R2, I'll have to think about this and get back to you. Right now I'm very overwhelmed with all the things we have going on and working (with my back and neck killing me). I don't want to rush an answer cause my first reaction is emotional mainly just cause I'm stressed. (And tired).

One point, though, that I can come up with off the top of my head is that there WERE people's who were here around the time of the Tower of Babel that we have record of because the Book of Mormon people actually met them and were given their records. There were people here, (and evidence that even Vikings had visited) but this particular family who pretty much became the Lamanites (Native Americans and their branches) are the ones who came over around 600 BC. (The remnants of the Nephites, for the most part at least, were killed off).

The other point is that they carried these plates around...sometimes literally running from those pursuing them. It wasn't about the amount of gold but the impracticality of carrying around even larger plates than what they already were. They held up, though! (If you wonder about the material.....) But they had plenty of gold down there didn't they~! : )

Not sure if the buildings are true pyramids actually, but definitely that style. Lots of things are egyptian style in their culture......

My only other thought off the top of my head is that its kind of hard to say a particular family didn't speak a certain language or that they weren't bilingual. It was a family...... It just started out as one family. (With one other man and his daughters). I'm not even sure how it worked - if they spoke two languages or wrote in one and spoke more in the other. The point of it being reformed, I THINK, had to do with the language being altered DUE TO THEIR MANNER OF SPEAKING like it says in the scripture I sent before.... I have to see what I can find on that, though. (And what I'd said about the shorthand issue). We're coming from two different directions here. I already believe it so am trying to back it up when these things (some of them) aren't something that have bothered me before. You question every fine detail of everything.... Nothing wrong with that, but to be fair, you may have to put some things aside and just listen to the spirit. That takes practice and experience I suppose...... (And faith even the size of a mustard seed or even the desire to believe....).