D&C 10 - 2 sets of plates and U&T

In the last post, we discussed how, in D&C 9, the Lord told Oliver that once he and Joseph finished translating "this record," he had "other records" that they would translate. 

This week in Come Follow Me we study D&C 10-11. D&C 10 explains what those "other records" were; i.e., the plates of Nephi, which Joseph didn't have in Harmony.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-home-and-church-doctrine-and-covenants-2025/07-doctrine-and-covenants-10-11?lang=eng

Although the lesson manual doesn't discuss them, D&C 10 makes two important points. 

D&C 10:

(i) establishes the need for physical plates that Joseph translated and 

(ii) refutes the claims that Joseph read words off the stone-in-the-hat (SITH) without even looking at the plates.

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The reading for D&C 10:34-52 bears this heading:

The Lord’s “wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.”

The commentary makes some assumptions that have somehow become facts in the minds of many Latter-day Saints. 

"Nephi didn’t know why he was inspired to make two sets of records of his people. And Mormon didn’t know why he was inspired to include the second set with the gold plates. But both prophets trusted that God had “a wise purpose” (1 Nephi 9:5; Words of Mormon 1:7). Today we know at least part of that purpose: to replace the 116 lost pages of the Book of Mormon."

The first and last sentence make sense, but the second sentence does not. Mormon never said he included the second set (of Nephi's plates) with the gold plates. That's merely an assumption, built on the underlying assumption that the only plates Joseph translated were the ones Moroni put in the stone box. 

But we can all see that this assumption contradicts the Title Page, which was the last leaf of the plates and lists only abridged plates as contents (plus Moroni sealing the plates with his own writings). The Title Page never mentions any original plates, as it would have had they been included in the collection of plates.

The historical record also establishes that Joseph Smith took the abridged plates to Harmony, translated all of them (except the sealed portion of the abridged plates), and then gave the abridged plates to the divine messenger (whom Joseph identified as one of the Three Nephites). This messenger then took the abridged plates to Cumorah before bringing the plates of Nephi to Fayette, NY, where Joseph translated them.

https://www.mobom.org/trip-to-fayette-references

Questions raised by the historical record include (i) why did the messenger take the abridged plates to Cumorah and (ii) where did the messenger get the plates of Nephi?

The answer is simple. The messenger took the abridged plates to the repository in Cumorah because Joseph was finished with them, and the safest place for them was the repository. That's why Joseph explained that "they remained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by them what was required at my hand. When, according to arrangements, the messenger called for them, I delivered them up to him." (Joseph Smith—History 1:60)

From the repository, the messenger picked up the plates of Nephi (the "other records" of D&C 9:2) and took them to Fayette so Joseph could translate them. Joseph later returned these plates to the repository, as explained by Oliver Cowdery and Brigham Young. Brigham explained that "When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says that when Joseph and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room." See Brigham Young, "Trying to be Saints," June 17, 1877, ¶7, JD 19:38)

Years earlier, on April 17, 1853, Brigham said that, “Joseph put the U[rim and] T[hummim] back with the plates when he [h]ad done translating.”

https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/da52f4ff-c3b3-4909-a3ed-cfa42b78562b/0/3?lang=eng

For a diagram, see https://www.mobom.org/two-sets-of-plates

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Now, back to these points, that D&C 10 

(i) establishes the need for physical plates that Joseph translated and 

(ii) refutes the claims that Joseph read words off the stone-in-the-hat (SITH) without even looking at the plates.

There is a narrative popular among some modern LDS scholars that the 1834 book Mormonism Unvailed was more accurate than what Joseph and Oliver taught. The following excerpt from Mormonism Unvailed is almost word-for-word what we read in the writings of some modern LDS scholars/historians.

The plates, therefore, which had been so much talked of, were found to be of no manner of use. After all, the Lord showed and communicated to him every word and letter of the Book. 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. Through the stone he could then discover a single word at a time, which he repeated aloud to his amanuensis, who committed it to paper, when another word would immediately appear, and thus the performance continued to the end of the book.

https://archive.org/details/mormonismunvaile00howe/page/18/mode/2up

This is why the LDS scholar Royal Skousen and his followers claim that:

Joseph Smith’s claim that he used the Urim and Thummim is only partially true; and Oliver Cowdery’s statements that Joseph used the original instrument while he, Oliver, was the scribe appear to be intentionally misleading.

Fortunately, though, D&C 10 tells a different story.

No one has to accept, or defer to, the opinions of scholars, not matter how many worldly credentials they have.

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When Joseph and Oliver reached the end of the abridged plates, they considered going back to the beginning and re-translating the Book of Lehi.

