Menu

Joseph Smith

116pages

Get to Know Joseph Smith Part 11: Pages Lost, Power to Translate Lost

,

The Lost Manuscript: A Time of Sorrow and Revelation

From the spring through early summer 1828, Joseph Smith and Martin Harris diligently worked on the translation of the golden plates.  By June 14, 1828, they had completed 116 pages of manuscript.

But doubt crept in.  Martin’s wife, Lucy Harris, was skeptical of Joseph and deeply suspicious of the translation process.  She believed Martin was being deceived by Joseph Smith.

Desperate to prove the work’s legitimacy, Martin pleaded with Joseph to let him take the manuscript home.  Joseph Smith inquired of the Lord and received a firm no.  Martin, dissatisfied, insisted that Joseph ask again. The answer came again– no.  Still, Martin needed to convince his wife and asked Joseph to once again ask the Lord for a third time.

After much hesitation by Joseph and many solicitations by Martin, Joseph asked and received an answer. Martin could take the pages with the stipulation that he only shows the pages to his wife, his brother, his parents, and Lucy’s sister.  Martin made Joseph a covenant to abide to these terms.

But he broke his covenant.

While Martin was away, Joseph and Emma experienced both joy and heartbreak.  Emma gave birth to a boy, but the baby died shortly after birth.  Emma’s grief was immense, wishing for death herself.  For two weeks she lingered in emotional and physical pain.  Joseph was sleepless and consumed with worry.

As Emma slowly began to recover, Joseph’s anxiety turned from his wife to Martin.  It had been nearly three weeks since he’d handed over the 116 pages and Joseph had not received word from Martin.

Sensing Joseph’s growing distress, Emma suggested he travel to Palmyra, New York to find out what had happened.  She would stay with her parents while he made the journey.

Joseph Smith’s Journey Back to Palmyra

The trip was exhausting. Already emotionally and physically worn out, Joseph Smith could not eat or sleep. His soul was heavy with dread because of the possible condemnation he and Martin were under.

he stagecoach could not take him all the way, and he was forced to travel the final twenty miles on foot. One kind fellow passenger offered to walk with him to the Smith home. For the final four miles, Joseph was so exhausted that the man had to lead him by the arm, as Joseph was falling asleep while walking.

Upon arrival, Joseph ate a small amount then immediately requested for someone to fetch Martin Harris.

At eight o’clock the family set a meal on the table expecting Martin Harris at any moment.  Hours passed with no sign of Martin.  Finally, at 12:30, Martin was seen walking slowly towards the house, head downcast.

Martin Harris, the scribe of Joseph Smith

He stopped at the gate and sat on the fence for a while with his hat over his eyes.  Eventually, he entered the house and sat down as if to eat with a knife and fork in hand.  Hyrum Smith remarked about Martin’s lack of eating at which Harris put his hands to his temples crying out:

“Oh, I have lost my soul!  I have lost my soul!”

Joseph lept up from the table:

“Martin, have you lost the manuscript?  Have you broken your oath, and brought down condemnation upon my head as well as your own?”

Martin Harris honestly answered Joseph’s exclamation and responded

“Yes; it is gone, and I do not know where.”

Joseph wept bitterly, pacing the room and crying:

“All is lost!  All is lost!  What shall I do? I have sinned–it is I who tempted the wrath of God.  I should have been satisfied with the first answer which I received from the Lord; for he told me that it was not safe to let the writing go out of my possession.” (History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, 125-29)

A Divine Reprimand to Joseph Smith

Shortly after this heartbreaking experience, Joseph received a revelation from the Lord:

“Behold, you should have not feared man more than God.”
(Doctrine &Covenants 3:7)

For a time, Joseph Smith lost the privilege of translating the plates. It was a time of deep sorrow, repentance, and spiritual refinement, and a sobering reminder of the sacred trust Joseph had been given in translating.

