Moroni's visit/Nephi or Moroni

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Criticism

The Church teaches that Moroni was the heavenly messenger which appeared to Joseph Smith and directed him to the gold plates. Yet, some Church sources give the identity of this messenger as Nephi. Critics claim that this shows that Joseph was 'making it up as he went along.'

Response

Critics cite a variety of sources that repeat the Nephi claim. The key point to understand is that there is really only one source that claims Nephi; the other sources which mention Nephi are merely citing this one source, thus perpetuating the error.

Conclusion

This is thus not an example of Joseph changing his story, but a detail being improperly recorded by someone other than Joseph, and then reprinted uncritically. Clear contemporary evidence from Joseph—and his enemies, who would have seized on any inconsistency had they known of it—shows that Moroni was the named messenger.

It is perhaps not surprising that Joseph's associates made the error, since Joseph also had contact with Nephi during the restoration, as John Taylor reported:

Who was it that administered to Joseph Smith? Moroni and Nephi, men who had lived upon this continent.
— John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 19:82.

Afterwards the Angel Moroni came to him and revealed to him the Book of Mormon, with the history of which you are generally familiar, and also with the statements that I am now making pertaining to these things. And then came Nephi, one of the ancient prophets, that had lived upon this continent, who had an interest in the welfare of the people that he had lived amongst in those days.
— John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 21:161.

Further reading

FAIR wiki articles

• Links to related articles in the wiki

FAIR web site

• FAIR Topical Guide:

External links

• Eldon Watson and D. Charles Pyle Nephi/Moroni

Printed material

• Printed resources whose text is not available online