The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon Next week: The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon ~ Lesson 3

Joseph Smith – History 1: 33-35 Isaiah 29: 4, 11-12, 18-19 2 Nephi 27: 12-14 Joseph Smith – History 1: 33-35

The Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. True or false? The Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God.

The Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. True or false? The Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. What are some of the ways the coming forth of the Book of Mormon occurred by ‘gift and power of God’?

…Joseph repeated on several occasions that it had been done ‘by the gift and power of God’ and once added, ‘It was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the book of Mormon.’ “Nevertheless, the scribes and others who observed the translation left numerous accounts that give insight into the process. Some accounts indicate that Joseph studied the characters on the plates. Most of the accounts speak of Joseph’s use of the Urim and Thummim (either the interpreters or the seer stone), and many accounts refer to his use of a single stone. According to these accounts, Joseph placed either the interpreters or the seer stone in a hat, pressed his face into the hat to block out extraneous light, and read aloud the English words that appeared on the instrument.

“Think of the short time Joseph took to translate the Book of Mormon. Working from April to June of 1828, Joseph translated the 116 pages that Martin Harris later lost. Joseph began translating again on Tuesday, April 7, 1829, with Oliver Cowdery as scribe. The manuscript was completed 85 days later, on June 30 of that year. Of course, not all of that time was spent working on the translation…Conservatively estimated, this left 65 or fewer working days on which the prophet and his scribes translated this book, which contains 531 pages in its current edition. That calculates to an average of eight pages per day. Consider this when you translate a book, or as you schedule your own reading of the Book of Mormon”

An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi  Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.  An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ. TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, Jun.

How did the experience of the Three Witnesses differ from that of the Eight Witnesses?

Why do you think Joseph Smith rejoiced after the experiences of the witnesses?

Doctrine & Covenants 17 Look for the responsibilities of these witnesses to the Book of Mormon.

I would like to speak about one of the most significant gifts given to the world in modern times. The gift I am thinking of is more important than any of the inventions that have come out of the industrial and technological revolutions. This is a gift of greater value to mankind than even the many wonderful advances we have seen in modern medicine. It is of greater worth to mankind than the development of flight or space travel. I speak of the gift of the Book of Mormon… Pres. Ezra Taft Benson

Latter-day Saints should make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit… There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. . . . When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance. (Ensign, Nov. 1986, pp. 4–7.) Pres. Ezra Taft Benson

What are your responsibilities after you have a witness of the Book of Mormon?

Mormon - Keystone of Our Next week: The Book of Mormon - Keystone of Our Religion ~ Lesson 4

Helpful websites with well-researched sources: www.ldschurch.org www.josephsmithpapers.org www.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu www.fairlds.org www.mormoninterpreter.com www.rsc.byu.edu www.byustudies.byu.edu Encyclopedia of Mormonism: www.lib.byu.edu/digital/Macmillian