This question came from one of my daughters. She is well aware that some passages in the Book of Mormon (such as quotations from the Book of Isaiah) come from the same sources as the Bible. For example, the brass plates, which Lehi and his family carried with them from Jerusalem, contained many of the... Continue Reading →
What Is the Urim and Thummim?
Shortly after the Lord confounded the language of people at the tower of Babel and scattered them "upon the face of all the earth" (Genesis 11:9), a group of people led by a man named Jared and his brother traveled to the American continent. As they prepared to board barges to cross the sea, the... Continue Reading →
What Is the Gift of Tongues?
In the final chapter of the Book of Mormon, Moroni lists a number of gifts which are given "by the manifestations of the Spirit of God." Among these are "all kinds of tongues" and "the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues" (Moroni 10:15-16). These gifts are also included in lists of spiritual... Continue Reading →
How Did Joseph Smith Translate the Book of Mormon?
This week, I'm going to ask some questions about translation. Here are a few of the questions I'm planning to tackle: Why is it important for people to hear the gospel in their own language? What is the Urim and Thummim, and what role does it play in translation? Why is the Book of Mormon... Continue Reading →