The Preparation Period 1820-27

Appearances of Moroni

What was it like to be in the What was it like to be in the presence of the Father and His presence of the Father and His

beloved Son?beloved Son?

Abba - Father

• Gal. 4: 6 - 7

• And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father

• It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship…It is in light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations cultures, arts, civilizations these are mortal…next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses…(CS Lewis, The Weight of Glory, p.18-19)

What is my Heavenly Father like?

• God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all the worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,--I say if you were to see Him today, you would see him like a man in form --like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked , talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another.

• (The King Follet Discourse-Times and Seasons Aug. 15, 1844--Joseph Smith)

• “During the winter of 1833 we had a number of prayer meetings in the Prophet’s chamber. In one of those meetings the Prophet told us, if we could humble ourselves before God, and exercise strong faith, we should see the face of the Lord. And about midday, the visions of my mind were opened, and the eyes of my understanding were enlightened, and I saw the form of a man, most lovely. The visage of his face was sound and fair as the sun. His hair a bright silver gray, curled in most majestic form, His eyes a keen penetrating blue, and the skin of his neck a most beautiful white. And He was covered from neck to the feet with a loose garment, pure white, whiter than any garment I have ever before seen. His countenance was most penetrating, and yet most lovely...And while I was endeavoring to comprehend the whole personage from head to feet, it slipped from me. But it left on my mind the impression of love, for months, that I never felt before to that degree.”(An abridged Record of the Life of John Murdock, page 23, Church Archives)

Is Heavenly Father Happy?• I am perfectly satisfied that my Father and my

God is a cheerful, pleasant, lively and good-natured being. Why? Because I am cheerful pleasant, lively and good natured when I have His spirit . That is one reason why I know and another is – the Lord said through the prophet Joseph Smith, I delight in a glad heart and a cheerful countenance. That arises from the perfection of his attributes. (Heber C. Kimball, JD 4:222; 3 Ne. 28:10; Moses 7:28-32)

How long did I live in His house?

• ....Man as a spirit, was begotten and born of Heavenly Parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father; that man is the offspring of celestial parentage; and that all men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of deity.

• (First Presidency 1909, quoted in the Relief Society Magazine, Dec. 1970, p.884)

JSH 1:20-29

• Persecutions

• Life as a youth…

• 27 I continued to pursue my common vocations in life until the twenty-first of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, all the time suffering severe persecution at the hands of all classes of men, both religious and irreligious, because I continued to affirm that I had seen a vision.

• 28 During the space of time which intervened between the time I had the vision and the year eighteen hundred and twenty-three—having been forbidden to join any of the religious sects of the day, and being of very tender years, and persecuted by those who ought to have been my friends and to have treated me kindly, and if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me—

• I was left to all kinds of temptations; and, mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell into many foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God. In making this confession, no one need suppose me guilty of any great or malignant sins. A disposition to commit such was never in my nature. But I was guilty of levity, and sometimes associated with jovial company, etc., not consistent with that character which ought to be maintained by one who was called of God as I had been. But this will not seem very strange to any one who recollects my youth, and is acquainted with my native cheery temperament.

• 29 In consequence of these things, I often felt In consequence of these things, I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections;condemned for my weakness and imperfections; when, on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one.

• (Pearl of Great Price | JS-History 1:27 - 29)

To Be Healed: Elder Richard G. Scott To Be Healed: Elder Richard G. Scott (April 1994)(April 1994)

• Love is a potent healer. Realizing that, Satan would separate you from the power of the love of God, kindred, and friends that want to help. He would lead you to feel that the walls are pressing in around you and there is no escape or relief. He wants you to believe you lack the capacity to help yourself and that no one else is really interested. If he succeeds, you will be driven to further despair and heartache. His strategy is to have you think you are not appreciated, loved, or wanted so that you in despair will turn to self-criticism, and in the extreme to even despising yourself and feeling evil when you are not

• . Remember the wisdom of the Lord "is greater than the cunning of the devil."23 If you have such thoughts, break through those helpless feelings by reaching out in love to another in need. That may sound cruel and unfeeling when you long so much for healing, but it is based upon truth. Paul taught, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."24

• Love comes by learning how to give it to another in a spirit of trust. If you feel deprived of love, that is difficult. Yet sustained concern and support of others will engender their interest and love. You will feel needed. You become an instrument through which the Lord can bless another. The Spirit will let you feel the Savior's concern and interest, then the warmth and strength of His love.

