Random Bom Questions

[MBASS]

Ok....I just read the BoM cover to cover for the first time. I have some questions

1. The three disciples.....are they still on earth or did they get translated? (This will prob be speculation)

2. What happened to the plates when they were translated? Did Moroni take them back?

I had some more but I forgot already...oh the weary mind of a mom of two babies!

[Guest ApostleKnight]

1. The three disciples.....are they still on earth or did they get translated? (This will prob be speculation)

No speculation needed. 3 Nephi 28:38-40 explains that the three disciples were translated. The change upon their bodies wasn't equal to the glory of the resurrection (v.39), but it was sufficient to prevent them from dying. They still minister on the Earth to this day (maybe President Hinckley knows where, I don't ). At the Judgment Day they will receive a fully glorified body (v.40) that citizens of the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom will receive.

2. What happened to the plates when they were translated? Did Moroni take them back?

Joseph Smith returned them to Moroni after the translation was done. See here in the Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It's at the end of the last big paragraph. Joseph Smith says he gave the plates back to Moroni who had them in his charge at the time of Joseph Smith's writing his testimony in 1838.

Hope that helps. :) Congratulations on finishing the whole book!

[Dr T]

Hi ApostleKnight,

Do you believe they are still waking around somewhere? I wonder if they ever interact with people on this site? That would be weird.

Dr. T

[Dr T]

Hey MBASS (ador),

are they twins?

[Guest ApostleKnight]

Do you believe [the three disciples] are still waking around somewhere?

Yes, we are taught that they are to minister to the inhabitants of the earth until Judgment Day. They are translated beings, meaning their bodies are not subject to sickness or death or pain. The only pain they feel is for the sins of the world (3 Ne. 28). Take a look at our world today and wow, what a migraine they must have! OUCH!

I'm just venturing a guess here, but I'd say they have more important stuff to do than post stuff on sites like this. It's not impossible, though...

[CaptainTux]

If the three disciples are walking around, I suspect they would be spending most of their time preaching and teaching incognito. That said, they may pop on a site like this and pass some words of encouragement to others to share good news. In other words...if you have three immortals walking the earth...anything is possible.

[Guest ApostleKnight]

Well said CT.

[LionHeart]

I know a man who was driving in Salt lake in a pickup. It was summertime and some of his children were riding in the back. (he had a seat set up back there so it was safe.) He pulled off on a freeway exit and stopped at a red light; at which point, someone who was reading a newspaper instead of driving slammed him from behind at top speed. One of his children was thrown from the pickup. But the pickup was full-sized and it was a little car that hit him so there wasn't any carnage. But the child became frightened and began to run out into the busy street where he would have certainly been killed. But just at that point, a man came running up out of the blue and stopped him and took him back to his father; who was just getting out of the pickup to go and catch the child. He took his son and put him back in the pickup and turned to thank the man who had saved his child, but the man had vanished.

When he related this incident to me, he told me that he suspects the mysterious man was one of the three Nephites.

[Dr T]

How do we know that AK isn't one of them?

[Guest ApostleKnight]

When he related this incident to me, he told me that he suspects the mysterious man was one of the three Nephites.

That was me! Haha, just kidding. I joke because I've heard so many of these "three disciple sightings" that I have to laugh. Not saying people don't see certain things, just that the three Nephites probably aren't cruisin' around UT checking for car accidents. Who knows, maybe they are. My favorite stories are where the "mysterious guy" is dressed in white jeans/t-shirt and has a white beard...and then always, always at the end...they mysteriously disappear. Classic. :)

[LionHeart]

<div class='quotemain'>

When he related this incident to me, he told me that he suspects the mysterious man was one of the three Nephites.

That was me! Haha, just kidding. I joke because I've heard so many of these "three disciple sightings" that I have to laugh. Not saying people don't see certain things, just that the three Nephites probably aren't cruisin' around UT checking for car accidents. Who knows, maybe they are. My favorite stories are where the "mysterious guy" is dressed in white jeans/t-shirt and has a white beard...and then always, always at the end...they mysteriously disappear. Classic. :)

Really? I was unaware that they were so common.

[Dr T]

Um, do you have facial hair AK?

[CaptainTux]

Assuming the three disciples exist, I doubt most people who have encountered them know they have encountered them.

[Guest ApostleKnight]

Um, do you have facial hair AK?

Didn't have time to shave today, so...yeah. It's brown though, not white.

[Traveler]

Besides the 3 Nephits there is also the apostle John. A interesting character in history is a person called Prester John that surfaced during the crusades. The Catholics believe him to be a fantasy but the Moslems believe him to be real and a friend of all good peoples. BTW he was not your standard variety Trinitarian and is believed to have been a nestorian Christian.

