Sign 26 – Spirit Of God Poured Out On All Flesh

Year:1830

Scriptures:

Joel 2:28

28 ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;

“Now, my brethren and sisters, I am not going to confine this prophecy to the members of the Church. The Lord said he would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh. That does not mean that upon all flesh the Holy Ghost should be sent, and that they should be participants in the blessings which those are privileged to receive who have been baptized and endowed and become members of the Church; but the Lord would pour out his blessings and his Spirit upon all people and use them to accomplish his purposes....

“There has never been a step taken..., in discovery or invention, where the Spirit of the Lord (that is, the Spirit of which Joel spoke, the Light of Christ, not the Holy Ghost!) was not the prevailing force, resting upon the individual, which caused him to make the discovery or the invention. The world does not understand that, but it is perfectly clear to me; nor did the Lord always use those who have faith, nor does he always do so today. He uses such minds as are pliable and can be turned in certain directions to accomplish his work, whether they believe in him or not.

“There have been a great many discoveries. In fact, since the establishment of the gospel, these discoveries and inventions have been increasing more rapidly and we have seen more, perhaps... than was seen during all the years from the days of the revival of learning and Reformation down to the visitation of Moroni to the Prophet Joseph Smith.”(Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols. edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956] 1:176-179)

Since the restoration of the church in 1830, the Spirit of God or Light of Christ has been poured out in great abundance. This has resulted in the great discoveries and rapid advancement in all fields of science, technology and intellectual pursuits including our current information age.

Sign 25 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Established

Year:1830

Scriptures:

Revelation 14:6

6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

“Plainly the vision-prophecy of John (Rev. 14:6), relating to the restoration of the Gospel to earth, could not refer to the Gospel record preserved in the Holy Bible, for that record has remained in the possession of mankind. As stated in the text a partial fulfilment is found in the visitation of Moroni and the restoration of the Book of Mormon, which is to us of modern times as new scripture, and one containing a fuller record of ‘the everlasting Gospel.’ However, a record of the Gospel is not the Gospel itself. Authority to administer in the saving ordinances of the Gospel is essential to the effective preaching and administration thereof; this was restored through John the Baptist, who brought the Aaronic Priesthood, and through Peter, James, and John, who brought again to earth the Melchizedek Priesthood.” (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981] 415)

Daniel 2:34-35

34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

“In the remarkable vision given to King Nebuchadnezzar of the image representing the nations from the days of Nebuchadnezzar to the time of the coming of Christ, we read that in the days of the kingdoms represented by the toes the ‘God of heaven’ was to set up a kingdom ‘which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.’ The Latter-day Saints maintain that this kingdom is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moreover that it is the ‘stone’ cut out of the mountain without hands which eventually is to take preeminence upon the face of the earth. ‘And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ (Amos 3:7; Dan. 2:34; Daniel 2:29-44; 7:18-27)

“No one else, but Joseph Smith, has ever made the claim that this restoration and setting up of the kingdom (i.e. Church of Jesus Christ) has ever been revealed. Yet all indications point to the fact that the predicted signs of the approach of the second coming of our Lord are here. Surely the preparatory work of that coming must precede it. The restored unadulterated gospel must be here. Prophets who can receive revelation and who possess heavenly powers must be here. The heavens must be open and divine communications received by someone who is commissioned to set in order, under the guiding hand of Jesus Christ, all things preparatory to his appearance as King of kings and Lord of lords. Joseph Smith has proclaimed to the world that such power, keys, and authority were bestowed upon him. No one else has arisen to make such a claim; yet, this was revealed preparatory to these momentous and final restorations.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 5 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957-1966] 3: 12)

Isaiah 29:14

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder….

“This ‘marvellous work and a wonder’ is nothing more nor less than the establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the earth in the latter days in direct fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel, quoted again for emphasis:

“’But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days….

“’And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:28, 44)

“Thus the God of Heaven decreed that He would set up a kingdom, and who can prevent His doing the thing He has decreed He would do ‘in the latter days?’

“This, therefore, is the message we have to offer both to the House of Judah and to the House of Joseph, or Israel. The ‘marvellous work and a wonder’ has been established in the earth through the prophet and seer ‘like unto Moses’ who should ‘by the power of the Lord . . . bring my people unto salvation.’ (2 Nephi 3:15) “(Legrand Richards, Israel! Do You Know? [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954] 117)

“On Tuesday, April 6, 1830, under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, a group of friends assembled in Peter Whitmer, Sr.'s log farmhouse to organize the Church, later named The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints…. Whitmer, a German immigrant from Pennsylvania, had come to Fayette, New York, in the Seneca Lake region in 1809. Joseph and Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery had lived and worked in the Whitmer farmhouse in 1829 while they completed the translation of the Book of Mormon.

