lds doctrine and covenants slideshow 03: d&c 3, 5, 10, 17

8/9/2019 LDS Doctrine and Covenants Slideshow 03: D&C 3, 5, 10, 17

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DOCTRINE andCOVENANTS

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Sections 3, 5,

10 & 17


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S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J

1827 1828 1829

S


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Manchester to Harmony (Dec 1827)

John Hamer bycommonconsent.com/author/johnhamer


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1827 1828 1829

S D F M A


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Martin Harris and Charles Anthon


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1827 1828 1829

S D F M A

A M J

Translation of the Book of Lehi

J

116 manuscript pages lost


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1827 1828 1829

Received the plates

Moved to Harmony, PA

Translation begun

116 pages lost, plates & interpreters

taken (D&C 3)

Plates & interpreters returned

(D&C 10)

S


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An account of the reign of the kings, and the wars

and contentions of [Nephis] people (1 Nephi 9:4).

Preaching which was sacred, or revelation

which was great, or prophesying (Jacob 1:4).


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D&C 10:3841, 4538And now, verily I say unto you, that an account of those things that you

have written, which have gone out of your hands, is engraven upon the[large] plates of Nephi; 39Yea, and you remember it was said in thosewritings that a more particular account was given of these things upon the[small] plates of Nephi.40And now, because the account which is engraven upon the [small] plates of

Nephi is more particular concerning the things which, in my wisdom, Iwould bring to the knowledge of the people in this account41Therefore, youshall translate the engravings which are on the [small] plates of Nephi, downeven till you come to the reign of king Benjamin, or until you come to thatwhich you have translated, which you have retained; 42And behold, you shallpublish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have

altered my words..45Behold, there are many things engraven upon the [small] plates of Nephiwhich do throw greater views upon my gospel; therefore, it is wisdom in methat you should translate this first part of the engravings of Nephi, and send

forth in this work.


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An account of the reign of the kings, and the wars

and contentions of [Nephis] people (1 Nephi 9:4).

Preaching which was sacred, or revelation

which was great, or prophesying (Jacob 1:4).


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1827 1828 1829

Received the plates


Translation begun

116 pages lost, plates & interpreters

taken (D&C 3)


(D&C 10)

Translation recommenced

O


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Through the medium of the Urim andThummim I translated the record by the gift,and power of God. Joseph Smith, 1842

How was the Book of Mormon translated?

It [is] not intended to tell the world all theparticulars of the coming forth of the Book ofMormon; andit [is] not expedient for [me] to relatethese things. Joseph Smith, 1831


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Nephite interpreters

[They] consisted of two transparent stones setin the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate. Joseph Smith, 1842

The two stones set in a bow of silver were

about two inches in diameter, perfectly round,and about five-eighths of an inch thick at thecentre; but not so thick at the edges where theycame into the bow. They were joined by a roundbar of silver, about three-eighths of an inch in diameter,and about four inches long, which, with the two stones,would make eight inches. The stones were white, likepolished marble, with a few gray streaks..

Martin Harris, 1859


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Nephite interpreters


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Seer stone


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Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hatand put his face in the hat, drawing it closely aroundhis face to exclude the light. And in the darkness thespiritual light would shine. A piece of somethingresembling parchment would appear, and on that

appeared the writing. One character at a time wouldappear and under it was the interpretation inEnglish. Brother Joseph would read off the English to OliverCowdery, who was his principal scribe. And when it waswritten down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it wascorrect, then it would disappear, and another character withthe interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormonwas translated by the gift and power of God and not by anypower of man. David Whitmer, 1887

Seer stone


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I frequently wrote day after day, often sittingat the table close by [Joseph], he sitting with hisface buried in his hat, with the stone in it, anddictating hour after hour with nothing

between us. Emma Smith, 1879

Seer stone


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Seer stone

[Martin] said that the Prophet possessed a seerstone, by which he was enabled to translate as wellas from the Urim and Thummim, and forconvenience he then used the seer stone. Martinexplained the translation as follows: By aid of the

seer stone, sentences would appear and were readby the Prophet and written by Martin, and when finished hewould say, Written, and if correctly written, that sentencewould disappear and another appear in its place, but if notwritten correctly it remained until corrected.


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Seer stone

Martin said, after continued translation theywould become weary, and would go down to theriver and exercise by throwing stones out on theriver, etc. While so doing on one occasion, Martinfound a stone very much resembling the one used

for translating, and on resuming their labor oftranslation, Martin put in place the stone that he had found.He said that the Prophet remained silent, unusually andintently gazing in darkness, no traces of the usual sentencesappearing. Much surprised, Joseph exclaimed, Martin! What

is the matter? All is as dark as Egypt! Martins countenancebetrayed him, and the Prophet asked Martin why he had doneso. Martin said, to stop the mouths of fools, who had told himthat the Prophet had learned those sentences and was merelyrepeating them, etc. Martin Harris, 1870


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Seer stone


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Whats in a name?

