Social: We have a community of approximately two thousand five hundred people, a count that we are told includes men, women, and children. As a rough estimate, we can divide this number by three to gain a rough idea of the number of households represented. This yields a community of approximately 844 households on the upper end. Of course there would have been some households without a husband or wife. There would have been families with no children and those who had more than one. Nevertheless, this gives us a likely high end of the number of households in this particular community. This would make a fairly small community, but it would be a mistake to use this number as representative of the entire community that might define itself as Nephite. These were the people who happened to be in Bountiful, or very close by. There were others who would have been in the fields and who will be gathered for the next experience.
The Nephite government t had dissolved into tribes, but these numbers suggest that at least in Bountiful more than one tribe or kin unit was represented. It would appear that in the aftermath of the destruction the people had begun gathering again, and kin groups who were able to coexist with others began to coalesce. This is yet another reason that this experience took place when Mormon suggested it did, about a year after the tremendous destruction (3 Nephi 10:18). That would give the people enough time to find their ways into cities and associations with other kin groups that would amass a population the size described here. In a typical community, we would expect at least this number of people still in their fields attached to Bountiful, if not more. These are numbers too large for a probable single kin group.
Another reason that this grouping would have taken some time to assemble is that Mormon seems to indicate that it was composed both of those who had previously been Nephites and Lamanites:
3 Nephi 10:18-19
18 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—
19 Showing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter.
While the current text does not specifically note the presence of those who were previously called Lamanites, Mormon clearly indicates that they were present on this occasion when the Savior appeared and showed his body to them. This must be the occasion to which Mormon refers, and therefore we know that this 2500 people include those who were once separated by the designations of Nephite and Lamanite, and are now in the same place. This required relocation also confirms the passage for time between the destruction and this experience.
Literary: This verse is a witness declaration. Nephi begins his writing with just such a declaration of the truthfulness of the record:
1 Nephi 1:3
3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
What is true about the record? Certainly the experience with the risen Messiah was true. Were all of the events recorded in newspaper fashion? That is most probably not “true.” We do not know when these things were committed to writing. A pragmatic reading of the events of this single recorded day strongly suggest that events from more than one day have been condensed into this account, or else some of the experiences that are indicated as happening to every person occurred to only a few and literary license was taken. The experience recorded in 3 Nephi 11:15 where each person touches the Savior either covered multiple days, or did not actually happen to each individual. With 2500 people, had that single experience been allowed to take twenty four hours, each person would have had thirty four seconds for the experience. In an equatorial country there are only twelve hours of daylight, so having this occur in daylight would cut the experience in half. If each person spent 17 seconds with the Lord, there would have been no time for the Sermon on the Mount, the discourse to the apostles, this great prayer, or the coming establishment of the sacrament. Somewhere in this record there is some alteration of the experience, either in compressing events when they were written, or in exaggerating the participation of all people. Either of these possibilities could explain the chronological “problem” and the record would still be completely true. What is true is the experience, not the details.