The plates

[Jeremiah]

Can someone here please share the process by which Joseph translated the plates, please give detail.

Regards,

Jeremiah

[Doctor Steuss]

Can someone here please share the process by which Joseph translated the plates, please give detail.

Regards,

Jeremiah

Brant Gardner has a groovy compilation of witness statements here:

Translation Method

Ricks has a pretty short treatment here:

http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/pdf.php?filename=OTAxMTMxMDg5LTItMi5wZGY=&type=amJtcw

In the end, about the closest thing you'll get (as far as the actual process by which he translated) is D&C 9:8.

[Traveler]

Can someone here please share the process by which Joseph translated the plates, please give detail.

Regards,

Jeremiah

We must be careful of all the speculation on this matter. With the possible exception of Emma - no one but Joseph was allowed to see the plates until after the translation. This means that no one knows the exact details in the method but Joseph and I know of no accouts by Joseph as to his method other than the witness that it was through the power of G-d.

The Traveler

[Dale]

My understanding is he used a seer stone in a hat. Only initially did he have the much larger interpreters. After the loss of the Book of Lehi he had that item taken away. But my understanding is he saw words through his spiritual eye. One account said something about something like parchment being seen with the words upon it. But i do not know that accounts reliable.

I understood he did not have the plates with him during some or most of the translation.

[Hemidakota]

I have to agree with Doctor Steuss link to Steve Rick’s article. Much research was done on this to prove otherwise. The consensus remains the same on process of translating the special characters.

Joseph Smith said, "each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed" (History of the Church 4:537).

Bill McKeever did some fantastic work in this area of notable history. In his article, least understood factoid about these plates; the plates were not made of solid gold but an gold alloy covering. Joseph own brother, who witnessed to the fact that when handling the plates, they did not weigh more than 60-lbs.:

The FARMS' article supports the tumbaga theory by referring to William Smith, Joseph's brother, who was quoted in the Saints Herald (31, 1884, p. 644) as stating that the plates were a mixture of gold and copper. One can only imagine how William arrived at such a conclusion since there is no evidence to suggest that the plates were ever analyzed. Making William's statement even less credible is the fact that he admitted to having never seen the plates. He claimed, "I was permitted to lift them as they laid in a pillow-case; but not to see them, as was contrary to the commands he had received. They weighed about sixty pounds according to the best of my judgment" (A New Witness for Christ in America 2:417). FARMS insists that tumbaga plates would have weighed only about 53 pounds. In other words, it would be like carrying a sack of redi-mix concrete.

Another interesting factoid within the plates or the book is the Seer Mosiah who interrupted the plates of Ether by the same means since it was written a strange symbolic language. We do know, the seal portion of the plates is written in a special language [symbols] by the Brother of Jared and a latter day prophet [seer] will have to translate the sealed portion in our time frame by the same means.

[Hemidakota]

Can someone here please share the process by which Joseph translated the plates, please give detail.

Regards,

Jeremiah

Could there be other ancient recorded records or plates that may come forth in the latter days, beside the ones that Moroni hid up for the Prophet Joseph Smith?

My own admissions here, I don't believe that the current hill, which the community of saints calls the Hill Cumorah, New York State, was infact the original hill as pointed out in the Book of Mormon. . That being said, there are some early Church writers cogitate that other hidden records will be made available to the church soon.

Consider President Heber C. Kimball remarks to Elder Mills:

"How does it compare with the vision that Joseph and others had, when they went into a cave in the hill Cumorah, and saw more records than ten men could carry? There were books piled up on tables, book upon book. Those records this people will yet have, if they accept of the Book of Mormon and observe its precepts, and keep the commandments." (Journal of Discourses, 28 September, 1856)

Another discourse talked about is the one delivered in Ogden, 18 May 1873 by Elder Orson Pratt:

"Will these things be brought to light? Yes. The records, now slumbering in the hill Cumorah, will be brought forth by the power of God, to fulfill the words of our text, that 'the knowledge of God shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the great deep." Pratt also said: "Thus we are to understand that such records will yet serve an important role in the future of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

[MissouriBoiler]

Could there be other ancient recorded records or plates that may come forth in the latter days, beside the ones that Moroni hid up for the Prophet Joseph Smith?

My own admissions here, I don't believe that the current hill, which the community of saints calls the Hill Cumorah, New York State, was infact the original hill as pointed out in the Book of Mormon. . That being said, there are some early Church writers cogitate that other hidden records will be made available to the church soon.