“Prior to this date, Joseph Smith and his small but growing group of believers had held meetings regularly in Fayette, Manchester, and Colesville, New York, but April 6 was the day given them by revelation to organize formally as a church, in compliance with laws regulating the creation of new churches in New York State. It appears that the legal requirements were checked and steps taken to comply with New York law prior to the organization. The law required notice on two successive sabbaths, nomination and election of three to nine trustees, and nomination of two members to preside at the election. (Carmack, p. 16) These steps assured formal status to the fledgling Church, validating property and ecclesiastical actions in the eyes of the state. Joseph Smith's official history reports his conclusion that the organizers held the meeting agreeable to the laws of the country…. There is no record of any challenge to the action, and thereafter the Church conducted both religious rites and business transactions on a regular basis.

“The organizational meeting commenced with prayer. The small congregation, made up of about fifty men and women, unanimously voted approval to organize a new church and elected Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer, Jr., Samuel H. Smith, and David Whitmer as trustees. They also unanimously elected Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as teachers and first and second elders of the newly organized Church of Christ. Smith ordained Cowdery as an elder of the Church, and in turn Cowdery ordained Smith, even though they had previously ordained each other to the priesthood office of elder…. The second ordination signified that the two elders were empowered to act in the new Church. They blessed and shared the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper with those present in honor of the special occasion, bestowed the gift of the Holy Ghost on each individual member present by the laying on of hands, and confirmed each of those previously baptized as members. Smith and Cowdery called and ordained men to different offices of the priesthood. Those present at the meeting enjoyed an unusual outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord. After the spiritual feast, they dismissed the formal meeting. Having authority bestowed upon them, the newly appointed Church officers baptized several persons, including Joseph Smith, Sr., Martin Harris, and Orrin Porter Rockwell. On this day the Prophet Joseph Smith also received revelations to guide the Church. (D&C 21) “(Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 volumes, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow [New York: Macmillan, 1992] 1049)

Sign 24 – The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ is Published

Year:1830

Scriptures:

Stick of Ephraim

Ezekiel 37:16-20

16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

18 ¶ And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

20 ¶ And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.(George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, edited and arranged by Philip C. Reynolds, 7 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1955-1961] 6: 110)

“The Prophet Ezekiel is commanded to take one stick and write upon it, ‘For Judah,’ and another and write upon it, ‘For Joseph,’ and join them together; and, when asked for the meaning of this symbolical act, he was to say: ‘Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand. * * * Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel.’ (Ezek. 37:15 Ezek. 37:19 Ezek. 37:15-28)

“The prophet here predicts the final union of the ‘whole house of Israel’—Judah and Ephraim— and the establishment of the everlasting covenant of peace, and says this restoration is to be preceded by the joining together of the records of the two divisions of the people. The Old Testament is the record of Judah. It came to us through the efforts of the Jews. The Book of Mormon is, more particularly, the record of Israel. In the coming forth of the Book of Mormon the prediction is fulfilled.” (George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, edited and arranged by Philip C. Reynolds, 7 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1955-1961] 4:291)

“Now, my friends, you may go to work, with all your Christian benevolent societies, to gather the Jews from the nations; you may combine all the wisdom and learning of Christendom, and put all the funds they can rake and scrape together from the two hemispheres of the earth, and after all, you never can accomplish the gathering and restitution of Israel until the Lord does it in his own way, by uniting the records of Judah and Joseph to accomplish this work. Then, and not till then, will the house of Jacob rejoice in the Holy One of Israel, and no more be ashamed.” (Orson Pratt, JD 2:291)

Translation

“…[T]he Prophet and Oliver continued their translation and writing of the plates. However, as Joseph Fielding Smith indicates below, the final work of the translation did not take place at Harmony, Pennsylvania.

“It was not destined that the work of translation should go on in Harmony, without interruption. Opposition finally made itself manifest and became so strong that even Isaac Hale—a man who believed in justice, law and order, but who did not express much faith in the mission of Joseph Smith—became somewhat bitter in his feelings. The necessity of a change of residence was apparent. Oliver Cowdery wrote to a young friend, David Whitmer of Fayette, New York, with whom he had previously corresponded regarding the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, desiring that he would come and take Joseph and himself to the Whitmer home in Fayette. This David Whitmer consented to do, and the removal was made in June, 1829.

“When David was on the journey to Harmony on this mission, he was met some distance from the town of Harmony by Joseph and Oliver. In referring to this circumstance some years later, David Whitmer wrote: ‘Oliver told me that Joseph had informed him when I started from home, where I stopped the first night, how I read the sign at the tavern, where I stopped the next night, etc., and that I would be there that day for dinner, and this is why they had come out to meet me. All of which was exactly as Joseph had told Oliver, at which I was greatly astonished.’ (Millennial Star, 40:769-74; also quoted by Joseph Fielding Smith, Essentials in Church History, pp. 59-60)

“The translation was finally completed at the Whitmer farm in Fayette, New York. Concerning the actual date of the completion of the translation, Francis Kirkham has written: 'It appears that the entire copy might have been prepared before the printing began for the reason that the original copy would be kept at a separate place to guard against loss or destruction. In any event, one month to six or seven weeks would be no more than sufficient time to prepare the manuscript, arrange for, and actually begin the printing which, from the evidence presented below, began in August, 1829.”

