Translation of the Book of Mormon

[iamse7en]

In keeping with my last couple of threads, I thought I'd share another document of mine... While on my mission a few years ago, I was lucky enough to have a very open-minded MIssion President. I ended up as one of his assistants for the last few months of my mission, and he asked me to give a presentation at our Zone Conferences around the mission (we were in a huge mission, so we had to fly to 4 different places). I did not choose the content, but he handed me a thick print-out of B.H. Roberts' work on the translation of the Book of Mormon and said, "I hear you like to do homework - well read this and do any other research and give a presentation at our Zone Conferences." Knowing how the Church works, this isn't very common - I did not have to run it by him at all... He had no idea what I was going to say/present. He had complete faith in me. I still love him for that.

I proceeded to do as much research as I could given my resources, and created a powerpoint presentation with accompanying notes. I remember it being very faith-promoting, but also taking a real look at how the Book of Mormon was translated using credible sources and applying the principles of revelation. I thought I might share - this was created about 5 years ago...

BoM Translation Slides
BoM Translation Notes (accompaniment to slides)

Feel free to share any thoughts or contributions you have on the subject!

--

There is a weird error for people not logged into scribd, so here is another service to view the files:

Presentation
Accompanying Notes

[fps.sledge]

It is very interesting to note that Joseph Smith didn't actually have the plates open for the majority of the translation. Most of it, he was getting the translation from the seer stones.

[ktg]

Both of you links say internal server error.

[MercynGrace]

Both of you links say internal server error.

Maybe you need to register with scribd? They are opening fine for me.

[iamse7en]

Both of you links say internal server error.

Yeah, it looks like you have to register with scribd to see them... which is weird. It shouldn't be this way.

[LukeAir2008]

It is very interesting to note that Joseph Smith didn't actually have the plates open for the majority of the translation. Most of it, he was getting the translation from the seer stones.

He didn't really need the plates open as he was receiving the translation through divine means as opposed to reading the characters and then attempting to translate them himself.

I suppose having the plates was just evidence of the tangible reality of an ancient record.

[tribrac]

But if he didn't have the plates open, or read the charachters why does the book have so many little quirks that are so often explained as bi-products of the writing style of the original writer or abridger? Why does Moroni (or was it Mormon?) lament the awkwardness of his hand in writing? And why do you need a Urim & Thummim with a giant breastplate if a stone does the same work?

The translation process and the book are so intriging and so baffeling at the same time. I could spend a lifetime studying it and still feel like it was new each time.

[LukeAir2008]

But if he didn't have the plates open, or read the charachters why does the book have so many little quirks that are so often explained as bi-products of the writing style of the original writer or abridger? Why does Moroni (or was it Mormon?) lament the awkwardness of his hand in writing? And why do you need a Urim & Thummim with a giant breastplate if a stone does the same work?

The translation process and the book are so intriging and so baffeling at the same time. I could spend a lifetime studying it and still feel like it was new each time.

Because the book or books are still a translation of the original writings. The only difference being that Joseph didn't have a clue what the ancient characters meant - and neither did any other living person. He relied upon a divine translation to complete the work. God knew what the plates said without Joseph having to read through them. The characters would appear to Joseph along with the relevant English translation.

[tribrac]

But if he didn't look at each page, why have the book at all? Yet he did have it, why? And if God could show Joseph what Mormon had written without Joseph looking at Mormons writing, couldn't God just show Joseph what Mormon was thinking (or trying to convey) without the plates? So why have the plates, they must have served some purpose.

[iamse7en]

There are enough sources (in my opinion) to confirm that Joseph did translate many times while the plates weren't even present - and enough sources that confirm he translated a bulk (if not all) of what we now have today as the BoM by looking into a stone in darkness (or in a hat). As an example of this principle (translating without having the actual source), I used D&C 7, in which its heading reads:

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829, when they inquired through the Urim and Thummim as to whether John, the beloved disciple, tarried in the flesh or had died. The revelation is a translated version of the record made on parchment by John and hidden up by himself.

