it's more than a nice religion, if you study the history, you'll fine incredible stories wherein you know that if there is a higher power, which I do, you know that God the eternal Father had a hand in this work constantly. The Holy Spirit can testify to your own spirit, your intellect that the book is divine and what happens is you become aware of something inside of your body and intellect that tells you, this is true, and once that happens, you know it with every fiber in your. Now, if you follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit/Ghost, you will led to baptism, to attending a Sacrament meeting weekly which is renewing the covenant that you made at baptism, you are strengthen so that when obstacles come forth as they will because there are obstacles in everything, you can stand in place and not get blown down, by words, by others as they try to work on you. It brings untold joy to your being, to know it's true and that we live in the latter days, the winding up scenes. As soon as Joseph published the book and that story is a miracles in itself, he prophesied that intelligence would be poured out on mankind and how many inventions have come since 1830, many of them by elder in Christ's church, important things that allow the sharing of these messages around the world, tv, personal computer, many others, even our internet came out of what was called intranet invented in part by an elder, there's not many LDS people within the western world that publishes patents and such, but there is so many who have invented so many things, if you go on line you can find just a part of them, Pixar in part owned by LDS guy. The inventions in science and medicine at BYU, U of U and Utah State is surprising to outsiders.
I have enjoyed the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ for 71 years now. It’s a continual learning process for each one of us. There is truth in all religion and that is a beautiful thing. God’s love encompasses ALL who have lived and all who have yet to live. His plan is one of Happiness and Eternal Families and Progression for ALL. We love you! BLESSINGS to you and Family!
I just wanted to leave a comment saying thank you for all the work and research you do. These videos helped me re-gain my testimony in the Church and I've even been able to share these videos to help others who are struggling.
Doing some research on lds as I’m moving to Utah soon for graduate school. This video and the evidence for Joseph smith being a true prophet is compelling and well put together.
Thank you so much and very grateful you found it helpful! If you were to ask me what video to start with on this channel in your research, it definitely would have been this one! I would love to help you personally with any questions as you are investigating the church. Stay in touch - contact me directly through my website: latterdaysaintsqa.com (use the “contact me” link to email me directly).
A well done video showing that the Book of Mormon could have come about only through miraculous means. Combine the means by which it came about with the biblical prophesies that it would come into being, and even yet with the witnesses who saw the angel and handled the plates and it is all truly amazing. This isn't even to mention the personal testimony of its truthfulness a person can gain by reading it.
@@latterdaysaintsqa I very much appreciate you and the work that you do. I have just recently discovered your UA-cam channel and plan to catch up and see all of your videos.
Absolutely amazing! I think most of the people who put together those match it challenges left out some important facts - The Book of Mormon also completely supports and reinforces the doctrine of Christ in the Bible and clarifies it and teaches about the atonement more clearly than the New Testament. The physical facts of the Book of Mormon coming forth is mind-boggling. But the doctrinal reinforcement and complexity is even more mind-boggling! And it references multiple times portions of Isaiah which come from different sources of Isaiah that would not have been available to Joseph Smith. The deeper you dig into it the more amazing The Book of Mormon is.
@@latterdaysaintsqa I will get that book. I've heard a lot of great things about it. You are very thorough in your research. Have you done any work on the signs of the times? I love to get more info about the near future.
That is not a topic I have done a video on. The two books I have enjoyed the most on that topic, which have both just been updated: The Second Coming of the Lord by Gerald Lund and Using the Signs of the Times to Strengthen Your Testimony by David Ridges
Yes, somebody talked me into it. They said it was hurting the UA-cam algorithm to get the videos exposed to a wider audience. I just didn’t want the comments to become the focus or distract from the content I was trying to share in the video. I have been screening the comments to make sure they stay focused and relevant but overall, I realize it is a positive thing and wish I had done it from the start :)
Question: I forgot where I heard/read this, but I heard JS waited four years to dig up the golden plates from when the angel first appeared and told him about it. If that's true, wouldn't he have had four years to study up on all past American archeology facts? If you focused all your time for four years, you should be able to create a bunch of names for groups and civilizations and get them organized. Not sure if he told anyone about the angel visiting him before the four year span was up, or if he only did so after. If he before, then he had four years to prepare. If he did after, he could have had any amount of years since it was based on his word. Not only that, they didn't scribe 24/7. Smith's wife was pregnant at the time and the scribes had to go home to their wives. Couldn't JS just have reviewed what he had already prepared? It wouldn't be word for word, but it didn't have to be as long as the overall story was the same Why doesn't it have to be word for word? Because if it was then those 116 lost manuscript pages would have been rewritten. To be honest, it's too bad JS didn't rewrite those 116 manuscript pages ver batem. That would have solved everything. I'm not Mormon, but I am watching quite a lot of videos on it out of curiosity, and there seems to be some glaring issues with the way the book was written. EDIT: Second question - where was the manuscript held each night? Who got to take it home with them? JS or the scribes? If it was JS then couldn't he have reviewed the dictations from earlier in the day? Then he would be able to pick up immediately the following day while still knowing what was written down previously
