The Angel Moroni's Appearance to the Prophet Joseph Smith

The Angel Moroni appears to Joseph Smith

 Today is 21 September 2011 - another Anniversary of the appearing of the Angel Moroni to Joseph Smith the Prophet from 1823-27.  The events will be discussed herein.

As Joseph was retiring to bed for the night, he, as all good Christians are taught to do, prayed unto the Lord that evening.  He no doubt gave an account of his activities during the day to the Lord, but also expressed to the Lord a desire for forgiveness of sins, and a willingness that the Lord tell him of his standing before Him.  Joseph writes:

While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. . . . He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.  He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.  He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. (JS-H 1:30,33-34)

This account brought forth from the ground is now known as the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  The Book of Mormon is true, for the Holy Ghost has borne witness to me that it is so.  However, at this point I feel led to answer critics on the matter of the Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith, using one simple objection I heard thousands of times during my mission to California: namely, the Bible is all we need, and therefore anyone claiming an angelic ministration is deceived by Satan.

Angels in Unenlightened Times
This claim, however, is silly and false, and I will show it through scripture.  Keep the following question in mind: If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, why would He stop sending angels to give messages to His children?  The answer is He has not stopped sending Angels to speak to His servants, as evidenced by these references in Holy Writ:

1. An angel instructing Adam about the coming Redeemer and Atonement (Moses 5:6)
2. An angel of God coming to Hagar the Egyptian (Gen. 21:17)
3. Angels of God ascending and descending Jacob's Ladder (Gen. 28:12)
4. Angels ministering unto the Savior of the world (Matt. 4:11)
5. An Angel coming to Cornelius (Acts 10:30)
6. An Angel sent by Jesus Himself unto John to reveal the vision known as the Book of Revelation (Rev. 22:16)
7. An Angel protecting Nephi and rebuking Laman and Lemuel (1 Ne. 3:29)
8. An Angel proclaiming Jesus Christ to King Benjamin (Mosiah 3:2)
9. An Angel rebuking Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah (Mosiah 27:11)
10. An Angel instructing Alma the Younger to preach against the city Ammonihah (Alma 8:14-18)

Angels in Enlightened Times
Those are just ten examples proving that God speaks to His children, both in the Old and New World.  If then, why not now?  Why in this age of enlightenment, can we not be privileged to see and converse with Angels?  Who are we to say, "God, thou hast revealed Thyself through thine Angels, but no more; not in this day of enlightenment and technology!  Thou hast enlightened us enough, and for that we thank Thee, but send Thou unto us no more of Thine Angels, for we have had enough!"  I say that Angels still visit God's Authorized servants on this Earth, which Authorized servants, holding the Priesthood of God, are only found within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

LDS Church History no. 5 - Loss of the 116 Manuscript Pages

The loss of the 116 manuscript pages of the Book of Lehi by Brother Martin Harris are a tragedy of untold heights and depths.  What the circumstances are surrounding these events are examined herein.

President Joseph Smith, Jun. states,

Some time after Mr.Harris had begun to write for me [in 1828], he began to importune me to give him liberty to carry the writings home and show them; and desired of me that I would inquire of the Lord. . . . The answer was that he must not.  However, he was not satisfied with this answer, and desired that I should inquire again.  I did so, and the answer was as before.  Still he could not be contented, but insisted that I should inquire once more.  After much solicitation I again inquired of the Lord, and premission was granted him to have the writings on certain conditions; which were, that he show them only to his brother, Preserved Harris, his own wife, his father and his mother, and a Mrs. Cobb, a sister to his wife. (HC 1:21)

Brother Harris bound himself by solemn covenant with President Smith that he would abide by the instructions set down by the Lord.  But alas, Brother Harris showed them to others, who then used cunning devices to get the papers away from him, and they are lost unto this day.   

At a breakfast prepared by Joseph Smith, Sen. and his wife Lucy Mack in New York, where Joseph Smith the Prophet had gone in search of Martin, Martin Harris came, hours late, and without the manuscript pages.  The account reads thus, from the pen of Lucy Mack Smith:

He [Brother Harris] took up his knife and fork as if he were going to use them, but immediately dropped them.  Hyrum, observing this, said "Martin, why do you not eat; are you sick"  Upon which Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples, and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, "Oh, I have lost my soul!  I have lost my soul!"

“Joseph who had not expressed his fears till now, sprang from the table, exclaiming, "Martin, have you lost that manuscript?  Have you broken your oath, and brought down condemnation upon my head as well as your own?"

“Yes; it is gone," replied Martin, "and I know not where."

[Joseph cried,] “All is lost! all is lost!  What shall I do?  I have sinned—it is I who tempted the wrath of God.  I should have been satisfied with the first answer which I received from the Lord; for he told me that it was not safe to let the writing go out of my possession."  He wept and groaned, and walked the floor continually.

At length he told Martin to go back and search again.

“No; said Martin, "it is all in vain; for I have ripped open beds and pillows [looking for the manuscript]; and I know it is not there."

“Then must I", said Joseph, "return with such a tale as this?  I dare not do it.  And how shall I appear before the Lord?  Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of the Most High?" . . .

The next morning, he set out for home.  We parted with heavy hearts, for it now appeared that all which we had so fondly anticipated, and which had been the source of so much secret gratification, had in a moment fled, and fled forever.

(History of Joseph Smith, p. 128–29)

Because of the loss of the 116 pages, President Smith was commanded by the Angel Moroni to give back the plates and the Urim and Thummim.  This he did, and after sincere repentance, the Angel returned them to him.  Joseph later remarked about receiving the Plates again, "The angel seemed pleased with me . . . and he told me that the Lord loved me, for my faithfulness and humility" (History of Joseph Smith, p. 135).  Later on, President Smith said, "I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it"  (History of the Church, 2:170).

We can learn a lot from Martin Harris and Joseph Smith.  We can learn that the Lord has strict commands, which must be obeyed without question; also that the Lord's wisdom and knowledge and foresight is better than man's.  Let the Latter-day Saints, therefore, always follow the Lord and His Prophet, which at this time is President Thomas S. Monson.  I know this as fact, for I have asked the Lord in prayer.  All who likewise ask Him in faith with receive a like answer.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.