“The conclusion is this: The translation and writing of the Book of Mormon commenced April 7, 1829, at page sixteen or a little before and were completed about July 1, 1829…..

'The evidence appears complete, that the printing of the Book of Mormon began in August, 1829, and was completed not later than March 26, 1830, at the printing press of E. B. Grandin at Palmyra, New York.

“From the above sources, it is clear that the Book of Mormon was dictated by Joseph Smith in the relatively short period of seventy-five working days.'” (Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976] 31)

Publishing

“Two major goals of each published edition of the Book of Mormon have been (1) to faithfully reproduce the text; and (2) to make the text accessible to the reader. The goal of textual accuracy has led later editors to earlier editions and, when available, to the original and printer's manuscripts…. The goal of accessibility has led to some modernization and standardization of the text itself and the addition of reader's helps (introductory material, versification, footnotes, chapter summaries, dates, pronunciation guides, and indexes).

“Four editions were published during Joseph Smith's lifetime:

1. 1830: 5,000 copies; published by E. B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York. In general, the first edition is a faithful copy of the printer's manuscript (although on one occasion the original manuscript rather than the printer's was used for typesetting). For the most part, this edition reproduces what the compositor, John H. Gilbert, considered grammatical ‘errors.’ Gilbert added punctuation and determined the paragraphing for the first edition…. The testimonies of the Three and the Eight Witnesses were placed at the end of the book. In this and all other early editions, there is no versification.

2. 1837: Either 3,000 or 5,000 copies; published by Parley P. Pratt and John Goodson, Kirtland, Ohio. For this edition, hundreds of grammatical changes and a few emendations were made in the text. The 1830 edition and the printer's manuscript were used as the basis for this edition.
3. 1840: 2,000 copies; published for Ebenezer Robinson and Don Carlos Smith (by Shepard and Stearns, Cincinnati, Ohio), Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith compared the printed text with the original manuscript and discovered a number of errors made in copying the printer's manuscript from the original. Thus the 1840 edition restores some of the readings of the original manuscript.

4. 1841: 4,050 copies (5,000 contracted); published for Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Parley P. Pratt (by J. Tompkins, Liverpool, England). This first European edition was printed with the permission of Joseph Smith; it is essentially a reprinting of the 1837 edition with British spellings.

“Two additional British editions, one in 1849 (edited by Orson Pratt) and the other in 1852 (edited by Franklin D. Richards), show minor editing of the text. In the 1852 edition, Richards added numbers to the paragraphs to aid in finding passages, thereby creating the first-although primitiveversification for the Book of Mormon.

“Three other important LDS editions have involved major changes in format as well as minor editing:

1. 1879: Edited by Orson Pratt. Major changes in the format of the text included division of the long chapters in the original text, a true versification system (which has been followed in all subsequent LDS editions), and footnotes (mostly scriptural references).

2. 1920: Edited by James E. Talmage. Further changes in format included introductory material, double columns, chapter summaries, and new footnotes. Some of the minor editing found in this edition appeared earlier in the 1905 and 1911 editions, also under the editorship of Talmage. 
3. 1981: Edited by a committee headed by members of the Quorum of the Twelve. This edition is a major reworking of the 1920 edition: The text appears again in double columns, but new introductory material, chapter summaries, and footnotes are provided. About twenty significant textual errors that had entered the printer's manuscript are corrected by reference to the original manuscript. Other corrections were made from comparison with the printer's manuscript and the 1840 Nauvoo edition.” (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 volumes, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow [New York:7Macmillan, 1992] 151)

2013 Edition of the Book of Mormon

“After nearly eight years of work, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released in digital formats an updated edition of its English-language scriptures and study aids.

“The last update to the Church’s English scriptures—the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—was completed in 1981. The improvements made for that edition, including the addition of extensive study helps in each book of scripture, were significant and crowned 10 years of work.

'The current edition of the scriptures, with its extensive study helps, will continue to serve Latter-day Saints very well.'

“The 2013 edition includes revisions to study aids, new photos, updated maps, and adjustments to chapter and section headings.

“Online and mobile versions of the new edition are available now at scriptures.lds.org. Annotations that readers have made in their Gospel Library accounts will automatically transfer to the new digital scriptures.

“The Church plans to release printed copies of the new edition beginning in August 2013. Because the new edition maintains the pagination and font style of the earlier edition, most members will notice little if any difference. For example, all the verses found on page 47 of the 1981 edition of the Book of Mormon will be found on page 47 of the new edition. This consistency allows members to continue using the 1981 edition.

“'The current edition of the scriptures, with its extensive study helps, will continue to serve Latter-day Saints very well' said Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 'This new edition incorporates adjustments that will be a blessing to Church members in years to come, but members should not feel that they need to purchase a new set of scriptures, particularly since all of the adjustments are available in digital formats at no cost. Changes to the scriptural text include spelling, minor typographical, and punctuation corrections.'” (Church Releases New Edition of English Scriptures in Digital Formats. See lds.org.)