Thanks for watching the videos. I will share my thoughts on your questions but also ask you if you want to follow up with me for a deeper discussion or additional questions maybe message me through Facebook - you can find me on FB under Cindy-Jeff Roundy (its a shared page with my wife). I would also suggest a few other videos I have done that might help address your comment: Book of Mormon (BofM) Author Theories Debunked Understanding BofM Word Choices Why Anachronisms in the BofM What’s the Bible doing in the BofM With regards to the lost 116 pages, Joseph reported that he received a revelation that those who had stolen the lost pages were going to change the words and declare him a fraud by showing his re-translation to not match. If God had really wanted to ‘prove’ the Book of Mormon, even a better way would have been to not have taken the gold plates back from Joseph but made sure they ended up in a museum, but that is not how God seems to work, with his goal to teach us faith. I am working right now on the next video which will be discussing New Testament issues which can test faith (the NT cannon itself is being questioned more and more by scholars and all the reasons why could have also been prevented by God); most importantly Christ’s resurrection could have been proved by God to the world, considering how critical it is to everyone. Thinking of this and of tying to prove any scripture, reminds me of one of my favorite quotes. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, one of our deceased apostles shared these profound words (from his book Plain and Precious Things): “It is the author’s opinion that all the scriptures, including the Book of Mormon, will remain in the realm of faith. Science will not be able to prove or disprove holy writ. However, enough plausible evidence will come forth to prevent scoffers from having a field day, but not enough to remove the requirement of faith. Believers must be patient during such unfolding.” With regards to Joseph studying during the 4 year wait, I guess is theoretically possible, but the documented record says nothing about this and its would be nearly impossible for him to hide something like this. It would also be highly improbable - Lucy Smith, his mother said Joseph was the least inclined to books of her children (quoted in the video). I also find it interesting to hear the opinions of his contemporaries (quoted in the video) about his lack of intelligence. My favorite is Issac Hale, who was to be his future father in-law (if Joseph was trying to fake his intelligence, this was not a man he would want to do that with), who reported of getting to know Joseph as he boarded with him while working, “I first became acquainted with Joseph Smith, Jr. in November, 1825. . . . His appearance at this time, was that of a careless young man-not very well educated.” David Whitmer, even called him illiterate (he said this after being out of the church for decades). He would have had to memorize all of the material as well, as the witnesses to the translation said he did not have any material with him (and couldn’t see it if he did, since the majority of the translation took place with his head buried in a hat looking at a seer stone (which wouldn’t allow you to see papers even if you were trying to hide them in a hat). With regards to where the manuscript was kept, it was maintained by Joseph and the scribes (they were always staying in the same house during the process). The ‘picking up where he left off’ comment was related however to taking breaks during the day. Also the stunning evidence from the original manuscript shows that the original order written down was never changed (other than grammar or spelling corrections). Which leads to one last quote (also in the video) - Dan Vogel, a critic, admitted: “Smith’s method of dictation did not allow for rewriting. It was a more-or-less stream-of-consciousness composition”. One last thought I wanted to share regarding some of the ‘witnesses’. With regards to the manuscript and translation process - Joseph’s main scribe was Oliver Cowdry. This is how he described the process (as recorded as a footnote to Joseph Smith History, listed in our Pearl of Great Price): “These were days never to be forgotten-to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated…” Here is the most compelling part of this - Oliver left the church over a bitter falling out appx 10 years after this translation process. He did come back for the last 18 months of his life, but he was out of the church for 10 years. That would have been his time to take revenge if there had been any shenanigans that had taken place in this translation process, yet he said nothing but remained true to the process. As a side note to this last comment, but in relation to the falling away and never denying theme, take a look at these videos I did discussing the various Book of Mormon witnesses. My favorite was David Whitmer, who was out of the church for 50 years, but even on his deathbed testified of his witness of the Book of Mormon (and seeing the angel and the plates as recorded in his testimony of the 3 witnesses found in the intro section to the Book of Mormon). There were 11 formal witnesses to the plates (and 1 informal - Mary Whitmer, but in someways she was just as powerful a witness as I explain in the defending the witnesses video). Here are the 3 videos on the channel regarding witnesses that you might find interesting: David Whitmer: An Irrefutable Witness Defending the Book of Mormon Witnesses How Could They Have All Lied?
Great to hear you are at least curious. I invite you to let that curiosity develop into a true desire to know whether the Book of Mormon contains the word of God. To answer your question about why Joseph didn't just translate the missing 116 pages again, if you read Doctrine and Covenants 10 (starting in verse 6), you'll find that God told Joseph not to retranslate (even though Joseph wondered if he should) because there was a plot to revise the original 116 pages and then say those words aren't the same as what Joseph retranslated. Retranslating actually could have caused much more doubt, not more certainty due to deceivers/liars. God was not having it - but the amazing thing is the prophets in the Book of Mormon were inspired so long in advance to make up for this error by Joseph and Martin Harris. You'll have to read the Book of Mormon to truly understand how since it can be a little complicated and hard to explain in a UA-cam comment. History, dates, and facts can be very interesting but the best part is the message of the Book of Mormon - which is centered on Jesus Christ. This is why I invite you to study the actual Book of Mormon. I am a changed man due to the words, inspiration and message of the Book of Mormon. I am a better husband and father because of it. I am filled with the peace and purpose that Christ gives to those who come to Him through this book. The Book of Mormon contains many messages from people who lived in the Americas that Jesus is our Savior, that we can find peace in this life and the next, that God is intimately involved with many people across the world, that the Bible is true and is the word of God, and that God speaks today through prophets, just like in the times of the Bible and Book of Mormon.
@@latterdaysaintsqa The witnesses did not see the actual plates. They "spiritually" saw them. Overall, I like your rebuttal of the critics though, it was very well done. I'm still on the fence with the BofM. After studying the overall life of Joseph Smith, he becomes very discredited with being able to bring forth something from God...in my opinion. Most apologists must eventually conclude that the restoration is "messy". That's not the restoration I gained my testimony on. Now, I either must develop a new narrative of the restoration or stop believing. Pretty black and white.
Thanks for the comment and expressing your personal position right now. I hope you can find peace with the restoration again at some point, even if it requires a new narrative. The witness of the restoration was always to be the Book of Mormon so I think it is the essential key. Please watch the video I did called Defending the Book of Mormon Witnesses - based on your comment, my hope is that you would find a number of very helpful historical details (that are quite powerful). I would also suggest the video I did called “David Whitmer, an Irrefutable Witness”, as well as the video called “How Could They Have All Lied”. You might also like to just do a run thorough of all the titles, looking for topics that might help you with areas you are the most frustrated with in challenging the narrative you gained your testimony on.
