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Joseph Smith

Come Follow Me Week 8 – Doctrine & Covenants 14-17 “Stand as a Witness”

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by Dan Peterson

The witnesses of the Book of Mormon pose a real obstacle to any honest person who wishes to dismiss the claims of the Restoration.

Let me first briefly summarize who the official witnesses were and what they claimed to have seen, and then explain why I believe them to represent a significant challenge to disbelief:

The Eight Witnesses—Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sr., Hyrum Smith, and Samuel Harrison Smith—not only saw but “hefted” the golden plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated and turned their leaves.  They did so under quite ordinary and mundane circumstances, in broad daylight.

The Three Witnesses—Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer—not only saw the plates but were shown them by an angel in a blaze of light, as well as hearing the voice of God declare them to have been “translated by the gift and power of God.”  Moreover, in addition to the plates themselves, they saw a variety of other exotic objects, such as the Urim and Thummim, the Liahona, and the Sword of Laban. [Read more…] about Come Follow Me Week 8 – Doctrine & Covenants 14-17 “Stand as a Witness”

Come Follow Me Week 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 12–13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75

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by John Gee

Many years ago, a friend reported to me on a mutual friend’s conversation with his bishop. Our mutual friend wanted to ordain his twelve-year-old son to the Aaronic Priesthood. The bishop said to him: You do not believe that angelic messengers appeared to Joseph Smith. What exactly do you think you will be conferring on your son?

I never heard what his answer was, but I have long thought about the question.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a covenant organization. It consists of those who have made at least one specific covenant with God: baptism. This covenant is an agreement between God and an individual whose terms are dictated by God and it is administered by those specifically authorized by God to represent him. Both parties of the covenant need to participate in the covenant for it to be binding. God is party through his representative or agent who administers the covenant on his behalf; they are “agents . . . on the Lord’s errand” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:29). We act as agents on our own behalf, or agents unto ourselves (Doctrine and Covenants 29:35, 39; 58:28; 104:17). [Read more…] about Come Follow Me Week 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 12–13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75

Come Follow Me Week 6 – Doctrine and Covenants 10-11 (additional post)

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by Brant Gardner

Section 10 is a new beginning for Joseph Smith. The loss of almost everything that had been translated created a crisis. Doctrine and Covenants 10:2 describes the aftermath of the loss: “And you also lost your gift at the same time, and your mind became darkened.” After what must have been a spiritual feast during the translation, the loss became much more that just the words that were written. The gift itself was lost. The ability to respond to the divine light was lost to darkness. Joseph lived under that weighty cloud for nearly three months.

Section 10 provides a declaration of forgiveness, and this part might have been received in the summer of 1829. With the ability to translate restored, Joseph and Oliver began translating. They started with the small amount of work that had been retained, and continued to the end of Moroni. The rest of section 10 deals with the problem of continuing the translation, of finding a new beginning for what they had translated of Mormon’s record.

Right after the Lord tells Joseph that he may translate again, he is offered sober advice for the remainder of the task, if not for the remainder of his life: “Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end. Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work” (D&C 10:4–5). [Read more…] about Come Follow Me Week 6 – Doctrine and Covenants 10-11 (additional post)

Come Follow Me Week 6 – “the devil has sought to lay a cunning plan” – Doctrine and Covenants 10-11[1]

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by James Perry, PhD, FHEA

At various points in human history Satan, also known as the Devil, has sought to thwart the work of the Lord. One of the earliest efforts was when Satan tempted Cain to murder his brother, Abel. The incitement was an attempt to disrupt mankind and to spawn wickedness amongst ancient humans, but it failed (Genesis 4; Moses 5). Later Satan sought to corrupt the inhabitants of the earth to the point that they would be destroyed. However, through Noah’s righteousness humanity was preserved from complete destruction and Satan’s machinations were frustrated (Genesis 6-9).[2] Such incidents also occurred during the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ. After His baptism and while fasting in the desert Jesus was tempted to worship Satan, which He refused to do (Matthew 4).[3] Satan’s endeavours have continued over the subsequent hundreds and thousands of years and persist to this day.

