God told Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris that they would see the gold plates after they had obtained faith. Faith is a gift of God, but it still requires effort on our part to obtain it.
“Touch Them Not”
Moroni instructed Joseph Smith not to touch the portion of the plates which he had sealed shut. Curiosity can be a powerful motivator and a powerful distraction. We need to act upon our current knowledge while patiently waiting for additional information.
“In the Mouth of Three Witnesses” – Ether 5:4
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.Deuteronomy 19:15 (See also Deuteronomy 17:6.) One of the features of this mortal life is dealing... Continue Reading →
What Do We Know About the Jaredite Plates?
Like a play within a play, the Book of Mormon, an ancient record translated by the power of God, contains a story of another ancient record which was translated by the power of God. The first mention of this record appears in the Book of Omni, near the end of the Small Plates of Nephi.... Continue Reading →
Who Were the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon?
While Joseph Smith was translating the Book of Mormon, he was not allowed to show anyone else the metal plates containing the original record (Joseph Smith--History 1:42). His scribes sat near him, recording the words he spoke, but Joseph kept the plates hidden from their view. But near the end of the translation process, in... Continue Reading →
Awake to a Sense of Your Awful Situation – Ether 8:24
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from... Continue Reading →
Unto Three Shall They Be Shown – Ether 5:2-3
2 And behold, ye may be privileged that ye may show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work; 3 And unto three shall they be shown by the power of God; wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true. (Ether 5:2-3) After describing the miraculous vision... Continue Reading →
All This Shall Stand as a Testimony – Ether 5:4
4 And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record--and all this shall stand as a... Continue Reading →
The Testimony of Three – Ether 5:4
4 And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record--and all this shall stand as a... Continue Reading →