You probably can, but what is the point, vi is used in LFS book Chapter 9, for LFS configuration, so learn to use it!! You would still have to use BLFS, to download and install nano!!
Thank you for that, but I/m not planning to get started with that imminently, perhaps not this year … I have too many distractions that must be handled before I can devote the focus such a project will entail. When I’m ready, I know where to find you if I need help with anything. 
Yes, I just mentioned that you don’t have to go “by the book” all the time. You just need to have the dependencies and needed software installed first. That’s all about LFS from me..
With LFS, you only have wget, for a short time while fetching the tarballs needed for compiling LFS!! I have found that to have wget, after the LFS base is compiled, is to navigate to BLFS and use wget to fetch the wget tarball and you will then fetch the packages needed to extend LFS into BLFS!!
I understand, LFS is time consuming, to say the least!! But it will show you just how and what Linux is built on, regardless of the Distro!!
I look forward to the experience!