News Release — 18 April 2011

Book of Mormon Reaches Another Milestone: 150 Million and Counting

Salt Lake City —

As The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grows, so does the publishing of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The 150 millionth copy of the Book of Mormon was recently printed, passing another milestone in the book’s 181-year history.

“The Lord brought forth the Book of Mormon at a period of time when printing methods would enhance its distribution far and wide,” Church President Thomas S. Monson said in the Special Witnesses of Christ video (2000). “Modern-day printing presses now enable the Church to print and distribute many millions of copies of the Book of Mormon each year.”

To date, the Book of Mormon has been fully translated into 82 languages and partially translated in 25 more. A full-time missionary force of more than 52,000 helps distribute free copies of the Book of Mormon worldwide, and free copies can also be obtained from Mormon.org.

The Book of Mormon was first published in English in 1830 in Palmyra, New York. This book has been described as the “keystone” of the Church, and from the beginning, Church members have accepted it as scripture alongside the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price and the Bible.

The Book of Mormon does not replace the Bible as scripture for members of the Church. The Bible and the Book of Mormon are used side by side in their preaching and personal study. In fact, a recent study found that Latter-day Saints score high among religious groups in their knowledge of the Bible.

In 2003, Book magazine named the Book of Mormon one of the “20 Books That Changed America.” In October 2007, late Church President Gordon B. Hinckley described its modern influence: “Through all of these years critics have tried to explain it. They have spoken against it. They have ridiculed it. But it has outlived them all, and its influence today is greater than at any time in its history.” (Read what individual Church members say about the Book of Mormon.)

In addition to the 150 million copies of the Book of Mormon in print, the Church also makes the volume available on its official website in a format that facilitates a study of the book and in applications for handheld devices. (News Article published 18 April 2011 in lds.org)

Purposes and Contents

“The Book of Mormon, as its modern subtitle states, stands with the Bible as ‘Another Testament of Jesus Christ.’ Its main purposes are summarized on its title page: to show the remnants of the Book of Mormon people what great things God did for their forefathers, to make known the covenants of the Lord, and to convince ‘Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.’ The central event in the Book of Mormon is the appearance of the resurrected Christ to righteous inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere after his ascension into heaven at Jerusalem. During his visit, Christ delivered a sermon that is similar to the Sermon on the Mount recorded in the New Testament, but with certain vital clarifications and additions. He declared his doctrine, the fulness of his gospel necessary to enter the kingdom of God; and he established his Church with its essential ordinances, and ordained disciples to preside over the Church. At this time, Christ also explained the promises of God to Israel; healed the sick and disabled; blessed the children and their parents; and expressed his great love, allowing each individual to come forward and touch the wounds he had received during his crucifixion. The record of Jesus´ visit and many other passages in the Book of Mormon verify the divine sonship, ministry, Atonement, resurrection, and eternal status of the Lord Jesus Christ and show that the fulness of his gospel is the same for all people, whenever and wherever they have lived.

“The ancestors of these people to whom Jesus appeared had been in the Western Hemisphere for about 600 years. The Book of Mormon opens with the family of Lehi in Jerusalem at the time of the biblical prophet Jeremiah. Lehi was warned by God about 600 B.C. to take his family and flee Jerusalem before it was destroyed by Babylon.686 The account, written by Lehi´s son Nephi 1, first tells of his family´s departure from Jerusalem and of his dangerous return to the city with his brothers to obtain sacred records that contained their lineage, the five books of Moses, and a history of the Jews and writings of prophets down to Jeremiah´s time.

“The group traveled in the wilderness until they reached a pleasant land by the sea where Nephi, with God´s instruction, built a ship that took them to the New World.688 Nephi´s older brothers, Laman and Lemuel, expressed resentment at Nephi´s closeness to the Lord and did not want him to rule over them. When the family reached the New World, this antagonism led to a schism between the Nephites and Lamanites that pervades the Book of Mormon.

“As the Nephite sermons, prophecies, and historical records were compiled and handed down, the writers emphasized that those who keep God´s commandments prosper. Unfortunately, many who prospered became proud and persecuted others, with war as the eventual result. The desolation of war humbled the people, who began again to call upon God.

“Ancient American prophets, like biblical prophets such as Moses, Isaiah, and Daniel, were shown visions of the future of various nations. For example, Nephi foresaw Christopher Columbus´ discovery of America, the influx of Gentiles into the New World, and the American Revolution, as well as the birth and earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Christ´s birth, ministry, and death were prophesied by Lehi, Nephi, Benjamin, Samuel the Lamanite, and other prophets. When Mosiah 1 discovered a people who had left Jerusalem with Mulek, a son of Zedekiah, and King Limhi´s messengers found a record of the extinct Jaredites, the Nephites learned that they were not the only people God had brought to the Western Hemisphere.