1st Visit of Moroni1st Visit of Moroni(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:30-43

 • Joseph’s Description of Moroni...• In coming back from the dead, Moroni was a

physical being of literal, corporeal, material reality, He held those heavy gold plates in his hands. A block of metal measuring seven-by seven- by- eight inches could weigh anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds. But Moroni held them in his hands and turned over the pages with his fingers. His were flesh and bone hands, resurrected hands. (Mark E. Petersen, CR, Apr. 1978, p.97)

• It was a visitation. Two physical beings communed together-- with Moroni, a resurrected person of flesh and bones, emerging from the veil and paying repeated and never to be forgotten visits to this mortal farm boy, Joseph smith. (Mark E. Peterson, CR Oct.,1983, p.40)

• Beauty of a resurrected body -Nothing is more beautiful than a resurrected being. We know that in the future, after we have passed through this life, we will then have our wives and our children with us. We will have our bodies glorified, made free from every sickness and distress, and rendered most beautiful. There is nothing more beautiful to look upon than a resurrected man or woman. There is nothing grander that I can imagine that a man can possess than a resurrected body. There is no latter-day saint within the sound of my voice but that certainly has this prospect of coming forth in the morning of the first resurrection and being glorified, exalted in the presence of God, having the privilege of talking with our Father as we talk to our earthly father. (LS - 5 Oct. 1900, CR, p. 4)

• Resurrected beings dwell in everlasting burnings -God himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and blood can not go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire . “Our God is a consuming fire”. When our flesh is quickened by the spirit, there will be no blood in this tabernacle. Some dwell in higher glory than others...all men who are immortal dwell in everlasting burnings...they must rise just as they die; we can there hail our lovely infants with the same glory--they differ in stature and size...p.62

• All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection provided you remain faithful

• (TPJS - )

Resurrected Bodies can walk through Resurrected Bodies can walk through walls...walls...•

Thus we know that resurrected beings, containing their glory within themselves, can walk as mortals do on earth; that they can converse and reason and teach as they once did in mortality; that they can both withhold and manifest their true identities; that they can pass with their corporeal bodies through solid walls; that they have bodies of flesh and bones that can be felt and handled; that if need be, and at special times, they can retain the scars and wounds of the flesh; that they can eat and digest food; that they can vanish from mortal eyes and transport themselves by means unknown to us. (Mortal Messiah, Vol. ,p.285)

Moroni’s Message First Visit

• 1. Joseph’s name should be had for good and evil among all -v.33

• 2. There was a Book deposited of the ancient inhabitants of America, -v.34

• 3. The Fulness of the Gospel was contained in the Book as revealed by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. -v. 34

• 4. The Urim and Thummim were deposited with the plates and the possession and use of them constitutes a “SEER”. -v. 35

• 5. Moroni quotes Old Testament Prophecies

• Compare the Saviors instructions (THE FIRST VISITATION -JSH 1:19, to Moroni’s instructions and Section 1 THE LORDS PREFACE) ... they draw near to me with their lips but their HEARTS are far from me..., they teach for DOCTRINES the COMMANDMENTS of me...

• THE SHEMA-(shuh-mah’; Heb. , “Hear You...”) • By the second century AD the Shema prayer consisted

of Duet. 6:4-9; 11:13-21; (and Num. 15:37-41 cross ref. -D&C 1:16)

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• In Jewish traditional practice, the Shema is written in the phylacteries and mezuzah. As a watch word of faith and faithfulness, recited at death and martyrdom. Jesus identified the Shema as the first commandment in the law. (Mark 12:29- D&C 1:1,2, 11, 14, 2, 37, 38)

• A. JSH- Malachi 3, 4 [The return of Christ, the Covenant, John the Baptist, and Elijah so modern Israel and the earth can be prepared for the great and dreadful day]

• X Malachi 1-4 {430 BC} Apostate Israel is invited to return from the curse to Christ and the Covenant. The name of the Lord will be great among the Gentiles while Israel is apostate.

