lost manuscript fiasco of Martin Harris.

The record we do have today for the first part of the Book of Mormon is not one that was kept on a daily basis, it is an account of remembering. The Lord commanded Lehi to take his family and leave Jerusalem around 600 BC. It wasn’t until somewhere between 588 and 570 BC that the Lord gave Nephi the commandment to create another record besides the daily one he had been keeping. This command was given after they had finally reached their destination in the Promised Land. (1 Nephi Chapter 19) Nephi was to take a look back over his life, or his spiritual progression, and record the more “plain and precious” parts that had occurred. This process allowed him to better instruct his posterity of the path which must be followed to gain the same standing with the Lord that he had. Nephi had proved himself worthy to have the sealing power (which we will discuss in more depth in future posts), therefore, his record becomes a firsthand account of the process necessary for us to gain “power in the priesthood”, just like he did. This is a record of great worth.

Just for the heck of it, let me round off the number of years that must have passed from the time they left Jerusalem to the time Nephi was commanded to create another record, to about 35 years. Do you suppose he had a different perspective on things when he was, let’s say, 20 years old and living in the moment, as opposed to when he was 55 years old looking back on his journey?

Nephi explains to us that there is a difference.

1 Nephi 19:4 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates, (large ones that got abridged by Mormon) which gives an account, or which gives a greater account of the wars and contentions and destructions of my people. And this have I done, and commanded my people what they should do after I was gone; and that these plates should be handed down from one generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until further commandments of the Lord. (He certainly knew that these records were necessary for the salvation of the entire world, therefore he impressed this upon his posterity as well.)

5 And an account of my making these plates shall be given hereafter; (It is here he introduces the second set of records he is required to make) and then, behold, I proceed according to that which I have spoken; and this I do that the more sacred things may be kept for the knowledge of my people.

6 Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself.

Nephi explains that even though everything he writes about on all plates is sacred to him, the “walk down memory lane” plates, or smaller record, will contain the “more sacred things.”

Nephi tries to explain this to us right in the beginning of his smaller record.

1 Nephi 1:16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.

Nephi abridged the record of his father first, which is why we do not have a lot of details concerning Lehi. Then he proceeded to give the abridged account of his own life up to the point he was commanded to make this second set of records. It is important that it is his life that we experience, written by his own hand, because this allows him to testify with the assurance, “I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.” It is a firsthand account! Imagine the worth of such a record of instruction.

Do all people understand the value of this account?

Nephi explains further:

1 Nephi 19:7 For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.

I love how Nephi compares his record to Jesus Christ. It is interesting to me that we learn of the time of the coming of Christ almost as a side note. Nephi simply mentions it as he is trying to make a point about how some will not value the record he will keep. How apropos that Nephi would refer to this record, which is literally the backup plan, in comparison with the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I believe he is trying to make the point that the information that is contained in this record is as important as the Atonement itself; because it is necessary to understand the process he will teach in the record to apply the Atonement in its fullness. I guess it is evident that taking the Book of Mormon too lightly will damn us in our progression, or in other words, we will literally be under condemnation.

As Nephi abridges his own record, he, like Mormon, makes parenthetical notes. Chapter 6 of 1 Nephi is an example of a parenthetical note he places in the account. Another point in which Nephi inserts a parenthetical note is in Chapter 9.

It is in Chapter 9 that we learn that even Nephi does not fully know why the Lord has commanded him to make this second set of plates.

1 Nephi 9:5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.

Nephi simply testifies that the Lord has prepared a way to accomplish all His works. How comforting to know that for each of us the Lord, in His wisdom, has prepared a way. This way includes not only the Atonement, but the necessary instruction on how to fully apply it in our lives, which we now have in the Book of Mormon because of these small plates of Nephi.

And thus it is.

The Small Plates or Backup Plan Doctrine and Covenants 10

I have found that I have placed a much greater value on the record of Nephi, which is contained in the Book of Mormon, because I finally understand the mechanics of how the Book of Mormon was organized. Let me try and explain what I mean by that statement. It may take a couple of posts to fully get my point across… so have patience with me!

I have always understood that Mormon was the prophet that abridged the many records that he received from his ancestors concerning the “land of Promise”, or the Americas. From my last post, it can be gathered that Nephi understood, through his visit with the Lord, that his job was that of a record keeper. His posterity was diligent in that call by making sure that record keeping was a priority also. This record keeping resulted in several sets of plates, or individual records, that were handed down from generation to generation.

Mormon, who lived about 900 years after Nephi, was given the job of taking all the records that were kept, and instructed to make an abridgment of them. An abridgment is like a “Readers Digest Condensed Version” of what the big picture really was. Mormon had the task of reading ALL the records and extracting the parts that he deemed important for us today. This was his calling, given to him by the Lord. In a sense, I like to think of him as the inspired editor.

When Mormon was finished he turned his final draft of the project, the abridgment of all the records, over to Moroni, his son, to be the guardian of the record, or as the Lord explains, “committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim” to him. This abridgment was taken from a time span of records starting with Lehi, and continuing on down to Mormon himself. It included an abridgment of records that Nephi had written. Mormon had intended it to be the finished copy of the Book of Mormon, but that is not exactly what happened.