“After the appearance of Jesus Christ, the Nephites and Lamanites enjoyed peace for more than 160 years. Then, many who had been righteous broke their covenants with God, and the Church and their civilization began to collapse. At last, in A.D. 385, the few remaining Nephites were hunted and killed by Lamanites. The book ends with Moroni, the last Nephite, writing to the people of modern times, admonishing them to ‘come unto Christ, and be perfected in him’.“ (http://ldsfaq.byu.edu/emmain.asp?number=43)

Sign 23 – Melchizedek Priesthood Restored

Year:1829

Scriptures:

Doctrine and Covenants 27:12

12 And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;

“John told Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery that the priesthood which he gave them did not include the authority to lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost; that would come later.  (JS-H 1:70) He also told them that he was acting under the direction of the ancient apostles Peter, James, and John, who held the keys of the priesthood of Melchizedek. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery would receive that authority ‘in due time’. (JS-H 1:72) The Melchizedek Priesthood is the highest order of priesthood that God grants to his children on earth. In a later revelation, Joseph Smith learned that its original name was ‘the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood’. (D&C 107:3-4) This priesthood encompasses every authority in the Church, presides over all of its functions, and empowers men to speak and act in the name of God.

“We do not know the date when Peter, James, and John appeared on the earth to restore the Melchizedek Priesthood. The Prophet's writings and sermons are silent concerning the exact date, as also are the records of Oliver Cowdery. We do know that the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood happened after 15 May 1829 and before the Church was organized on 6 April 1830. (D&C 20:2-3, 38) Circumstantial evidence places the event within two weeks of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood. On 1 June 1829, the Prophet and his scribe arrived in Fayette, New York, to complete the translation of the Book of Mormon at the Whitmer home. It appears that the restoration of the higher priesthood had happened before that date. In 1842 Joseph Smith stated that the event took place ‘in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county [Pennsylvania], and Colesville, Broome county [New York], on the Susquehanna river’. (D&C 12:208) That would place the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood near the Pennsylvania-New York border, some miles upstream from the place where the Aaronic Priesthood had been restored.

“With the restoration of the higher priesthood by those who held it anciently came also the restoration of the keys to preside over the Lord's work on earth. The keys of the priesthood belong to the apostleship. They are the ‘keys of the kingdom’ (D&C 128:20) which Jesus had given his Twelve anciently and by which they, and now Joseph Smith and his successors, were authorized to speak and act in the name of Christ. The restoration of the apostleship also restored the keys of revelation. Joseph Smith taught that the Melchizedek Priesthood ‘is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation and every important matter is revealed from heaven.’ It is ‘the channel through which . . . he has continued to reveal himself to the children of men to the present time and through which he will make known his purposes to the end of time.’ (Ehat and Cook, Words of Joseph Smith, 38-39) ‘The apostles in ancient times held the keys of this priesthood—of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and consequently were enabled to unlock, and unravel all things pertaining to the government of the church, the welfare of society, the future destiny of men, and the agency, power, and influence of spirits. (Times and Seasons 3, no. 11 (1 April 1842): 745) This priesthood ‘administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.’ In its ordinances, ‘the power of godliness is manifest’. (D&C 84:19-20) Now those powers were restored to earth, into the hands of men who, like their fellow apostles anciently, would carry on the work of Christ.

“One great blessing of the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood was the restoration of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Perhaps before the Prophet fully knew what it was, he was told about this gift by John the Baptist. (JS-H 1:70) The gift of the Holy Ghost is a special blessing for those who through the covenant of baptism have taken upon themselves the name of Christ. It is their promise of the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit, provided they live their lives worthy of it. Many good persons outside Christ's church have received the influence of the Spirit in their efforts to serve the Lord according to the knowledge they have possessed. That influence is especially present among those who are searching for truth, and missionaries can attest that it is that influence of the Spirit and not their own skill that brings people to conversion. But the gift of the Holy Ghost promises more than the sometimes temporary promptings felt by seekers after truth. As Joseph Smith taught:

“‘There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius [a convert in Acts 10] received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the gospel. But he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. And had he not taken this sign [or] ordinances upon him, the Holy Ghost, which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him until he obeyed those ordinances and received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, according to the order of God.’ (Times and Seasons 3, no. 11 (1 April 1842): 745)

“Thus the gift of the Holy Ghost is not only a special blessing but also a saving ordinance that signifies a covenant between God and individual Saints. Like baptism, it is required of those who would inherit the celestial kingdom. It gives them the assurance that God's latter-day work is true and that prophets guide his Church. And it enables them to retain that testimony in the face of life's challenges. Those who use this gift wisely and worthily are empowered to overcome the world by faith and to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. (D&C 76:53)

