BYU Studies eliminates contention

A recent article in BYU Studies is a major breakthrough in the pursuit of "no more contention." This article may well eliminate any lingering contention among Latter-day Saints about the origin and setting of the Book of Mormon.

Here is the article:

https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/were-nephis-small-plates-contained-in-mormons-gold-plates

It discusses the "two sets of plates" scenario, which means Joseph translated two separate sets of plates:

(i) the abridged plates which he obtained from Moroni's stone box on the hill Cumorah. He translated this set of plates in Harmony, PA, as described by the Title Page which was the last leaf of the plates.

(ii) the original plates of Nephi, which he translated in Fayette, NY, as described by D&C 10, which instructed Joseph to "translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi." This set of plates, being original writings, were not mentioned in the Title Page and not included in the set of abridged plates in Moroni's stone box. Instead, Joseph received them from the divine messenger who got them from the repository in the hill Cumorah and took them to Fayette. Joseph identified the messenger as one of the Three Nephites.

This graphic depicts the narrative:

https://www.lettervii.com/p/the-two-sets-of-plates-schematic.html

This narrative resolves contention by affirming that

(i) Joseph actually translated the engravings on the plates, which is why he needed the two separate sets of plates to translate them. This eliminates theories about the translation that claim Joseph did not use the plates.

(ii) The Hill Cumorah/Ramah is actually in western New York. This eliminates theories about the setting that put Cumorah elsewhere.

This article will bring Latter-day Saints closer together in harmony and unity.

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To appreciate the significance of this article, consider the previous differences of opinion that led to contention among some Latter-day Saints.

Origin

Urim and Thummim vs stone-in-the-hat (SITH)

1. Some Latter-day Saints believe Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery when they taught that Joseph translated the plates "by means of the Urim and Thummim."

2. Other Latter-day Saints rejected what Joseph and Oliver taught and instead believed the SITH narrative from Momonism Unvailed: "Instead of looking at the characters inscribed upon the plates, the prophet was obliged to resort to the old "peep stone," which he formerly used in money-digging. This he placed in a hat, or box, into which he also thrust his face." Although Joseph and Oliver denounced that book, its narrative prevailed among many LDS scholars.

3. Resolution: Now all Latter-day Saints can agree to accept what Joseph and Oliver taught about the translation of the Book of Mormon. 

Setting

1. Some Latter-day Saints believe what Joseph, Oliver, their contemporaries and successors all said about the Hill Cumorah/Ramah as the hill in New York that was the site of (i) Moroni's stone box and (ii) the repository of Nephite records (Mormon 6:6). This was declared as a fact in Letter VII, which was republished in all the Church newspapers during Joseph Smith's lifetime. The New York Cumorah was memorialized in sermons, hymns, histories, and even in D&C 128:20. See https://www.lettervii.com/.

2. Other Latter-day Saints rejected the teachings about Cumorah and instead believed that Cumorah was somewhere else. Many LDS scholars taught that Cumorah was in southern Mexico. Others believed it was in Baja California, Panama, or other locations in Central and South America and even other parts of the world. 

3. Resolution: Now all Latter-day Saints can agree to accept what Joseph and Oliver taught about the Hill Cumorah. Even though this leaves the rest of the setting open to further discussion and analysis, Cumorah is now the universally accepted "pin in the map" for all other theories.