In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)
Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Alma 36: A Message of Hope!

Hi! My name is Kira Webster. I am a freshman at BYU and I am going to be serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 6 months! I am so excited! Here is an excerpt from my blog:

Every week, I am going to post some of my feelings from what I am currently reading in the Book of Mormon. Whether you are of my faith or not, I truly want you to know my feelings of the truths within this book. It is extremely special to me and I want to be able to share with you the things that I know to be true.

To me, Alma 36 is one of the most beautiful chapters within the Book of Mormon. No matter what each one of us may be experiencing in our lives, it is applicable at every stage of our life. Every single one of us makes mistakes. Whether we are making mistakes now or are trying to forgive ourselves for past sins, we can know there is hope for us because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He did much more than die on a cross for each and every person who has ever lived and will ever live. He took upon Himself our pains, our sins, our afflictions, our trials, and our infirmities. He is the one person who is not only there to support us but actually knows every emotion we are feeling. Through Him, we can overcome anything that may cross our path because He has already overcome it. We just have to look to Him always if we want to be able to do so.

In Alma 36:17, Alma talks about how he was reminded of all of his sins:

     And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by              the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

The first line of the scripture sounds absolutely horrible. The guilt, the regret and the sorrow Alma must have felt as he remembered his past and the terrible choices he had made must have been unbearable. Then the next line brings hope. Now when I talk about hope, I will always be referring to Jesus Christ. Without Him, we would feel as Alma does in the first line of this scripture at all times. We would not have someone by our side who knows EXACTLY how we feel. It is through Christ that we can repent and forgive ourselves for our past sins and when we do this our joy will exceed our pain (Alma 36:20).
I know this firsthand. I have not always made the best choices in my life. There have been times where I have felt as though I was too far beyond the help of the Savior, but that is NEVER true. Here is a quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles today (just like James, Peter and John were during Christ’s time).

I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable (Matthew 20:1-15), but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines (“The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign, May 2012).

Like the Savior was there for Alma, He will always be there for us. He is just waiting for us to reach out to Him.

Elder Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, explained the central beliefs of Mormonism with the very center being the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of Mankind.  Elder Holland explained that the Church of Jesus Christ is not part of the Christian reformation that sought to reform the abuses and missteps of Christian orthodoxy, but is instead the complete restoration of lost power and authority that used to reside with Christ’s original apostles.  He emphasized that this is the only Church on earth that has that power and authority, and that it has come from Christ Himself through heavenly messengers.

That some do not consider Mormons Christians, Elder Holland acknowledged.  He stated that Mormons believe in the Christ and Heavenly Father of the Bible and not of the Christian councils (like the Athanasian Councils) that redefined the Godhead into an incomprehensible being.

“What brings me to you today is not a message of reformation but of restoration,” he said, “the restoration of that church Christ established by His hand in the meridian of time and which He has reestablished by His hand in this present time.”

“We are not considered ‘Christian’ by some, I suppose because we are not fourth-century Christians, we are not Athanasian Christians, we are not creedal Christians of the brand that arose hundreds of years after Christ,” he said. “No, when we speak of ‘restored Christianity’ we speak of the Church as it was [before] … great councils were called to debate and anguish over what it was they really believed.  So if one means Greek-influenced, council-convening, philosophy-flavored Christianity of post-apostolic times, we are not that kind of Christian.  Peter we know, and Paul we know, but Constantine and Athanasius, Athens and Alexandria we do not know.  (Actually, we know them, we just don’t follow them.)

Thus, we teach that:

• God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are separate and distinct beings with glorified bodies of flesh and bone.  As such we stand with the historical position that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament]”[15]  We take Christ literally at His word—that He “came down from heaven, not to do [His] own will, but the will of him that sent [him.]”[16]  Of His antagonists He said they have “hated both me and my Father.[17]  These, along with scores of other references, including His pleading prayers, make clear Jesus’ physical separation from His Father.  However, having affirmed the point of Their separate and distinct physical nature, we declare unequivocally that They were indeed “one” in every other conceivable way—in mind and deed, in will and wish and hope, in faith and purpose and intent and love.  They are most assuredly much more alike than They are different in all the ways I have just said, but They are separate and distinct beings as all fathers and sons are.  In this matter we differ from traditional creedal Christianity but agree with the New Testament.