There is no info or record (that I know of) that suggests Joseph had this actual parchment, yet he translated it, and we have this translation, without him ever having the actual parchment. This is a curious concept, which begs the obvious question which you guys are now discussing: what is the purpose of the plates? Why did the Nephite prophets labor for hours, days, years, and generations to record and preserve this record! Think of all the work. Think of the great trouble Joseph went through, to get the plates - years of waiting, education, evading evil treasure-hunters, etc. If the Lord could have revealed the history of a people, the doctrines taught, without the actual record - why have the actual record? Or better yet, why would Joseph need the actual record? Let me first say, that I have no idea what the real answer is. This one is left for the pearly gates, but I'll share a few ideas.

First, why did the Nephites go through the trouble of keeping a record? Well, we know the sacred record was used by prophets to have an accurate history of its people and doctrine, to which they contributed to and past down. We might say - that it was worth it for them to labor so diligently. Writing of scripture helps the writer AND the reader in remembering and learning truth. But why did Moroni have to bury them and why did Joseph need to actually retrieve them? I have a few guesses. Perhaps Joseph the entire experience of waiting to receive the plates (even trying to get them once and getting shocked because he wasn't ready yet), then actually getting them, and protecting them, was a very educational experience, one needed to prepare the prophet with enough humility, faith, and devotion to be able to have the gift of seership. I also believe that the testimony of the 3 and 8 witnesses is a very underrated aspect of the Restoration. It is so powerful, yet forgotten/overlooked by so many, believers and non-believers. Here you have 11 people that actually SAW AND HANDLED the golden plates. Despite their varying degrees of faithfulness and devotion to the Church, they stood by their testimony of what they saw. That is POWERFUL stuff. Think of how many converts there are to the Church because of the 11 witnesses - this sure as heck would have gotten me seeking initially if I were not born in the Church.

Who knows what the actual purpose of the plates were, but they seem to have a very powerful role even OUTSIDE their actual translation.

[dewajack]

Also, I think it's necessary to have the original plates in order for judgment. We'll be judged out of the books. If these things weren't recorded, the people couldn't be judged from them.

[fps.sledge]

But if he didn't look at each page, why have the book at all? Yet he did have it, why? And if God could show Joseph what Mormon had written without Joseph looking at Mormons writing, couldn't God just show Joseph what Mormon was thinking (or trying to convey) without the plates? So why have the plates, they must have served some purpose.

He did actually make the effort to learn the alphebet and attempted to understand the language in order to translate it. It was after this that he was given more power from God to translate it beyond Joseph's own capabilities. Remember the story in D&C 9 where Oliver Cowdery wanted to translate? The Lord said something like "You took no thought save it was to ask me." In other words, Oliver Cowdery just assumed that all he had to do was ask God for the power in order to receive it. Wheras Joseph, took quite a bit of time and effort to understand the engravings before he received power from God.

It is my understanding that the the translation of the Book of Mormon was spiritual training for joseph smith. There were many things he learned over this entire time. He had a few different methods of translating the plates. Finally, he got to the point with his spiritual sensitivity that he did not need any tools, such as the Urim and THummim or the Seer stones. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and I know it. It may be a strange process that we don't fully understand. Nor would we understand the works of God. THis whole thing wasn't easy for Joseph Smith. He sacrifice so much for this and so did many others, especially Martin Harris. We should always honor and respect these people for what they did, regardless of our understanding, or lack thereof.

[notjamesbond003.5]

Wow, I can imagine some greenies heads exploding in wonderment if this was their 1st zone conference.-not that I disagree with the ideas proffered here.

njb

[iamse7en]

Wow, I can imagine some greenies heads exploding in wonderment if this was their 1st zone conference.-not that I disagree with the ideas proffered here.

njb

I was a bit worried about that - but as long as they felt the Spirit, it was successful. At least for me, it was a very rewarding experience. I know a lot of people think it's weird to put a stone in a hat and look at it - but it makes total sense to me. This scripture helped "illuminate" the function of seer stones:

And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations. (Alma 37: 23)

(Side Note: I'm sure sure most know this, but Joseph used Gazelem as a pseudonym for himself in the D&C.) It makes total sense to me, that the best conditions in which to view a stone which would light up, is to view it in darkness. It's not like you could just say in the 1800's, "Hey, can you switch the lights off? Thanks." A hat seems like a very logical place to put it in, especially with it's shape and dimension, for putting your face into it would assure maximum darkness for the best viewing conditions. Brilliant and convenient, really. I know the world mocks us. Fools mock, but they shall mourn.

