Did Moroni used to be Nephi?

[taekwondave]

Found this interesting. Thought you guys might like it. I tried searching for a discussion around it but couldn't find anything so forgive me if this subject has been dealt with already.

Apparently Joseph didn't always say that the angel who led him to the plates was Moroni, but Nephi? I found this on Mormonthink (sorry if they have a bad rap around here--I wouldn't know I've been away so long).

http://www.mormonthink.com/nephiweb.htm

Evidence presented:

1. The Times and Seasons Vol. III pp. 749, 753

"When I first looked upon him I was afraid, but the fear soon left me. He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi. That God has a work for me to do,…He said there was a book deposited written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang."

Note that Joseph Smith was the editor of the Times and Seasons. In modern printings of the History of the Church, this has been changed to read " Moroni". It is interesting to note that Joseph Smith lived for two years after the name "Nephi" was printed in Times and Seasons and he never published a retraction.

2. Millennial Star, vol. 3, p.71

"Again we read the history of our beloved brother, Joseph Smith, and of the glorious ministry and message of the angel Nephi, which has finally opened a new dispensation to man..."

3. Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches, pg. 79

"he called me by name and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of god to me and that his name was nephi that god had a work for me to do and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations kindreds and tongues."

4. Pearl of Great Price, 1851 Edition, pg. 41

"...that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi."

The original handwritten manuscript of the PofGP dictated by Joseph Smith reveals that the name was originally written as "Nephi," but that someone at a later date has written the word " Moroni" above the line. All evidence indicates that this change was made after Joseph Smiths death. Walter L. Whipple, in his thesis written at BYU, stated that Orson Pratt "published The Pearl of Great Price in 1878, and removed the name of Nephi from the text entirely and inserted the name Moroni in its place" (Textual Changes in the Pearl of Great Price, typed copy, p.125).

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[Pelado]

Easy. Nephi was reincarnated as Moroni. As such, it was both Nephi and Moroni that visited young Joseph Smith.

[Sleeping in EQ]

I've looked at a couple of these sources, and the Nephi-becomes-Moroni thing seems legit. This stuff has come up from time to time with various valuations of its importance.

The MormonThink folks are cranky, but I haven't noticed them fabricating historical "facts."

[Green Monstah]

I remember grappling with this in high school, and I seem to recall the apologist response was that it was a publishing error that sort of perpetuated itself before being corrected. I have no idea if that's legit or just a stab-in-the-dark explanation.

[SoCalCoug]

I remember grappling with this in high school, and I seem to recall the apologist response was that it was a publishing error that sort of perpetuated itself before being corrected. I have no idea if that's legit or just a stab-in-the-dark explanation.

That is the apologist response.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Our ward Primary does a monthly bit where an adult member dresses up as a Book of Mormon figure and visits, relating incidents from his/her life and responding to questions. I have been asked to come as Moroni this Sunday, and I'm still working on my 10-15 minute presentation. This thread reminded me that I could go rogue and announce that "I'm really Nephi!" But I don't want to deal with a bunch of irate parents or receive a punitive calling from a vengeful bishop.

I'm thinking of dressing up as an Arnold Friberg Moroni (the last one, not the captain); I still have some costume pieces from my stirring performance as Miles Gloriosus from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. While I no longer have, if I ever had, a Fribergesque physique, perhaps my emaciated frame and scarring will lend credence to my claim as the last surviving Nephite. I'll include some harrowing tales of genocide and military conquest.

Or I could wear a toga and spray paint a gold vuvuzela to go as Temple-Topper Moroni. I would, of course, go commando underneath, allowing the kiddies a glimpse of my breast, or whatever.

So many possibilities. I'll appreciate any suggestions. Actually, I probably won't, but give it a shot...

[Northwestcoug]

Our ward Primary does a monthly bit where an adult member dresses up as a Book of Mormon figure and visits, relating incidents from his/her life and responding to questions. I have been asked to come as Moroni this Sunday, and I'm still working on my 10-15 minute presentation. This thread reminded me that I could go rogue and announce that "I'm really Nephi!" But I don't want to deal with a bunch of irate parents or receive a punitive calling from a vengeful bishop.

I'm thinking of dressing up as an Arnold Friberg Moroni (the last one, not the captain); I still have some costume pieces from my stirring performance as Miles Gloriosus from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. While I no longer have, if I ever had, a Fribergesque physique, perhaps my emaciated frame and scarring will lend credence to my claim as the last surviving Nephite. I'll include some harrowing tales of genocide and military conquest.

Or I could wear a toga and spray paint a gold vuvuzela to go as Temple-Topper Moroni. I would, of course, go commando underneath, allowing the kiddies a glimpse of my breast, or whatever.

So many possibilities. I'll appreciate any suggestions. Actually, I probably won't, but give it a shot...

This would be awesome, if only to look out at the congregation and see who busts up laughing. Then you could give them an empathetic nod, and you would know who knows...

[Dwight Schr-ute]

Our ward Primary does a monthly bit where an adult member dresses up as a Book of Mormon figure and visits, relating incidents from his/her life and responding to questions. I have been asked to come as Moroni this Sunday, and I'm still working on my 10-15 minute presentation. This thread reminded me that I could go rogue and announce that "I'm really Nephi!" But I don't want to deal with a bunch of irate parents or receive a punitive calling from a vengeful bishop.

I'm thinking of dressing up as an Arnold Friberg Moroni (the last one, not the captain); I still have some costume pieces from my stirring performance as Miles Gloriosus from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. While I no longer have, if I ever had, a Fribergesque physique, perhaps my emaciated frame and scarring will lend credence to my claim as the last surviving Nephite. I'll include some harrowing tales of genocide and military conquest.

Or I could wear a toga and spray paint a gold vuvuzela to go as Temple-Topper Moroni. I would, of course, go commando underneath, allowing the kiddies a glimpse of my breast, or whatever.

So many possibilities. I'll appreciate any suggestions. Actually, I probably won't, but give it a shot...

Reminds me of the Sunday I was teaching the 9 year olds about Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty. While in class, I was searching for one of the church produced videos on YouTube when we, as a class, stumbled across the fact that this is apparently something that wards tend to like recreating and posting on Youtube for future generations. We didn't get around to the rest of the lesson that week. But we were greatly entertained.

Here's a small sample:

[Bo Diddley]

A few years back I was roped into playing Captain Moroni for the YW in the ward. A lady in the ward made a pretty good Friburg-like costume. So glad nothing has made it to Youtube...