• We also differ with fourth and fifth century Christianity by declaring that the scriptural canon is not closed, that the heavens are open with revelatory experience, and that God meant what He said when He promised Moses, “My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease.”[18]   We believe that God loves all His children and that He would never leave them for long without the instrumentality of prophets and apostles, authorized agents of His guidance and direction.  The Book of Mormon and other canonized scripture, as well as the role of living oracles, witnesses to the fact that God continues to speak.  We agree enthusiastically with the insightful Protestant scholar who inquired, “On what biblical or historical grounds has the inspiration of God been limited to the written documents that the church now calls its Bible . . . If the Spirit inspired only the written documents of the first century, does that mean that the same Spirit does not speak today . . . about matters that are of significant concern?”[19]

• Lastly, for today, we are unique in the modern Christian world regarding one matter which a prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called “our most distinguishing feature.”[20] That is, divine priesthood authority to provide the saving sacraments—the ordinances—of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The holy priesthood, which has been restored to the earth by those who held it anciently, signals the return of divine authorization.  It is different from all other man-made powers and authorities on the face of the earth.  Without it there could be a church in name only, and it would be a church lacking in authority to administer in the things of God.  This restoration of priesthood authority eases centuries of anguish among those who knew certain ordinances and sacraments were essential, but lived with the doubt as to who had the right to administer them.  Breaking ecclesiastically with his more famous brother John over the latter’s decision to ordain without any divine authority to do so, Charles Wesley wrote:

“How easily are bishops made

By man or woman’s whim:

Wesley his hands on Coke hath laid,

But who laid hands on him?”[21]

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we can answer the question of “who laid hands on him” all the way back to Christ Himself.  The return of such authority is truly “the most distinguishing feature” of our faith.

 

 

*Read the full transcript of Elder Holland’s Talk.

*Listen to the Audio of the Question and Answer Period.

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as the Ward Mission Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints define the priesthood as “the eternal power and authority of God.” Members of the Church undeniably profess that through the priesthood God created and governs the heavens and the earth, and that it is through that power He redeems and exalts His children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

President John Taylor, the 3rd President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught:

[Priesthood] is … the principle and power by which [God] regulates, controls, dictates and manages His affairs, His worlds, His kingdoms, His principalities, His powers, His intelligences, and all things that are underneath Him and above Him, and with which He has to do.

The power manifested by the priesthood is simply the power of God, for he is the head of the priesthood … ; and it is upon this principle that all the works of God have been accomplished, whether on the earth or in the heavens; and any manifestation of power through the priesthood on the earth is simply a delegated power from the priesthood in the heavens, and the more the priesthood on the earth becomes assimilated with and subject to the priesthood in the heavens the more of this power shall we possess.

Latter-day Saints believe that the Biblical miracles performed by prophets and apostles were performed by the power of the priesthood. These include the miracles of Jesus, who holds all of the keys of the priesthood. They further believe that the same priesthood power and authority which existed in Biblical times exists on the earth today. Therefore, Latter-day Saints believe the priesthood to be the power and authority of God, and that wherever that power and authority (and keys) are present, there is the priesthood. Hence, in modern times, the priesthood provides the authority for a priesthood holder to act as a leader in the Church and to perform sacred ordinances. Latter-day Saints further believe that acts (in particular, sacred ordinances) performed by someone holding priesthood authority are recognized by God and are binding in Heaven, on earth, and in the afterlife.

This principle is set forth in the scriptures as recorded in Matthew 16:19, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Modern day revelation as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, section 128, verse 8 provides further clarification to this teaching:

Now, the nature of this ordinance consists in the power of the priesthood, by the revelation of Jesus Christ, wherein it is granted that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Or, in other words, taking a different view of the translation, whatsoever you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven, and whatsoever you do not record on earth shall not be recorded in heaven; for out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their own propria persona, or by the means of their own agents, according to the ordinance which God has prepared for their salvation from before the foundation of the world, according to the records which they have kept concerning their dead.

In the New Testament book of Revelation, in Revelation 1:6 are recorded these words, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Who are these “Priests” who comprise this “royal priesthood“? Modern day revelation found in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 76, verses 54 through 60 gives some insight to help answer that question:

They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— they are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; and are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things.