• X John the Baptist comes before Christ to prepare the way and to Joseph before he comes suddenly to the Kirtland Temple (CHMR, Joseph Feilding Smith)

• X D&C 128:24• X Moses 1:39• X D&C 110:11-16• X Abr. 2:8-11• X D&C 93

• B. JSH - Isaiah 11 about to be fulfilled (D&C 113)

• X Headings Isaiah 10-13•  • C. JSH - Acts 3:22-23• JSH 1:40 He said that the prophet was Christ but

the day had not yet come when “they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people,” but soon would come.

Description of the Breastplate (Lucy, p.111)

• Soon after this he came in from work one afternoon, and after remaining a short time, he put on his great coat and left the house. I was engaged at the time in an upper room, in preparing some oil-cloths for painting. When he returned he requested me to come down stairs. I told him that I could not leave my work just then, yet, upon his urgent request, I finally concluded to go down and see what he wanted, upon which he handed me the breast-plate spoken of in his history.

• It was wrapped in a thin muslin handkerchief, so thin that I could feel its proportions without any difficulty.

• It was concave on one side and convex on the other, and extended from the neck downwards, as far as the center of the stomach of a man of extraordinary size. It had four straps of the same material, for the purpose of fastening it to the breast, two of which ran back to go over the shoulders, and the other two were designed to fasten to the hips. They were just the width of two of my fingers (for I measured them), and they had holes in the end of them, to be convenient in fastening. After I had examined it, Joseph placed it in the chest with the Urim and Thummim

• (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother [Salt Lake City: Stevens & Wallis, Inc., 1945], 111.)

Moroni’s 1st VisitMoroni’s 1st Visit(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:41)(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:41)

• D. JSH 1:41- Joel 2:28-31 (The Lords spirit to be poured out on all flesh)

• God will touch the minds and hearts of Individuals...

• . The Fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come...• Times of the gentiles drawing to a close. Speaking of the

overthrow of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem, the Lord said to his disciples: “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall e signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

• Moroni said, the times of the gentiles were about to be fulfilled, today we are living in the transition period; the day of the gentiles has come in, and the day of Judah ...is at hand

• (Joseph Feilding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:258)

• It is obligatory upon us to see that the House of Israel have the gospel preached to them; to do all that is in our power to gather them to the land of their fathers, and to gather up a fulness of the gentiles before the gospel can go with success to the Jews. (DBY-12:113)

•  •  

• The time has arrived when the God of Abraham, of Isaac and Jacob, has set his hand again a second time to recover the remnants of his people...and with to bring in the Fulness of the Gentiles, and establish that covenant with them...(TPJS, p.14-17; see also Rom. 11:12,25; D&C 14:10; 1 Ne. 10:14; 1 Ne. 15:13,14; 3 Ne. 16:4, 5-12; Ether 2:11-12; D&C 14:10; D&C 20:9-10; D&C 45:28-31)

• He quoted many other passages... in 1835 Oliver Cowdery wrote three articles in the Kirtland Messenger and Advocate the scriptures appeared in the following order …

6. V.42...I should not show them (the plates, breastplate and Urim and Thummim)

to any person...

• Who does get to see the plates?• Joseph: • 3 witnesses- Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery,

David Whitmer• 8 witnesses- Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer,

Peter Whitmer, Jr.., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, Samuel Smith

• Other Witnesses: Lucy Harris (Dream), Mary Whitmer (Moroni-Nephi?)

7. Joseph was shown a vision of where the plates were buried...

8. V. 43 description of resurrected being leaving...

2nd Visit of Moroni2nd Visit of Moroni(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:44-45)(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:44-45)

• 1..in the midst of meditation...

