TWENTY FOUR and the Battle of Cumorah

[Hemidakota]

Received e-Mail from Dr. Jerry L. Ainsworth

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Since my avocation is the study of the Maya, I am aware of their great affinity for using numbers to express religious and unique concepts in their culture. It was this awareness that caused me to question whether certain numbers in the Book of Mormon may also have unique and/or special meaning.

Principle among the numbers I have found used in the Book of Mormon, is the number twenty-four. There were twenty-four plates of Ether, Mormon was to retrieve the plates of Nephi from the Hill Shim when he was "about twenty and four years old," There were twenty-four regiments and therefore twenty-four commanders in the Nephite army during the last struggle of that nation, (from Cumorah to Mormon's death). And although not explicitly stated, it appears there were twenty-four plates in Mormon's abridgment.

(This is explained on pages 237-241 in my book, The Lives and Travels of Mormon and Moroni).

At the end of the battle of Cumorah, there were twenty-four Nephite survivors, where around 230,000 Nephites were killed. It is about these twenty-four survivors I wish to comment.

When studying and contemplating these kinds of issues, it is easy to see why Ether would use twenty-four plates for his account. The same is true for Mormon. Each of their records were giving an account of a complete/whole time period of the people they were writing about. A numerical way to express the fullness of this time period is to express it in a total or full day, twenty-four hours. To the Maya, and I believe to the Nephites as well, the number of plates used, were to convey a specific meaning, as well as the record itself. This is one of the ways the Maya used numbers, to convey additional information.

When making a record, it is easy enough to pre-determine that the account will fit onto twenty-four plates. You make the twenty-four plates and plan your writing accordingly. But it is far more complicated to end a battle, where almost a quarter of a million people were killed and end up with twenty-four survivors.

I therefore often wondered how or why that took place, the twenty-four survivors. It was not until Esteban and I visited the killing fields of the battle of Cumorah that I discovered a possible explanation for the survival of these twenty-four Nephite soldiers.

One of our first discoveries about these killing fields, is that some were very far from the hill itself, (the one I consider to be Cumorah). So far in fact, that it would have been next to impossible for Mormon to see what was taking place with those contingents of ten thousand warriors, who were at least fifteen miles away. My first concern, when discovering the killing fields were scattered this far from the hill, was, what I thought I had remembered reading in the sixth chapter of Mormon. I thought I remembered reading that Mormon observed all twenty-three groups of ten thousand from the top of the hill. However, upon re-reading the text, I found that was not the case.

Mormon 6:10-12 states that the only two groups Mormon had observed from the top of the hill, where his ten thousand men, as well as another group of ten thousand that had been led by his son Moroni. The record does not say he was able to see all groups of ten thousand.

So, if that was the case, my immediate question was, "how did Mormon know what was happening with the other commanders and their contingents of ten thousand?" The obvious answer was, "runners." Each group of ten thousand, excluding his own would have to send runners back to the command post, which it appears was at the hill Cumorah. The runners would then return with directives from Mormon himself. Obviously these runners would report on the status of each contingent of ten thousand, until each contingent had been completely annihilated. At that point, there would be but one person remaining from each of these military contingents, which would have been the runner, at the command post.

Since Mormon did not need a runner for his ten thousand men that left twenty-two groups that would need runners. Therefore, at the end of the battle of Cumorah, there would remain twenty-two runners, who had survived the battle, as well as Mormon himself, and his son Moroni, a total of twenty-four, just as the record indicates.

Mormon 6:10 States that Mormon himself had been wounded and left for dead, but recovered from his wounds. He had obviously arranged for his son to be out of harms way, as Moroni had to survive the battle in order to complete Mormon's abridgment.

It appears that either by way of serendipity, or as a result of essential communications, (runners), twenty-four Nephites survived the battle of Cumorah. Therefore in a rather ironic way, the message of completeness was conveyed. The twenty-four hours in the day were up and "the day" was ended, all which convey a subtle, but prosaic message about those who had strayed from the teachings of Jesus Christ. For those who apostatize, their day (time) is up.

