Some readers of the Book of Mormon disagree as to the exact time of the appearance of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the Nephites in the land Bountiful. One view is that he came to the American continent immediately after his resurrection; a second opinion is that he came about forty days after his resurrection at the time of his “ascension into heaven” on the eastern continent; a third view is that he came almost a year after his resurrection. The statements that refer to this problem are as follows:
And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land. (3 Nephi 8:5.)And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called Lamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them—
Showing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter. Therefore for this time I make an end of my sayings. (3 Nephi 10:18-19.)
Other verses that might indirectly throw light on this question are 3 Nephi 11:1-3 and 3 Nephi 19:1-5.