In D&C 10, the Lord told them not to do that the people who had the lost 116 pages of manuscript "have altered the words [so] they read contrary from that which you translated and caused to be written..." (Doctrine and Covenants 10:11)

Some people think this doesn't make sense because it would be obvious that they altered the words on the original manuscript. But Joseph explained it in the Preface that they would publish what they had stolen and changed. Obviously they would not show people the changes they made on the original manuscript. Notice also how Joseph emphasized that he translated the book.

being commanded of the Lord that I should not translate the same over again, for Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work... 

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/preface-to-book-of-mormon-circa-august-1829/1

D&C 10 also explains that the evil persons who had the stolen manuscript would "say that... you have pretended to translate." 

And yet, we have LDS scholars today who claim that very thing; i.e., that Joseph merely "pretended to translate" when he was (according to them) simply reading words off the stone-in-the-hat (SITH).

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Instead of re-translating the first part of the abridged plates, Joseph was instructed to translate different plates.

From the Preface:

but behold, the Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing: therefore thou shalt translate from the plates of Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have translated, which ye have retained

Obviously, the "plates of Nephi" were not Mormon's abridged plates. Instead, they were the original plates that Nephi engraved.

The explanation in D&C 10 is more specific, telling Joseph to "translate the engravings."

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.

(Doctrine and Covenants 10:38–42)

From this passage we see that

(i) Joseph needed the specific plates he was instructed to translate, in this case the plates of Nephi instead of the abridged plates; and

(ii) Joseph had to look at the plates to translate the engravings upon them.

All of this is obvious to anyone who accepts what Joseph and Oliver always taught. 

But those who prefer the SITH narrative from Mormonism Unvailed (which claims Joseph didn't even use the plates) are faced with the problem that they can't explain why the Lord would tell Joseph to translate specific plates when he couldn't have known which plates he was translating because he was just reading words that appeared on the stone in the hat.

As usual, the narrative given by Joseph and Oliver is clear, unambiguous, and rational. 

By contrast, the narratives proposed by critics and certain modern LDS scholars is convoluted, complicated, and irrational. 

 

D&C 9 and 10

This week, the Come Follow Me lesson covers D&C 6-9. An important part of these sections, especially D&C 9, will be overlooked by most Latter-day Saints and all of the podcasters, especially those associated with Scripture Central.

We'll discuss why below.

First, notice that there is a supplementary section after the lesson titled "Voice of the Restoration." This is a carryover from the Come Follow Me manual for 2021.

We offer suggestions for improvement here:

https://www.ldshistoricalnarratives.com/2025/02/2025-improvements-come-follow-me-manual.html

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The designated readings in the lesson manual skip right over D&C 9:1-2.

That's unfortunate because these two verses provide the first clue about the two separate sets of plates that Joseph translated: the abridged plates in Harmony and the original plates of Nephi in Fayette.

For a diagram of this process, see (https://www.lettervii.com/p/the-two-sets-of-plates-schematic.html)

Here are the two verses:

1 Behold, I say unto you, my son, that because you did not translate according to that which you desired of me, and did commence again to write for my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., even so I would that ye should continue until you have finished this record, which I have entrusted unto him.

2 And then, behold, other records have I, that I will give unto you power that you may assist to translate.

(Doctrine and Covenants 9:1–2)

We learn later in verse 5 that Oliver did begin to translate, but he did not continue as he commenced. Naturally, we wonder what he actually translated when he began. 

It's possible that Oliver translated Alma 45:22, which is the only part of the extant Original Manuscript that is in Joseph Smith's handwriting. 

You can see this passage here: https://www.mobom.org/church-history-issues

Some scholars think Joseph wrote this because Oliver got tired or had a hand cramp or some other reason for not writing, which is possible. But there is no other evidence of Oliver actually translating anything, so it makes more sense to me that Oliver translated this passage.

_____

Regardless of what Oliver translated when he began, in verse 1 the Lord told him to continue as scribe "until you have finished this record." "This record" refers to the plates Joseph found in Moroni's stone box, which were the abridged plates. Assuming this revelation referred to Oliver's translation of Alma 45:22, they were about 60% of the way through the abridged plates (assuming the lost 116 pages represented about the same amount of text as 1 Ne. through WofM in our current text). 

Apparently Joseph and Oliver thought that, to "finish this record," they would have to work through the end of the plates to the Title Page, which was the last leaf of the plates, and then go back and re-translate the Book of Lehi to replace the 116 pages. Of course, in D&C 10 the Lord later told them not to do that.

