As we look at the Book of Mormon, we generally look at the spiritual importance of its existence in our lives, for example how can we apply it and liken it to our selves in our own lives?

I once had an excellent teacher who taught about the “physical importance” or the “significance” of the Book of Mormon and how we could apply that in our own lives. He approached the subject by explaining that everyone would undoubtedly feel and experience the hardest parts of our lives when we are perhaps in the deepest struggles, pains, hardships and confusing parts of our lives.

He began to explain that the Book of Mormon record did not begin with the book of Nephi, but the book of Lehi, his father. He taught us that the book of Lehi was surely an amazing book, but the Lord knew from the very beginning that Joseph Smith and Martin Harris would lose those records and centuries earlier had prepared and protected the small plates of Nephi which carried a greater and better account than the Book of Lehi. The Lord explained that “there are many things engraven upon the plates of Nephi which do throw greater views upon my gospel; therefore, it is wisdom in me that you should translate this first part of the engravings of Nephi, and send forth in this work.” (D&C 10:45)

My teacher then asked the question: Could you imagine being a prophet of God called to restore His Gospel and translate the Book of Mormon, could you imagine having lost something God gave to you to translate? How terrible they must have felt, and how difficult to experience. However for those centuries the Lord had preparations in place for this very mistake, by preserving the Book of Nephi.

How wonderful it must have been to begin translating the Book of Nephi and to realize that it contained some of what was written in the Book of Lehi, but with “greater views [of the] gospel.

Nephi had created additional plates to go with his record:

“Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not. But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words.” (1 Nephi 9:5-6)

While putting the Book of Mormon together, Mormon found those extra plates and added them to his record:

“But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren. And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me.” (Words of Mormon 1:6-7)

Of course the Lord did not simply prepare and preserve the Book of Nephi solely for Joseph Smith or Martin Harris, but for the whole world—for all of us. The Lord does not love us any less or more than He loved Joseph and Martin, and because of this simple truth, surely the Lord has plans for the mistakes that we will undoubtedly make. Truly the Lord has prepared our own personal Books of Nephi in our lives.

The point is that, the Lord has small plates of Nephi for all of us. We may go through several Books of Lehi that we lose, but the Lord has already prepared our own small plates of Nephi.

-Thanks to Brother Bartholomew who taught me this truth.