When the family of Joseph Smith moved to New York Joseph was still a young boy and could hardly walk from his operation two years before. Joseph’s mother had hired a man to drive a wagon and Joseph was supposed to ride in front with the driver but the driver kicked Joseph out of the wagon so a teenage girl could ride with him. The foot print was later discovered in young Joseph’s chest. Joseph was alone and lost consciousness. He was picked up by a stranger that carried young Joseph ten miles to the wagon camp and then disappeared.

Final thought: When the Spanish came to the new world the became very interested in finding a fountain of youth. According to the stories they had heard that there were people that had found this fountain that once someone had drunk they would not die. According to stories there were at least 3 that had found this fountain and had walked among the native Americans. Some of the Spanish explorers were so convinced that they risked all they had to find the fountain. I wonder if this fountain was the “fountain of living waters” spoken of by Christ?

The Traveler

[MBASS]

Hey MBASS (ador),

are they twins?

No but might as well be! 20 months and 6 months old!

[Serg]

<div class='quotemain'>

1. The three disciples.....are they still on earth or did they get translated? (This will prob be speculation)

No speculation needed. 3 Nephi 28:38-40 explains that the three disciples were translated. The change upon their bodies wasn't equal to the glory of the resurrection (v.39), but it was sufficient to prevent them from dying. They still minister on the Earth to this day (maybe President Hinckley knows where, I don't ). At the Judgment Day they will receive a fully glorified body (v.40) that citizens of the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom will receive.

2. What happened to the plates when they were translated? Did Moroni take them back?

Joseph Smith returned them to Moroni after the translation was done. See here in the Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It's at the end of the last big paragraph. Joseph Smith says he gave the plates back to Moroni who had them in his charge at the time of Joseph Smith's writing his testimony in 1838.

Hope that helps. :) Congratulations on finishing the whole book!

Interesting though, that Joseph had to pray with thh e3 witnesses to SEE the plates and have Moroni to show them(and they did'nt touch them) while with the 8 witnesses it required no prayer and Joseph had the plates with him and handled them to them....for the first ocasion Smith did not have the plates, but for the second he suddenly had them...

regards,

[Snow]

If the three disciples are walking around, I suspect they would be spending most of their time preaching and teaching incognito. That said, they may pop on a site like this and pass some words of encouragement to others to share good news. In other words...if you have three immortals walking the earth...anything is possible.

Personally I don't buy it. But, if they were around, would they be Mormons? If so, what ward do they belong to? What are thier calling? Stake Athletic Director? 2nd Counselor in the Elder's Quorum? Scout Master?

[Dr T]

As far as these 3 go; how long have then been around? What of the total apostasy that LDS talk about (if they were always around)?

[Guest ApostleKnight]

As far as these 3 go; how long have then been around?

Since the resurrection of Christ (see 3 Nephi).

What of the total apostasy that LDS talk about (if they were always around)?

You'll have to ask them.

[Dr T]

I haven't seen them in a while AK. What are your (and others here) thoughts on that?

[Guest ApostleKnight]

What are your (and others here) thoughts on that?

The Book of Mormon describes such utter apostasy and bloodshed among the Nephites/Lamanites about 400 years following Christ's resurrection, that even 3 Nephites who "couldn't be slain" wouldn't have been enough to maintain the Church in the Americas. The 3 Nephites were translated (temporarily immortal), not omnipotent. :) That's how I view it anyway.

[Ray]

As far as these 3 go; how long have then been around? What of the total apostasy that LDS talk about (if they were always around)?

Hi Doc,

The fact that LDS believe there was an apostasy, which you called a “total apostasy” and which is correct in a certain context, doesn’t mean we believe ALL truths that were known at one time became lost or corrupted later. We believe some of the truth has ALWAYS been taught but became lost or corrupted later by people who taught but did not know God… like preachers in churches who only teach some of the truth and not ALL that they teach is the truth.

And btw, those 3 Nephites have been around in the flesh on this Earth since the day they were born in ancient America, and they’re only around now because our Lord honored their desire to minister to others on Earth. But the fact that they’re around doesn’t mean we can see them, when they do not want us to see them… just like there are angels we can’t see right now when they do not want us to see them.

We're not as alone as some think.

[Dr T]

Thanks for your ideas. Ray, you are saying that it was not “total apostasy” but it was a total apostasy from divine knowledge? I don't quite understand. Can you explain it to me again please.

Thank you

[miztrniceguy]

Thanks for your ideas. Ray, you are saying that it was not “total apostasy” but it was a total apostasy from divine knowledge? I don't quite understand. Can you explain it to me again please.

Thank you

now ya had to go and invite ray to say "or in other words"!!