In Matthew 22:14 are recorded these words, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Latter-day Saint doctrine teaches that in order to exercise priesthood power or authority a person must (1) be called by God, (2) be ordained or endowed with priesthood power by one having proper authority, and (3) receive the necessary priesthood keys, either through ordination to an office or through being set apart.

God gives priesthood authority to worthy male members of the Church so they can act in His name for the salvation of His children. Male members of the Church may begin their Mormon priesthood service when they reach the age of 12. They begin by holding the Aaronic Priesthood, and they later may qualify to have the Melchizedek Priesthood conferred on them. Priesthood holders can be authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, and govern the kingdom of God on the earth. As they prepare themselves to receive different responsibilities, they hold different offices in the priesthood, such as deacon, teacher, or priest in the Aaronic Priesthood and elder or high priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The fifth Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states, “We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.” And in the Bible, Hebrews 5:4 reminds us that, “no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” Therefore, in order for a male member of the Church to hold the priesthood, it must be conferred upon him by an authorized priesthood holder who in turn ordains him to an office in that priesthood. This is further clarified in modern-day scripture as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, section 42:11, “Again I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church.”

It should well be remembered and understood that although the authority of the priesthood is bestowed only on worthy male members of the Church, the blessings of the priesthood are available to all—men, women, and children. Everyone benefits from the influence of righteous priesthood leadership; therefore, everyone has the privilege of receiving the saving ordinances of the priesthood. The most important exercise of the priesthood takes place in the family. Each husband and father in the Church should strive to be worthy to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. With his wife as an equal partner, he presides in righteousness and love, serving as the spiritual leader of his home. He leads his family in regular prayer, scripture study, and Family Home Evening. He gives priesthood blessings for direction, healing, and comfort. And, realizing that salvation is a family affair, he works with his wife to teach their children and help them prepare to receive the ordinances of salvation.  Mormon women perform priesthood ordinances in the temples of God, and the covenants they make in those same holy temples promise an eternal priesthood to every worthy woman in the Church.

In the Bible, in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 2:9 are found these words, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” As priesthood holders – the “chosen generation” of the “royal priesthood”, the Savior gives this gentle reminder as recorded in the Bible, in John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

Additional Resources:

 Mormon Temple Ritual

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Blacks in the Mormon Priesthood

Mormon Families

My Thanksgiving memories are a blur of ordinary things — family gatherings, fall leaves, cozy fires, parades, touch football, pumpkin pie, turkey and trimmings. Flickers and flurries and fun. My memories are dotted wits.h the classic elementary school holiday crafts — tracings of tiny hands made to look like turkey feathers — and dinner table chatter. I’ll never forget the Thanksgiving our neighbor boy, who was spending the holiday with us, gave us all a lecture on the origin of the word “cornucopia” that lasted the whole meal. We ate in silence, and laughed about it afterward. What a personality, he was, an endearing one.

My Thanksgiving traditions are typical, but I’m OK with that. It seems fitting, because for me — a woman who believes in a God who grants me daily breath — Thanksgiving is a blessed opportunity to celebrate the richness and wonder of the ordinary things I usually take for granted, like waking up each day, like a healthy body that moves and functions as it should, like the people in my life who love me and forgive me when I make mistakes, like laughter and safety and sunlight. It’s the ordinary things that make up the bulk of our lives. It’s the ordinary things that make us human and bind us all together as people and as Americans.

My faith in the gospel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known erroneously to many as the “Mormon Church,” is at the top of my list of things to be thankful for. It shapes every part of my daily life. It defines who I am. It lifts me out of hopelessness and strengthens me in moments of weakness. My country — the United States of America — is also at the top of my list. The freedoms it stands for, including the freedom of religion, made possible the restoration of the true gospel of Jesus Christ and the birth of the religion I am blessed to be a part of today. Mormonism is a uniquely American-born faith.

It began with Jesus Christ, his twelve apostles and the organization they established in Jerusalem hundreds of years ago, but it began anew with Joseph Smith, a 14-year-old farm boy from upstate New York. In the spring of 1820, Joseph knelt in prayer in a quiet grove of trees near his home, asking God which of the many churches he should join. God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph in a vision, telling him that none of the churches were entirely true and whole, that perfect truth had been lost in the world. From that day onward, Joseph dedicated his life to carrying out the will of God in restoring the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth.