• 2...he related the very same things...without variation...

• 3. ..Having done so ...He informed me of GREAT JUDGEMENTS...

• ...famine sword pestilence...

• 4. ...Lay overwhelmed and astonished...

3rd Visit of Moroni(Sept. 21, 1823)(Sept. 21, 1823)

• 1. V. 46 ... repeated the same things...• 2. ...added a caution...Satan would try to tempt me...to

get ...rich...no other object...glorify God...Motive...• 47-48• A.... Left to ponder...• B....cock crowd...• C. ...arose and went to the labors of the day...• D....strength exhausted ...Father told me to go home• E. Trying to cross the fence near the orchard he fell

helpless on the ground..

4th Visit of Moroni 4th Visit of Moroni Under the tree by the fenceUnder the tree by the fence

(Sept. 22, 1823)(Sept. 22, 1823)

• 1. V. 49 Comprehensive review of all visits and a charge to tell his Father

• V. 50 ...I obeyed... He replied...it was of God ...go and do as commanded...

5th Visit of Moroni5th Visit of Moroni (1st at the Hill Cumorah)

Sept. 22, 1823

• (How do think Moroni Felt watching Joseph unbury the stone box... what might of went through his mind? (Mark E. Petterson, The last Words of Moroni, En. Nov. 1978, p. 57)

• What happened to the stone box?• The cave inside the hill?• The sword of Laban?•  

• JSH 1:51-53•  • The box in which they laid was formed by

laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the box, and on these lay the plates and the other things with them.(JSH 1:52)

• 1. Joseph had thoughts that the translation would produce wealth... “raise him above the common earthly fortunes of his fellow man, and relieve his family form want”.

• 2. He was shocked three times and thrown back... • 3. He cried out... “Why can I not obtain this book?”...• 4. Moroni Appeared... “because he had not kept the

commandments and had yielded to temptation...”• 5. Repentant, Joseph humbly sought the Lord in prayer

and was filled with the spirit. A vision was opened to him..., and the Glory of the Lord shone round about and rested upon him

55thth Visit Visit

• ... He beheld the prince of darkness... Moroni said... “ all this is shown, the good and the evil , the holy and the impure, the glory of God and the power of darkness, that you may know here after the two powers and NEVER be influenced or overcome by that wicked one”...Moroni concluded by warning Joseph that he would not be allowed to obtain the plates “until he had learned to keep the commandments of God--not only till he was willing but ABLE to do it...”

55thth Visit Visit

• 6. When Joseph returned home he began to teach his family about what he had learned and what had happened. He was so tired, after rehearsing much, Alvin suggested they go to bed and continue the next day...

Lucy records:Lucy records:

• Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with much ease , seemingly as if he had spent his whole life among them. (HJS-Lucy, p.83)

6th Visit of Moroni6th Visit of Moroni((Sept. 22, 1824)

• 1. ...he fully expected to carry them(the plates) home with him. Therefore he arrived at the place, and uncovering the plates, he put forth his hand and took them up (no shock!) But, as he was taking them hence, the unhappy thought darted through his mind that probably there was something else in the box besides the plates , which would be of some pecuniary advantage to him...he laid them down very carefully, for the purpose of uncovering the box, lest someone might happen to pass that way and might get

• whatever there might be remaining in it. After covering it, he turned round to take the record again, bu t behold it was gone...he was much alarmed ...he kneeled down and asked the Lord why the record had been taken from him; upon which the angel of the Lord appeared to him...he had disobeyed the angels commandments to not lay them down until they were deposited in the chest at home

• 2. Joseph permitted to see the plates he tries to take them and is hurled back... when he wakes up the angel is gone...(Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, p. 83-83)

• 3. When he woke up the angel was gone and he arose and returned to his house, weeping for grief and disappointment.

• ...As soon as he entered the house my husband asked if he had obtained the plates. The answer was, “no Father, I could not get them”.

• His father said, “ Did you see them?”• “Yes,” replied Joseph, “I saw them, but I could not take them”. “I

would have taken them rejoined his father with much earnest ness, “If I had been in your place...” You do not understand the angel would not let me...