To be continued…  In the meantime, read more of my posts

Image Credit: Personally composited two images from public use images provided from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Screen Shot 2020-10-17 at 8.27.01 PM

General Conference Time! Come Learn of Jesus

, , , , ,

It’s time for General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

Twice a year, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gather, either in person or online, for General Conference, a worldwide broadcast where we hear messages of hope, faith, and direction from living prophets, apostles, and other Church leaders.

general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

General Conference is an opportunity to receive counsel from the Lord’s chosen servants and to be uplifted by teachings centered on Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.  These messages are meant not only for church members, but for all who are seeking truth, peace, and purpose in today’s world.

I’ve written about General Conference before, and you can read more about it here.

If you’d like to read, listen to, or watch  you can visit the Church’s official website at churchofjesuschrist.org.  Whether you’re tuning in life or revisiting talks afterward, there’s always something that will speak to your heart and bring you closer to the Savior Jesus Christ.

Image Credit: Screenshot from broadcast

thegoldplates

Get to Know Joseph Smith Part 10: “I Cannot Read a Sealed Book”

, ,

Once Joseph Smith arrived in Harmony, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Emma, the sacred work of translating the golden plates began.  Joseph began by copying characters from the plates, then used the Urim and Thummim to translate the characters.

The Urim and Thummim consists of two parts.  The first part could be described as ancient eyeglasses.  The second part is a breastplate to which the glasses were attached. The Urim and Thummim were deposited in the stone box on the Hill Cumorah along side the plates.

An interpretation of how the Urim and Thummim looked that Joseph Smith used to translate the Golden Plates

Martin Harris Needs Proof From Joseph Smith

Not long after translation began, Martin Harris visited Joseph and arranged to take a copy of the characters, along with their translation to New York City.  His goal was to consult with experts on the authenticity of ancient characters.

Martin relates his experience:

I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments.  Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he ahd before seen traslated from the Egyptian.  I then showed him those which were net yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters.  He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct.  I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them.  I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.

He then said to me, “Let me see that certificate.”  I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as minstering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them.  I informed himthat part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them.  He replied, “I cannot read a sealed book.”  I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation. (Joseph Smith–History 1:64-65)

Prophecy Fulfilled!

What Martin Harris may not have realized at that time was that he had become part of the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy found in Isaiah 29:11-12:

11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:

12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.   (Isaiah 29:11-12)

Though the learned man rejected the divine source, Martin Harris was convinced of the authenticity of the translation.  He returned to Harmony and began assisting Joseph Smith in the translation process of the Book of Mormon.

Continue reading in Get to Know Joseph Part 11: Pages Lost, Power to Translate Lost

Image Credit:

Golden Plates by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Interpretation of the Urim and Thummim By David A. Baird/Historical Arts and Castings, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

restoration

The Prophet Joseph Smith: A Proclamation

, , ,

The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (The prophet and the senior leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) commemorated the bicentennial year of Joseph Smith’s first vision of Jesus Christ and God the Father. To honor the sacred event, they issued a historic proclamation to the world testifying of the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith and reaffirming the central truths restored through him.

If you’d like to know more about the life of Joseph Smith,  I’ve written several articles chronicling his life.

The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

This proclamation was read by President Russell M. Nelson as part of his message at the 190th Annual General Conference, April 5, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

We solemnly proclaim that God loves His children in every nation of the world. God the Father has given us the divine birth, the incomparable life, and the infinite atoning sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. By the power of the Father, Jesus rose again and gained the victory over death. He is our Savior, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer.

Two hundred years ago, on a beautiful spring morning in 1820, young Joseph Smith, seeking to know which church to join, went into the woods to pray near his home in upstate New York, USA. He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him.

In humility, we declare that in answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible. In this vision, he learned that following the death of the original Apostles, Christ’s New Testament Church was lost from the earth. Joseph would be instrumental in its return.

Joseph Smith having a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ

We affirm that under the direction of the Father and the Son, heavenly messengers came to instruct Joseph and re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ. The resurrected John the Baptist restored the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins. Three of the original twelve Apostles—Peter, James, and John—restored the apostleship and keys of priesthood authority. Others came as well, including Elijah, who restored the authority to join families together forever in eternal relationships that transcend death.

We further witness that Joseph Smith was given the gift and power of God to translate an ancient record: the Book of Mormon—Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Pages of this sacred text include an account of the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among people in the Western Hemisphere soon after His Resurrection. It teaches of life’s purpose and explains the doctrine of Christ, which is central to that purpose. As a companion scripture to the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies that all human beings are sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven, that He has a divine plan for our lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as well as in days of old.