[notjamesbond003.5]

Wow, I can imagine some greenies heads exploding in wonderment if this was their 1st zone conference.-not that I disagree with the ideas proffered here.

njb

(Side Note: I'm sure sure most know this, but Joseph used Gazelem as a pseudonym for himself in the D&C.) .

and Idumea=world.

top that hotshot.

jk



njb

[iamse7en]

And the plains of Olaha Shinehah were where the great Patriarchs made astronomical observations and received great knowledge concerning the stars...

[clarkkent14]

They are a Type of Christ

[Original_Intent]

There were probably multiple reasons for the physical plates.

The gold as a temptation and trial for Joseph due to his families indigent circumstances.
The testimony of the witnesses.
The benefit to the keepers of the records.
Future purposes known only to God.
likely there are other possibilities.

[iamse7en]

They are a Type of Christ

That's very interesting. I've never heard that angle before. Thanks!

[Raindrop]

If you had more complete footnotes for the quotations you use I'd like to share this with a few people. I'm okay with verifying footnotes but trying to find the source of the quotes myself? I think that's the presenter's, not the hearer's, responsibility.

[iamse7en]

Raindrop: good point. I'd like to do that sometime, but don't count on it in the near future... Google is your friend in finding the actual sources. You can copy and paste a sentence of the quote and put it in "" quotations in google, and I'm sure you can find the actual source. Thanks for the suggestion.

[happy@life]

But if he didn't look at each page, why have the book at all? Yet he did have it, why? And if God could show Joseph what Mormon had written without Joseph looking at Mormons writing, couldn't God just show Joseph what Mormon was thinking (or trying to convey) without the plates? So why have the plates, they must have served some purpose.

Perhaps it has something to do with accessing the "vibrations" from the truth on the plates. It was so necessary that the truth be recorded and kept on the plates that heroic effort went into it taking place. There must be some need to have the physical source be in the vicinity of the translating taking place for God's "showing" of the truth to be made known.

[Raindrop]

The point is not that your audience wouldn't know how to type a phrase into Google using quotation marks. The point is your lack of documentation reflects on you as a researcher. Can you imagine Nibley quoting a bunch of people and then saying, "If you want to know where this came from, go Google it"? I understand your time restraint on your mission, but it's time you cleaned this up and did it right. This is good.

[iamse7en]

The point is not that your audience wouldn't know how to type a phrase into Google using quotation marks. The point is your lack of documentation reflects on you as a researcher. Can you imagine Nibley quoting a bunch of people and then saying, "If you want to know where this came from, go Google it"? I understand your time restraint on your mission, but it's time you cleaned this up and did it right. This is good.

lol. Point taken.

[oneClimbs]

Interestingly enough, it was the interpreters that Joseph seemed more initially fascinated with rather than the plates. Joseph Knight records Smith saying: "It is ten times better then I expected. Then he went on to tell the length and width and thickness of the plates and, said he, they appear to be gold. But he seamed to think more of the glasses or the urim and thummim than he did of the plates for says he, I can see anything. They are Marvelous.”

Most people think of the interpreters as merely just a tool. They were much, much more than that, they were older than the plates and have a specific purpose. I wrote an article on it here if anyone is interested: http://oneclimbs.com/2010/08/25/interpr ... binations/

What interests me is how after a while, Joseph Smith did not need them anymore. I think he did a lot of experimentation during this time, using the Interpreters, the seer stone and one point, nothing at all. I think there were things going on, lessons being learned that we may not ever be privy to.

For more insight as to why the physical plates needed to come forth, you can read another four part series I wrote about that subject here: http://oneclimbs.com/2010/08/15/the-mar ... rt-1-of-4/

This kind of stuff fascinates the crud out of me and I've collected various bits of info that I write into articles in case anyone else would like to explore as well.