How Do the Plates End Up in New York?

[jinc1019]

One of things I have found most confusing about Mormonism is that it seems as though most scholars are quite convinced that the events of the Book of Mormon occurred in Mesoamerica, but as everyone knows, the plates were allegedly found in New York. How do Mormons reconcile this problem?

[mnn727]

A couple different ways;

One is the Moroni who spent decades moving reached New York.

Second is that God put them there from where ever Moroni left them so Joseph Smith could get to them.

Third would be that while many of us do believe the BoM happened in MesoAmerica, we are wrong and it actually occurred much further north (somewhere closer to New York) .

I personally vote for number two, but that's pure speculation on my part and really wouldn't matter to me if I was wrong.

[jinc1019]

A couple different ways;

One is the Moroni who spent decades moving reached New York.

Second is that God put them there from where ever Moroni left them so Joseph Smith could get to them.

Third would be that while many of us do believe the BoM happened in MesoAmerica, we are wrong and it actually occurred much further north (somewhere closer to New York) .

I personally vote for number two, but that's pure speculation on my part and really wouldn't matter to me if I was wrong.

All plausible within the framework of Mormonism...thank you!

[Dravin]

Moroni had feet, or the 1st point that Mnn brings up.

[livy111us]

That journey is quite possible and has been done in less than a year. Moroni had nearly 40 years to make a similar trek. John Sorenson wrote

"Would Moroni have been able to survive a trip of several thousand miles through strange peoples and lands, if he did transport the record? Such a journey would be no more surprising than the trip by Lehi's party over land and by sea halfway around the globe. As a matter of fact, we do have a striking case of a trip much like the one Moroni may have made. In the mid-sixteenth century, David Ingram, a shipwrecked English sailor, walked in 11 months through completely strange Indian territory from Tampico, Mexico, to the St. John River, at the present border between Maine and Canada. His remarkable journey would have been about the same distance as Moroni's and over essentially the same route. So Moroni's getting the plates to New York even under his own power [in 36 years] seems feasible." John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret Book Co. ; Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1996 [1985]), 44

[jinc1019]

That journey is quite possible and has been done in less than a year. Moroni had nearly 40 years to make a similar trek. John Sorenson wrote

"Would Moroni have been able to survive a trip of several thousand miles through strange peoples and lands, if he did transport the record? Such a journey would be no more surprising than the trip by Lehi's party over land and by sea halfway around the globe. As a matter of fact, we do have a striking case of a trip much like the one Moroni may have made. In the mid-sixteenth century, David Ingram, a shipwrecked English sailor, walked in 11 months through completely strange Indian territory from Tampico, Mexico, to the St. John River, at the present border between Maine and Canada. His remarkable journey would have been about the same distance as Moroni's and over essentially the same route. So Moroni's getting the plates to New York even under his own power [in 36 years] seems feasible." John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret Book Co. ; Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1996 [1985]), 44

That's a great point and a very interesting story! However, if Moroni made a trip like that, why didn't he record it?

[jerome1232]

Moroni 1:1 - 3

1 Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.

2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.

3 And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.

[mnn727]

That's a great point and a very interesting story! However, if Moroni made a trip like that, why didn't he record it?

What would he record? He was avoiding other people and there were no cities in what is now the USA, He couldn't say for example 'I just passed Memphis'.

[jinc1019]

What would he record? He was avoiding other people and there were no cities in what is now the USA, He couldn't say for example 'I just passed Memphis'.

No, that's true I suppose.

[Just_A_Guy]

In Mormon 8:5, written fifteen years after the battle at Cumorah, Moroni mentions that he's running out of room on the plates and says that he has no means to make more.

[jinc1019]

In Mormon 8:5, written fifteen years after the battle at Cumorah, Moroni mentions that he's running out of room on the plates and says that he has no means to make more.

Well that answers the question! I haven't reached that part yet in my readings so I wasn't aware of it.

[Daybreak79]

Or the Book Of Mormon took places in the USA as proposed by: BookofMormonEvidence.org

[livy111us]

Or the Book Of Mormon took places in the USA as proposed by: BookofMormonEvidence.org

However, most scholars have denounced that website due to massive amounts of misinformation. Take that info with a grain of salt.

[jinc1019]

However, most scholars have denounced that website due to massive amounts of misinformation. Take that info with a grain of salt.

Good to know.

[Blackmarch]

One of things I have found most confusing about Mormonism is that it seems as though most scholars are quite convinced that the events of the Book of Mormon occurred in Mesoamerica, but as everyone knows, the plates were allegedly found in New York. How do Mormons reconcile this problem?

moroni (the last person before Joseph Smith to have the plates in his posession) spent many many years traveling by himself or with a few. His final remarks in the book of mormon seem to indicate that he was alone. it would not be hard in that time to get from central america to the eastern US.

heres a post in regards to some similar questions i did a while back in regards to how probable it would be for Moroni to get from Central america to eastern US.

http://www.lds.net/forums/563577-post40.html

".... The nephites were destroyed in AD 400, moroni writes his last words in AD 421.

21 years is a little while to travel, doesn't seem to me to be that hard to imagine happening...

suppose you travel about 7 miles a day for 6 days a week... you'd get about 2,191 miles in a year.

for 21 years would = 46,011 miles and supposing only about a 10th of that was actual progress towards the direction of NY, would = 4,601 miles

it doesnt seem to me that improbable at all.

Something to keep in mind tho- we don't know how far the nephites expanded or how far they were driven before being destroyed, nor do we know the distances of the various colonization or immigration periods that are noted in the BoM."

[NightSG]

What would he record? He was avoiding other people and there were no cities in what is now the USA, He couldn't say for example 'I just passed Memphis'.

"Day 3,482. More trees. River. Still wandering."

Though I do wonder how much more could have been revealed had so many of the authors not felt the need to reiterate at length how precious plate space was and how carefully they would be considering the necessity of everything they wrote...just as soon as they got done saying what had already been said a dozen times.