The loss of the first 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript is an oft recounted incident in Latter-day Saint history that exemplifies the steps Satan will take to halt the work of the Lord.[4] Lucy and Martin Harris, natives of New England, were early supporters and backers of Joseph Smith and his efforts to translate the Book of Mormon. Although initially supportive Lucy Harris grew sceptical of Joseph’s story. Martin, who had originally been reluctant to back Joseph, soon found himself aiding the young seer in his curious endeavours.[5]

In February 1828, Martin Harris travelled to Harmony to visit with Joseph and to check on the progress being made. The visit with Joseph proved successful and Martin subsequently took some materials to several scholars in New York to confirm the translation. After his experience meeting with Professor Charles Anthon and other academics, Martin returned to Joseph.[6] On 12 April 1828, Martin began working as scribe while Joseph dictated the translation. Prior to Martin’s involvement Emma Smith had been helping her husband with the transcription. [Read more…] about Come Follow Me Week 6 – “the devil has sought to lay a cunning plan” – Doctrine and Covenants 10-11[1]

Come Follow Me Week Three: The Turning of Hearts

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Come Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants 2; Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65

by Kerry Muhlestein, Ph.D.

Malachi’s promise of Elijah’s return must be of great import, for it is cited in every book of scripture. The version recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, found in Section Two, is a very small paraphrase of what Moroni told Joseph Smith when he first appeared to him. It is also found in the Joseph Smith History account of that visit (JSH 1:38-39). There is a significant difference between how Moroni quoted it to Joseph Smith and how it is preserved in Malachi or the Book of Mormon. That difference has to do with the use of the word “promise.”

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints typically think of the promise that Elijah would come to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and the fathers to the children as being primarily fulfilled in doing what we typically speak of as family history work. This is true, but it is only part of the picture. As we see more fully what is intended by that prophecy, an increased power can flow from doing our Family History work.

For a number of years now I have been intensively studying the Abrahamic Covenant, also known as the New and Everlasting Covenant. This research has turned into several articles[1] and a book on the blessings of the covenant and the gathering of Israel, due to be released in mid-February of 2021.[2] While doing that research and writing about it, I came to realize that when you are familiar with the Abrahamic Covenant you recognize that it is referred to in the scriptures far more often than we usually suppose. The promise about Elijah is one of those times. [Read more…] about Come Follow Me Week Three: The Turning of Hearts

Joseph Smith’s First Vision

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Come Follow Me – Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26

by Steven C. Harper

There is so much more to the story of Joseph Smith’s first vision than is commonly known. Besides the familiar account included in the Pearl of Great Price, there are three other known accounts by Joseph and five known reports of people who heard him tell his experience. As a historian and as a believer, I’m thrilled that Joseph Smith’s first vision is probably the best documented vision of God in history. But some Latter-day Saints are troubled when they learn that there are several accounts of the story.

They worry that the differences in the accounts could prove them to be inauthentic.

“Far from being proof of a fabrication, the differences in the accounts demonstrate the reliability of the account.  Depending upon the purpose for telling a story and the audience that will hear it, people choose to emphasize different aspects of the story.”[i] [Read more…] about Joseph Smith’s First Vision

Book Review: The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 11: September 1842 – February 1843

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Available from the FairMormon Bookstore

This volume of the Documents series of the Joseph Smith Papers covers a period of time when Joseph Smith hid from attempts to arrest and extradite him to Missouri while trying to lead Nauvoo and the Church. He then had a legal victory which enabled him to come out of hiding and attend to many items of business, including continuing to teach the Saints and becoming mayor of Nauvoo.  The collection of 105 documents includes letters, poems, discourses, deeds, notices, meeting minutes, affidavits, songs, etc. These combine to paint an interesting picture of a very busy time in Joseph’s life.

