2015
Josef, Man Blong Lukluk Samting
October 2015

Josef wan Sia

I kam long Rijad E, Teli Junia, Asisten Jos Historian mo Rekoda, Robin S. Jensen mo Mak Asast-MakGi, Jos Histri Dipatmen

Ol rekod blong histri i talemaot olsem wanem Josef Smit i fulfilim wok blong hem olsem wan sia mo transletem buk blong Momon.

Profile portrait of Joseph Smith.

Josef Smit, attributed to David Rogers, Community of Christ Library-Archives, Independence, Missouri, i glad blong givim

Long 6 Epril 1830, dei we Josef Smit i ogenaesem Jos blong Kraes (biaen bae oli singaotem se Jos blong Jisas Kraes blong Ol Lata-dei Sent),1 hem i serem ol toktok blong revelesen long olgeta we oli bin kam tugeta. Luk, voes blong God i talemaot, bae i gat wan rekod i stap wetem yufala; mo from hemia, yu [Josef Smit] bae yu kol i kam olsem wan sia (D&C 21:1).

Wan saen we yumi save luk we i soemaot wok blong Josef olsem wan sia long Jos we i jes stat, hem i Buk blong Momon, we hem i ripitim oltaem se hem i transletem wetem presen mo paoa blong God.2 Plante long ol man we oli kolosap long Josef long yia bifo hem i oganaesem Jos oli bin witnesem olsem wanem Buk blong Momon i bin kamaot mo oli gat sam save long mining blong toktok ia sia.

Mining blong Sia

?Wanem nao sia i minim long yangfala profet ia mo ol fren blong hem? Josef i Groap long wan famle we i ridim Baebol, we i tokbaot ol sia plante taem. Long Fas Samuel, eksampol, man we i raet i ekplenem se: “Long taem bifo long Israel, taem wan man i go blong toktok wetem God, bae hem i talem se, Kam, yumi go luk sia: hem we naoia yumi singaotem wan Profet, long taem bifo oli singaotem hem wan Sia” (Fas Samuel 9:9)

Baebol i bin tokbaot tu ol man we spirit i stap soemaot ol fisikol samting long olgeta olsem ol stik,3 wan bras snek long wan aean (we oli yusum olbaot olsem wan saen blong wok blong saed blong helt),4 wan ifod (wan pat blong klos blong ol pris we i gat tu naesfala ston),5 wetem Yurim mo Tumim.6

“Blong lukluk” mo ol “sia” hem i pat blong famle mo kalja blong Amerika we Josef Smit i gro ap long hem. Dip insaed long lanwis blong Baebol we i miks wetem ol Inglis mo kalja blong Yurop we ol man oli bin karem i kam long Not Amerika, sam man long eli 19 senturi oli biliv se hem i posibol blong man we oli gat gif blong “lukluk samting” o spirit i soemaot samting long olgeta, tru long ol samting olsem ol ston blong ol sia.7

Yangfala Josef Smit i akseptem ol kaen wei olsem long taem blong hem, wetem tingting ia blong yusum ol ston blong sia blong lukluk ol samting we i bin lus o i haed i stap. From se Baebol i tokbaot se God i stap yusum ol fisikol samting blong leftemap fet blong ol man o komuniket wetem spirit long taem bifo, Josef wetem ol narawan oli ting se hemia i semak long taem blong olgeta. Papa mo mama blong Josef, Josef Smit Senia mo Lusi Mak Smit, i konfemem se famle i stap folem fasin ia tu, mo ol man blong vilej long Palmaera mo Manjesta, Niu Yok, we ol Smit oli stap long hem, oli stap kam from Josef blong faenem ol samting we i lus bifo hem i muv blong i go stap long Pelsivania long en blong yia 1827.8

Blong olgeta we oli no save olsem wanem ol man blong 19 senturi long ples blong Josef oli stap laef folem relijen blong olgeta, bae yu no save wanem ia ol sia ston, mo ol man blong stadi oli stap toktok raon yet long pat ia long laef blong Josef. Lelbet from se hem i wan Taem we Save i kam Antap, wan taem we i lukluk moa long saens mo wanem we oli save luk i stap hapen, bitim ol samting long saed blong spirit, plante man long taem blong Josef oli filim se blong yusum ol samting olsem ol ston o stik hem i no stret blong yusum long saed blong relijen.

