Nevertheless, the scribes and others who observed the translation left numerous accounts that give insight into the process. The following essay is the official lds released essay entitled book of mormon translation. Designed for multiple use as study guides, handouts, and masters for creating projectable images, the charts convey a wealth of information that will enrich personal study and. Mar 21, 2018 in the video seer stones and the translation of the book of mormon, mason allred interviews dr. Joseph smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light. All opinions, speakers and presenters represent and express their own individual opinions, and not necessarily the opinions of firm foundation, book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon, josephsmithpapers. Guest speakers included lds true believers, fair apologist scott gordon as well as nontraditional believers like joanna brooks and john dehlin. Check out 10 reasons why the book of mormon is rejected as scripture by christians. The essay mostly tries to explain how it is possible for joseph smith to have called the process for bringing forth the book of abraham a translation when it is obvious that it was not a translation of the egyptian papyri in his possession, into the book of abraham. In recent decades, some members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints have developed an oversimplified understanding of the process by which joseph smith translated the book of mormon.
Regarding the translation of the nephite plates, there are many accounts that boil down to two lines of evidence. Joseph smith translated an ancient text by the gift and power of god to produce the book of mormon. The 116 pages of the book of lehi were borrowed and then lost by martin harris. The translation of the book of mormon into afrikaans. According to witnesses of the translation, when joseph looked into the instruments, the words of scripture appeared in english. Erekson this story appeared in the marchapril 2020 issue of lds living. Church members believe that the book of mormon is more correct than the bible because the bible was the result of a multiplegeneration translation process and the book of mormon was not. Dirkmaat, firsthand witness accounts of the translation process, in the coming forth of the book of mormon. Although we do not fully understand precisely how the book of mormon was translated, the. Out of those 7 official articles, only 3 articles clearly explain the rock in the hat book of mormon translation process to the members. His early work on the translation, with emma smith and martin harris serving as the main scribes, was lost in 1828. Nov 30, 2017 amy eastonflake and rachel cope, a multiplicity of witnesses. Gerrit dirkmaat church history department, great and marvelous are the revelations of god, ensign january 20. In the video seer stones and the translation of the book of mormon, mason allred interviews dr.
The angel charged joseph smith to translate the book from the ancient language in which it was written. Women and the translation process, in the coming forth of the book of mormon. Amy eastonflake and rachel cope, a multiplicity of witnesses. Little is known about the actual translation process. Perhaps the matter can be treated most directly in a question and answer format. He moved in with the smiths in the winter of 1828 to act as scribe for joseph smith. The translation and publication of the book of mormon immediately preceded the organization of the church in the spring of 1830. I will now give you a description of the manner in which the book of mormon was translated. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. Lds gospel topic essay, book of mormon translation the other instrument, which joseph smith discovered in the ground years before he retrieved the gold plates, was a small oval stone, or seer stone. The lds church has recently published on its website, lds.
Mason allred and mark ashurstmcgee discuss historical accounts of the book of mormon translation process, including joseph smith using a seer stone and. Translation and historicity of the book of abraham response. See an updated list of translations of the book of mormon. Book of mormon translation process 1 claims of revelation in the lds church 2 contemporary issues 3 contradictory doctrines between lds books of scripture 4 deborah, anna and other prophetesses 1 definition by jesus of his doctrine and gospel 4 dishonesty by lds church leaders 2 divorce and jesus philosophy 1 doctrinal errors 27. How does the mosiahfirst translation sequence strengthen. Most readers of the book of mormon naturally assume that joseph smith translated its books beginning in 1 nephi 1. The church officially brings up the rock in the hat book of mormon translation process in the ensign in september 1977 and july 1993 as well as in its new december 20 book of mormon translation essay. Nov 14, 2017 book of mormon translation process 1 claims of revelation in the lds church 2 contemporary issues 3 contradictory doctrines between lds books of scripture 4 deborah, anna and other prophetesses 1 definition by jesus of his doctrine and gospel 4 dishonesty by lds church leaders 2 divorce and jesus philosophy 1 doctrinal errors 27. There are so many problems with the book of mormon, from the actual story to the archaeology to how it was eventually translated.
It should be mentioned that president smith did not believe that the seer stone was used during the book of mormon translation process. The same goes for oliver cowderys use of the terms in his description of the translation process. May 10, 2019 joseph smith himself never recorded the precise physical details of the method of translation. Joseph smith himself never recorded the precise physical details of the method of translation. Seer stones and the translation of the book of mormon. Come follow me 2020 podcasts with rod meldrum book of. The article is fairly brief and only superficially addresses the problem. One instrument, called in the book of mormon the interpreters, is better known to latterday saints today as the urim and thummim. The process of translating the book of mormon book of. Did joseph smith describe the book of mormon translation process. As a young man during the 1820s, joseph smith, like others in his day, used a seer stone to look for lost objects and buried treasure. Consider the churchs current process of translating the book of mormon from english into another language. In fact, the book of mormon translation process was performed entirely without looking at the plates, which were either out of the room or said to have been covered with a cloth.