This vision and the work and sacrifice that followed it flourished because of the foundational values of the United States and the tirelessness with which Americans fight for the right to worship how, where, and what they may. This freedom and the fierceness with which it is protected are American. I am American. I am grateful to be American and grateful to celebrate America’s history and subscribe to its traditions, as “ordinary” as they may be.

______________________

For more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, use the following links:

Basic beliefs and real Mormons

Jesus.Christ.org

Mormon News

Jesus Christ’s ministry was one of preaching and miracles, but it was also one of organization.  Before His sacrifice, and also after His resurrection, Christ was concerned with setting up His Church.  He called people like Peter, James, and John to be Apostles and Prophets.  He gave them the authority to act in His name and preach His gospel.  This authority is the priesthood.  Luke 6:12-16 tells us that Jesus Christ chose apostles and identifies them, as follows . . . “and it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the sonof Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.” The calling of apostles was a matter of considered prayer and heavenly power.  Note again that the priesthood is what Mormons believe to be the power by which God calls people to do His work, by His power.  They believe that this is the power that Jesus Christ conferred upon His apostles.

Jesus Christ’s crucifixion did not end the authority of the apostles.  They continued to receive revelation for the Church, which policies and principles they taught to the people and recorded.  As an illustrative example from Acts, originally, the apostles would not preach to the Gentiles.  But Peter received a vision.  He saw a great sheet descending from heaven, which held animals held by the Law of Moses to be unclean.  He heard a voice telling him to kill and eat, but Peter refused, saying the animals were unclean.  The voice told him that which the Lord had cleansed, Peter couldn’t call unclean.  Through this vision and the further guidance of the Spirit, Peter learned that the gospel was to be, taken to the Gentiles as well as the Jews (Acts 10).  This policy change was made by the Lord, conveyed by revelation, and acted upon by those who had been given priesthood authority by Him.

The apostles also acted as missionaries, traveling to different lands while preaching the gospel.  Persecution followed Christ’s Church, however.  The lives of the apostles were often endangered and many were martyred.  Many people had not received their message.  Even some baptized into Jesus Christ’s Church began to stray from the teachings of the gospel.

With the death of the apostles, God’s authority, the priesthood, passed from the earth.  Persecution continued for about two and a half centuries.  The surviving Church became legalized in Rome and eventually became its state religion.  However, without direct revelation from God, members turned to their own wisdom and their own education to explain matters of God and interpret the scriptures.  This resulted in the confusion of many of the original doctrines of Christianity, as well as in some outright false doctrines about God, Jesus Christ, and His Church.

Christian practices mixed with the practices of other religions, perhaps as a part of being accepted by Rome.  Also, while originally the Christian faith had been upheld by the “weak” of the world, it may be that as the powerful began to embrace it, some tenets of faith inconsistent with their power were changed.  Some teachers of the early Christian Church were prideful and wanted the praise of the world and the goods of the world. Such essential parts of Jesus Christ’s gospel as charity and love for one’s fellow man were put aside for glory and riches.  The exact details are difficult to know – but a shift happened inside the Church, and the period often called the Dark Ages soon followed.

Indeed, the world fell into apostasy.   The truth, power, and authority of the gospel were no longer on the earth. Those who led the people were not prophets, and the wisdom of men alone is insufficient to lead the Church.  This does not mean that God and Jesus Christ completely ignored mankind, for God will never simply abandon His children.  Even in the Dark Ages, the Spirit gave insight and guidance to individuals.  The invention of the printing press turned the ownership of books from something only allotted those in power and, instead, gave t the opportunity to everyone.  The Renaissance, with its advances in art, science, and education, is seen as inspired and driven by the will of God.  And the Reformation encouraged Christians to learn the Bible for themselves.

And in Mormon belief, the Spirit led Christopher Columbus to the Americas, for Mormons believe that the discovery of the Americas was key to God’s plan for the earth. The United States of America was founded partly on religious toleration.  This religious toleration was essential for the return of Jesus Christ’s gospel in its fullness and purity.