@@averispropertymanagementmu7800 Had similar thoughts. For me, it was the Record of Zeniff (Mosiah chapters 9-22) that made me realize that, although I don't know what is true or not about Joseph, he had to be at least good enough to have brought forth that remarkable story. Zeniff goes back to the Land of Nephi-Lehi, lets his unchecked zeal allow room for naivete into believing the agreements of the current Lamanite king in that area and moving his group into that land. Their productivity and growth result in stoking the fear of the captors, the war, his son King Noah's rule and how his nature weakened the group, the testimony of Jesus as offered from Abinadi who is teaching as if to those who had been taught the scriptures (which would have been the case), Alma's conversion and his words on Christian living while at the Waters of Mormon and then at the Land of Helam, and the characteristics of the people who embraced his teachings of Jesus, Abinadi's martyrdom, Lemhi's rule, the problems caused by the Priests of Noah and their ironic rise within the Lamanite ranks (which makes sense given that they came from a much more educated and productive background than their new Lamanite associates), and their appointments to positions of authority over the besieged Nephites, especially viewed from Amulon's rule over Alma's people, and the final escapes of both groups and return to the Land of Zarahemla (Limhi bringing with him the Jaredite plates that later result in the Book of Ether later on -- itself a compelling story and commentary of the rule of kings and how kingdoms rise and fall and the role of faith in society building). I mean, when I really read that, and studied that, I came to the conclusion that no group of seasoned biblical scholars could have written that story, much less a twenty-something year old with basically a 2nd grade education. So either, 1. Joseph Smith's accusers are not telling the whole truth and we are being misled by the detractors about him or 2. In spite of his short-comings, God called him to bring this record forward anyway. Or a combination of the two. Either way, that Record of Zeniff, in all in complexities, moving parts, and quotations of Biblical teachings, and testimonies of our Savior, without missing a single beat, without a single contradiction with itself or with the Bible, confirmed to me that the Bible is a true record, and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World, and is the Prince of Peace, and is our Advocate, and is our Brother and Friend. I am so grateful for those 14 chapters, it has changed my life, and I know accept Jesus into my heart. I know believe John 6 when Peter says to Jesus "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." All the best to you.
Well Being a member can have its moments,some of which derive from ignorance.This changes nothing about the truth that Joeseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon.
I will say the BOM is a very spiritual book and beautifully preaches of Jesus, it’s one reason I’ve questioned my leaving the church. The problems with the BOA and how it does not stack up to being a “translation” from those papyrus is where I feel comfortable with my decision to leave. I do give thought to the possibility that God may have used Joseph to bring forth a wonderful modern day church, but then perhaps God may have taken him from the earth after bringing free masonry into it amongst other things. My question would be, how many latter-day saints have considered the possibility that the BOM could have been inspired but that the rest of the practices of the church may just be of man? I mean the BOM is supposed to obtain “the fullness” of the gospel, where is that? Perhaps the church could move forward in great strides by not claiming to be the “ one and only true” church but count itself as I do, simply belonging to the body of Christ with all believers who love and accept our Lord and savior. ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for being here and sharing this comment. The Book of Mormon was to be the witness of the divinity of the restoration and I like what you have mentioned, it does beautifully preach of Christ. For me, it is not only a second witness of Christ, but it is what gives me confidence in that witness and makes it solid - left to just the Bible, especially in our modern-day Biblical Studies world, it becomes increasingly challenging - see the video I did entitled “New Testament Issues that Can Challenge Faith” ( ua-cam.com/video/9ENGUi6zje4/v-deo.html ). As we see the % of people identifying as Christians plummeting (see the graph at the start of that video) - the BofM takes on even greater significance. For me, the miraculous coming forth of the BofM creates a witnesses in an of itself of its divinity, which you don’t have with the Bible (in fact, if you watch the NT vid (and I also did one on the Old Testament) you could argue the non-miraculous nature of the coming forth of the Biblical records are part of the faith crises of Christians today (and the more they learn the details the more many struggle) - the Book of Mormon becomes the “confirming” witness for me to have faith in the Bible (this confirming witness even fulfills a direct prophecy of the BofM - see Mormon 7:9). As far as the BofM containing the fullness of the gospel - here is a great article from Daniel Ludlow on what that term means and how the BofM does contain this: www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/1986/04/questions-and-answers/why-do-we-say-that-the-book-of-mormon-contains-the-fulness-of-the-gospel?lang=eng As far as some of your other comments - I would love to refer you to a handful of other videos on the channel that I think you will find helpful in which I address your comments specifically. I would be happy to correspond with you directly on any follow up after you watch these - please feel free to reach me through my website latterdaysaintsqa.com using the contact me link: “Book of Abraham - Assumptions Matter” ua-cam.com/video/s-JrLeEfXbs/v-deo.html “Book of Abraham - Evidences” (watch the BOA Assumption Matter video first - although the BOA could be a “revelation” not a “translation” in the way we define the term today - this evidences video shows a number of interesting things that I like to think of as “divine fingerprints”) ua-cam.com/video/_GLMLLf1ojY/v-deo.html “Understanding One True Church” ua-cam.com/video/8OmA8Pc75A8/v-deo.html “Temples & Masonry” ua-cam.com/video/ucyCemRF_Gw/v-deo.html “Ancient Temple Rites Restored - Evidences” ua-cam.com/video/8u0l13wX57E/v-deo.html “Temples Restored - Evidences” ua-cam.com/video/JK2Jf5Am9zc/v-deo.html “Original Christianity Restored - Part 1 - Evidences” ua-cam.com/video/KwxO0TKP0tw/v-deo.html “Original Christianity Restored - Part 2 - Evidences” ua-cam.com/video/c_rfmHVrK4Y/v-deo.html And then here are a handful of additional videos I thought to suggest off the top of my head as a few additional thoughts - “Priesthood Lost & Found - Evidences” ua-cam.com/video/-Z3Q51IqGGg/v-deo.html “Defending the Book of Mormon Witnesses” ua-cam.com/video/uPZ1mDD1SmU/v-deo.html “How Could They Have All Lied? - Evidences” ua-cam.com/video/Bz1PPNpwg3A/v-deo.html “Book of Mormon Evidences” ua-cam.com/video/A-Er7vanw6A/v-deo.html
I think you’re right, it didn’t contain the “fullness” of the gospel. If it did, the D&C wouldn’t be needed. There were changes to the D&C, too! So gotta question why God changed if it was given by god in the first place!