Long ol yia afta, taem Josef i talem stori blong hem, hemi toktok moa long ol visen blong hem mo ol nara eksperiens long saed blong spirit.9 Be sam fren blong hem bifo oli lukluk moa long saed we Josef i bin stap yusum ol sia ston bifo mo traem blong spolem nem blong hem long wan wol we i nomo akseptem ol kaen praktis olsem. Long taem blong misinari wok, Josef mo ol nara memba long taem ia, oli bin jus blong no lukluk tumas long fasin blong ol man blong folem kalja blong olgeta, taem oli stap proslaet, from plante man we oli wantem konvetem oli stap stat blong jenisim tingting blong olgeta long olsem wanem oli andastanem relijen long wan Taem we Save i Kam Antap. Be, long wanem we i kam olsem ol standet revelesen, Josef i gohed blong tijim se ol sia ston mo ol nara tul blong ol sia, mo olsem wanem blong wok wetem ol tul ia, oli ol impoten mo tabu presen we i kam long God.10

Ol Tul we oli Yusum blong Transletem Buk Blong Momom

Ol sia ston i kamaot tu long ol histri rekod we i diskraebem Josef Smit mo translesen blong Buk blong Momon. Ofisol histri blong Josef we i stat long 1838, i diskraebem visit blong wan enjel, we oli talem se Moronae, we i talem long hem abaot ol gol plet we oli berem long wan hil kolosap. Josef i tokbaot se taem hem i stap toktok wetem enjel ia, wan visen i open klia long maen blong hem mo hem i save ples ia taem hem i luk nekis taem hemwan (Josef Smit—Histri 1:42).

Joseph Smith depicted kneeling on the Hill Cumorah as the angel Moroni stands above him. The angel Moroni appears dressed in white and surrounded by intense light as he is holding the gold plates. The event took place on September 22, 1827. Painting number 2 of the 23 paintings in the "Mormon Panorama" series.

Truaot long histri blong Jos, ol memba oli bin stap traem blong andastanem hao nao Josef Smit i faenem mo transletem ol golden plet. Pikja ia we i kam long C. C. A. Kristensen long 1886 i stap soemaot we Josef Smit i stap karem ol plet long enjel Moronae.

Enjel Moronae i stap Givim Ol Plet long Josef Smit, I kam long C. C. A. Kristensen

Insaed long histri we Josef i bin stat blong raetem long 1838, Moronae i wonem hem se bae Setan i traem blong giaman long hem (from se famle blong papa blong hem i pua), blong karem ol plet ia blong kam rij. Enjel i tok agensem hemia, Josef i tokbaot, se sapos hem i gat wan nara tingting bitim hemia blong bildim tingting blong God, bambae hem i no save karem ol plet (Josef Smit—Histri 1:46). Long ol histri blong hem long stat blong 1832, Josef i eksplenem se, mi … bin wantem blong karem ol plet blong kam rij mo mi no kipim komanmen se mi mas lukluk nomo long Glori blong God.11 From hemia, mi mas stap go bak long hil ia evri yia blong fo yia, kasem we mi rere blong kasem ol plet (luk long Josef Smit—Histri 1:53–54).

Josef i bin talem se taem we hem i bin kasem ol plet long Moronae long 1827, hem i kasem tu, tu ston we hemi yusum blong transletem ol plet ia. Hem wetem olgeta kolosap long hem oli livim biaen ol stori blong ol ston ia, oli diskraebem ol ston ia se oli waet o klia, yu save luk tru, oli stap insaed long wan silva rim i raonem olgeta, semak olsem ol glas blong ae blong tedei, mo oli konek i go long wan bigfala ston.12 Olsem we oli diskraebem, sia tul ia ating i biwan. Mama blong Josef Smit i talem se hemi karemaot ol ston ia long bigfala ston blong i isi blong hem i save yusum.13

Raeting long Buk Blong Momon i singaotem ol ston ia olsem ol “samting blong tanem lanwis” mo eksplenem se “oli bin rere long hem long stat, mo oli pasem i kam daon folem ol generesen, blong stamba tingting blong tanem ol lanwis,” hem i “stap long kea blong han blong Lod” (Mosaea 28:14–15, 20).

