Elder Cook mentions the seer stones and asks what their purpose was:
In his talk, Elder Cook does not give a direct answer to his question.We know something of the process and instruments he used in that translation. In that first 1830 printing, Joseph included a short preface and simply and clearly declared it was translated “by the gift and power of God.” What about the aids to translation—the Urim and Thummim, the seer stones? Were they essential, or were they like the training wheels on a bicycle until Joseph could exercise the faith necessary to receive more direct revelation?
Later, he mentions a story from the Gospel of Luke. In this story, a woman believes that if she can just touch the border of Savior's garment, she could be healed. She does that and is instantly healed.
Elder Cook says that we should desire to have that kind of faith. But why? What should we learn from the story? Clearly, it is not the garment of Savior that healed the woman. She had faith in Jesus and that is the reason she was healed. However, the woman really believed that the act of touching was important. She didn't just have faith in Christ, but she had faith in Christ and she believed she had to touch the garment. Only after touching she was healed.“And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.”
The root word for virtue could easily be interpreted as “power.” In Spanish and Portuguese, it is translated as “power.” But regardless, the Savior did not see her; He had not focused on her need. But her faith was such that touching the border of the garment drew upon the healing power of the Son of God.
As the Savior said to her, “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”
I have contemplated this account all my adult life. I realize that our personal prayers and supplications to a loving Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ can bring blessings into our lives beyond our ability to comprehend. The foundations of faith, the kind of faith that this woman demonstrated, should be the great desire of our hearts.
Why does the Lord let us have this kind of beliefs? Why didn't Jesus teach her that the act of touching the border of the garment was unnecessary. Instead, Jesus seems to endorse her belief.
Why did Joseph Smith need the seer stones?
Are there things in our life that might be unnecessary but the Lord let us think that are necessary instruments? Where to draw the line between the false belief in relics or occult practices and the belief of the woman who touched the garment of Jesus?