END NOTE - I would also remind the reader that the Nephite nation began around BC 600 and ended around AD 400, for a total of one thousand years. Bearing this in mind, the following scripture seems to apply to this article, concerning twenty-four.

2 Peter 3:8 "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [24 hours] is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

Edited April 16, 2009 by Hemidakota

[Nothing]

Is it all a prophecy regarding Jack Bauer?

[TruthSeekerToo]

That gave me serious goosebumps! Wow.

I can imagine myself scrunching up or spreading out my writings over 24 plates to try to get the right number.

[Justice]

Thanks, Hemi. I'll have to ponder on this. I had presumed that the Lamanites had spared the leader of each army, but it didn't make sense why they would. I was torn between that thinking and that the Lamanites would want to kill the leaders first, at first chance, to break the morale of the army under their command. This is much more plausable, and makes much more sense.

[justamere10]

Subscribers to the Mormon Sites newsletter Mormon Sites - rising from the dust... will be receiving Jerry's follow-up article titled "72" early a.m. May 1st, it's already set up and ready to go out automatically.

[Hemidakota]

Now remember, I don't always agree with Doctor Ainsworth articles but he raises some interesting issues that we usually miss in our studies. :)

[jameslentz]

Is it all a prophecy regarding Jack Bauer?

had it been available I definitely would have hit the laugh button!!

As to the number 24, I've always felt anytime i see or hear it that it just "feels" right...that might just be my own personal OCD though.

Very interesting thoughts...

[Hemidakota]

You find the use of the number '24' many times in the scriptures.

[aspenmgy]

Interesting article. I've been wondering about the use of 24 throughout the scriptures. I have to say the runners surviving makes sense.

[Justice]

Mormon 6:

15 And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me,

It almost sounds like there were 25 including Mormon.

All that means is that he may have had a runner that would deliver his messages to whatever battalion he wished to communicate with.

[Justice]

Oh, and by the way, there were only 23 regements mentioned on the Nephite side. I'm not sure what that means. And, there seems to be a contradiction in the amount, he also mentions there were 24 survivors, including himself.

11 And when they had gone through and hewn down all my people save it were twenty and four of us, (among whom was my son Moroni) and we having survived the dead of our people, did behold on the morrow, when the Lamanites had returned unto their camps, from the top of the hill Cumorah, the ten thousand of my people who were hewn down, being led in the front by me.

12 And we also beheld the ten thousand of my people who were led by my son Moroni.

13 And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had fallen, and he also in the midst.

14 And Lamah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Gilgal had fallen with his ten thousand; and Limhah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Jeneum had fallen with his ten thousand; and Cumenihah, and Moronihah, and Antionum, and Shiblom, and Shem, and Josh, had fallen with their ten thousand each.

15 And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me,

I get 23. Anyone else?

I wonder who was left out, and why? Was it just an innocent mistake?

[Moksha]

24 transposed is 42. That seems like a good answer.

("Cave man" lays out following sentence in Scrabble stones: "What do you get if you multiply six by nine?")

Arthur: Six by nine? Forty-two? You know, I've always felt that there was something fundamentally wrong with the Universe.

(Faint and distant voice:) Base thirteen!

Makes no sense? Don't panic. Just remember your towel.

[justamere10]

Mormon 6:

15 And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me,

It almost sounds like there were 25 including Mormon.

All that means is that he may have had a runner that would deliver his messages to whatever battalion he wished to communicate with.

I ran your two posts by Jerry Ainsworth. Here is his response:

Here are two responses to the comments made about the 24 survivors, as well as the 24 regiments.

1. The person is correct about Mormon 6:15 indicating there were 24 Nephite survivors of the battle of Cumorah, who were with Mormon, making him the 25th. However, in Mormon 6:11, Mormon gives a different count. In this version he states, "And when they [Lamanites] had gone through and hewn down all my people save it were twenty four of us."

In this version Mormon includes himself as one of the twenty four survivors.

So, there are two accounts. One which totals 24 (counting Mormon) and another which totals 24 (not counting Mormon) . The interpretation I gave for this conundrum in my book, The Lives and Travels of Mormon and Moroni, was that the idea Mormon was promoting was the number 24, more so than the number of survivors, as when he gives the second account of 25, he does so by emphasizing the number 24.

