Talking to Mormons

When were the “times of restitution of all things” accomplished?  Was it fulfilled in Joseph Smith’s day or Jesus Christ’s?

 As the Book of Acts begins, Luke explains this rich historical account is a continuation of his former account – the Book of Luke.   When we call it the “The Acts of the Apostles” it is a bit of a misnomer because it does not speak of all the Apostles and their acts.  Even though the others are briefly mentioned, the Acts of the Apostles are really limited to the Acts of Peter and Paul, who in some ways represent the work of God among the Jews – through Peter – and then the Gentiles – through Paul.  It is interesting that Luke was a Gentile.  We don’t really know when he converted to the faith.  In Luke 1:2 he intimates that he received his information from those who were “eye-witnesses and ministers of the word from the beginning.”  The design of Luke’s Gospel was to describe the work and humanity of Christ until He ascended into heaven.  And, then

What became of the papyrus scrolls – that the Book of Abraham was translated from.

Once Joseph Smith was killed in 1844, the papyri collection remained in the possession of his widow, Emma.  Remember she refused to follow the leadership of Brigham Young, and remained in Nauvoo with her children while the Saints moved west to the Utah Territory.

In October of 1880, the Book of Abraham was included in The Pearl of Great Price which was officially canonized at the Church’s semi-annual General Conference in Salt Lake City. 

The Introduction to the Book of Abraham reads, “The writings of Abraham while he was in Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus.”

Ava

Chris, when did you realize as a Mormon that – what you had been taught, believed, and practiced all your life, was a lie?

Chris

Well, Ava – I had returned from an LDS mission, got married in the temple, was very active in the Church, when I began to feel that something was missing in my spiritual walk.  That something, I recognized was a greater relationship with my Savior.  I decided one day to read the New Testament but this time with fresh eyes.  I started with the, Gospel of John and remember asking God to help me understand the truth of who He is.  I barely got through the first three verses in chapter 1, when an awakening started to happen within me. 

Ava

What did those verses say?

Chris

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”   

Ava

So, what kind of awakening were you experiencing?

Chris

I realized the si

What became of the papyrus scrolls – that the Book of Abraham was translated from.

Once Joseph Smith was killed in 1844, the papyri collection remained in the possession of his widow, Emma.  Remember she refused to follow the leadership of Brigham Young, and remained in Nauvoo with her children while the Saints moved west to the Utah Territory.

In October of 1880, the Book of Abraham was included in The Pearl of Great Price which was officially canonized at the Church’s semi-annual General Conference in Salt Lake City. 

The Introduction to the Book of Abraham reads, “The writings of Abraham while he was in Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus.”

Following the discovery of the six Kinderhook plates in 1843 that supposedly had ancient writing on them, what ever became of those plates?

During the Civil War the plates were thought to be lost.  However, some time in the 1960’s, Wilford Poulson a professor at Brigham Young University, found one of the original plates #5 in the Chicago Historical Society Museum.  After examining the plate, Professor Poulson believed it to be a forgery. 

Welby Ricks, who was President of the BYU Archaeological Society, welcomed the discovery as a vindication of Joseph Smith’s work.  He wrote, “A recent rediscovery of one of the Kinderhook plates, which was examined by Joseph Smith, Jun., reaffirms his prophetic calling and reveals the false statements made by one of the finders.  The plates are now back in their original category of genuine.  Joseph Smith, Jun., stands as a true prophet and translator of ancient records by divine means and all the world is invited to investigate the truth which has sprung out of the earth not only of the Kinderhook plates, but of the Book of Mormon as well.” 

In 1980, LDS scholar Stanley P. Kimball was permitted to perform destructive tests on the #5 plate.  He described the results of the tests in the LDS Church publication, The Ensign, August 1981, pp. 66-70.  The article says, “A recent electronic and chemical analysis of a metal plate brought in 1843 to the prophet Joseph Smith appears to solve a previously unanswered question in Church history, helping to further evidence that the plate is what its producers later said it was – a nineteenth-century attempt to lure Joseph Smith into making a translation of ancient-looking characters that had been etched into the plates.  As a result of these tests, we conclude that the plate is not of ancient origin.  We conclude that the plate was made from a true brass alloy (copper and zinc) typical of the mid-nineteenth century; whereas the ‘brass’ of ancient times was actually bronze, and alloy of copper and tin.”