Among the illustrations in the introduction is a sketch of Joseph Smith by local artist Benjamin West, done during an extradition hearing in Springfield, Illinois, in January 1843. It is unknown whether it was meant to be accurate or more of a caricature, but it does match written descriptions of Joseph (see https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2005/12/what-did-joseph-smith-really-look-like?lang=eng). [Read more…] about Book Review: The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 11: September 1842 – February 1843

FairMormon Conference Podcast #61 – Mark Ashurst-McGee, “Joseph Smith’s ‘New Translation’ of the Bible, His Use of Adam Clarke’s Bible Commentary, and the Question of Plagiarism”

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Podcast: Download (93.9MB)

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This podcast series features past FairMormon Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2020 conference, held in August. If you would like to watch the video of this and all the other presentations from our 2020 conference, you can still purchase the video streaming.

Mark Ashurst-McGee, Joseph Smith’s “New Translation” of the Bible, His Use of Adam Clarke’s Bible Commentary, and the Question of Plagiarism

Producing Ancient Scripture: Joseph Smith’s Translation Projects in the Development of Mormon Christianity is available from the FairMormon Bookstore.

Mark Ashurst-McGee is a senior historian in the Church History Department and the senior research and review editor for the Joseph Smith Papers, where he also serves as a specialist in document analysis and documentary editing methodology. He holds a PhD in history from Arizona State University and has trained at the Institute for the Editing of Historical Documents. He has coedited several volumes of The Joseph Smith Papers and is also coeditor of Foundational Texts of Mormonism: Examining Major Early Sources (Oxford University Press, 2018). He is also the author of several articles on Joseph Smith and early Latter-day Saint history published in scholarly journals and popular venues.

Watch the 2020 Interpreter Conference

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Tracing Ancient Threads in the Book of Moses

Live Streaming of the Conference
September 18 & 19, 2020

Program and other details available here.

Live streaming times:

  • 7:00 pm MDT, Friday September 18 — Keynote Session
  • 9:00 am MDT, Saturday September 19 — Morning Session
  • 1:00 pm MDT, Saturday September 19 — Afternoon Session

To Submit Questions During the Conference:

NOTE: The live-stream links will no longer be operational once the Conference finishes. We expect videos of the presentations to be available 6-8 weeks afterward. Freely downloadable drafts of the conference proceedings papers will be available within the ‘Book of Moses Bibliography’ at https://interpreterfoundation.org/book-of-moses-bibliography/ shortly after the conference.

Raising the Abrahamic Discourse: An Essay on the Nature of Dialogues About the Book of Abraham

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by Kerry Muhlestein

Cross-posted from The Interpreter Foundation

See also: Scholarly Support for the Book of Abraham

[Kerry Muhlestein also gave a presentation at the recent FairMormon Conference on “Egyptian Papers and the Translation of the Book of Abraham: What Careful Applications of the Evidence Can and Cannot Tell Us.” You can purchase access to watch the full conference here.]

We live in an era of online communications. If you want to reach large numbers of people in quick fashion, then online videos, blogs, memes, and podcasts have become the tool of the moment. These tools are effective at conveying information in an attractive and user-friendly format and in a way that can reach across the globe in mere minutes. Moreover, they are quite convenient for the consumer, which further helps spread the message. They certainly have their place, and do some things very well.

If these online communications have a downside, it is insuring the accuracy of the information they convey. Many are accurate, many are not, and it is difficult to tell which is which. Like news sound bites, such media often seem to lend themselves to simplistic and over-reduced explanations that frequently misrepresent complex matters. Further, somehow they often easily fall into a low level of discourse. This is not true of all them, it really depends on the hosts and forums. Yet too often this is exactly what happens. Some who engage in these electronic venues work very hard to try to provide accurate information at an honorable level of rhetoric, but the forum does not require it and thus many are extremely poor at ensuring a high academic quality of information and sometimes make little to no effort at maintaining the kind of respectful and noble level of discourse that is supposed to be the hallmark of the academic world. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in some podcasts that have recently been released in various venues about the Book of Abraham. [Read more…] about Raising the Abrahamic Discourse: An Essay on the Nature of Dialogues About the Book of Abraham