In retrospect, Joseph and Oliver might have realized that they didn't need to retranslate the lost portion because in verse 2, the Lord explained that once they had finished translating the abridged plates, the Lord had "other records" for them to translate. IOW, they would "finish this record" by translating it once, without going back to retranslate the first part. 

This instruction in verses 1 and 2 is significant for at least two reasons.

One, it alerted Joseph and Oliver that there were "other records" in their future, which was a near future because they would have them once they "finished this record."

Two, it points out the importance of the record itself. If Joseph was merely reading words that appeared on a stone-in-the-hat (SITH), they wouldn't even know what specific records they were "translating" and so there would be no point in the Lord telling them about "other records." Joseph would just keep reading words off the stone regardless.

D&C 10 makes all of this even more clear, as we'll discuss in the next post.

Another account of two sets of plates

In this post we'll discuss another account of the two sets of plates that I didn't include in my books on the topic. (Whatever Happened to the Golden Plates? and The Rational Restoration).

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By now, readers here know there is an apparent conflict in the accounts of what Joseph did with the plates when he had finished translating. 

The best-known is from Joseph Smith-History 1:60, and it pertains to the abridged plates Joseph obtained from Moroni's stone box.

... the messenger had said that when I had done what was required at my hand, he would call for them. ... they remained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by them what was required at my hand. When, according to arrangements, the messenger called for them, I delivered them up to him; and he has them in his charge until this day, being the second day of May, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight. 

A key phrase here is “according to arrangements.” Joseph gave the abridged plates to the heavenly messenger before he left Harmony. (When he, Oliver and David met the messenger on the road to Fayette, Joseph identified the messenger as one of the Three Nephites. See https://www.mobom.org/trip-to-fayette-references) 

Joseph and Oliver had translated all of those abridged plates (except the sealed portion) through the "last leaf" of the plates, which was the Title Page. In this sense, Joseph fulfilled his obligation for the original set of plates in May 1829, before leaving Harmony.

Of course, he had yet to "translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi," (Doctrine and Covenants 10:41) which he would do in Fayette, NY, once the messenger brought those plates to him from Cumorah.

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Brigham Young had a much different explanation of the disposition of the plates. He was apparently referring to the plates of Nephi, not the abridged plates from Moroni's stone box.

Brigham explained that "When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says that when Joseph and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room." See Brigham Young, "Trying to be Saints," June 17, 1877, ¶7, JD 19:38)

This is consistent with something Brigham said on April 17, 1853. The minutes show Brigham saying that, “Joseph put the U[rim and] T[hummim] back with the plates when he [h]ad done translating.”

(click to enlarge)

See the original reference here:

https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/da52f4ff-c3b3-4909-a3ed-cfa42b78562b/0/3?lang=eng

Brigham's short comment tells us at least two significant things.

First, to say Joseph "put the U&T back with the plates" is different from saying Joseph gave the U&T and the plates to the messenger, or to an angel. Instead, it corroborates what Oliver said about he and Joseph visiting the repository of records in the Hill Cumorah.

It would not have made sense for Joseph to put the U&T and plates back in the stone box. He had already removed the moss and grass and uncovered the box in 1823, and presumably at least once a year for the next three years. That didn't matter much when no one knew about it, but once people heard that Joseph had golden plates, treasure hunters searched the hill. Putting the plates back in the stone box would have been inviting thieves to take them.

The repository, by contrast, was comparatively well hidden. While it seems likely that Joseph and Oliver later moved the plates (which is why Brigham said there were wagon loads of plates), Joseph put the U&T and plates back after he translated them, months before the Book of Mormon was published.

Second, Brigham's statement demonstrates that Joseph used the U&T to translate the plates. Joseph kept the U&T until he was "done translating." That obviously contradicts David Whitmer's claim that Joseph didn't get the U&T back after he lost the 116 pages.

Then, when he was "done translating," Joseph put the U&T back with the plates; i.e., he took them back to the repository in the Hill Cumorah. He didn't put a seer stone back with the plates.  

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For an illustration of the two sets of plates, see

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

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As these minutes indicate, Brigham went on to discuss the seer stones separately, distinguishing them from the Urim and Thummim. 

The notes seem to say 

“I have Joseph[’]s 1st Seer Stone which I [h]ad from O[liver] C[owdery] the one found in the well by which he got the plates of the B of Mormon.” 

“Joseph [h]ad 3 which Emma has 2 small ones and 1 large one.”

Whether or not the seer stone depicted in the Church History Museum is the actual one Joseph gave to Oliver, there are accounts that Joseph gave a stone to Oliver. This means Oliver had it in his possession when he rejoined the Church and reaffirmed his testimony that 

“I wrote with my own pen the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the prophet, as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by means of the Urim and Thummim, or, as it is called by the book, holy interpreters. I beheld with my eyes, and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was translated. I also beheld the interpreters.”