The restoration of the Church of Christ came about through Joseph Smith. 1830 marked the official organization of the Church of Christ (later called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and nicknamed the Mormon Church) and the end of the Great Apostasy. The authority to act in God’s name, the priesthood, have been restored.  We have apostles on the earth again, and a living prophet, guided by revelation from God, directs Jesus Christ’s Church.

For centuries man did not have the power to act in God’s name, then in 1829, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, was translating the Book of Mormon. With Oliver Cowdery, his scribe, Joseph Smith read a passage about baptism in 3 Nephi 11:21-27. They decided to ask God about baptism and what they needed to do. On May 15, 1829, while they were praying in the woods a heavenly messenger appeared. Joseph Smith recorded, “we still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us.” The messenger told them that he was John the Baptist. He gave Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith the Aaronic or lesser priesthood, which has the authority to baptize. In Joseph Smith History Joseph recorded what John the Baptist said when he gave them the Aaronic priesthood, “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.” Joseph and Oliver then baptized each other in the Susquehanna River. For the first time in centuries man on earth had the authority to act in God’s name.

Joseph and Oliver were also taught by John the Baptist that the Aaronic priesthood did not have the authority to give the gift of the Holy Ghost, and that they would be given another order of the priesthood to do this. Just a short time after receiving the Aaronic priesthood from John the Baptist, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were visited by the Apostles Peter, James and John. These heavenly messengers gave Joseph and Oliver the Melchizedek or greater priesthood. This priesthood gave them the authority to organize Christ’s Church on the earth, and give the gift of the Holy Ghost. Joseph and Oliver were then ordained as Apostles to be special witnesses of Christ. The authority carried by Jesus Christ’s original Twelve Apostles was now restored.

Other Links:

Joseph Smith – Home
Joseph Smith, Jr. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph Smith – American Prophet
Joseph Smith Daguerreotype
JS-H 1
Joseph Smith
BBC – Religion & Ethics – The Story of Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith first learned about the existence of the golden plates from an angel in 1823.  In 1827 he was entrusted with the golden plates and charged with a mission to translate them and deliver their message to the world.  Buried with the plates were the Urim and Thummim, the devices prepared for the purpose of translation from ancient times.

Each witness seems to have a differing account of the method by which the translation took place, each of which may be correct, since history suggests that Joseph Smith struggled with a few methods to find the one that worked best.  One account describes Joseph wearing the breastplate of the Urim and Thummim and looking directly at the plates through the two stones set in a silver bow.  The other widely-recorded method tells of Joseph putting his own personal seer stone in a hat and placing his face in the hat to block out all light.  The plates were left covered when using this method.  What Joseph saw through the interpreters or his seer stone is also the speculation of his scribes and other acquaintances based on their conversations with him.  Each scribe reported Joseph dictating one sentence at a time, spelling out words or names if he did not know the pronunciation, and then having them read back the sentence to confirm.

The language of the Book of Mormon is written in the language of the King James Version of the Bible, the one Joseph read and was familiar with, and contains elements of 1830 New York dialect.  This seems to suggest that Joseph Smith was instrumental in formulating the language.  Some who knew him during the translation supposed that he actually saw the words appear in English, but whether this was a physical manifestation or a mental one is not known.  The particulars of the Book of Mormon translation will remain a mystery, but from the process observed by others, and the time frame within which it was accomplished (two months), it was a supernatural effort.

Said Emma Smith to her son shortly before her death: “I am satisfied that no man could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired. For when acting as his scribe, your father would dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him. This was a usual thing for him to do. It would have been improbable that a learned man could do this, and for one so ignorant and unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible” (Saints’ Herald 26 (1879):290).

Said Oliver Cowdery: “I wrote with my own pen the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet as he translated it by the gift and power of God by means of the Urim and Thummim, or as it is called by that book, holy interpreters. I beheld with my eyes and handled with my hands the gold plates from which it was translated. I also beheld the Interpreters. That book is true. … I wrote it myself as it fell from the lips of the Prophet” (“Journal of Reuben Miller,” 21 Oct. 1848; for background see R. L. Anderson, “Reuben Miller, Recorder of Oliver Cowdery’s Reaffirmations,” BYU Studies 8 (1968):277).

