.

The Abridgment of the Many Sacred Records 

"And now there are many records kept of the proceedings of this people, by many of this people..."  (Helaman 3:13) About 45 BC
"There are many books and many records of every kind..." (Helaman 3:15) About 45 BC
 ----------------------
 
The ancient western hemisphere Prophet Mormon had in his possession many sacred records.  In which he used to abridge into another record, which was abridged, shortened, and compiled into the record we now call the Book of Mormon.

    << The Prophet Mormon abridging the plates using the 'many records' available to him at that time.
© By Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

 (BYU, Book of Mormon Chart, pdf)

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------   

"And I Moroni...take mine account from the twenty and four plates which were found by the people of Limhi, which is called the Book of Ether."  (Ether 1:1-2)

  


(BYU Studies, Charting the Book of Mormon, Sources behind the Book of Ether, PDF)
John W. Welch, “Sources behind the Book of Ether” (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1986)

...