Buk ia i tokbaot tu hao Lod i bin givim “tu ston” long brata blong Jared, wetem wan promes se bae hem i helpem ol jeneresen we bae i kam blong faenem ol toktok blong hem. “raetem ol samting ia mo haedem,” Lod i talem long hem, “mo bae mi mi soemaot long taem we i stret long mi long ol pikinini blong ol man.” Ol ston ia, Lod i eksplenem.”

Detail from a page of the original Book of Mormon manuscript containing the departure of Lehi’s family from Jerusalem in what is today 1 Nephi 2.

Wan pej long orijinol kopi blong Buk blong Momon we i gat moa infomesen, i tokbaot insaed taem famle blong Lihae i livim Jerusalem we tedei hem i 1 Nifae 2. Josef Smit i stap talemaot ol toktok blong Buk Blong Momon long samfala man we oli stap raetemdaon, mo Oliva Kowdri nao hem i man we i raetem ol pat ia.

Jos Histri Laebri i glad blong serem; Foto we i soem klia

Long taem we Josef i finis blong diktetem translesen blong hem blong Buk Blong Momon long ol skraeb long medel blong 1832, minig blong sia i bin kam moa klia long buk ia. Buk Blong Momon i gat wan profesi we i poen i go bak long Josef long Ijip we i talemaot se bae wan laen blong hem—i klia se hem i Josef Smit—bae hem i wan “sia we oli jusumaot” blong karem tugeta ol nara laen blong “gat save long ol kavenan” we God i bin mekem wetem ol bubu blong olgeta (2 Nifae 3:6, 7).

Long wan nara stori long Buk Blong Momon, Yangfala Alma i givin ol tul blong tanem lanwis ia long pikinini boe blong hem Helaman. “Lukaotem gud ol tul blong tanem lanwis ia,” Alma i kaonselem hem, hem i stap tokbaot tufala ston ia we silva rim i raonem. Be Alma tu i rikodem wan profesi we i stap tokbaot wan ston nomo: “Mo Lod i bin talem: Bae mi mekem i redi blong wok man blong mi Gaselem, wan ston, we bae i saen i go long tudak mo tanem i kam laet” (Alma 37:21, 23).

Tekem not se, iven se oli tokbaot se “ol tul blong tanem lanwis” (plante tul), profesi ia i stap tokbaot se bae oli givim long wan wokman long fiuja, “wan ston” (wan nomo) we bae i saen i go long tudak mo tanem i kam laet.”14 Ol Lata-dei Sent long taem ia, oli bin bilivim profesi ia se wokman ia hem i Josef Smit.15

Be wanem we i hapen long taem blong histri i pruvum se antap long tufala sia ston ia, we oli yusum blong “tanem lanwis,” Josef Smit i yusum tu wan nara sia ston blong transletem Buk Blong Momon, mo i stap putum insaed long wan hat blong blokemaot laet. Folem ol stori blong ol fren blong Josef, hem i mekem olsem blong hem i save lukluk gud ol toktok long ston ia.16

Long 1833, Josef mo ol man we oli wok wetem hem oli stat blong yusum toktok ia long saed blong baebol “Yurim mo Tumim” blong tokbaot eni ston we oli bin yusum blong kasem ol tabu revelesen, ingkludum tul blong tanem lanwis blong ol man blong Nifae mo wan sia ston we hemwan nomo.17 Toktok ia i mekem se i had blong faenem aot stret olsem wanem nao Josef Smit i transletem Buk blong Momon. Wetem ol tul blong tanem lanwis ia, long save blong Matin Haris, Josef i yusum wan long ol sia ston blong hem tu long taem blong translesen blong Buk blong Momon. Ol nara sos oli agri se Josef i stap jenisim ol tul blong translesen.18

Afta we Buk BLong Momon i Kamaot

Afta we Buk Blong Momon i bin kamaot long Maj 1830, Josef Smit mo ol klak blong hem oli stat blong wol long wanem we yumi save tedei olsem Josef Smit Translesen blong Buk blong Momon, wan revisen we i kam long profet blong King Jemis Vesen blong Baebol.19 Long stori blong Josef, ol tul blong tanem lanwis blong ol man blong Nifae from se hem i nomo gat ol samting ia wetem hem.