2. In my book, on page 185 I explain that when Mormon gathered his people together at the land of Cumorah for their battle of 385 with the Lamanites, he sent a contingent of Nephites away from the battle, into the land northward. Those that he sent away from the battle were the old men and women, widows, the infirmed, the handicapped, the retarded, new and very young babies, etc, essentially all of those who would simply be a handicap at and during a battle.

Such a group would have number in the thousands, and to protect these less capable Nephites, he sent his 24th regiment with them. The leaders and commanders of this regiment would have been his less capable warriors and leaders. Evidence for such a group of Nephites, comprising the 24th regiment, can be found in the following:

A. 14 years after the battle of Cumorah, (where there are only 24 or 25 survivors), Mormon had a battle with the Lamanites in which he was killed, (see Mormon 8:5-6), along with all the kinsfolk of Moroni. It would be hard to have a battle with the Lamanite with only 24 surviving Nephites. Few people would call such a skirmish a battle.

B. The less than stalwart leaders who Mormon had sent northward, to protect the indigent Nephites, were the very people that Mormon met up with after the battle of Cumorah, and who were with him for this battle just mentioned, in 399ad, where Mormon was killed. Moroni 9:18 indicates that Mormon could no longer even inforce him commands with these less than stalwart Nephite leaders.

C. In Moroni 9:16-17 Mornon describes some of the people who were being killed by the Lamanites, such as "widows, and their daughters, old women, and young childen, etc." These verses describe the very kinds of people Mormon had sent into the land Northward and away from the battle of Cumorah. They were the ones which he met up with and had is final battle of 399ad, with the Lamanites. In fact in Moroni 9:16 Mormon states that one of his commanders [Zenephi] even ran off, taking much of the provisions intended for the helpless Nephites, with him.

This group of people were comprised of that last and 24th group of ten thousand that I referred to in my article.

Jerry Ainsworth

Jerry's popular book "The Lives and Travels of Mormon and Moroni" is available in many LDS bookstores, and online at the following link:

Mormon and Moroni by Jerry Ainsworth

Edited May 5, 2009 by justamere10

[Justice]

Interesting. That's a very good answer.

Can you ask him what he feels the real reason was that Mormon made the abridgement of the Large Plate of Nephi? I had always assumed it was because the Lord told him to, and it was for the purpose of Jospeh Smith having the proper things to translate. But, in my most recent readings of the Book of Mormon, I get a different reason. Do you think he might answer you?

[justamere10]

Interesting. That's a very good answer.

Can you ask him what he feels the real reason was that Mormon made the abridgement of the Large Plate of Nephi? I had always assumed it was because the Lord told him to, and it was for the purpose of Jospeh Smith having the proper things to translate. But, in my most recent readings of the Book of Mormon, I get a different reason. Do you think he might answer you?

I'm not sure I understand what is being asked, with this question. I'll therefore respond, based on what I believe is being asked.

In Mormon 1:3-4 Ammaron instructed Mormon, when he was "about twenty and four years old," to go to the hill Shim and retrieve the plates of Nephi and continue the record of the Nephite nation.

Mormon 2:17 indicates that Mormon did as Ammaron had instructed him, continuing the history of the Nephite nation. He does not give the date that he retrieved these plates from the Hill Shim, so whether he was 24 when he did so or not, we do not know.

Mormon 2:18 then indicates that on the abridgment that Mormon made from the plates of Nephi, "I did forbear to make a full account of their wickedness and abominations, for behold, a continual scene of wickedness and abominations has been before mine eyes..."

In 3 Nephi 5:10 Mormon tells us that he made the plates for his abridgment, with his own hands.

Mormon does not tell us why the Lord instructed him to write the abridgment, other than he excluded a lot of the very abominal things the Nephites did, but given the history of the plates, which we now know, I would assume he was told to make the abridgment for the following reasons:

1. It would be extremely difficult for he and Moroni, to say nothing of Joseph Smith, to carry around the complete records of the Nephite nation, which could have comprised hundreds, if not thousands of plates.