Urim and Thummim

“The urim and tumim are associated with the breastplate worn by the High Priest. This breastplate had twelve precious stones, arranged in four rows of three, upon which the names of the tribes were engraved: ‘The stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve in their names, engraved, each person with his name on it, for the twelve tribes’ (Exodus 28:21). A later verse instructs, ‘And you shall place in the Breastplate of Judgment the urim and the tumim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart when he comes before G-d, and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before G-d, always’ (Exodus 28:30).

“While the High Priests wearing of the breastplate atoned for the Courts mistakes in judgment, the urim and tumim inside the breastplate dispensed judgment of their own. Rashi explains that when the Jewish People needed to know something of great import, the urim and tumim could be consulted to reveal the will of G-d, as in the verse, ‘Before Elazar the priest, [Joshua] will stand and seek from him the judgment of the urim’ (Numbers 27:21). Urim and tumim, Rashi explains, refers to a special name of G-d that was written and placed in the fold of the breastplate through which the breastplate illuminated and clarified its message. This, the Talmud explains, is the source of its name: urim being related to or, the Hebrew word for light; tumim being related to tam meaning perfect (Yoma 73b).

“Ramban describes the phenomenon in greater detail: ‘[The urim, (specifically)] were holy names, by whose power the letters on the stones of the breastplate lit up to the eyes of the priest who was asking for judgment. For example, when they asked ‘who should lead the way for us to fight against the Canaanites?’ the priest would concentrate on the Divine names which are the urim, and the letters would light up to his eyes [But] he still did not know their correct order, for from the letters which can be ordered ‘Yehuda ya’aleh (Judah shall go up) it is possible to make of them’hey al Yehuda‘ (woe unto Judah) and many other words’” (Ohr.edu, Jewish Information Resource: Urim and Thummim).

“The law and the prophets” is a phrase used several times in the Bible.  In each usage, the term is synonymous with “the scriptures.”  The sacred writings used to teach the word and laws of God by the Jews of Jesus’ day were the books of the Old Testament.  The “law” refers to the first five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  In these books is the Law of Moses as given to the children of Israel.  The purpose of this law was to be a schoolmaster to remind them of Christ and prepare them for the higher law (Galatians 3:24).  The “prophets” refers to the historical and prophetic books of the Old Testament — the historical books from Joshua to Esther, and the prophetic books from Isaiah to Malachi.  The purpose of these prophesies was to foretell the coming of Jesus Christ.  Also included in the Old Testament are “the writings.”  These are the poetical books such as Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.  Jesus refers to them with the law and the prophets in Luke 24:44.  Their purpose is also the same; they profess the glory of the Lord and His love for His people.  When the phrase “the law and the prophets” is used in the New Testament, it is used in the same way that “the Bible” is used today, indicating the sacred writings instructing the people of God how to live.

Mormons believe that in Luke 16:16 the “law and the prophets were until John” means John was the last prophet to precede the coming of Jesus Christ, the last prophet of the old covenant.  As Jesus said, the law and prophets, meaning the scriptures and former covenant with God’s people, will not be destroyed, but fulfilled (Matthew 5:17).  The prophets had preached and written of the coming of the Son of God.  The Law of Moses was symbolic of the Savior’s sacrifice.  With that sacrifice, all that the law had symbolized was completed; all that the prophets had spoken of was accomplished.  From that point on, the law and the prophets did not anticipate the coming of Jesus Christ, for He had already come and established a new covenant.  Now the preaching was of Christ who had already come, and the gospel He set forth.

Much of the debate over the interpretation of Luke 16:16 may be in the definition of a prophet.  As stated before, one definition not clearly understood is the use of “prophets” in the New Testament to mean scripture.  The Lord could not have meant there would be no more scripture, for none of the books of the New Testament had been written yet.  Another misunderstanding could be in the concept of prophet as one who predicts the future.  In this case it is understandable why some would see no more need for prophets.  Old Testament prophets spoke of the Lord coming at some future date.  It is quite a leap of deductive logic to assume that because Jesus had come, the need for prophets was over.  Again, it may be the false conception of the role of prophets underlying this.  The need to foretell of His coming is certainly over, but if prophets are those speaking for the Lord, then the need for them will never end.  This is precisely what Mormons believe the duty of a prophet is.  Before the Lord had come, the prophets foretold of Him and so the association of future telling came to be.  However, the truthfulness of the words of the prophets is of more importance, and this is what Mormons see as the crucial role of a prophet–to testify of truth.  Rather than foretelling, the role of a prophet is forth-telling, characterized by the phrase, And thus saith the Lord. . .

