Culture: Given a community of approximately 2,500 men, women, and children, a rough top estimate of three per household would yield approximately 844 households. Some adults would be widowed, some would have no children, and others would have numerous children. Thus, the actual number of households may well have been smaller. However, they do not constitute all of the Nephites. These believers happened to be in or near Bountiful. Others in outlying fields will attend the next day’s visitation.
Twenty-five hundred is too large for a single kin group, so Bountiful apparently had more than one tribe or kin unit. It seems reasonable that, after the destruction, kin groups would have been willing to form alliances with other compatible groups. The year that passed, according to Mormon, between the destruction and Jesus’s visitation (3 Ne. 10:18) would have given time for these allied associations to form.
Furthermore, Mormon seems to indicate that this Bountiful group consisted of those who had previously been Nephites and Lamanites—another reason why the passage of time seems necessary:
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. (3 Ne. 10:18–19)
Mormon clearly indicates that Lamanites were present when the Savior “show[ed] his body unto them,” which must have been his appearance at Bountiful. Therefore, they were included in the 2,500 people present. Since these former Lamanites would have had to travel to Bountiful (typical Lamanite lands being south of the Nephite holdings), obviously some time had passed between the destruction and the visitation.
Literature: This verse is the declaration of a witness. Nephi1 began his record with just such a declaration of its truthfulness: “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” (1 Ne. 1:3). What is true about Nephi3’s record? Certainly the experience with the risen Messiah was. Were all of the events recorded in newspaper fashion? Almost certainly not. Nevertheless, the experience was true, even if some of the details were idealized.
Text: There is no chapter break at this point in the 1830 edition.