Translating the book of mormon religious studies center. The book of mormon and the bible are available in english in epub, mobi, pdf, and audio format for ereaders and mobile devices. Did joseph smith describe the book of mormon translation. Firsthand witness accounts of the translation process. Book of mormon translation, gospel topics, topics the gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. Maxwell the spectacles, the stone, the hat, and the book. Peterson wrote an excellent article in which he cites witnesses to the book of mormon translation process, giving modern readers insight into what eyewitnesses saw regarding how joseph smith translated the book of mormon. The resulting translation was published in 1830 as the book of mormon. Robertss study which was published posthumously in 1985 as studies of. Why was joseph smith so reluctant to disclose details relative to the process of translation. Translations of the book of mormon in alphabetical order all languages are available in print. David whitmer, one of the book of mormon witnesses, explained the process. Various witnesses of the process, including emma smith and martin harris.
Book of mormon evidence come follow me supplementary study podcasts. You can request a free book of mormon at comeuntochrist. Aug 04, 2015 in recent decades, some members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints have developed an oversimplified understanding of the process by which joseph smith translated the book of mormon. Uchtdorf posted on his facebook page comparing the seer stone in the hat book of mormon translation to his iphone. Deseret book and religious studies center, brigham young. The modern church rarely discusses the translation process. I was always taught in church and seminary that the way joseph smith translated the gold plates was by looking at the gold plates, studying them, and divine inspiration came to him so he could see them in english. Book of mormon translation process life after ministry. It was released by the church to help explain how the book of mormon was translated, and to explain why the true story of the translation differs so greatly from the official church narrative taught since its founding. Welch, the miraculous translation of the book of mormon, in opening the heavens. New church video explains joseph smiths seer stones book. Book of mormon translation response to mormonthink. For a compilation of accounts by joseph smiths contemporaries, see john w.
How did emma smith help bring forth the book of mormon. The truth of the book of mormon and its divine source can be known. Mark ashurstmcgee of the joseph smith papers project concerning the various historical accounts of the book of mormon translation process. While a select few did hear joseph refer to magical items, nobody ever saw a breastplate, spectacles, or ancient interpreter stones. Fairmormon posted new book of mormon translation artwork showing joseph smith s face in a hat.
Bruce r mcconkie discredited those references that lds. Translating the book of mormon into other languages commenced relatively soon after the first publication in 1830. Isaiah and nephi both prophesied that the book of mormon would be translated by him that is not learned so that the lord could show that he is able to do his own work and is a god of miracles 2 nephi 27. The young man, however, had very little formal education and was incapable of writing a book on his own, let alone translating an ancient book written from an unknown language, known in the book of mormon as reformed egyptian. The translation of the book of mormon, from dan vogel, ed. Truly, the translation of the book of mormon was a miracle and was accomplished by miraculous means. Those skeptical of joseph smiths claims sometimes insist that his account of the coming forth of the book is simply too. Book of mormon translation the church of jesus christ of latter. Book of mormon charts charting the book of mormon is a collection of more than 175 visual aids that promote deeper understanding and appreciation of the book of mormon. Additional photos of the rock can be viewed on lds. Fair book of mormon translation stone in a hat recovery. These miraculous means included special physical instruments called seer stones which the lord prepared and provided for joseph smith to assist him in the translation process.
Welch by the gift and power of god, by elder neal a. Joseph remains with emma for two weeks after the death. Joseph smith translating the book of mormon, gospel art book 2009, no. Many book of mormon names are either biblical, formed from a rhyming pattern. Hedges, john hilton iii, and kerry hull salt lake city and provo, ut. Nov 24, 20 today, all or part of the book of mormon has been translated into 109 languages.
He then lists 5 lds sources that he claims states that joseph translated the book of mormon with a hat. Lds church statement on christcentered energy healing. Book of mormon translation seerstone this was one topic that was very new to me. Can the book of mormon be considered a genuine translation if the plates werent even used during the translation process. Criticism of mormonismonline documentsletter to a ces. It may be surprising, therefore, to learn that the small plates of nephi 1 nephi through words of mormon almost certainly came last in the translation process, after the completion of the large plates of nephi mosiah through moroni and the title. Whatever the details of the process, it required josephs intense, personal efforts. The translation of the book of lehi is completed, resulting in 116 pages of translated text. The translation process of the book of mormon lds scripture. Today, all or part of the book of mormon has been translated into 109 languages.
Church resources book of mormon translation, gospel topics, topics. Aug 29, 2018 the angel charged joseph smith to translate the book from the ancient language in which it was written. Joseph and emmas first child, alvin, was born but died shortly thereafter. From lds church news within the first few pages of the book of mormon, readers come across the names of 11 witnesses, each who has signed his name as someone who has either seen or felt the ancient plates that joseph smith used to translate the book of mormon.
Debunking the myth of elviss book of mormon keith a. Joseph found the interpreters buried in the hill with the plates. Critics believe joseph smith came up with all the names in the book of mormon, noting that joseph owned a king james bible with a table listing all the names used in the bible. Over the last three decades, word of the churchs acquisition of a book of mormon supposedly written in by elvis presley spread easily through fireside speakers, classroom teachers, and newspaper columnists. For further discussion on the book of mormon and the translation process, see the introduction to documents, volume 1. Fairmormon posted new book of mormon translation artwork showing joseph smiths face in a hat. These are the only words that joseph smith himself used to describe the translation process. Mormon scholars debate joseph smiths role in translation. Oct 07, 2017 the resulting translation was published in 1830 as the book of mormon. David hocking managing editor, annotated edition of the book of mormon. I is a awful resp onsib ility, j seph smith sad, t write.
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