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith’s statement The Most Correct Book? “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.” (History of the Church, 4:461. Joseph Smith How is it that the Book of Mormon is correct-in fact, the most correct of any book? In Joseph Smith’s day the adjective correct was understood to mean “set right, or made straight,” “conformable to truth, rectitude or propriety, or conformable to a just standard; not faulty; free from error.” Likewise, to correct something was “to amend” or to “bring back or attempt to bring back to propriety in morals,” to “obviate or remove whatever is wrong,” or to “counteract whatever is injurious.”[3] In our day we would say that something is correct if it is “free from error; accurate; in accordance with fact, truth, or reason.”[4] In the action sense of the word, the Book of Mormon was given to us to set things straight, to make things right, to bring our thinking into conformity with truth, to see things as they really are (see Jacob 4:13; D&C 93:24), to bring back or restore to propriety, and to counteract ideas or teachings or practices that are harmful. 👇 Apostle James Talmage wrote, "...who, in his right mind could for one moment suppose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect guide? Who knows that even one verse of the Bible has escaped pollution." (Divine Authority of the Book of Mormon, p. 47) Joseph Smith himself said, "Many insertions were made, some of them 'slanted' for selfish purposes, while at times deliberate falsifications and fabrications were perpetrated" (As Translated Correctly, p. 4). The translation of the King James bible was done by people working for king James. The latin Vulgate was done by papal scholars. The Lutheran (German translation) was done by Martin Luther. And so on. Each version of the bible reflected the understanding and biases of the translators. This is why we have to temper our belief with the clause "as far as it is translated correctly." On top of that the source documents for each of the translations have unverifiable provenances themselves. Many forget that many portions of The Book of Mormon came in the middle of The Old Testament and before The New Testament. Why do we even need the book of Mormon when there is the Bible already? The problem is that the rest of Christianity reads the bible and they can't agree on many points of doctrine, The Book of Mormon is a companion to the Bible that helps clear up some of those points and clarifies others. It helps to put down false doctrines and establish correct ones. Here is a list of questions that an honest seeker of truth might raise: • Is there a single reference-just one-in Joseph’s journals or written correspondence suggesting he might have read or had conversations concerning any of these historical sources before translating the Book of Mormon? • Is there any evidence he visited the libraries where these books were supposedly located? • Did Emma Smith, who was married to him, ever comment that he referred to any of these books before the Book of Mormon was translated? • Is there any record that he had any of these books present when he translated the Book of Mormon? Do the critics expect us to believe that Joseph searched out and studied all these resources on Native American life; inhaled the related conversations on the topic; winnowed out the irrelevant; organized the remainder into an intricate story involving hundreds of characters, numerous locations, and detailed war strategies; and then dictated it with perfect recollection, without any notes whatsoever-no outline, no three-by-five cards, nothing-a fact acknowledged even among the critics?30 And during it all, no one remembered him going to these libraries, bringing any such books home, having any conversations concerning this research, or making any diary entries to the same. Where, I ask you, is the hard evidence? There are over 160 passages in the Book of Mormon that speak of the Lord Jesus Christ. There were 22 men named in the Book of Mormon who saw Christ. Some form of Christ’s name is mentioned on an average of every 1.7 verses. The New Testament mentions a form of Christ’s name on an average of every 2.1 verses. The name of the Savior appears nearly 25 percent more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in the New Testament. When we realize that a verse usually consists of one sentence, we cannot on the average read two sentences in the Book of Mormon without seeing some form of Christ’s name. For behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have been taken away…" --I Nephi 3:168,169 Where Did Joseph Get the Doctrine? Emma Smith gave the following testimony, as reported by her son Joseph Smith III: My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity-I have not the slightest doubt of it. 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.
Here are the videos I have done related to the temple: Ancient Temple Rites Restored: ua-cam.com/video/8u0l13wX57E/v-deo.html Temples Restored: ua-cam.com/video/JK2Jf5Am9zc/v-deo.html Temples & Masonry: ua-cam.com/video/ucyCemRF_Gw/v-deo.html Here is also a link to a great channel going in depth on a number of temple related topics: ua-cam.com/users/TempleLight
LDS Q&A thanks ! While scholarship is nice, the revealed words to living Apostles and Prophets are what matter to me. I think we must be careful of scholarship and that is done in a spirit of pride as opposed to a spirit of meekness. 2nd Nephi 27: 16 shines the spot-light on this principle. This said, to me there is too much emphasis of late about the rock-in-a-hat story, that it was the main means by which The Book of Mormon was translated. (An image and mention of this are at 3:53 and 19:35 in this video. ) I believe the Doctrine and Covenants 10: 1 and JSH 1: 62 where it says that the Urim and Thummim was the means of translation. Know Brother, that I appreciate your contribution. You are doing a good work! :)
Ray - good timing for your comment. The very next video I have coming out will be addressing the seer stone and some related questions/issues. The thing which has probably become the most confusing in all of this is the use of the term “Urim and Thummim” , as it also came to be applied to the seer stone. Many of the contemporary witnesses to translation talk about the use of the seer stone, much more than anything else, particularly after the lost 116 pages (I will talk about this more in the upcoming video). Here is a copy/paste of a section directly from the church’s website, under the gospel topics essay on ‘Book of Mormon Translation’ (you may also like the 5 minute video the church produced on this which you can find under the topic ‘seer stones’, again on churchofjesuschrist.org): Apparently for convenience, Joseph often translated with the single seer stone rather than the two stones bound together to form the interpreters. These two instruments-the interpreters and the seer stone-were apparently interchangeable and worked in much the same way such that, in the course of time, Joseph Smith and his associates often used the term “Urim and Thummim” to refer to the single stone as well as the interpreters.21 In ancient times, Israelite priests used the Urim and Thummim to assist in receiving divine communications. Although commentators differ on the nature of the instrument, several ancient sources state that the instrument involved stones that lit up or were divinely illumined.22 Latter-day Saints later understood the term “Urim and Thummim” to refer exclusively to the interpreters. Joseph Smith and others, however, seem to have understood the term more as a descriptive category of instruments for obtaining divine revelations and less as the name of a specific instrument.
If Mormonism gives you peace then I support it. I'm not Mormon, but it seems like a pretty nice religion to me.
it's more than a nice religion, if you study the history, you'll fine incredible stories wherein you know that if there is a higher power, which I do, you know that God the eternal Father had a hand in this work constantly. The Holy Spirit can testify to your own spirit, your intellect that the book is divine and what happens is you become aware of something inside of your body and intellect that tells you, this is true, and once that happens, you know it with every fiber in your. Now, if you follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit/Ghost, you will led to baptism, to attending a Sacrament meeting weekly which is renewing the covenant that you made at baptism, you are strengthen so that when obstacles come forth as they will because there are obstacles in everything, you can stand in place and not get blown down, by words, by others as they try to work on you. It brings untold joy to your being, to know it's true and that we live in the latter days, the winding up scenes. As soon as Joseph published the book and that story is a miracles in itself, he prophesied that intelligence would be poured out on mankind and how many inventions have come since 1830, many of them by elder in Christ's church, important things that allow the sharing of these messages around the world, tv, personal computer, many others, even our internet came out of what was called intranet invented in part by an elder, there's not many LDS people within the western world that publishes patents and such, but there is so many who have invented so many things, if you go on line you can find just a part of them, Pixar in part owned by LDS guy. The inventions in science and medicine at BYU, U of U and Utah State is surprising to outsiders.