[See Reuben Miller journal, Oct. 21, 1848, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; spelling, punctuation, and capitalization standardized.]

On this occasion, Oliver could easily have held up the seer stone and explained that this was the instrument Joseph used to produce the Book of Mormon. But he knew better.

Instead, Oliver reiterated the consistent testimony that Joseph translated "by means of the Urim and Thummim," and that he, Oliver, beheld the interpreters. 

Title Page vs 1 Nephi

A simple question:

The Title Page states that the Book of Mormon is an abridgment of the records of the Nephites and the Jaredites. The text explains it was abridged by Mormon and Moroni.

Then why does the book start with the very first verse, “I, Nephi?”

That's not an abridgement. That's an original first-person account.

_____

The answer is in D&C 9 and 10. See if anyone discusses this in Come Follow Me this year.

D&C 9 (directed to Oliver Cowdery)

I would that ye should continue until you have finished this record, which I have entrusted unto him.

2 And then, behold, other records have I, that I will give unto you power that you may assist to translate.

(Doctrine and Covenants 9:1–2)

What are the "other records" here?

When Joseph and Oliver finished translating the abridged plates that Joseph found in Moroni's stone box, including the Title Page which was on the "last leaf" of the set of plates, they considered starting over at the beginning to retranslate the Book of Lehi, which was the 116 pages that Martin Harris lost.

In D&C 10, the Lord told them not to do that. Instead, the Lord had other records for them to translate; i.e., the original plates of Nephi, which we refer to now as the "small plates of Nephi."

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.

(Doctrine and Covenants 10:38–42)

The key point here is that Joseph did not have the plates of Nephi when he was in Harmony. These plates were obviously not in the collection of plates Joseph found in the stone box. 

Before leaving Harmony, Joseph gave the plates to a divine messenger he later explained was one of the Three Nephites. After David Whitmer picked up Joseph and Oliver to take them to his father's home in Fayette, they encountered the messenger on the road. David offered him a ride but the messenger declined, explaining that he was "going to Cumorah." This chance encounter was apparently a way to inform Joseph that the repository of Nephite records was in Cumorah as explained in Mormon 6:6. 

Naturally, the messenger returned the abridged plates to the repository, picked up the small plates of Nephi, and took those plates to Fayette for Joseph to translate.

And that's why our modern Book of Mormon starts with "I, Nephi" instead of the abridged records that Mormon compiled.

(click to enlarge)

D&C 5: Only 3 witnesses saw the abridged plates

Now that we're studying the Doctrine and Covenants in Come Follow Me, we can take another look at early Church history.

For example, D&C 5 explains that the testimony of three witnesses would corroborate Joseph's testimony. But the revelation says "to none else will I grant this power." That leaves many people to wonder about the Eight Witnesses. What did they see if not the plates D&C 5 refers to?

9 Behold, verily I say unto you, I have reserved those things which I have entrusted unto you, my servant Joseph, for a wise purpose in me, and it shall be made known unto future generations;

10 But this generation shall have my word through you;

11 And in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things, and they shall go forth with my words that are given through you.

12 Yea, they shall know of a surety that these things are true, for from heaven will I declare it unto them.

 13 I will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they are;

14 And to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness—clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.

15 And the testimony of three witnesses will I send forth of my word.

16 And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit—

(Doctrine and Covenants 5:9–16)

In a previous post on this blog, we discussed how Martin Harris corroborated what D&C 5 says:

"These plates were usually kept in a cherry box made for that purpose, in the possession of Joseph and myself. The plates were kept from the sight of the world, and no one, save Oliver Cowdrey, myself, Joseph Smith, jr., and David Whitmer, ever saw them.”

https://www.lettervii.com/2019/02/martin-harris-no-on-else-saw-plates.html

This is no surprise to regular readers of this blog because we are aware of the "two sets of plates" explanation. Basically, the Three Witnesses saw the abridged plates, as explained in D&C 5 and other references, but the Eight Witnesses saw the plates of Nephi.

(click to enlarge)

See the explanation, here:

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

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To recap: Moroni put the abridged plates in the stone box, as explained by the Title Page, which was the last leaf of the plates. That set of plates did not include the original (small) plates of Nephi. The "original Book of Mormon" consisted only of Mormon's abridgment, plus the abridgment of the record of the Jaredites and Moroni's concluding chapters.