Now that believers have seen Jesus Christ come as fulfillment of prophecy, and it is part of history, some people now think the prophets are unnecessary, citing Luke 16:16 among other scriptures as proof.  But Mormons believe that the church Jesus organized under the twelve apostles and other leaders to testify of Him, preach the gospel, and administer to the believers has been restored in these days.  The apostles act just as prophets of old had, and it is merely a change in title.  They speak with authority and on behalf of God, of things past and things to come.  Revelation has not ceased.  Jesus said of His followers, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father (John 14:12).  This does not indicate that prophecies and miracles have ceased, but the opposite.  After the ascension of the Lord, the apostles performed miracles, received revelation, and prophesied.  The spirit of prophecy is one of the gifts talked about by Paul to be sought after by the followers of Jesus Christ.  In this sense a prophet is one who speaks by the spirit of prophecy, which is the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 19:10).  This will be ever-present with the people of God.

Mormons believe in the same organization set up by Jesus during His ministry to administer the gospel.  The Mormon Church, also known as the LDS Church, is organized with a quorum of twelve apostles as its leaders.  These apostles are prophets, seers, and revelators under the new covenant the Lord issued during His ministry.  They speak the will of the Lord as prophecy, which has more to do with truth than future events.  In Luke 16:16 Jesus said the law and the prophets were until John.  This meant the old covenant with the children of Israel, written and taught in the scriptures of that day, was fulfilled.  Now there is a new covenant for the people of God to live by, with new laws and new prophets.

Joseph Smith’s ancestors were ordinary New England farm people who emigrated from England to America in the seventeenth century and settled in Massachusetts. Joseph Smith was born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, the son of Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith.

Impressing the Stranger

(Joseph Smith an American Prophet by J. Evans)

One day, in the early summer of 1844, Josiah Quincy, the sophisticated mayor of Boston, with his cousin, Charles Francis Adams, visited Nauvoo, Illinois. Nauvoo was then the largest town in the state. It had been built on a bog by the Mormons, and was at this time occupied by some twenty-five thousand of them. The famous visitors were shown the sights by Joseph Smith himself, who also explained to them the Mormon faith.

Quincy observed the Prophet closely. He noted his size and looks, his dress, his language, his mannerisms, the play of his features as he talked, his way with people, how these regarded him, his ideas on religion and public questions-everything, in short, that an educated observer of men would be likely to notice in one of whom he had heard strange things. He even fished out of a waste-paper basket some letters from English converts-which he read.

From that interview Josiah Quincy went home and wrote an essay on the Mormon prophet, which he later published in his book, Figures of the Past. The beginning and the end of this paper are interesting as they show the impression made by Joseph Smith on one who was an adept at sizing up his contemporaries.

“It is by no means improbable,” he begins, “that some future text-book for the use of generations yet unborn will contain a question something like this: ‘What historical American of the nineteenth century has exerted the most powerful influence upon the destinies of his countrymen?’ And it is by no means impossible that the answer to that interrogatory may be thus written: ‘Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet.’ And the reply, absurd as it doubtless seems to most men now living, may be an obvious commonplace to their descendants. History deals in surprises and paradoxes quite as startling as this.”

More about Joseph Smith:

JOSEPH SMITH Mormon Prophet – The First Vision

Joseph Smith was only fourteen years old when he experienced what few boys or men have. Known as the first vision, where young Joseph Smith was visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ, there has never been an event more glorious or controversial. It has been described as possibly being the most singular event to ever occur on the earth since the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is hard to believe for some and it is hard for some to explain.  However, it was a real event, an event that has changed the course of human history…. (Read more)

Translation of the Book of Mormon

The exact process by which the Book of Mormon was translated is known only to Joseph Smith.  He described it only as through the “gift and power of God.”  That he used translators, the “urrim and Thummim” is known, but eventually Joseph grew into seership and didn’t need their help…. (Read more)

Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Priesthood

The priesthood is given by God to man, so that they may have the authority to act in His name. Jesus Christ gave the priesthood to the Twelve Apostles, but after the ascension of Christ, as the Apostles died or were killed, the authority of the priesthood was lost…. (Read more)

Joseph Smith is the first modern prophet of The Church learn more by attending a local meetinghouse today.