I have enjoyed the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ for 71 years now. It’s a continual learning process for each one of us. There is truth in all religion and that is a beautiful thing. God’s love encompasses ALL who have lived and all who have yet to live. His plan is one of Happiness and Eternal Families and Progression for ALL. We love you! BLESSINGS to you and Family!
I just wanted to leave a comment saying thank you for all the work and research you do. These videos helped me re-gain my testimony in the Church and I've even been able to share these videos to help others who are struggling.
I am so grateful to hear this - thank you for sharing!
Doing some research on lds as I’m moving to Utah soon for graduate school. This video and the evidence for Joseph smith being a true prophet is compelling and well put together.
Thank you so much and very grateful you found it helpful! If you were to ask me what video to start with on this channel in your research, it definitely would have been this one! I would love to help you personally with any questions as you are investigating the church. Stay in touch - contact me directly through my website: latterdaysaintsqa.com (use the “contact me” link to email me directly).
Keep doing your research. There’s so much more!
Hey Buddy! I am a big fan of Brian Hales in fact we were neighbors!! You fine young man have brilliant minds and are very inspiring!!
Thanks for the comment (and I am a big Brian Hales fan too!)
A well done video showing that the Book of Mormon could have come about only through miraculous means. Combine the means by which it came about with the biblical prophesies that it would come into being, and even yet with the witnesses who saw the angel and handled the plates and it is all truly amazing. This isn't even to mention the personal testimony of its truthfulness a person can gain by reading it.
Thank you - love the comment! I have also done videos on the channel regarding the biblical prophecies as well as the witnesses.
@@latterdaysaintsqa I very much appreciate you and the work that you do. I have just recently discovered your UA-cam channel and plan to catch up and see all of your videos.
Thank you - grateful you found the channel!
Absolutely amazing! I think most of the people who put together those match it challenges left out some important facts - The Book of Mormon also completely supports and reinforces the doctrine of Christ in the Bible and clarifies it and teaches about the atonement more clearly than the New Testament. The physical facts of the Book of Mormon coming forth is mind-boggling. But the doctrinal reinforcement and complexity is even more mind-boggling! And it references multiple times portions of Isaiah which come from different sources of Isaiah that would not have been available to Joseph Smith. The deeper you dig into it the more amazing The Book of Mormon is.
Thank you for sharing! Tad Callister talks about that doctrinal richness aspect in the second half of his book “A Case for the Book of Mormon”
@@latterdaysaintsqa
I will get that book. I've heard a lot of great things about it.
You are very thorough in your research. Have you done any work on the signs of the times? I love to get more info about the near future.
That is not a topic I have done a video on. The two books I have enjoyed the most on that topic, which have both just been updated: The Second Coming of the Lord by Gerald Lund and Using the Signs of the Times to Strengthen Your Testimony by David Ridges
@@latterdaysaintsqa
You've done a great job with your work. I will look out for those books.
These are the best videos ever I just love them
Thank you so much - glad they are helpful!
Best channel on UA-cam!
Wow - it is very humbling to hear a comment like that! Thankful for your support!!
Agreed! I miss these videos.
Thank you so much for all your videos! They really help me strenghten my testamony! THANK YOU🙏❤ God bless you!
Awesome testament to a Prophet of God.
Thank you! This is Excellent. Please keep making more.
Whoa. He is allowing comments now?! Awesome
Yes, somebody talked me into it. They said it was hurting the UA-cam algorithm to get the videos exposed to a wider audience. I just didn’t want the comments to become the focus or distract from the content I was trying to share in the video. I have been screening the comments to make sure they stay focused and relevant but overall, I realize it is a positive thing and wish I had done it from the start :)
@@latterdaysaintsqa yes I think having comments is great!
Love these videos, thank you.
I love your videos. You are brilliant
Thank you for your kind words and support!
The Book of Mormon proves that the Bible is true. Every Christian should at least read it and pray about it...
…and anyone else! It’s a very good read from any angle.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Question: I forgot where I heard/read this, but I heard JS waited four years to dig up the golden plates from when the angel first appeared and told him about it. If that's true, wouldn't he have had four years to study up on all past American archeology facts? If you focused all your time for four years, you should be able to create a bunch of names for groups and civilizations and get them organized.
Not sure if he told anyone about the angel visiting him before the four year span was up, or if he only did so after. If he before, then he had four years to prepare. If he did after, he could have had any amount of years since it was based on his word. Not only that, they didn't scribe 24/7. Smith's wife was pregnant at the time and the scribes had to go home to their wives. Couldn't JS just have reviewed what he had already prepared? It wouldn't be word for word, but it didn't have to be as long as the overall story was the same
Why doesn't it have to be word for word? Because if it was then those 116 lost manuscript pages would have been rewritten. To be honest, it's too bad JS didn't rewrite those 116 manuscript pages ver batem. That would have solved everything.
I'm not Mormon, but I am watching quite a lot of videos on it out of curiosity, and there seems to be some glaring issues with the way the book was written.
EDIT: Second question - where was the manuscript held each night? Who got to take it home with them? JS or the scribes? If it was JS then couldn't he have reviewed the dictations from earlier in the day? Then he would be able to pick up immediately the following day while still knowing what was written down previously
Thanks for watching the videos. I will share my thoughts on your questions but also ask you if you want to follow up with me for a deeper discussion or additional questions maybe message me through Facebook - you can find me on FB under Cindy-Jeff Roundy (its a shared page with my wife). I would also suggest a few other videos I have done that might help address your comment:
Book of Mormon (BofM) Author Theories Debunked
Understanding BofM Word Choices
Why Anachronisms in the BofM
What’s the Bible doing in the BofM
With regards to the lost 116 pages, Joseph reported that he received a revelation that those who had stolen the lost pages were going to change the words and declare him a fraud by showing his re-translation to not match. If God had really wanted to ‘prove’ the Book of Mormon, even a better way would have been to not have taken the gold plates back from Joseph but made sure they ended up in a museum, but that is not how God seems to work, with his goal to teach us faith.