Histri blong Josef i eksplenem se tru long waes blong God, [ol plet mo ol tul blong tanem lanwis] oli stap sef long han blong mi, kasem we mi bin finisim wok we mi nid blong mekem. Taem se ol mesenja oli kam bak from o l samting ia, mi givim i go bak long hem, mo hem i kipim ol samting ia kasem tedei (Josef Smit—Histri 1:60).

Olsem we Presiden Brigham Yang (1801–77) i eksplenem, Josef i putum Yu[rim mo] T[umim] i go bak wetem ol plet taem hem i finis wetem translesen.20

Bust portrait of Joseph Smith. He is depicted wearing a dark suit, white shirt with a high collar and white tie.

Blong taosen memba long taem we hem i stap laef, mo milian moa afta long taem we hem i bin ded, oli stap save Josef Smith olsem profet, sia, mo man blong revelesen.

Josef Smit, attributed to David Rogers, Community of Christ Library-Archives, Independence, Missouri, i glad blong givim

Josef i gat ol nara sia ston, be long ol toktok blong Elda Oson Prat (1811–81), wan memba blong Kworom blong Olgeta Twelef Aposol Jos Historian, Josef i gro i kam antap long save blong hem long saed blong spirit. Long wan miting long 28 Jun 1874, we Presiden Brigham Yang mo plante nara Jenerol Otoriti oli bin stap long hem, Elda Prat i bin talemaot se hem i bin stap plante taem, taem Josef i stap transletem Niu Testamen. Hem i no bin luk eni tul blong tanem lanwis long ol taem ia, mo hem i stap tingting se Josef i no yusum yurim mo Tumim, olsem long taem blong transletem Buk Blong Momon.”

Taem Elda Prat i stap luk Profet i stap mekem translesen, i olsem we Josef i ridim ol tingting blong Elda Prat, hem i lukluk i kam mo i eksplenem se Lod i bin givim Yurim mo Tumim long hem from se hem i no bin gat eksperiens long saed blong Spirit blong insperesen. Be naoia hem i kasem plante save finis mo hem i andastanem hao spirit ia i wok, mo hem i no mo nidim help blong ol tul ia.21

Brigham Yang i talem long wan miting abaot tingting blong hem blong gat wan sia ston. “mi no save sapos mi wantem blong gat wan,” hem i talem. Toktok blong Brigham i soemaot se hem i andastanem se blong kam wan sia i no nidim ol sia ston.

Long 25 Oktoba 1831, Josef Smit i bin atendem wan konfrens long Orenj, Ohaeo. Long taem blong konfrens, brata blong hem Haeram i talem se hem i ting se ol infomesen long hao Buk Blong Momon i kam, bae Josef i mas talemaot long evri Elda we i stap blong evriwan i save. Insaed long minit blong miting ia, Josef i bin talem se i no bin plan olsem blong hem i talemaot evri samting abaot olsem wanem buk blong Momom i kamaot mo hem i no naf blong talem evri samting ia.”23 From se hem i bin gro i kam antap long wok ia olsem wan sia, mo hemi kam blong bilivim se ol sia ston oli no impoten blong kasem revelesen, hem i bin wari lelbet se bae ol pipol oli lukluk moa long olsem wanem nao buk ia i kam bitim long wanem i stap insaed long buk ia.