“I Have Chosen You

“Without the priesthood, sacred ordinances cannot be performed with legitimacy and are not recognized by God as binding, regardless of the motives of those who might seek to act in God's name. Because of this, a few months after the restoration of the priesthood the Lord revealed the truth that the Saints' previous baptisms were not valid and thus they would need to be baptized again under the authority of the newly restored priesthood. (D&C 22:1-4) Joseph Smith taught that ‘all the ordinances, systems, and administrations on the earth are of no use to the children of men unless they are ordained and authorized of God.’ They must be performed by ‘a legal administrator. For none others will be acknowledged, either by God or angels.’ (Times and Seasons 3, no. 11 (1 April 1842): 745) This is a fundamental principle of true Christianity. Because of the importance of the priesthood, the coming of Peter, James, and John is one of the key events in the Lord's work of the last days, an indispensable part of the restoration of the gospel. “Having received the authority of God, Joseph Smith stood in the same position that was occupied by Peter in the ancient Church. Thus empowered, his works were authorized by heaven and were binding and valid. The same is true for all those who have received those same keys in succession from Joseph Smith to the present moment.

“This authority is not a legacy inherited through the centuries of Christian history. The chain of priesthood that binds the restored Church to the primitive Church does not pass through the medieval

church, the Reformation church, or the churches of Joseph Smith's day. The priesthood authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a new, undiluted revelation of the power that was held anciently by Jesus' apostolic witnesses. It was brought back by the very men who held it before, so that the priesthood in the last days would continue an unbroken succession of ordination from those who received it under the hands of Jesus Christ. ‘How have we come at the priesthood in the last days?’ Joseph Smith asked. ‘It came down, down in regular succession. Peter, James, and John had it given to them, and they gave it up [to us].’ (Times and Seasons 3, no. 11 (1 April 1842): 745)

“When the Savior set apart his Twelve he told them, ‘Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you’ (John 15:16) In saying that, he established the truth that divine authority is vested in men only by deliberate selection from God and only on God's terms. True authority cannot come in any other way—whether by believing in the Holy Bible, by receiving educational degrees, or by feeling sincerely that one has been called.

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints asserts its claim to being Christ's church because, among other reasons, its authority is not of men. It was revealed from God: “‘…Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;

“‘Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth’ (D&C 27:12-13) “ (Kent P. Jackson, From Apostasy to Restoration [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.) 1996])

Sign 22 – Aaronic Priesthood Restored

Year:1829

Scriptures:

Joseph Smith-History:68-69

68 We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying:

69 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

Doctrine and Covenants 13:1

Ordination of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood on the banks of the Susquehanna River near Harmony, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1829. History of the Church 1:39-42.

1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness

“I would like to take you back to the beautiful Susquehanna River, near Harmony, Pennsylvania. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, two young men, age twenty-three and twenty- two, respectively, stood on those beautiful banks of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. Their faces reflected the seriousness of their thoughts. It was evident that peace permeated their entire beings, and every act bespoke humility and faith in God, their Eternal Father. They had intentionally secluded themselves from the world that they might seek the counsel of their Father in heaven.

“May 15, 1829—it was a beautiful day. Winter was over. Spring was in the air. Nature had painted the leaves of the trees with a delicate green. The song of the birds overhead blended with the sounds of the river to produce harmonious overtones that added serenity to that beautiful occasion. The sun cast its golden rays through the motionless leaves of the semi-dense overgrowth, making a wonderful study in light and shadow. All was calm and peaceful, that day. It was indeed a sacred spot and a sacred hour. Cares and worries and concern were largely overcome by the handiwork of God. The harmonious beauty that surrounded them contributed to the sacredness of the place and of the occasion, but the seriousness of their mission made them semi-oblivious to it. They now knelt together in humble prayer, seeking guidance from God, their Eternal Father.

“These two young men were concerned about the principle of baptism for the remission of sins, and they desired to know more concerning the details of this sacred ordinance. What was the proper mode? How, and to whom, and by whom should this ordinance be performed? In their work of translating the Book of Mormon they had become concerned regarding the problem, as they contrasted the instructions of that sacred book with the practices of the churches of that day. They knew, however, that their Father in heaven would supply the wisdom they now sought.

“And while they were engaged in prayer, a messenger, whom God had sent, appeared to them, and he spoke, unto them. I am thy fellow servant. The resurrected John the Baptist now stood before them—he, who had come out of the wilderness crying repentance to the people of his day; he, who had baptized our Lord and Savior at Bethabara in the River Jordan. Yes, this was the same John who on that sacred occasion heard the Father's voice from heaven declare, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17) This was the same John who witnessed the Holy Ghost descend on Jesus; he, the literal descendant of Aaron who held the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood by right and ordination; he of whom the Lord said, ‘No greater prophet born of woman’; (see Luke 7:28) he, who had been beheaded for his courageous denunciation of sin and for his love of truth. Now he stood before them in majesty; the glory that surrounded him was far more brilliant than the May sunshine. His presence dispelled all doubts and all fears, and these two young men opened their souls to partake of his great wisdom.

