The 1830 mission to the Lamanites
1830 – Oliver Cowdery (quoted by Parley P. Pratt) during the mission to the Lamanites (D&C 28, 30 and 32).
"This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him, Cumorah, which hill is now in the State of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario County.
"In that neighborhood there lived a young man named Joseph Smith, who prayed to the Great Spirit much, in order that he might know the truth; and the Great Spirit sent an angel to him, and told him where this Book was hid by Moroni; and commanded him to go and get it. He accordingly went to the place, and dug in the earth, and found the Book written on golden plates.
"But it was written in the language of the forefathers of the red man; therefore this young man, being a pale face, could not understand it; but the angel told him and showed him, and gave him knowledge of the language, and how to interpret the Book. So he interpreted it into the language of the pale faces, and wrote it on paper, and caused it to be printed, and published thousands of copies of among them; and then sent us to the red men to bring some copies of it to them, and to tell them this news. So we have now come from him, and here is a copy of the Book, which we now present to our red friend, the chief of the Delawares, and which we hope he will cause to be read and known among his tribe; it will do them good."
We then presented him with a Book of Mormon.
There was a pause in the council, and some conversation in their own tongue, after which the chief made the following reply: "We feel truly thankful to our white friends who have come so far, and been at such pains to tell us good news, and especially this new news concerning the Book of our forefathers; it makes us glad in here"—placing his hand on his heart.
Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, page 58 of Chapter VIII.
https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofp00prat/page/58/mode/2up
also here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/44896/44896-h/44896-h.htm
I’m petitioning the Lord to invite you the re-dedication of the Hill Cumorah , to a family member of Willard Bean the fighting Preacher, and Rod and Wayne :) thanks for bringing awareness to Letters I-Vlll
ReplyDeleteHopefully, Elder Bednar will speak inspired insights in the dedicatory prayer on Sunday, 21 Sep 2025 that will declare the hidden truths of the Restoration as declared by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery and Lucy Mack Smith. Elder Bednar's revelatory declarations could set the record straight and heal the disputations that divide us.
ReplyDelete1. The final battles of the Jaredites (Ramah) and Nephites and Lamanites took place at this hill Cumorah between Palmyra and Manchester. There is only one hill Cumorah/Ramah just as the July 1960 Presiding Bishopric bulletin stated!
2. The only instrument of translation was the Urim and Thummim!
3. There were 2 sets of plates translated. The Harmony plates were abridged by Mormon and included Moroni's translation of the Book of Ether and additional narrative by Moroni. The Fayette plates were the unabridged plates of Nephi from 1st Nephi through Omni. The first part of the Book of Mormon was translated last.
4. Mary Whitmer was shown the Fayette plates by brother Nephi (one of the 3 Nephites), NOT Moroni.