We declare that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized on April 6, 1830, is Christ’s New Testament Church restored. This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.

Two hundred years have now elapsed since this Restoration was initiated by God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Millions throughout the world have embraced a knowledge of these prophesied events.

We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation. The earth will never again be the same, as God will “gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10).

With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to know—as we do—that the heavens are open. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Image Credit:
Cover Image: Dallas Golden
First Vision: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

IMG_4585-1

Get to Know Joseph Smith Part 9: Pennsylvania

, ,

Once it became known that Joseph Smith had the golden plates, the persecution and threats became unbearable.  Joseph and Emma knew they could no longer stay in Manchester, New York.  They made the decision to relocate to Harmony, Pennsylvania, in Susquehanna County, Emma’s childhood home. But there was one major problem: Joseph and Emma were very poor and couldn’t afford to make the move.

Fortunately, help came in the form of a generous $50 gift from a farmer by the name of Martin Harris, who believed in Joseph’s calling.  This act of faith would not only help Joseph Smith move, but would soon play a pivotal role in the translation of the Book of Mormon.

Even with the fund secured, the journey would prove to be a problem for Joseph and his wife.  Though many scoffed at the idea and claimed to not believe that Joseph had the gold plates, they were certainly anxious to get their hands on them.  Determined to protect the sacred record, Joseph hid the plates in a wood box and buried it in the bottom of a cask filled with beans.

Joseph Smith and the Hard Road to Harmony

Word spread quickly, and soon a mob of about fifty men formed with the intent to steal the plates.  The mob approached Dr. McIntyre to be their leader.  Instead of joining them, he rebuked them calling them a “pack of devilish fools” and ordering them to go home.  Without leadership, the mob fell into quarreling about who would then become their leader and soon disbanded.

But danger still loomed.  During the journey, Joseph and Emma were stopped by a law officer who presented Joseph Smith with a search warrant.  The officer believed he could get the plates.  When the officer found nothing, he left disappointed.

Their troubles weren’t over yet.  Later, a second officer stopped them again. This time the officer meticulously ransacked the Smiths’ wagon, but wasn’t able to find anything.  The plates remained safe.

Joseph Smith Farm in Harmony, Pennsylvania

Despite repeated attempts to steal or seize the plates, Joseph and Emma eventually arrived safely in Pennsylvania.  Once there, Joseph wasted no time.  He quickly began the sacred work of translation of the golden plates, bringing forth what would become the Book of Mormon.

Learn more about the Joseph Smith home in Harmony, Pennsylvania at churchofjesuschrist.org

Continue reading in Get to Know Joseph Smith Part 10: “I Cannot Read a Sealed Book”

Image Credit: Cover: Dallas Golden

Smith Home: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

_MG_8108

What Exactly is the Book of Mormon?

, , , , , ,

What is the Book of Mormon?

I asked my 10-year-old daughter what the Book of Mormon is.  She thought for a moment and said, “Some people talking about Jesus and their lives and some stuff like that.”

It made me smile.  That simple answer came from a child who has grown up in a home where she’s heard stories from the Book of Mormon, memorized verses, and felt the Spirit while learning about Jesus Christ.

And honestly– she’s not wrong.

The Book of Mormon is a book of scripture, written by ancient prophets who lived on the American continent. It testifies of Jesus Christ, His divinity, His teachings, and His love for all people. Just like the Bible, it was written by real people with real experiences, trying to follow God and help others do the same.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has published a short and inspiring video that gives a beautiful introduction to what the Book of Mormon is and why it matters. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s about, this is a great place to start.

 

Unfortunately, a one-minute video isn’t quite long enough to truly capture what the Book of Mormon is.

I probably won’t do it justice either, but I’ll give it a try.

The History

The Book of Mormon is a compilation of the writings of prophets much like the prophets of the Bible.