“He then laid his hands upon their heads and conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood keys which he had held throughout the centuries. The awards of that ordination prayer were indelibly impressed upon the minds of these two young men:

D. & C. 13

Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

“He then told them that the Aaronic Priesthood was an appendage of the Melchizedek Priesthood, that it had not the power of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this power should later be given to them. Then he told these two young men that he came under the direction of Peter, James, and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which priesthood, in due time, would be conferred upon them and which later was conferred upon them.

“These two young men were then directed by this messenger to go down into the river, that beautiful Susquehanna River. Joseph Smith was instructed to baptize Oliver, and Oliver, in turn, was instructed to baptize Joseph. They were then to ordain each other to the Aaronic Priesthood by the laying on of hands. Joseph ordained Oliver to the Aaronic Priesthood first, and Oliver then ordained Joseph.

“This glorious spiritual experience that followed their baptism and ordination to the priesthood was accompanied by the spirit of prophecy. As they left this hallowed spot, their hearts were light. The Aaronic Priesthood was again restored to the earth by an angel of God to his servants, the first time in many centuries for man to be divinely commissioned with the priesthood. This vision demonstrated conclusively that the heavens were not closed and gave positive proof of the promise of the resurrection.” (Bishop Thorpe B. Isaacson, Conference Report, April 1955, Afternoon Meeting 44)

Sign 21 – Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon

Year:1829

Scriptures:

2 Nephi 27:12

12 Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein.

“The translation of the Book of Mormon was completed in June 1829. Intimate friends of the Prophet had been given to understand that three witnesses, according to the record itself, would get the privilege to see the original plates, and to testify to their actual existence, as revealed ‘by the grace of God’; also to the accuracy of the translation. Naturally, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer, who, at various times, had befriended the Prophet, when he needed friends, were anxious to be selected for that mission. They all made it a subject of prayer, and the answer came on June 29, 1829, in a revelation recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 17. A short time previously, it had been intimated to David Whitmer, in a revelation, that he might be called upon to be a witness to the world. (D&C 14:8)

“A few days after the revelation, Section 17, had been received, the Prophet Joseph, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris went to a secluded place in the woods, where they engaged in prayer. To begin with they felt no response. Martin Harris, listening to the voice of his own conscience, withdrew from his brethren, greatly distressed. The three renewed their petitions. Almost immediately, a brilliant light shone above them, and a heavenly messenger descended and stood before them. He had the Book of Mormon plates in his hands and turned leaf after leaf. To David Whitmer he said, ‘David, blessed is the Lord, and he that keeps his commandments.’ Then a voice coming from the light above them said: ‘These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear.’

“Shortly afterwards, Martin Harris, who had been joined by the Prophet, had a similar manifestation, whereupon he arose and cried out in joy, ‘'Tis enough! Tis enough! Mine eyes have beheld! Mine eyes have beheld!’ “ (George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, edited and arranged by Philip C. Reynolds, 7 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1955-1961] 6: 110)

The Testimony of Three Witnesses

BE IT KNOWN unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.

OLIVER COWDERY

DAVID WHITMER

MARTIN

Sign 20 - Can’t Read a Sealed Book

Year:1828

Scriptures:

Isaiah 29:11

11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:

In September of 1827 Joseph Smith took the golden plates from the Hill Cumorah to begin translating the Book of Mormon. Immediately there were attempts made to get the plates from him. Two months later Joseph and his wife Emma moved in with her father, Isaac Hale in Harmony Pennsylvania. About this time Martin Harris gave Joseph fifty dollars to help them move to Harmony. They purchased a small home and parcel of land from Isaac Hale and began studying the plates. During these studies Joseph copied several pages from the plates using the Urim and Thummim. Two months later in February, 1828 Martin Harris received permission from Joseph to take these copied figures and their translation to some experts in ancient languages in New York City to have them verified.

Martin Harris’ report of this incident is recorded in Joseph Smith-History.

Joseph Smith-History:64-65

64 I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.

65 He then said to me, 'Let me see that certificate.' I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, 'I cannot read a sealed book.' I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation.

This incident was a direct fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 29:11

The Book of Mormon also gives a prophecy of this event.

2 Nephi 27:15-18

15 But, behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him [Joseph Smith) to whom he shall deliver the book: Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another [Martin Harris], that he may show them unto the learned [Anthon and Mitchell], saying: read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read them:

16 And now, because of the glory of the world and to get gain they will say this, and not for the glory of God.

17 And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed.

18 Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it.

Sign 19 – Golden Plates Received by Joseph Smith

Year:1827

Scriptures:

Mormon 8:14, 26

14 And I am the same who hideth up this record unto the Lord….

26 And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely shall, for the Lord hath spoken it; for out of the earth shall they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it; and it shall come in a day when it shall be said that miracles are done away; and it shall come even as if one should speak from the dead.

