Covenants Which Is A Key To Revelation...

Covenants, which is a key to revelation, in which the Lord said to Oliver Cowdery through Joseph Smith: "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. ¶

"But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. ¶

"But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me." ¶

(D&C 9:7-9.) As it was with Oliver Cowdery, so also we may have assumed that all the Prophet Joseph Smith did was to look into the Urim and Thummim and all the rest was done for him, with no other effort on his part. ¶

An early family evening As we look into the record, we find that after the first visit to the Hill Cumorah, Joseph told the story of the history of the early American inhabitants to his family. His mother wrote: ¶

"From this time forth, Joseph continued to receive instructions from the Lord, and we continued to get the children together every evening for the purpose of listening while he gave us a relation of the same. I presume our family presented an aspect as singular as any that ever lived upon the face of the earth — all seated in a circle, father, mother, sons and daughters, and giving the most profound attention to a boy, eighteen years of age. . . ." This sounds like the first family home evening of this dispensation. ¶

Then she continued to say: "We were now confirmed in the opinion that God was about to bring to light something upon which we could stay our minds, or that would give us a more perfect knowledge of the plan of salvation and the redemption of the human family. This caused us greatly to rejoice, the sweetest union and happiness pervaded our house, and tranquility reigned in our midst. ¶

"During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life among them." (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, pp. 82-83.) This was before he received the plates. He must have received this by revelation, for he knew the whole story of the content of the record that is now the Book of Mormon. He had had five long visits with Moroni, and his mother says he received many revelations. ¶

Events before translating the Book of Mormon When Joseph finally received the plates, he did not take them directly home. ¶

When Moroni, an angel of the Lord, gave him the gold plates, he told Joseph: "Now you have got the Record into your own hands, and you are but a man, therefore you will have to be watchful and faithful to your trust, or you will be overpowered by wicked men; for they will lay every plan and scheme that is possible to get it away from you, and if you do not take heed continually, they will succeed. While it was in my hands, I could keep it, and no man had power to take it awayl but now I give it up to you. ¶

Beware, and look well to your ways, and you shall have power to retain it, until the time for it to be translated." (Ibid., p. 110.) He had also been instructed not to let anyone see the plates except as he would be instructed. Now he was going home in broad daylight, with the plates, wrapped in his linen frock, under his arm. He must have felt quite uneasy about this, so, while still about three miles from home, he went into a grove of trees and hid the plates in a partially rotted log, which he had hollowed out with his pocket knife. ¶

When he returned later to get them, he found them safe. He wrapped them in his linen frock, put them under his arm, and started home. On the way, "as he was jumping over a log, a man sprang up from behind it and gave him a heavy blow with a gun. Joseph turned around and knocked him down, then ran at the top of his speed. About half a mile farther he was attacked again in the same manner as before; he knocked this man down in like manner as the former and ran on again; and before he reached home he was assaulted the third time. In striking the last one, he dislocated his thumb, which, however, he did not notice until he came within sight of the house, when he threw himself down in the corner of the fence in order to recover his breath. As soon as he was able, he arose and came to the house. He was still altogether speechless from fright and the fatigue of running." (Ibid., p. 108.) I consider this a rather remarkable physical feat: to carry the plates under his arm, knock down three men, and run the approximate three miles. ¶

I think the Lord gave him this experience purposely, to show him by his own experience that the adversary would exert every effort to get the plates and would stop at nothing to hinder the work of the Lord; also, to teach him that he would be given help as may be needed if he would exert his own efforts first. The Lord must have given him extra strength beyond his own physical abilities to carry the plates, knock down three men, and run three miles. ¶

Effort of translation When the Prophet started to translate, he had to study the characters for quite awhile. Then his wife Emma did some writing for him. Then Martin Harris became his scribe. Then after the 116 pages of transcription were lost, Oliver Cowdery came to be his scribe. ¶

By this time, Joseph had had considerable experience at translating, and the work went forth with good speed. ¶

Not even with the Urim and Thummim does it come without effort. ¶

Joseph had to exert all his effort, physically and mentally. He had to put forth his full effort. So it is with us today. We must put forth our full effort, give our full Church-service time. ¶

The promise is also to us: we will be given the help that we need to fulfill the Lord's work if we will put forth our effort first. ¶

Ask, seek, and knock May I say to all who are not yet members of the Church of Jesus Christ: ¶

seek, ask, and knock. The Lord may someday ask you if you tried to find his Church. We are trying to bring this great message of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. We would that all could rejoice, as the Prophet's mother did as she said, "This caused us greatly to rejoice, the sweetest union and happiness pervaded our house, and tranquility reigned in our midst." (Ibid., p. 83.) This is our message to the world: ¶

to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ, with its peace, happiness, and tranquility, into every family, the world over. ¶

Ask, seek, and knock. ¶

"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." ¶

I testify to you that this is truly the work of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and do so in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