Critics claim that some Church sources say Nephi was the heavenly messenger who directed Joseph Smith to the gold plates. They offer this as proof that Joseph was “making it up as he went along.”

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

These facts have not been hidden; they are readily available in the History of the Church.

In the original publication of the history in the Times and Seasons at Nauvoo, this name appears as ‘Nephi' and the Millennial Star perpetuated the error in its re-publication of the History. That it is an error is evident, and it is so noted in the manuscripts to which access has been had in the preparation of this work.

Source which Names Nephi

The claim that the messenger was “Nephi” derives from only one source: the Manuscript History of the Church. This document was then reprinted in the Times and Seasons.

It should be noted that Joseph had turned the editorial duties of the Times and Seasons over to John Taylor because of other demands on his time. It is therefore unlikely that Joseph saw this published version prior to its publication.

In England, the Church's Millennial Star printed the same article, perpetuating the error. The idea was repeated further in the same volume. These two articles then served as the source for Lucy Mack Smith's book. This information was inserted by editors and not originally provided by the Prophet's mother.

Finally, Thomas Bullock's journal refers to the Times and Seasons as his source for the story. Thus a single error in the Manuscript History had a ripple effect through several published accounts of the vision. These accounts are not independent ‘proof' that Joseph was changing the story. They all depend on a single error.

Sources which Mention Moroni

In contrast to the single source's error above, there are multiple independent sources, edited by Joseph Smith and others (some hostile), which demonstrate that the story about Moroni was well-known to members of the Church and enemies.

As well as various sections in the Doctrine and Covenants, articles in the Messenger and Advocate, the Elder's Journal in numerous entries, a notable one occurs in an anti-Mormon publication, Mormonism Unvailed. This was first printed in 1834 and reprinted later in 1840 under a new title as History of Mormonism. One passage reads:

After he had finished translating the Book of Mormon, he again buried up the plates in the side of a mountain by command of the Lord, sometimes after this, he was going through a piece of woods, on a by-path when he discovered an old man dressed in ordinary gray apparel. The Lord told him that the man he saw was MORONI , with the plates. . .

An Understandable Error

It is not surprising that Joseph's associates made the error, since Joseph also had contact with Nephi during the restoration. John Taylor wrote, “Who was it that administered to Joseph Smith? Moroni and Nephi, men who had lived upon this continent.”

George Q. Cannon said, “If you will read the history of the Church from the beginning, you will find that Joseph was visited by various angelic beings, but not one of them professed to give him the keys until John the Baptist came to him. Moroni , who held the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim, visited Joseph; he had doubtless, also visits from Nephi and it may be from Alma and others.”

Conclusion

This is 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 it–show that Moroni was the named messenger.

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