2. There were a number of extremely wicked things that the Lord did not want shared with us, the gentile nations.

3. In addition to the omission of these wicked behaviors, the oaths, etc, of the secret combinations were excluded, (see Ether 8)

4. The were specific things the Lord wanted the future gentiles and remnant to know, things that were related to the fullness of the gospel and future events of the world. He did not want to turn us into historians, but into scriptorians.

5. Given the difficulties that current Israel has in reading and understand the abbreviated account of the Nephite nation, The Book of Mormon, I suspect the Lord assumed even fewer of us would read the full account of all of their history, which could have resulted in hundreds of volumes.

Those are five guesses as to why Mormon was instructed to write the abridgment, which his son completed. I suspect other people could find many other equally legitimate reasons.

Jerry

[Justice]

Your name is Jerry also... interesting.

I understand the basic reason that an abridgement had to be made so that Joseph Smith would end up with the proper words for his translation.

This past time through, however, I saw an entirely different reason, that makes more sense and helps me understand several things better. I hesitate to say what it is because I wanted to hear his response before I mentioned it.

When you study Mormon and Words of Mormon, with an understanding that the Words of Mormon was written after Mormon, you come away with an interesting picture.

Mormon wrote that he supposed his son Moroni would be the last survivor. Mormon was instructed to preserve the records that had been handed down to him, which meant he had to bury them before the last and great battle. He could not risk that the records that had been handed down might be carried about from place to place by one man, not having sufficient protection in case that man was captured.

However, Mormon loved Moroni and knew, mostly because of Lehi's writings and the story of retrieving the brass plates and the people of Zarahemla, that if man did not have records they would dwindle in unbelief. He needed to bury the records that had been handed down to him, but he wanted Moroni to have something to read while he wandered for those years alone.

He set out to make an abridgement of the Large Plates of Nephi, and he did. He said he was finished, and just before he gave it to Moroni he found the Small Plates of Nephi. He inserted the Small Plates of Nephi into his abridgement, and presumable removed his abridgement of the same time period so it wouldn't duplicate, before he gave them to Moroni.

He made the abridgement for Moroni. So, for years it's what Moroni read, and what he was familiar with. Exactly when it was put with the rest of the plates, I don't know. I'm not saying there wasn't a higher purpose, but I don't think Mormon thought it would be his abridgement that would come forth at a later day. For all he knew it would be destroyed if they found it on Moroni's possession when they found him.

I would need to do more in-depth study and read the Book of Mormon all the way through with this one thought in mind, looking for any evidence of this. But, in my last few readings, it seems this is the way it happened. I was just curious to see if Dr. Ainsworth made the same discovery.

[justamere10]

Your name is Jerry also... interesting.

My name is not Jerry. Perhaps I did not make it clear that I was copying and pasting an email I received from Jerry Ainsworth author of "The Lives and Travels of Mormon and Moroni." Jerry and I are the founders of Mormon Sites.

Mormon Sites - rising from the dust...

[Justice]

Ahhh, nope I missed that part.

[justamere10]

I understand the basic reason that an abridgement had to be made so that Joseph Smith would end up with the proper words for his translation.

This past time through, however, I saw an entirely different reason, that makes more sense and helps me understand several things better. I hesitate to say what it is because I wanted to hear his response before I mentioned it.

When you study Mormon and Words of Mormon, with an understanding that the Words of Mormon was written after Mormon, you come away with an interesting picture.

Mormon wrote that he supposed his son Moroni would be the last survivor. Mormon was instructed to preserve the records that had been handed down to him, which meant he had to bury them before the last and great battle. He could not risk that the records that had been handed down might be carried about from place to place by one man, not having sufficient protection in case that man was captured.

However, Mormon loved Moroni and knew, mostly because of Lehi's writings and the story of retrieving the brass plates and the people of Zarahemla, that if man did not have records they would dwindle in unbelief. He needed to bury the records that had been handed down to him, but he wanted Moroni to have something to read while he wandered for those years alone.

