The Small Plates

From time to time you will hear someone say that they would love to have the contents of the 116 pages of manuscript that were lost when Joseph Smith allowed Martin Harris to take them to show to his wife. Of course, we mourn the loss of the writings of a prophet like Mormon. But, it may be that we got exactly what the Lord wanted us to have. Consider these three passages of scripture from Nephi, Mormon and Joseph Smith (the three prophets involved in the first part of the Book of Mormon.

About 30 years after leaving Jerusalem, Nephi created a record of the ministry among his people. Unlike the larger plates that included a more comprehensive history, these plates contained the more sacred portions of Nephi’s experience and teaching. He creates them because he is commanded of the Lord to do so, as described in 1 Nephi 9:

  4 Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people.
  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.

These plates passed on through Nephi’s family until they were delivered to King Benjamin and then kept with the other records of the Nephite people.

Now, fast forward to Mormon. He was commanded to create an abridgement of the large plates (the more complete historical record of his people). About the time that he got to King Benjamin in his abridgement, he rummaged around in the records and found the small plates of Nephi. This is described in the Words of Mormon:

  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.

Having found these small plates of Nephi he discovers that they contain precious prophecies of his people. And, he finds that all of the prophecies up to his time have been fulfilled. Mormon is thrilled to realize how much his distant fathers knew of God’s dealings with his people. So, Mormon decides to include the small plates, verbatim, in his record and to base the rest of his record upon them. As he said in verse 5, he “chose these things, to finish my record upon them.” He seems to say that he will use the rest of his record to, among other things, show the fulfillment of the prophecies of Nephi, Jacob and others, up to Mormon’s day. He does this so that we will have confidence that the rest of their prophecies will be fulfilled.

As with Nephi, Mormon does this for a “wise purpose” that he does not know. But, once again, the Lord makes sure that what He wants us to know is written by Nephi and being included and expanded upon by Mormon.

Now we jump to Joseph Smith’s day. Joseph lost 116 pages of Book of Mormon manuscript. He lost everything up to the time of King Benjamin. But, the Lord has provided the solution. The small plates of Nephi cover the same timeline and they include a more particular account of what the Lord wants us to know. Joseph is taught about this, by the Lord, in D&C 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;
  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, 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.

Verse 40 is quite clear. The small plates of Nephi are a better telling of what the Lord wants us to know than were the large plates or Mormon’s abridgement from the large plates.

Nephi wrote what the Lord wanted us to know on the small plates. Mormon found the small plates and completed his record based upon those. Neither knew why this was important, but they were inspired to do what they did. Finally, Joseph was told that this is a better version of what the Lord wanted us to know than what Joseph had lost. I may be wrong, but it appears that the first 116 pages that Joseph translated may have been practice for Mormon as an abridger and practice for Joseph as a translator. And, we have received just what the Lord wants us to know. I am amazed by the power and wisdom of God and grateful for the Book of Mormon.