Were Nephi’s Small Plates Contained in Mormon’s Gold Plates?
By Don Bradley
Finally a BYU Historian believes what Jonathan Neville has been sharing for many years.
Below is “AI Condensed” information from a linked article about Don Bradley’s article.
“Historical Context of the Small Plates
The relationship between Nephi’s small plates and Mormon’s plates may not be as traditionally visualized.
The small plates and Mormon’s plates were likely separate records used sequentially by Joseph Smith during translation.
The title page of the Book of Mormon does not mention the small plates, suggesting they were not bound together.
Evidence from the text and historical sources supports the idea that the two sets of plates remained distinct.
The Relationship Between Nephi’s Small Plates and Mormon’s Plates
The text discusses the distinction between Nephi’s small plates and Mormon’s plates, suggesting they were separate records rather than bound together.
King Benjamin placed the small plates with the large plates but did not bind them together.
Mormon’s search for the small plates indicates they were not part of the same bound set.
The phrase “put them with” is interpreted as “placed them with,” not “bound them with.”
Moroni’s omission of the small plates from the title page aligns with the idea that they were separate records.
Translation Process of the Book of Mormon
The translation of the Book of Mormon involved distinct phases, with Joseph Smith translating from two separate sets of plates.
Joseph Smith completed the translation of Mormon’s plates in Harmony, Pennsylvania, by late May 1829.
After finishing Mormon’s plates, he returned them to the angel before moving to Fayette, New York.
Joseph resumed translation with Nephi’s small plates in Fayette, starting with 1 Nephi.
The transition between the two sets of plates is supported by the change in handwriting in the original manuscript.
Historical Evidence Supporting Separate Plates
Historical accounts provide evidence that Nephi’s small plates and Mormon’s plates were likely independent records.
David Whitmer reported that Joseph returned the plates to the messenger before moving to Fayette.
Joseph’s actions suggest he felt responsible for the plates until he completed their translation.
The messenger was believed to be taking the plates back to Cumorah, not to Fayette.
Joseph’s simultaneous move to Fayette and the return of the plates aligns with the idea of separate records.
Mary Whitmer’s Witness and Its Significance
Mary Whitmer’s experience of seeing the plates adds a layer of witness to the translation process and the arrival of the small plates.
Mary Whitmer encountered a messenger who showed her the plates, believed to be the small plates of Nephi.
Her experience is significant as it indicates the small plates arrived without Joseph needing to return to Cumorah.
This event highlights the role of women in the early Latter-day Saint movement and the broader narrative of the Book of Mormon’s coming forth.
Conclusion on the Nature of the Translation
The text concludes that the Book of Mormon was likely translated from two distinct sets of plates, enriching the understanding of the Restoration.
Recognizing the separate origins of the plates suggests a more complex narrative involving multiple messengers and witnesses.
This perspective challenges the notion of a singular focus on Joseph Smith in the Restoration, acknowledging the contributions of others, including women.
The evidence supports a view of divine involvement in the translation process through various means and individuals.” AI Condensed information from the article called, “Were Nephi’s Small Plates Contained in Mormon’s Gold Plates?” By Don Bradley
Again, Don Bradley’s complete article can be read online here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/blog/?cat=13
Donald Patrick Bradley Sr.
Don Bradley is a writer, editor, and researcher specializing in early Latter-day Saint history. He completed a BA degree in history at Brigham Young University and an MA degree in history at Utah State and performed an internship with the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
He won the 2021 Mormon History Association Best Article Award for his work on the Kinderhook plates and is currently a Joseph Smith historian with Scripture Central. He is the author of The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Missing Contents of the Book of Mormon. He was the primary researcher for Brian C. Hales’s three-volume Joseph Smith’s Polygamy series.
Bradley grew up on the East Coast and at the age of 15, after the family moved to Indiana, he started research to strengthen his testimony. He began to doubt his faith at about the age of 17. He served a full-time mission to Houston Texas, and after his mission he pursued more research on the issues he grappled with. By the age of 30, he was an atheist, had his membership removed from the Church, and lived for five years outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Staying curious about faith in God helped bring him back to the Church. He credits practicing gratitude as a significant contribution to bringing him back.
In the BYU Studies of Nov. 2025 Volume 64 Number 4, Page 26 to 57, Don Bradley has written a scholarly paper called, “Were Nephi’s Small Plates Contained in Mormon’s Plates?” https://website-files-bucket.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/issues/issue_pdfs/64-4final.pdf
Don Bradley gives credit to Jonathan Neville for his previous 8 year research of this issue. To read about Jonathan take on the information please click here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/joseph-smith-translated-two-sets-of-plates/ and here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/blog/?cat=13
Don Bradley will be our guest at the 37th International Book of Mormon Evidence Conference this year from Fri April 17th from 6:15 to 7:05 pm TICKETS HERE
More details about the 37th conference please visit here;
Jonathan Neville Books and DVD’s Below
Since Jonathan Neville has had years of research behind the two sets of plates and many other historic ideas about the proper Translation, we offer many of his books and DVD’s Below. https://store.bookofmormonevidence.org/product/whatever-happened-to-the-gold-plates-dvd/