He set out to make an abridgement of the Large Plates of Nephi, and he did. He said he was finished, and just before he gave it to Moroni he found the Small Plates of Nephi. He inserted the Small Plates of Nephi into his abridgement, and presumable removed his abridgement of the same time period so it wouldn't duplicate, before he gave them to Moroni.

He made the abridgement for Moroni. So, for years it's what Moroni read, and what he was familiar with. Exactly when it was put with the rest of the plates, I don't know. I'm not saying there wasn't a higher purpose, but I don't think Mormon thought it would be his abridgement that would come forth at a later day. For all he knew it would be destroyed if they found it on Moroni's possession when they found him.

I would need to do more in-depth study and read the Book of Mormon all the way through with this one thought in mind, looking for any evidence of this. But, in my last few readings, it seems this is the way it happened. I was just curious to see if Dr. Ainsworth made the same discovery.

It is my understanding that it would take "wagonloads" to transport the entire Nephite library. So one man could not have taken care of that. As Mormon retreated to the place agreed upon for the final battle with the Lamanites it is most likely that he moved the records from the hill Shim to Cumorah of the Final Battles (not located in New York.) It is most likely that those two hills are not far apart. Jerry Ainsworth is almost certain he knows where both of those hills are, but there is no proof.

Mormon was a prophet of God. My guess is that he knew exactly the role his son Moroni would play in bringing forth the Book of Mormon in the last days. It is highly improbable that Mormon just wanted Moroni to "have something to read." My understanding is that Mormon traveled with Moroni for quite some time after the final battle. A lot of people think Mormon was buried near Cedar City, Utah, but there is no proof of that, just some ancient "signatures" carved in rocks and a few other signs.

Mormon did not remove his abridgement "of the same time period" as you speculate. That was the part that was given to Martin Harris and lost. The Lord knew that would happen and so he instructed Mormon to add additional plates to the record Moroni carried and eventually buried in New York.

Those are my personal understandings, I could very well be incorrect.

[Justice]

Mormon did not remove his abridgement "of the same time period" as you speculate. That was the part that was given to Martin Harris and lost. The Lord knew that would happen and so he instructed Mormon to add additional plates to the record Moroni carried and eventually buried in New York.

No, it can't be.

This gets long and drawn out, but I have explained this here before, so I'll give you the short version. I can go back and show you the scriptures if you want to see them, but they are mostly from Mormon and Words of Mormon. (Edit: I decided to show you a couple)

The Large Plates of Nephi contained a book called The Book of Lehi. This is where Nephi either abridged or copied his father's writings. Mormon's abridgement of this book is what is known as the 116 pages of lost manuscript. Nephi, therefore, did not need to include Lehi's writings in his own books in the Large Plates, because he made the Book of Lehi.

The Small Plates of Nephi were never abridged, or there's no record of it. This is important to remember. You will notice that Mormon makes no commentary within the Book of Mormon until the Words of Mormon. No "and thus we see" comments all through the time period covered by the Small Plates of Nephi. Had it been an abridgement of his there certainly would be comments like he made throughout the rest of the Book of Mormon. No, they were inserted as is, and they did not contain a book about Lehi, that is why Nephi included some of his father's writings in his own books.

Mormon was finished abridging from Lehi down thru 4th Nephi and was about to give the record to his son. It was then he found the Small Plates of Nephi... listen to what he said it included:

Words of Mormon:

3 ... I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates [small Plates of Nephi], which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.

No mention of Lehi. In the Small Plates, "some of" Lehi's writings were contained in the books of Nephi. Here is the wisdom... had Mormon not removed his abridgement from the Large Plates of Nephi from Nephi to King Benjamin, and inserted the Small Plates, then when the 116 pages of manuscript was lost, it would have been lost to our generation. But, because Nephi was told to keep a separate account, and to rewrite some of his father's words there, and then Mormon used this to replace his abridgement of the same time period, we have some words of Lehi.

Now, some people don't believe me that Mormon made an abridgement of Nephi through King Benjamin, and he just inserted the Small Plates for this time period. Look at the first part of verse 3:

3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin,

Mormon DID make an abridgement of this time period. Further evidence is that Mormon did make an abridgemenet of the Book of Lehi from the Large Plates, since the Small Plates did not contain a book of Lehi. Why would he abridge Lehi, skip Nephi thru King Benjamin, and then abridge the rest of the Large Plates? He didn't even find the Small Plates until he was finished with his abridgement.