The first prophet we meet in the Book of Mormon is Lehi.  He lived in Jerusalem around 600 B.C., during the same time as the biblical prophet Jeremiah. Like Jeremiah, Lehi was warned by the Lord that the city would soon be destroyed. In response to this revelation, God commanded Lehi to take his family and flee into the wilderness.

Lehi and his family eventually reached the seashore. There, Lehi’s son Nephi (who is also the narrator of the first portion of the Book of Mormon) was instructed by the Lord on how to build a ship. Guided by divine direction, Nephi built the vessel, and the family set sail across the ocean to a promised land, which we now know as the American continent.

Establishing a Nation

Not all was well in Lehi’s family.  His two eldest sons, Laman and Lemuel, were constant complainers. They resisted the journey almost every step of the way, often arguing with Nephi and even rebelling against their father’s leadership.

After the family arrived in the promised land, the tension between the brothers eventually led to a split. Laman and Lemuel took their families and separated from Nephi and those who followed him. Over time, these two groups became distinct civilizations: the Nephites, named after Nephi, and the Lamanites, named after Laman.

Throughout the centuries, God continued to call prophets among these people. One of those prophets was Enos, whose story is a powerful example of sincere prayer and personal conversion. (You can watch a video my family made about Enos here.)

The spiritual state of the people constantly shifted—righteousness would rise and fall with each generation. Conflict between the Nephites and Lamanites became a recurring theme, especially as pride and wickedness crept in.

A large portion of the Book of Mormon is dedicated to the writings of a prophet named Alma. His record includes inspiring teachings, personal conversion stories, and detailed accounts of numerous wars and political struggles between the Nephites and Lamanites.

Why the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ

The crowning moment of the Book of Mormon is the visit of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the people on the American continent.

During His mortal ministry in Jerusalem, Christ said, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16).

Following his resurrection, Jesus Christ came to the American continent and ministered to the people for a short time. This sacred account can be found in 3 Nephi chapters 11 through 27 in the Book of Mormon.

For many years following Christ’s visit, there was peace in the land, However, that peace did not last.  Over time, pride and contention crept back into the lives of the people.  The Book of Mormon concludes with scenes of bloodshed and the complete destruction of the Nephite civilization.

One of the last surviving Nephites was Mormon, a prophet and historian.  He was responsible for compiling all of the available records, which is why the book bears his name.

Mormon passed the plates to his son Moroni, who was the last prophet to write in the Book of Mormon. Moroni then hid the plates in the earth, burying them in a hill that would one day be located in what is now upstate New York.

How We Got the Book of Mormon

In 1823, Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith as a resurrected being and began instructing him regarding the ancient record he had buried centuries earlier. Over time, Moroni guided Joseph in obtaining and eventually translating the plates into what we now know as The Book of Mormon.

If you’re interested in learning more, I encourage you to read the series of posts I’ve written about Joseph Smith. These cover his early life, his miraculous vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, the translation of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our day. The story begins with Getting to Know Joseph Part 1

In Conclusion

Rather than try to say it better myself, I’ll simply invite you to read the second half of the Introduction page in the Book of Mormon—it says it best.

Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

In addition to Joseph Smith, the Lord provided for eleven others to see the gold plates for themselves and to be special witnesses of the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon. Their written testimonies are included herewith as “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” and “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses.”

We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)

Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah.

Image Credit: Dallas Golden

josephsmithscreen

Joseph Smith For Those in a Hurry

, , , ,

Are you reading my Getting to Know Joseph Smith articles about the Prophet Joseph Smith? Are you getting impatient for me to finish? Or maybe you aren’t even that interested because you stumbled onto this site during your lunch break.

Of course, I would love for you to read them! I spent a lot of time researching and writing, hoping they would be helpful and meaningful.  But if you’re not quite ready to dive in just yet (spoiler: you should read them anyway!), there is an easier starting point.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has published a short video that does a great job of summing up Joseph Smith in just five minutes.  Give it a watch!  Then, if you’re curious to learn more, you can come back and read the longer Getting to Know Joseph Smith articles!

Also, don’t forget to check out the official website of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for even more information and resources!  You can even request an appointment receive a copy of the Book of Mormon, and to meet with a pair of missionaries, who will come to your home and personally teach you about the miracle of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Image Credit: Screenshot from video

Load More