The Record of the Nephites restores plain and precious truths that were taken out of the gospel and the covenants
1 Nephi Chapter 3
And the angel of the Lord said unto me, Thou hast beheld that the Book (the Bible) proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew (Jesus); and when it proceedeth from the mouth of a Jew, it contained the plainness of the Gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God; wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity, unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God; and after that they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles; behold, after this, thou seest the foundation of a great and abominable church (the Catholic Church), which is the most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the Gospel of the Lamb, many parts which are plain and most precious; and also, many Covenants of the Lord have they taken away; and all this have they done, that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord; that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, thou seest that after the Book (the Bible) hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church (the Catholic Church), that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the Book (the Bible), which is the Book of the Lamb of God; and after that these plain and precious things were taken away, it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity; and thou seest because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the Book (the Bible), which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God; and because of these things which were taken away out of the Gospel of the Lamb, an exceeding great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them (the doctrinal confusion we have today)
The Gospel restored
The prophet Nephi records what an angel explained to him that the coming forth of the Record of the Nephites in the latter days would restore “many plain and precious things” that were “taken away from the gospel of the Lamb. The angel further explains to Nephi that the lost plain and precious parts of the gospel cause many people to stumble and lose their way. The Lord had foreseen this and prepared a way for the Record of the Nephites to come forth and “make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away” from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The covenants restored
In his vision, Nephi was told that “many covenants” were taken away by the great and abominable church. The Record of the Nephites restores these covenants. One of the restored covenants is; Israel will not only be restored spiritually but also physically and this will include a return to lands previously promised.