W. W. Phelps (1833): The interpreterswere known perhaps in ancient days asUrim & Thummim.

Nephite interpreters more effective forJoseph? Seer stone used for convenience.

Urim and Thummim = seer stones.


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There are many questions that we cannotanswer from the evidence we have at this time:Exactly how, for example, [do] the Urim andThummim work? Was there a basis of truth

behind David Whitmers viewpoint that writingappeared on the Interpreters? Or did the stones somehowfocus the thought of the translator? Or did the stonesserve to confirm translation? These things the Lord hasnot revealed to the Church at large, and the answer must

remain, We dont know. Richard Lloyd Anderson, 1977

Unresolved questions


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1827 1828 1829

Received the plates


Translation begun

116 pages lost, plates & interpreterstaken (D&C 3)


(D&C 10)

N

Stop for a season

(D&C 5)

M


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Three Witnesses

D&C 5:1115. Cf. 2 Nephi 27:12; Ether 5:24.

Martin Harris to be a Witness (5:2327).

Readers may gain a spiritual witness of theBook of Mormon (5:16).


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1827 1828 1829

Received the plates


Translation begun



(D&C 10)

Oliver Cowdery

arrived in Harmony

AA M J

Book of Mormon translated in

about 65 working days


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7 April25 June 1829

Translated most of the Book of Mormon(MosiahMoroni, 1 NephiWords of Mormon).

Received eleven revelations.

Received the Aaronic Priesthood (15 May). Baptized Samuel Smith (25 May).

Moved to Fayette, New York, to finishtranslation (30 May2 June).

Registered the Book of Mormon copyright(11 June).


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1827 1828 1829

Received the plates


Translation begun



(D&C 10)

Oliver Cowdery

arrived in Harmony

AA M J

Book of Mormon translated in

about 65 working days

Three Witnesses to see the

plates, etc. (D&C 17)

J


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The Three Witnesses

D&C 17:16.

Witnesses to see five items (17:1): Plates of Mormon.

Breastplate. Sword of Laban.

Interpreters (Urim and Thummim).

Liahona (miraculous directors).

Commanded to testify (17:3).

Lords testimony of the Book of Mormon(17:6).


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We not only saw the plates of the Book of Mormon butalso the brass plates, the plates of the Book of Etherandmany other plates. The fact is, it was just as thoughJoseph, Oliver and I were sitting just here on a log, whenwe were overshadowed by a light. It was not the light of

the sun nor like that of a fire, but more glorious andbeautiful. It extended away round us, I cannot tell youhow far, but in the midst of this light there appeared as it were, atable with many records or plates upon it, besides the plates of theBook of Mormon, also the Sword of Laban, the directorsi.e., theball which Lehi had, and the Interpreters. I saw them just as plain asI see this bed [striking the bed beside him with his hand], and Iheard the voice of the Lord, as distinctly as I ever heard anything inmy life, declaring that the records of the plates of the Book ofMormon were translated by the gift and power of God.

David Whitmer, 1878

Seer stone


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Father!Mother!said [Joseph], you do notknow how happy I am! The Lord has caused theplates to be shown to three more besides mewho have also seen an angel, and will have totestify to the truth of what I have said, for theyknow for themselves that I do not go about todeceive the people. I do feel as though I [have been]relieved of a dreadful burden which was almost too muchfor me to endure, but they will now have to bear a part,

and it does rejoice my soul that I am not any longer to beentirely alone in the world.

Recollection of Lucy Mack Smith, 1844/45

Josephs relief


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Of course we were in the spirit when we hadthe view, for no man can behold the face of anangel, except in a spiritual view, but we were inthe body also, and everything was as natural tous, as it is at any time.

David Whitmer, 1887

True to their witness


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Gentlemen, do you see [my right] hand? Areyou sure you see it? Are your eyes playing atrick or something? No. Well, as sure as you seemy hand so sure did I see the angel and theplates. Martin Harris, 1871


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No sir! I was not under any hallucination, norwas I deceived! I saw with these eyes, and Iheard with these ears!I know whereof Ispeak! David Whitmer, 1884



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I wrote, my own pen, the entire Book ofMormon (save a few pages) as it fell from thelips of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as hetranslated it by the gift and power of God, by themeans of the Urim and Thummim, or, as it iscalled by that book, Holy interpreters. Ibeheld with my eyes, and handled with my hands, the goldplates from which it was transcribed. I also saw with myeyes and handled with my hands the holy interpreters.

That book is true. Oliver Cowdery, 1848



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It was a clear, open beautiful day, far from anyinhabitants, in a remote field, at the time we sawthe record, of which it has been spoken, broughtand laid before us, by an angel, arrayed in

glorious light, [who descended] out of the midstof heaven.Now if this is human jugglingjudge ye.

Oliver Cowdery, 1829



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DOCTRINE andCOVENANTS

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Next week:

D&C 69, 13

lds doctrine and covenants slideshow 03: d&c 3, 5, 10, 17

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