I am working right now on the next video which will be discussing New Testament issues which can test faith (the NT cannon itself is being questioned more and more by scholars and all the reasons why could have also been prevented by God); most importantly Christ’s resurrection could have been proved by God to the world, considering how critical it is to everyone. Thinking of this and of tying to prove any scripture, reminds me of one of my favorite quotes. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, one of our deceased apostles shared these profound words (from his book Plain and Precious Things): “It is the author’s opinion that all the scriptures, including the Book of Mormon, will remain in the realm of faith. Science will not be able to prove or disprove holy writ. However, enough plausible evidence will come forth to prevent scoffers from having a field day, but not enough to remove the requirement of faith. Believers must be patient during such unfolding.”
With regards to Joseph studying during the 4 year wait, I guess is theoretically possible, but the documented record says nothing about this and its would be nearly impossible for him to hide something like this. It would also be highly improbable - Lucy Smith, his mother said Joseph was the least inclined to books of her children (quoted in the video). I also find it interesting to hear the opinions of his contemporaries (quoted in the video) about his lack of intelligence. My favorite is Issac Hale, who was to be his future father in-law (if Joseph was trying to fake his intelligence, this was not a man he would want to do that with), who reported of getting to know Joseph as he boarded with him while working, “I first became acquainted with Joseph Smith, Jr. in November, 1825. . . . His appearance at this time, was that of a careless young man-not very well educated.” David Whitmer, even called him illiterate (he said this after being out of the church for decades). He would have had to memorize all of the material as well, as the witnesses to the translation said he did not have any material with him (and couldn’t see it if he did, since the majority of the translation took place with his head buried in a hat looking at a seer stone (which wouldn’t allow you to see papers even if you were trying to hide them in a hat).
With regards to where the manuscript was kept, it was maintained by Joseph and the scribes (they were always staying in the same house during the process). The ‘picking up where he left off’ comment was related however to taking breaks during the day. Also the stunning evidence from the original manuscript shows that the original order written down was never changed (other than grammar or spelling corrections). Which leads to one last quote (also in the video) - Dan Vogel, a critic, admitted: “Smith’s method of dictation did not allow for rewriting. It was a more-or-less stream-of-consciousness composition”.
One last thought I wanted to share regarding some of the ‘witnesses’. With regards to the manuscript and translation process - Joseph’s main scribe was Oliver Cowdry. This is how he described the process (as recorded as a footnote to Joseph Smith History, listed in our Pearl of Great Price):
“These were days never to be forgotten-to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated…”
Here is the most compelling part of this - Oliver left the church over a bitter falling out appx 10 years after this translation process. He did come back for the last 18 months of his life, but he was out of the church for 10 years. That would have been his time to take revenge if there had been any shenanigans that had taken place in this translation process, yet he said nothing but remained true to the process.
As a side note to this last comment, but in relation to the falling away and never denying theme, take a look at these videos I did discussing the various Book of Mormon witnesses. My favorite was David Whitmer, who was out of the church for 50 years, but even on his deathbed testified of his witness of the Book of Mormon (and seeing the angel and the plates as recorded in his testimony of the 3 witnesses found in the intro section to the Book of Mormon). There were 11 formal witnesses to the plates (and 1 informal - Mary Whitmer, but in someways she was just as powerful a witness as I explain in the defending the witnesses video). Here are the 3 videos on the channel regarding witnesses that you might find interesting:
David Whitmer: An Irrefutable Witness
Defending the Book of Mormon Witnesses
How Could They Have All Lied?
Great to hear you are at least curious. I invite you to let that curiosity develop into a true desire to know whether the Book of Mormon contains the word of God.
To answer your question about why Joseph didn't just translate the missing 116 pages again, if you read Doctrine and Covenants 10 (starting in verse 6), you'll find that God told Joseph not to retranslate (even though Joseph wondered if he should) because there was a plot to revise the original 116 pages and then say those words aren't the same as what Joseph retranslated. Retranslating actually could have caused much more doubt, not more certainty due to deceivers/liars. God was not having it - but the amazing thing is the prophets in the Book of Mormon were inspired so long in advance to make up for this error by Joseph and Martin Harris. You'll have to read the Book of Mormon to truly understand how since it can be a little complicated and hard to explain in a UA-cam comment.
History, dates, and facts can be very interesting but the best part is the message of the Book of Mormon - which is centered on Jesus Christ. This is why I invite you to study the actual Book of Mormon. I am a changed man due to the words, inspiration and message of the Book of Mormon. I am a better husband and father because of it. I am filled with the peace and purpose that Christ gives to those who come to Him through this book. The Book of Mormon contains many messages from people who lived in the Americas that Jesus is our Savior, that we can find peace in this life and the next, that God is intimately involved with many people across the world, that the Bible is true and is the word of God, and that God speaks today through prophets, just like in the times of the Bible and Book of Mormon.
@@latterdaysaintsqa The witnesses did not see the actual plates. They "spiritually" saw them. Overall, I like your rebuttal of the critics though, it was very well done. I'm still on the fence with the BofM. After studying the overall life of Joseph Smith, he becomes very discredited with being able to bring forth something from God...in my opinion. Most apologists must eventually conclude that the restoration is "messy". That's not the restoration I gained my testimony on. Now, I either must develop a new narrative of the restoration or stop believing. Pretty black and white.
Thanks for the comment and expressing your personal position right now. I hope you can find peace with the restoration again at some point, even if it requires a new narrative. The witness of the restoration was always to be the Book of Mormon so I think it is the essential key. Please watch the video I did called Defending the Book of Mormon Witnesses - based on your comment, my hope is that you would find a number of very helpful historical details (that are quite powerful). I would also suggest the video I did called “David Whitmer, an Irrefutable Witness”, as well as the video called “How Could They Have All Lied”. You might also like to just do a run thorough of all the titles, looking for topics that might help you with areas you are the most frustrated with in challenging the narrative you gained your testimony on.