“Moroni was shown the last days-the days when the Book of Mormon would come forth among the Gentiles. After describing in some detail what was to transpire when the book came forth, Moroni acknowledged that the Lord had shown him great and marvelous things concerning that day and then spoke directly to the reader: ‘Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.’ (Mormon 8:34-35) “(Monte S. Nyman, The Most Correct Book [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1991], 57)

Joseph Smith-History:54, 59

54 Accordingly, as I had been commanded, I went at the end of each year, and at each time I found the same messenger there, and received instruction and intelligence from him at each of our interviews, respecting what the Lord was going to do, and how and in what manner his kingdom was to be conducted in the last days.

59 At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the twenty-second day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this charge: that I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected.

Joseph Leaves New York

When Joseph received the plates he wanted to begin translating them, but because of the persecution and efforts of the adversary, he had to leave New York.

Joseph Smith-History:61-62

61 The excitement, however, still continued, and rumor with her thousand tongues was all the time employed in circulating falsehoods about my father's family, and about myself. If I were to relate a thousandth part of them, it would fill up volumes. The persecution, however, became so intolerable that I was under the necessity of leaving Manchester, and going with my wife to Susquehanna county, in the State of Pennsylvania. While preparing to start—being very poor, and the persecution so heavy upon us that there was no probability that we would ever be otherwise—in the midst of our afflictions we found a friend in a gentleman by the name of Martin Harris, who came to us and gave me fifty dollars to assist us on our journey. Mr. Harris was a resident of Palmyra township, Wayne county, in the State of New York, and a farmer of respectability.

62 By this timely aid was I enabled to reach the place of my destination in Pennsylvania; and immediately after my arrival there I commenced copying the characters off the plates. I copied a considerable number of them, and by means of the Urim and Thummim I translated some of them, which I did between the time I arrived at the house of my wife's father, in the month of December, and the February following.

Gold Plates

“Various descriptions provided by eyewitnesses suggest that the plates may have been made of a gold alloy, measured about 6 inches by 8 inches (15.2 cm by 20.3 cm), were 6 inches (15.2 cm) thick, and weighed about 50 pounds (22.7 kg).”(Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 volumes, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow [New York: Macmillan, 1992] 555)

1 Nephi 1:2

2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

Mormon 9:32

32 And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.

“Nephi was merely saying that he used Egyptian signs to write his Jewish/Hebrew materials. His phrase ‘the language of the Egyptians’ surely uses the word language in the dictionary sense of ‘a systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs.’ Nephi's statement tells us that the Book of Mormon, at least his portion of it, was phrased in the Hebrew tongue, connoted much of Jewish culture, and was written in a system of modified Egyptian characters. That assessment seems reasonable, although we can't yet be sure of all those statements.” (John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon [Salt Lake City and Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985] 76)

Urim and Thummim

“The Urim and Thummim is mentioned in the Bible and, with added details about its use and significance, in latter-day scriptures. It is an instrument prepared by God through which revelation may be received. Abraham learned about the universe through the Urim and Thummim (Abraham 3:1-4). The Prophet Joseph Smith ‘through the medium of the Urim and Thummim…translated the [Book of Mormon] by the gift and power of God’ (HC 4:537; D&C 10:1; JS-H 1:62). Servants of God who are allowed to use the Urim and Thummim have been known as seers, (Mosiah 8:13) among whom were Abraham, Moses, the brother of Jared, Mosiah 2, Alma 1, Helaman 1, Moroni 2, and Joseph Smith.

“In Antiquity at least two different Urim and Thummim existed, and possibly three. Chronologically, the brother of Jared received the first known one (D&C 17:1). This same set came into the hands of Mosiah 2 and other Book of Mormon prophets, subsequently being deposited with the gold plates (JS-H 1:35). The fate of the second set, given to Abraham, (Abraham 3:1) remains unknown. Unless Abraham's Urim and Thummim had been passed down, Moses received a third set mentioned first in Exodus 28:30. The Urim noted in 1 Samuel 28:6, probably an abbreviated form of Urim and Thummim, was most likely the one possessed by Moses (Numbers 27:18-21). What happened to this one is also unknown, though certainly by postexilic times the Urim and Thummim were no longer extant (Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65).

“Joseph Smith described the Urim and Thummim as ‘two transparent stones set in the rim of a [silver] bow fastened to a breast plate’ (HC 4:537; JS-H 1:35). Biblical evidence allows no conclusive description, except that it was placed in a breastplate over the heart (Exodus 28:30; Lev. 8:8).

“Urim and Thummim is the transliteration of two Hebrew words meaning, respectively, ‘light(s)’ and ‘wholeness(es)’ or ‘perfection(s).’ While it is usually assumed that the -im ending on both words represents the Hebrew masculine plural suffix, other explanations are possible.

“The Urim and Thummim to be used during and after the Millennium will have a functional similarity to the Urim and Thummim mentioned above. God's dwelling place is called a Urim and Thummim; and the white stone of Revelation 2:17 is to become a Urim and Thummim for inheritors of the Celestial Kingdom (D&C 130:8-01). (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 volumes, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow [New York: Macmillan, 1992] 1499)