Having looked at the historical sources for the Book of Mormon translation process, we have found that there is no good evidence for the idea that Joseph used a seer stone during the process. But, in the process, I kept coming across references to Joseph Smith using the Interpreters by putting them into a hat. This article evaluates those sources and draws conclusions about what they can and cannot tell us about the translation process.
Category: Doctrine and Covenants
Translating The Book Of Mormon: The Interpreters
In this article, I evaluate the earliest primary counts describing the tool used by Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon plates into English. To a one, all the firsthand, eyewitness accounts testify that Joseph used the Nephite Interpreters and say nothing about the seer stone. Further, I look at the history of the Interpreters and the ancient Sumerian words found throughout the Book of Mormon text that testify of its origin as an authentic ancient and historical text.
Beautiful Free Printable Plan of Salvation Poster
For a long time I have looked for a clear and attractive graph or poster of the Plan of Salvation. It is easier for children and adults to better understand the Plan once it is laid out for them. Despite appreciating one recently published in a church magazine, it is imperfect because it lacks critical elements like the Fall of Adam and Eve. To address this, I have created a revised, detailed version with added scriptural references and explanations to people understand the Plan of Salvation. This poster can be downloaded and printed for free by everyone in this article.
What Can Men Do Against Such Reckless Hate?
I recently finished a rewatch of the Lord of the Rings. As always, I was struck by the drama and courage of Théoden and the Riders of Rohan as they made what seemed like a last stand against the overwhelming might of the armies of Saruman. Instead of surrender or retreat they trusted in the words of Gandalf the White and stood against evil no matter what the cost to them, even if it cost their lives. There is a great lesson for us to learn here about how we should live. Using examples from throughout the scriptures I discuss how we can stand against the reckless hate of the world we live in today.