Why did he choose the Small Plates over what he abridged from the Large Plates that covered the same time period?

4 And the things which are upon these plates [small Plates of Nephi] pleasing me, because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ

This shouldn't be a mystery to anyone who has studied the Book of Mormon. Nephi says himself that he used the Small Plates for more of a spiritual discussion, to discuss their prophecies of Christ and teachings of His Gospel. No wonder Mormon liked them better than his abridgement from the Large Plates that covered the same time period.

5 Wherefore, I chose these things [what he just found, the Small Plates], to finish my record upon them

But, the Small Plates were never abridged. They were inserted in right before he gave them to Moroni. Since the the Small Plates did not contain a book of Lehi, that means Mormon abridged his Book of Lehi from the Large Plates, where Nephi made a Book of Lehi.

I have studied this in-depth, and what I have said is just as it appears in the Book of Mormon and Words of Mormon.

The only flaw is that Mormon wouldn't have inserted the only copy of the Small Plates into the abridgement he gave Moroni. To this, I say he either made a copy, Mormon made a copy, or he was assured it was the right thing to do by the Lord. It was his intent to preserve all the records that had been handed down to him. So, he somehow got around giving Moroni the only copy of the Small Plates.

Give it a study and let me know what you think, then we'll go to the scriptures that talk about why Mormon made the abridgement.

One hint is that no where in the Book of Mormon does a prophet give the idea that they knew exactly why they were writing certain things, other than it was a wise purpose to the Lord. I don't think Nephi knew why he kept 2 sets of plates...

1 Nephi 9:

5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates [small Plates] for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

Mormon did not know the details as to why he was making an abridgement. They were promised that their record would come forth at a later time, but they did not know exactly when or how. I'd wager that Mormon thought the original writings would come forth, and that is why he felt the strong desire to protect them. Food for thought:

Mormon 6:

6 And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.

We will discuss Mormon 6 when you're ready.

Edited May 7, 2009 by Justice

[Hemidakota]

I ran your two posts by Jerry Ainsworth. Here is his response:

I may have something for Dr. Ainsworth that may bring to light something most will fall out of there chair.

It starts here in this verse: So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Gen 3:24

In Genesis, as in Ezekiel, we read of an EAST GATE, as it were, where the cherubim stood, just as they stood at the east gate of the temple when God's glory left the temple. From this correlation of pictures we can begin to see a message from the Lord regarding man and salvation. To fully understand the picture, we must realize that salvation is required by man due to the great transgression of Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God in the Garden. For this reason they were cast out of the Garden, and were exiled to live outside of paradise where the tree of eternal life stood. All Adam's children were born outside the Garden and were not allowed to enter there again, either. Since Adam sinned, and his children did not, many would think that the children should not be punished for their father's sake. However, we see that God did indeed bar them, too, from entering the Garden.

I can attest where Joseph select the parcel of ground for the temple [independence MO] was the center of the Garden in Eden. You may also note, this is where both trees were planted.

Now, Adam built an alter to GOD in Davies County. It is currently north-east but not east. When turned the earth and then compare to our latest discoveries with finding frozen mammals in Siberia, tropic plants in northern Alaska, and old scroll writing of Adam was indeed driven out of the east to south-east direction, add them together and the answer is given. Now install Google Earth and turned it in that direction for the correct model of the Adamic environment prior to the deluge.

[Justice]

Where is justamere? I'm curiously waiting for some comments on what I posted above.

[Hemidakota]

It is my understanding that it would take "wagonloads" to transport the entire Nephite library. So one man could not have taken care of that. As Mormon retreated to the place agreed upon for the final battle with the Lamanites it is most likely that he moved the records from the hill Shim to Cumorah of the Final Battles (not located in New York.) It is most likely that those two hills are not far apart. Jerry Ainsworth is almost certain he knows where both of those hills are, but there is no proof.

.

That is an correct assumption since anyone that had seen the 'cave' can attest to this.