I agree, especially about evolving doctrine and theology whereby Smith was progressive. However, it’s reasonable to think that Smith had the same idea of the temple of Nephi when he dictated the original story to Oliver and then later brought it up again in the Times and Seasons from an archeological standpoint. But in no case, was Smith wanting to get into specifics and left off from giving details. He did not want to discuss the construction of Nephi’s temple other than it was strongly reminiscent of Solomon’s temple. The Book of Mormon account did not want to get into anything having to do with the structure of the temple or what went on inside pertaining to the Law of Moses. Basically, we are told it was a place of teaching, learning, and gathering. The precious materials that were not to be found upon the land were all the finer things mentioned in the biblical account that could not have existed or been available to the Nephites at that time as they were just getting started. Later, the renovation of the temple (or a rebuilding as you suggested earlier), the long established Nephites would have had a full spectrum of all precious things under king Noah’s reign.
I think if Smith had given serious thought later on during his prophetic career in Nauvoo while dealing with all the problems of building the Nauvoo temple, he would have realized that there was no way the Nephite family could have worked stone to any degree as the Jews did in Jerusalem. The Kirtland temple was an eye-opener for Smith but the Nauvoo temple was an utter disaster. He just couldn’t get the job done and failed. His successors had to pick up the pieces and finish it before leaving Nauvoo for good.
TIMES AND SEASONS, Oct 1842 wrote:The committee find themselves very much perplexed in consequence of the brethren not coming forward as usual from their different wards, to perform their tenth of labor. They state that they cannot get sufficient stone quarried to supply the stone cutters at the Temple, and that some of them have been obliged to quit work in consequence, and that unless strenuous exertions are immediatley made, and the brethren come up promptly to their duty, the work will be greatly retarded, and perhaps have to stop; at all events the stone cutters will have to stop unless they get an immediate supply of stone. Brethren, such things ought not to be; “let us not be weary in well doing, for we shall reap in due time, if we faint not.” We have commenced a good work—we have been zealously engaged in it—we have spent a great deal of labor, and toil, and our expectations have been great when we have reflected upon the blessings that would flow to us through that medium. Let us begin this next week and continue our labors “until the topstone shall be raised with shoutings of grace! grace unto it!” The committee state that if they have a sufficiency of stone quarried, they can not only be progressing with the work this fall, but the stone cutters can be employed all the winter, and thus have a great quantity of hewn stone ready to commence with as soon as the spring opens which will greatly facilitate the progress of the work.
In any case, this thread has essentially become a two for one deal. First, the Nephites couldn’t have built a temple with stone. Second, the modern Church today is propitiating propaganda to advance their cause in promoting faith in demonstrating that Nephi’s temple was built with stone. At least we agree on the latter.