QUOTE]

Daniel C. Peterson of FARMS would agree with you that Hill Cumorah is not really in NY (the one pointed out in the book of mormon.)

He believes it is in Mexico. He and I both agree that some day the Lord will provide all the other books that have been mentioned in the scriptures as we as a people are ready for them.

[lanzdavila]

The Book of Mormon is False and was made up to gain fortune and fame. Joseph Smith was nothing more then a Treasure Hunter. He copied the Book of Mormon from other sources and parts from the Bible.

[Flyonthewall]

The Book of Mormon is False and was made up to gain fortune and fame. Joseph Smith was nothing more then a Treasure Hunter. He copied the Book of Mormon from other sources and parts from the Bible.

LOL! That's a good one! We all know how that worked out! Yep, Joseph died rich and famous and left his family with wealth beyond measure. Oh....wait a minute...

[Flyonthewall]

Can someone here please share the process by which Joseph translated the plates, please give detail.

Regards,

Jeremiah

Though it is nice to know, I don't think the process of how the Lord works is important. The Lord definately has some unorthodox ways of doing things.

Moses' cure for poisonous snake bite - look at a snake on a stick

Naaman's cure for leprosy - wash 7 times in a river

Jesus' cure for blindness and deafness - spit in the dirt, make some mud and apply.

Joseph Smith's translation process of an unknown language -

[the Ogre]

The Book of Mormon is False and was made up to gain fortune and fame. Joseph Smith was nothing more then a Treasure Hunter. He copied the Book of Mormon from other sources and parts from the Bible.

Well years of careful research went into this declaration obviously. I wonder though, if Joseph was a treasure hunter are all Latter-day Saints doing the same? If so, why ain't we covering more of this in EQ?

[inthearmsofsleep]

Copied from the Bible? I'm guessing you say this because of the parts of Isaiah which were quoted in the Book of Mormon. Actually, the BOM sheds great light on the words of Isaiah, who was quoted more than any other prophet even by Jesus Christ himself.

[NeuroTypical]

lanzdavilla, I'm confused by your post. After looking at your post history, I'm not sure if this is light-hearted sarcasm, bitter humor, or if it reflects your current state of thinking. So forgive me if I've misread your intent here, but I'll answer you as if you mean what you claim.

The Book of Mormon is False and was made up to gain fortune and fame.

Oh yeah - we still tell stories of all the fortune Joseph and the early saints made - the guy lived like a king. Let's see - the saints got kicked out of Missouri and had their stuff stolen. They got kicked out of Kirtland and had their stuff stolen. They got kicked out of Nauvoo and had their stuff stolen. Joseph's bank failed, and his store went bankrupt, because he was always giving stuff away to people that couldn't pay. You might be able to make a case about fame, but fortune is just laughable.

Joseph Smith was nothing more then a Treasure Hunter.

Interesting claim. I can't find many critics willing to sign up for that specific criticism, because it's blatantly obvious that whatever he was, it was a great deal more than treasure hunter.

He copied the Book of Mormon from other sources and parts from the Bible.

The BoM contains parts of scripture found in other places, that is true. Like the Isaiah portions. And Christ had similar things to say in the Americas as he did in the Middle East, so there are definite similarities there as well.

But if you're of the opinion that Joseph made the whole thing up after reading "Manuscript Found", I suggest you do a lot more thinking on that subject before buying that criticism.

LM

[Hemidakota]

Lanzdavila, being a convert to the church, I did take the time to read over the material and ask that GOD, whether not these things are true; than rely on some else opinions.

My friend, it should be the same for you vice the word of others. You will be surprise what your answer may take you.

[Hemidakota]

Though it is nice to know, I don't think the process of how the Lord works is important. The Lord definately has some unorthodox ways of doing things.

Moses' cure for poisonous snake bite - look at a snake on a stick

Naaman's cure for leprosy - wash 7 times in a river

Jesus' cure for blindness and deafness - spit in the dirt, make some mud and apply.

Joseph Smith's translation process of an unknown language -

[Moses staff] LOL...yes! I still cannot believe the Hebrews refuse to look upon Moses staff to be healed.

Brother of Jared was commanded [Read Book of Ether Chapter 4] to write what he seen in the vision by using another symbolic language [Adam to Earth final end] that the Lord revealed to him via the seer stones. What is very unique is the amount of information that will be stored into each symbol to account the details of the said event. Based on the amount of remaining plates that are still sealed [assumption here].