This is a list of principles and Mormon Beliefs that may be of interest to those who want to know more about the Mormon Church. We know that when we humbly seek the truth we can be blessed by finding it and understanding it. We hope that these brief articles will help you gain a better understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it was restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that you will be interested in knowing more. Please remember that if you want to know more about the Mormon Church you can always contact a member in your area or you can request a free copy of the Book of Mormon. Enjoy your reading.

Accountability (Agency) is the ability of each person to choose right or wrong and to act freely. Mormons believe this is a marvelous gift from God . . . (Read more)

Baptism is very important in Mormonism. The fourth Article of Faith, authored by Joseph Smith, states that Mormons “believe that the first principles and ordinances . . . (Read more)

Charity, according to scripture,. . . “is the pure love of Christ”, “suffereth long, and is kind”, “envieth not”, “is not puffed up”, “doth not behave itself unseemly” . . . (Read more)

Faith in Jesus Christ is regarded as one of “the first principles and ordinances of the gospel” of God (Articles of Faith, 4) . . . (Read more)

Fasting, a voluntary abstinence from food, has been practiced for centuries as a way for the Lord’s people to humble themselves before Him and increase their ability to receive blessings . . . (Read more)

Forgiveness is an essential part of enjoying happiness in this life and salvation in the life to come. A study of the scriptures reveals two aspects of forgiveness . . . (Read more)

Law of Chastity is a necessary set of commandments. Heavenly Father gave all men and women the sacred power to procreate and has given these precise commandments regarding the use of this power. If men and women obey the commandments governing procreation they enjoy blessings on earth and in the eternities. . . (Read more)

Obedience is the first law of heaven, in the belief of the Mormon Church. To progress in this life, men and women must be obedient to the truths that come from the Lord . . . (Read more)

Prayer is the way by which any person can communicate directly with his Heavenly Father. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons or LDS Church) believe prayer is necessary for each person to build a close relationship with the Lord. This relationship is necessary to live righteously and to receive guidance from the Lord. . . . (Read more)

Repentance is the second principle of the Gospel in Mormon doctrine. Repentance is required for salvation: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)… When one develops faith in Jesus Christ and begins to understand the purpose of mortal life, he or she will desire to repent. (Read more)

Sabbath Day is Sunday in the Mormon Church in most countries. The Sabbath is a day of rest, following the initial example of the Lord during the Creation: “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he has mad. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” (Genesis 2:2-3) . . . (Read more)

Sacrament, in Mormon belief and doctrine, is a ceremony of eating bread and drinking water which are symbols, or reminders, of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which He willingly gave up during His atoning sacrifice for all . . . (Read more)

Sacrifice has been basic to the gospel since the beginning of time, as a way to obey the Lord’s commandments and show devotion to Him. The Lord commanded the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, to offer sacrifices of the firstborn of their flocks . . . (Read more)

Service is a necessary element in becoming more charitable and Christ-like. To show charity, which they view as the pure love of Jesus Christ, Mormons seek for opportunities to serve their fellow men . . . (Read more)

Spiritual Gifts, received from the Lord, come as a result of being faithful and worthy (obedient to the commandments of God in all aspects of life) . . . (Read more)

Testimony is an individual’s beliefs and faith. A testimony comes through study and prayer, and it is a gift from Heavenly Father to His children . . . (Read more)

Tithing, or tithe, means a tenth part. The paying of tithing to the Lord and His church has been a commandment for thousands of years. The first record of tithing is found in Genesis 14:20, where Abraham paid tithing to Melchizedek. In the biblical days of the Lord’s church, tithing was considered not only a commandment but also a law of the land . . . (Read more)

Word of Wisdom is a strict code of conduct Mormons follow, regarding the care and respect of their physical bodies. Mormons believe their bodies to be sacred gifts from God–gifts for which Jesus Christ has paid the ultimate price. Our bodies are made after the likeness of the Lord and should be treated as sacred. Members of the Mormon Church are taught from a young age to respect their bodies as temples wherein the Spirit of the Lord can reside . . . (Read more)

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