@@averispropertymanagementmu7800 Had similar thoughts. For me, it was the Record of Zeniff (Mosiah chapters 9-22) that made me realize that, although I don't know what is true or not about Joseph, he had to be at least good enough to have brought forth that remarkable story. Zeniff goes back to the Land of Nephi-Lehi, lets his unchecked zeal allow room for naivete into believing the agreements of the current Lamanite king in that area and moving his group into that land. Their productivity and growth result in stoking the fear of the captors, the war, his son King Noah's rule and how his nature weakened the group, the testimony of Jesus as offered from Abinadi who is teaching as if to those who had been taught the scriptures (which would have been the case), Alma's conversion and his words on Christian living while at the Waters of Mormon and then at the Land of Helam, and the characteristics of the people who embraced his teachings of Jesus, Abinadi's martyrdom, Lemhi's rule, the problems caused by the Priests of Noah and their ironic rise within the Lamanite ranks (which makes sense given that they came from a much more educated and productive background than their new Lamanite associates), and their appointments to positions of authority over the besieged Nephites, especially viewed from Amulon's rule over Alma's people, and the final escapes of both groups and return to the Land of Zarahemla (Limhi bringing with him the Jaredite plates that later result in the Book of Ether later on -- itself a compelling story and commentary of the rule of kings and how kingdoms rise and fall and the role of faith in society building). I mean, when I really read that, and studied that, I came to the conclusion that no group of seasoned biblical scholars could have written that story, much less a twenty-something year old with basically a 2nd grade education. So either, 1. Joseph Smith's accusers are not telling the whole truth and we are being misled by the detractors about him or 2. In spite of his short-comings, God called him to bring this record forward anyway. Or a combination of the two. Either way, that Record of Zeniff, in all in complexities, moving parts, and quotations of Biblical teachings, and testimonies of our Savior, without missing a single beat, without a single contradiction with itself or with the Bible, confirmed to me that the Bible is a true record, and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World, and is the Prince of Peace, and is our Advocate, and is our Brother and Friend. I am so grateful for those 14 chapters, it has changed my life, and I know accept Jesus into my heart. I know believe John 6 when Peter says to Jesus "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." All the best to you.
Well Being a member can have its moments,some of which derive from ignorance.This changes nothing about the truth that Joeseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon.
I will say the BOM is a very spiritual book and beautifully preaches of Jesus, it’s one reason I’ve questioned my leaving the church. The problems with the BOA and how it does not stack up to being a “translation” from those papyrus is where I feel comfortable with my decision to leave. I do give thought to the possibility that God may have used Joseph to bring forth a wonderful modern day church, but then perhaps God may have taken him from the earth after bringing free masonry into it amongst other things.
My question would be, how many latter-day saints have considered the possibility that the BOM could have been inspired but that the rest of the practices of the church may just be of man? I mean the BOM is supposed to obtain “the fullness” of the gospel, where is that?
Perhaps the church could move forward in great strides by not claiming to be the “ one and only true” church but count itself as I do, simply belonging to the body of Christ with all believers who love and accept our Lord and savior. ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for being here and sharing this comment. The Book of Mormon was to be the witness of the divinity of the restoration and I like what you have mentioned, it does beautifully preach of Christ. For me, it is not only a second witness of Christ, but it is what gives me confidence in that witness and makes it solid - left to just the Bible, especially in our modern-day Biblical Studies world, it becomes increasingly challenging - see the video I did entitled “New Testament Issues that Can Challenge Faith” ( ua-cam.com/video/9ENGUi6zje4/v-deo.html ). As we see the % of people identifying as Christians plummeting (see the graph at the start of that video) - the BofM takes on even greater significance. For me, the miraculous coming forth of the BofM creates a witnesses in an of itself of its divinity, which you don’t have with the Bible (in fact, if you watch the NT vid (and I also did one on the Old Testament) you could argue the non-miraculous nature of the coming forth of the Biblical records are part of the faith crises of Christians today (and the more they learn the details the more many struggle) - the Book of Mormon becomes the “confirming” witness for me to have faith in the Bible (this confirming witness even fulfills a direct prophecy of the BofM - see Mormon 7:9). As far as the BofM containing the fullness of the gospel - here is a great article from Daniel Ludlow on what that term means and how the BofM does contain this:
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/1986/04/questions-and-answers/why-do-we-say-that-the-book-of-mormon-contains-the-fulness-of-the-gospel?lang=eng
As far as some of your other comments - I would love to refer you to a handful of other videos on the channel that I think you will find helpful in which I address your comments specifically. I would be happy to correspond with you directly on any follow up after you watch these - please feel free to reach me through my website latterdaysaintsqa.com using the contact me link:
“Book of Abraham - Assumptions Matter”
ua-cam.com/video/s-JrLeEfXbs/v-deo.html
“Book of Abraham - Evidences” (watch the BOA Assumption Matter video first - although the BOA could be a “revelation” not a “translation” in the way we define the term today - this evidences video shows a number of interesting things that I like to think of as “divine fingerprints”)
ua-cam.com/video/_GLMLLf1ojY/v-deo.html
“Understanding One True Church”
ua-cam.com/video/8OmA8Pc75A8/v-deo.html
“Temples & Masonry”
ua-cam.com/video/ucyCemRF_Gw/v-deo.html
“Ancient Temple Rites Restored - Evidences”
ua-cam.com/video/8u0l13wX57E/v-deo.html
“Temples Restored - Evidences”
ua-cam.com/video/JK2Jf5Am9zc/v-deo.html
“Original Christianity Restored - Part 1 - Evidences”
ua-cam.com/video/KwxO0TKP0tw/v-deo.html
“Original Christianity Restored - Part 2 - Evidences”
ua-cam.com/video/c_rfmHVrK4Y/v-deo.html
And then here are a handful of additional videos I thought to suggest off the top of my head as a few additional thoughts -
“Priesthood Lost & Found - Evidences”
ua-cam.com/video/-Z3Q51IqGGg/v-deo.html
“Defending the Book of Mormon Witnesses”
ua-cam.com/video/uPZ1mDD1SmU/v-deo.html
“How Could They Have All Lied? - Evidences”
ua-cam.com/video/Bz1PPNpwg3A/v-deo.html
“Book of Mormon Evidences”
ua-cam.com/video/A-Er7vanw6A/v-deo.html
I think you’re right, it didn’t contain the “fullness” of the gospel. If it did, the D&C wouldn’t be needed. There were changes to the D&C, too! So gotta question why God changed if it was given by god in the first place!
so what happen to the view of Hebrews?
I covered that in this video here, which I named “Book of Mormon Author Theories Debunked”:
ua-cam.com/video/cSKJO8-o7Gg/v-deo.html
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
The Prophet Joseph Smith’s statement The Most Correct Book?