But after Martin Harris lost the 116 pages, the Lord instructed Joseph not to retranslate those plates (the Book of Lehi), but instead told Joseph "you shall translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi." (Doctrine and Covenants 10:41)

But Joseph didn't have the plates of Nephi when he was in Harmony. We can tell from the Original Manuscript that he translated the plates of Nephi in Fayette. Why?

Before leaving Harmony, Joseph gave the abridged plates to a messenger, an old man with a long beard. Then, when David Whitmer came to Harmony to bring Joseph and Oliver to Fayette, they encountered the messenger who had the abridged plates in his knapsack. When David offered to give him a ride, the man declined, saying he was "going to Cumorah." David didn't know what that meant. He said it was the first time he'd ever heard of Cumorah. He asked Joseph who the man was, and Joseph said he was one of the Three Nephites (not Moroni).  

Joseph did not have the plates of Nephi, which he translated in Fayette, until after he arrived in Fayette. The messenger presumably picked up the small plates of Nephi from the repository in the Hill Cumorah (Mormon 6:6) when he returned the abridged plates to the repository, and then brought those plates of Nephi to Fayette. He also showed them to Mary Whitmer (David's mother), who said he identified himself as "Brother Nephi."

[See this explanation for the Moroni/Nephi issue:

https://www.mobom.org/moroni-and-nephi

Later, an angel (Moroni), who was not the old man named Nephi, showed the abridged plates to the Three Witnesses, of which a portion was sealed. One way we can tell they saw the abridged plates is because their testimony tracks the Title Page, which was the last leaf of the abridged plates and does not mention any original plates of Nephi.

we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken.

That's why both Martin Harris and D&C 5 explain that no one other than the Three Witnesses saw the abridged plates.

Shortly thereafter, Joseph showed the plates of Nephi to the Eight Witnesses, none of whom said any plates were sealed. Joseph's mother explained that, unlike the angel who showed the plates to the Three Witnesses, these plates were brought "by one of the ancient Nephites," presumably the same one who took them from Cumorah to Fayette.

In a few days we were follow by Joseph and 

Oliver

 and the whitmers who came to make us a visit and also to make some arrangements about getting the book printed soon after they came They all that is the male part of the company repaired to a little grove where it was customary for the family to offer up their secret prayers— as Joseph had been instructed that the plates would be carried there by one of the ancient Nephites. Here <​it​> was that those 8 witnesses recorded in the Book of Mormon looked upon the plates and handled them

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/105

We discussed another aspect of this here:

https://www.lettervii.com/2024/11/ether-5-answers-questions.html

and here:

https://www.lettervii.com/2016/06/note-on-cumorah-david-whitmer-and-zina.html

For more references, see

https://www.mobom.org/church-history-issues

Cumorahland in the Church News

Back in 1948, the Church News still believed the teachings of the prophets.

The article below discusses the archaeological evidence that corroborates what Joseph, Oliver and their successors taught about the Hill Cumorah in New York. See, e.g., Oliver's account here:

http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/90

In our day, the Church News never publishes articles that explain and corroborate the teachings of the prophets about Cumorah.

New and young Latter-day Saints never hear about this evidence because they get their information about the Book of Mormon from scholars at BYU, Scripture Central, FAIRLDS, etc., who promote the Mesoamerican/Two-Cumorahs theory (M2C), which claims the prophets were wrong about Cumorah.

And yet there is plenty of evidence that corroborates the teachings of the prophets. The Church News article from October 1948 shares some examples.

(click to enlarge)

Ocmulgee Mounds - a National Park?

The Wall St. Journal's annual "10 Best Places to Go" article for 2025 includes Ocmulgee Mounds near Macon, Georgia.

In 2025, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park in Macon is likely to become Georgia’s first national park and the country’s 64th. The collection of excavated ceremonial mounds and fortresses stretch back over 12,000 years to the original Mississippian people who are thought to have arrived after the last Ice Age.

The park features a distinctive spiral mound, a restored Earth Lodge where tribal meetings once took place and a warren of woodsy trails. To honor its heritage, Macon will install bilingual street names in Muscogee and English.

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/best-travel-destinations-vacation-2025-2d947023?st=joPDmP&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

The area has long been a National Historical Park (https://www.nps.gov/ocmu/index.htm), but making it a National Park will bring much needed attention to the ancient inhabitants of North America. The bill to make this a National Park is moving forward.

https://indianz.com/News/2024/12/12/native-america-calling-new-momentum-to-preserve-mounds/

Although the largest earthworks at Ocmulgee post-date Book of Mormon timeframes, the site has been continuously inhabited far longer. This map shows the location of Ocmulgee (red dot) in connection with the rest of one scenario for the setting of the Book of Mormon with Cumorah/Ramah in New York.

(click to enlarge)