• ...we were afraid that he might utterly fail of obtaining the record through some neglect on his part. We therefore doubled our diligence in prayer.

7th and 8th Visit of Moroni7th and 8th Visit of Moroni(Sept. 22, 1825, 1826)(Sept. 22, 1825, 1826)

Instructions and tutoring of JosephInstructions and tutoring of Joseph

9th Visit of Moroni9th Visit of MoroniWinter 1827

• 1. Moroni met Joseph at the hill and said the time had come for the record to be brought forth.

• 2. As I passed by the Hill Cumorah, where the plates are, the angel met me and said that I had not been engaged enough in the work of the Lord; that the time had come for the record to be brought forth; and that I must be up and doing and set myself about the things which God had commanded me to do.(Lucy, HJS., p.100)

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Joseph Marries Emma Hale

• JSH 1:55-58• 1827 Jan. 18 Marriage of Joseph and Emma Hale

South Bainbridge, NY• (Eloped)• I have been very lonely ever since Alvin died and

I have concluded to get married, and if you have no objections to my uniting myself in marriage with miss Emma Hale, she would be my choice in preference to any other women I have ever seen.(Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, p.93)

1010thth Visit Visit (Sept. 22 Joseph Receives the Plates-

Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, p.102-110)

Mendon -Vilate Kimball, September 22, 1827 A Scene in the Heavens

• On the night of the 22nd of September, 1827, while living in the town of Mendon, after we retired to bed, John P. Green, who was then a traveling reformed Methodist preacher, living within one hundred steps of our house, came and called my husband to come out and see the sight in the Heavens. Heber awoke me and sister fanny Young (sister of Brigham), who was living with us , and we all went out of doors.

• It was one of the most beautiful starlight nights , so clear we could see to pick up a pin. We looked to the eastern horizon, and beheld a white smoke arise towards the Heavens. As it ascended, it formed a belt, and made a noise like the rushing of the wind, and continued southwest, forming a regular bow, dipping in the western horizon

• After the bow had formed, it began to widen out, growing transparent, of a bluish cast. It grew wide enough to contain twelve men abreast. In this bow an army moved, commencing from east and marching to the west . They continued moving until they reached the western horizon. They moved in platoons, and walked so close the near ranks trod in the steps of their file leaders, until the bow was literally crowded with soldiers.

• We could distinctly see the muskets, bayonets, and knapsacks of the men, who wore caps and feathers like those used by the American soldiers in the last war with Great Britain. We also saw their officers with their swords and their equipage, and heard the clashing and jingling of their instruments of war, and could discern the form and features of the men. The most profound order existed throughout the entire army. When the foremost man stepped, every man stepped at the same time. We could hear their steps. When the front rank reached the western horizon, a battle ensued, as we could hear the report of arms and the rush.

• None can judge of our feelings as we beheld this army of spirits as plainly as ever armies of men were seen in the flesh. Every hair of our head seemed alive.

• We gazed upon this ... for hours, until it began to disappear.

• After we became acquainted with Mormonism, we learned that this took place the same evening that Joseph Smith received the records of the Book of Mormon from the Angel Moroni, who had held those records in his possession.

• Father Young and John P. Green’s wife (Brigham Young’s sister Rhoda), were also witnesses of this marvelous scene.

• Frightened at what we saw, I said, Father Young , what does all this mean? He answered, why it is one of the signs of the coming of the Son of Man. The next night a similar scene was beheld in the west, by the neighbors, representing armies of men engaged in battle.

• (Edward W. Tullidge, The Women of Mormondom, pp.107, 108, 109)

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Sept.22 1827 Joseph entrusted with the Golden Plates

• Because of attempts to steal the record (Willard Chase) Joseph kept the Urim and thummim constantly on his person (Lucy, 107).

• Golden toothpick- David Whitmer...• Don Carlos goes for Hyrum who ...dropped his

cup sprang from the table and emptied the chest put it on his shoulder and ran...(Lucy, p.108-9)

•