“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.” (History of the Church, 4:461.
Joseph Smith
How is it that the Book of Mormon is correct-in fact, the most correct of any book? In Joseph Smith’s day the adjective correct was understood to mean “set right, or made straight,” “conformable to truth, rectitude or propriety, or conformable to a just standard; not faulty; free from error.” Likewise, to correct something was “to amend” or to “bring back or attempt to bring back to propriety in morals,” to “obviate or remove whatever is wrong,” or to “counteract whatever is injurious.”[3] In our day we would say that something is correct if it is “free from error; accurate; in accordance with fact, truth, or reason.”[4] In the action sense of the word, the Book of Mormon was given to us to set things straight, to make things right, to bring our thinking into conformity with truth, to see things as they really are (see Jacob 4:13; D&C 93:24), to bring back or restore to propriety, and to counteract ideas or teachings or practices that are harmful.
👇
Apostle James Talmage wrote, "...who, in his right mind could for one moment suppose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect guide? Who knows that even one verse of the Bible has escaped pollution." (Divine Authority of the Book of Mormon, p. 47) Joseph Smith himself said, "Many insertions were made, some of them 'slanted' for selfish purposes, while at times deliberate falsifications and fabrications were perpetrated" (As Translated Correctly, p. 4).
The translation of the King James bible was done by people working for king James. The latin Vulgate was done by papal scholars. The Lutheran (German translation) was done by Martin Luther. And so on.
Each version of the bible reflected the understanding and biases of the translators. This is why we have to temper our belief with the clause "as far as it is translated correctly."
On top of that the source documents for each of the translations have unverifiable provenances themselves.
Many forget that many portions of The Book of Mormon came in the middle of The Old Testament and before The New Testament.
Why do we even need the book of Mormon when there is the Bible already?
The problem is that the rest of Christianity reads the bible and they can't agree on many points of doctrine, The Book of Mormon is a companion to the Bible that helps clear up some of those points and clarifies others. It helps to put down false doctrines and establish correct ones.
Here is a list of questions that an honest seeker of truth might raise:
• Is there a single reference-just one-in Joseph’s journals or written correspondence suggesting he might have read or had conversations concerning any of these historical sources before translating the Book of Mormon?
• Is there any evidence he visited the libraries where these books were supposedly located?
• Did Emma Smith, who was married to him, ever comment that he referred to any of these books before the Book of Mormon was translated?
• Is there any record that he had any of these books present when he translated the Book of Mormon?
Do the critics expect us to believe that Joseph searched out and studied all these resources on Native American life; inhaled the related conversations on the topic; winnowed out the irrelevant; organized the remainder into an intricate story involving hundreds of characters, numerous locations, and detailed war strategies; and then dictated it with perfect recollection, without any notes whatsoever-no outline, no three-by-five cards, nothing-a fact acknowledged even among the critics?30 And during it all, no one remembered him going to these libraries, bringing any such books home, having any conversations concerning this research, or making any diary entries to the same. Where, I ask you, is the hard evidence?
There are over 160 passages in the Book of Mormon that speak of the Lord Jesus Christ. There were 22 men named in the Book of Mormon who saw Christ. Some form of Christ’s name is mentioned on an average of every 1.7 verses. The New Testament mentions a form of Christ’s name on an average of every 2.1 verses. The name of the Savior appears nearly 25 percent more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in the New Testament. When we realize that a verse usually consists of one sentence, we cannot on the average read two sentences in the Book of Mormon without seeing some form of Christ’s name.
For behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have been taken away…" --I Nephi 3:168,169
Where Did Joseph Get the Doctrine?
Emma Smith gave the following testimony, as reported by her son Joseph Smith III:
My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity-I have not the slightest doubt of it. 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.
Thank you for sharing!!
@@latterdaysaintsqa you are welcome. Do you have any teachings on the preparation of temple ordinances?
Here are the videos I have done related to the temple:
Ancient Temple Rites Restored:
ua-cam.com/video/8u0l13wX57E/v-deo.html
Temples Restored:
ua-cam.com/video/JK2Jf5Am9zc/v-deo.html
Temples & Masonry:
ua-cam.com/video/ucyCemRF_Gw/v-deo.html
Here is also a link to a great channel going in depth on a number of temple related topics:
ua-cam.com/users/TempleLight
@@latterdaysaintsqa I will check them out. Thanks!
LDS Q&A thanks !
While scholarship is nice, the revealed words to living Apostles and Prophets are what matter to me. I think we must be careful of scholarship and that is done in a spirit of pride as opposed to a spirit of meekness. 2nd Nephi 27: 16 shines the spot-light on this principle.
This said, to me there is too much emphasis of late about the rock-in-a-hat story, that it was the main means by which The Book of Mormon was translated. (An image and mention of this are at 3:53 and 19:35 in this video. )
I believe the Doctrine and Covenants 10: 1 and JSH 1: 62 where it says that the Urim and Thummim was the means of translation.
Know Brother, that I appreciate your contribution. You are doing a good work!
:)
Ray - good timing for your comment. The very next video I have coming out will be addressing the seer stone and some related questions/issues. The thing which has probably become the most confusing in all of this is the use of the term “Urim and Thummim” , as it also came to be applied to the seer stone. Many of the contemporary witnesses to translation talk about the use of the seer stone, much more than anything else, particularly after the lost 116 pages (I will talk about this more in the upcoming video). Here is a copy/paste of a section directly from the church’s website, under the gospel topics essay on ‘Book of Mormon Translation’ (you may also like the 5 minute video the church produced on this which you can find under the topic ‘seer stones’, again on churchofjesuschrist.org):
Apparently for convenience, Joseph often translated with the single seer stone rather than the two stones bound together to form the interpreters. These two instruments-the interpreters and the seer stone-were apparently interchangeable and worked in much the same way such that, in the course of time, Joseph Smith and his associates often used the term “Urim and Thummim” to refer to the single stone as well as the interpreters.21 In ancient times, Israelite priests used the Urim and Thummim to assist in receiving divine communications. Although commentators differ on the nature of the instrument, several ancient sources state that the instrument involved stones that lit up or were divinely illumined.22 Latter-day Saints later understood the term “Urim and Thummim” to refer exclusively to the interpreters. Joseph Smith and others, however, seem to have understood the term more as a descriptive category of instruments for obtaining divine revelations and less as the name of a specific instrument.