After Mormon had finished his abridgment of the many records, he found something among the records he felt inspired to simply include untouched.

The Words of Mormon 1:3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.

4 And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing that many of them have been fulfilled; yea, and I also know that as many things as have been prophesied concerning us down to this day have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond this day must surely come to pass—

5 Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people.

6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.

7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.

To be clear on this, Moroni received, from his father Mormon, the completed abridgment that Mormon had worked on, or edited, from records spanning from the time of Lehi, to his present time, and another set of smaller records that were started by Nephi and continued through the prophetic line until the time of King Benjamin. These were two completely different works. One was Mormons abridged completed historical work, and the other was Nephi’s unabridged record made by his own hand and by the hand of each of the direct line of prophets themselves, until the reign of kings started with King Benjamin. The first set of plates was larger than the second smaller set of plates. This smaller set of plates is the account given in the Book of Mormon record we have today, untouched and unabridged by Mormon. (Obviously Nephi had made two different sets of records, which we will discuss further in my next post, the first record was the one Mormon abridged, the second was unabridged.) This smaller record is actually what we know today as First Nephi to Omni.

It is interesting to note, that a parenthetical statement is added right after Omni, in the Book of Mormon, called the Words of Mormon, to describe the transition that is being made from direct records, to abridged records. From Mosiah onward, until the end of the Book of Mormon, you will find Mormon interjecting his commentary into the work, whereas before Mosiah there is none of that to be found.

So what happened to the abridged record, which probably contained commentary from Mormon, for the period of history from Lehi down to King Benjamin? Where is the beginning of the great work that Mormon did?

That abridged record containing history from Lehi to King Benjamin was the part of the record that was written on the 116 pages of manuscript that Martin Harris took to show his wife. It is the part of manuscript that was lost and never recovered. It was the part of the Book of Mormon that Joseph Smith was told not to re translate.

Look for the reason the Lord commanded him not to re translate the same records:

Doctrine and Covenants 10: 10 And, behold, Satan hath put it into their hearts to alter the words which you have caused to be written, or which you have translated, which have gone out of your hands.

11 And behold, I say unto you, that because they have altered the words, they read contrary from that which you translated and caused to be written;

12 And, on this wise, the devil has sought to lay a cunning plan, that he may destroy this work;

13 For he hath put into their hearts to do this, that by lying they may say they have caught you in the words which you have pretended to translate.

14 Verily, I say unto you, that I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing.

15 For behold, he has put it into their hearts to get thee to tempt the Lord thy God, in asking to translate it over again.

The Lord told Joseph Smith that he was not to translate that part of the record over again, because those who had the original copy would alter the words and make a second translation appear incorrect. The Lord had made a provision for this very problem from the beginning.

Doctrine and Covenants 10:38 And now, verily I say unto you, that an account of those things that you have written, which have gone out of your hands, is engraven upon the plates of Nephi; (Sidebar: these are the small plates)

39 Yea, and you remember it was said in those writings that a more particular account was given of these things upon the plates of Nephi.

40 And now, because the account which is engraven upon the plates of Nephi is more particular concerning the things which, in my wisdom, I would bring to the knowledge of the people in this account—

41 Therefore, you shall translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi, (small plates) down even till you come to the reign of king Benjamin, or until you come to that which you have translated, which you have retained;

42 And behold, you shall publish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words.

43 I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.

44 Behold, they have only got a part, or an abridgment of the account of Nephi.

45 Behold, there are many things engraven upon the plates of Nephi which do throw greater views upon my gospel; therefore, it is wisdom in me that you should translate this first part of the engravings of Nephi, and send forth in this work.

The Lord knew that there would be a choice that Joseph would have to make; this choice was his and his alone. He could follow the commands of the Lord, or succumb to the pressures of his peers. He was given his agency and allowed to choose. Either way Joseph chose, a way was provided for him to complete the work of the Lord. The small plates, or record of Nephi, is the “backup plan” which contains a greater testimony of Jesus Christ and the way back to the Father.

Not only does our Father provide a plan, but he also has a “back up plan” in place. Here is the wisdom of God. The Atonement itself was the “backup plan” given by the Father to provide a way back into His presence if Adam chose to succumb to peer pressure. Both Adam and Joseph Smith were, in a sense, given the same instruction in the Garden, and regarding the request to give the record to Martin Harris, with the admonition to "choose for themselves" being reminded by the Father, "nevertheless I forbid it." Both of their choices ended in a period of being "cast out" and required a repentance process to "return" to the presence of the Father.

Jesus Christ is the “Record of Heaven”, “the way, the truth, and the light”. Nephi’s part in this plan of the Father is simply another testimony for Jesus Christ himself. As we will see, Nephi, who holds the sealing power, is one who acts as the Father would act if He were here. He is also a type and a shadow of Jesus Christ. His part is not only to provide the record, but provide a backup plan for the record too, by way of the small plates that he was commanded to keep. That backup plan is the instruction on how to apply the atonement in your life. It is a plain and precious part that is missing from the Stick of Judah, that provides the way, the truth, and the light. It is a record of Heaven.

Doctrine and Covenants 3: 1 The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught.

2 For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.

3 Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men;