If Joseph Smith had not been shot and killed in June 1844, it is very possible he might have published a finished translation of all six of the counterfeit plates.  Wouldn’t that have been interesting?

What is the Church’s position on the Kinder

What became of the papyrus scrolls – that the Book of Abraham was translated from.

Once Joseph Smith was killed in 1844, the papyri collection remained in the possession of his widow, Emma.  Remember she refused to follow the leadership of Brigham Young, and remained in Nauvoo with her children while the Saints moved west to the Utah Territory.

In October of 1880, the Book of Abraham was included in The Pearl of Great Price which was officially canonized at the Church’s semi-annual General Conference in Salt Lake City. 

The Introduction to the Book of Abraham reads, “The writings of Abraham while he was in Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus.”

In this lesson – we will learn about the most important event in the history of mankind – the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The most glorious of all mornings is recorded in Matthew chapter 28.  Verse 1 “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week (Sunday), came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (the mother James the less) to see the sepulcher.”  Up to now, Saturday was the Sabbath or holy day for the Jews.  But, in Acts 20:7 it tells us that – among the followers of Christ – Sunday became the holy day or Sabbath – after the resurrection of the Savior.  Matthew 28:2 “And, behold, there was a great earthquake (the second earthquake associated with Christ’s death): for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door (the opening of the tomb), and sat upon it.”  This all happened before the women arrived.  Verses 3-4 “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers (guards) did shake, and became as dead men.”  Can you imagine being a witness all this taking place?  These guards and they passed out.  Verses 5-6 “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  He is not here: for he is risen (resurrected), as he said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”  The women were looking in the tomb to see – when the angel tells them, Verse 7 “And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him; lo, I

What became of the papyrus scrolls – that the Book of Abraham was translated from.

Once Joseph Smith was killed in 1844, the papyri collection remained in the possession of his widow, Emma.  Remember she refused to follow the leadership of Brigham Young, and remained in Nauvoo with her children while the Saints moved west to the Utah Territory.

In October of 1880, the Book of Abraham was included in The Pearl of Great Price which was officially canonized at the Church’s semi-annual General Conference in Salt Lake City. 

The Introduction to the Book of Abraham reads, “The writings of Abraham while he was in Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus.”

Is everything that is necessary to restore you to God and give you eternal life with Him already been accomplished?  Jesus said, “It is finished.”  Do you believe that is done?  Or, are you still DOING, DOING, DOING?

It is Friday, the day of the Savior’s crucifixion.  Matthew 27:1 “When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.”  They had agreed that Jesus deserved to die, on a charge of blasphemy, but fearing the people and the Romans – these religious leaders were not about to stone Him to death.  Therefore, they plotted how to get Him convicted by Pilate under civil law.  Verses 2-3 “And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself (changed his mind), and brought again (returned) the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.”  Judas experienced a guilty conscience, and apparent remorse, but only had a change of mind – not a change of heart.  So, a regretful Judas goes back to the Chief Priests and Elders, Verses 4-5 “Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.  And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that (in other words, that’s your problem).  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” 

Now to the Trial.  The charge that was leveled against Him was in stirring up sedition and treason – because Jesus claimed to be King – making Him guilty of rebellion against the Roman government.  Verse 11 “And Jesus stood before the governor

The Kinderhook Plates are a very important part of LDS church history.

In 1843 six brass plates – bell shaped – were found in a dug-up mound in Kinderhook, Illinois witnessed by nine individuals.

That could support the evidence for the Brass Plates of the Book of Mormon.

That is what those men thought when they saw the plates.   The plates had an ancient appearance with writing on them that looked like hieroglyphics. 

In fact, when the plates were taken and shown to Joseph Smith, he remarked that the figures or writing on them was similar to what was on the Book of Mormon brass plates. 

Smith claimed, that by the help of revelation he would be able to translate those plates.

The story of finding the Kinderhook Plates and drawings of the six plates was published in the Times and Seasons, which was the Church’s official newspaper.  Joseph was an editor and surely would not have allowed the story to be printed if it wasn’t true.