Impoten poen we Josef Smit i bin mekem abaot translesen blong Buk blong Momon hem i we hem i bin mekem tru long presen mo paoa blong God.”24 Buk ia, hem i bin tijim ol lida blong Jos, se hem i stret bitim eni nara Buk long wol ia & hem i ki blong relijen blong yumi, mo taem yumi stap obei long ol tijing blong hem, olgeta we oli ridim bae oli save kam kolosap moa long [G]od…bitim eni nara buk.25

Ol Not

  1. Luk long Doctrine and Covenants 115.

  2. Preface to Book of Mormon, ca. Aug. 1829, in Documents, Volume 1: July 1828–June 1831, vol. 1 of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers (2013), 93. Lukluk tu long Testemoni blong Olgeta Tri Witnes, Buk blong Momon.

  3. Luk long Eksodas 4:1‒5, 17, 20‒21; 7:8‒21; 8:16‒19; 9:22‒26; 10:12‒15; 14:15‒18; 17:1‒13; Ol Namba 17:1‒10; 20:7‒11; Hibriu 9:4.

  4. Luk long Ol Namba 21:7‒9; Jon 3:14‒15.

  5. Luk long Eksodas 28:12; 35:9, 27; Fas Samuel 23:9‒12; 30:7‒8.

  6. Luk long Eksodas 28:30; Levitikas 8:8; Ol Namba 27:21; Detronomi 33:8; Fas Samuel 28:6; Ezra 2:63; Nehemaia 7:65.

  7. Blong kasem moa infomesen long kalja blong relijen long 19 senturi, luk long Journals, Volume 1: 1832–1839, vol. 1 of the Journals series of The Joseph Smith Papers (2008), xix; and Revelations and Translations, Volume 3: Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, vol. 3 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers (2015), xv–xvi; Dallin H. Oaks, “Recent Events Involving Church History and Forged Documents,” Ensign, Oct. 1987, 68–69.

  8. Luk toktok blong Josef Smit Sr., olsem we oli kwotem long Francis W. Kirkham, A New Witness for Christ in America: The Book of Mormon, vol. 2 (1959), 366; see also Lucy Mack Smith, “Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845,” book 3, page 10, josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummarylucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845. Matin Haris i tingbaot we hem i bin testem paoa blong Josef taem hem i mekem Josef i lukaoten wan nidil insaed long ol hip blong drae gras.

  9. Luk long, Josef Smit—Histri insaed long Pearl of Great Price.

  10. Luk long Doctrine and Covenants 130:10–11. Luk long ol eli raeting blong wanem yumi save naoia olsem Doctrine and Covenants 8, we i go long Olive Kowderi taem hem i stap wantem blong hlepem Josef Smit long translesen blong Buk blong Momon (Revelesen, Apr. 1829–B, insaed long Documents, Volume 1: July 1828–June 1831, 44–47).

  11. Joseph Smith, “History, ca. Summer 1832,” in Histories, Volume 1: 1832–1844, vol. 1 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers (2012), 14.

  12. Luk long Joseph Smith—History 1:35; Joseph Smith, “Church History,” in Histories, Volume 1: 1832–1844, 495; Martin Harris, in “Mormonism—No. II,” 165–66; “Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845,” book 5, pages 7–8, josephsmithpapers.org.

  13. Luk long, “Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845,” book 5, josephsmithpapers.org.

  14. Understandably, this distinction has puzzled commentators. Luk long, Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. (1966), 307–8; Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 4 vols. (1987–92), 3:278; and Matthew B. Brown, All Things Restored: Confirming the Authenticity of LDS Beliefs (2000), 62.

  15. Luk long William W. Phelps, Finerol Seves blong Josef mo Haerem Smit, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; Orson Pratt, “Explanation of Substituted Names in the Covenants,” The Seer, Mar. 1854, 229; William W. Phelps, letter to Brigham Young, Apr. 10, 1854, in Brigham Young, Office Files, 1832–1878, Church History Library, Salt Lake City mo Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations, vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers (2011), 708–9.

  16. Blong kasem moa infomesen long translesen, luk long “Book of Mormon Translation,” we i stap long lds.org/topics/book-of-mormon-translation. Lukluk tu long Russell M. Nelson, “A Treasured Testament,” Ensign, July 1993, 61–65; Neal A. Maxwell, “By the Gift and Power of God,” Ensign, Jan. 1997, 36–41.

  17. Wilfod Wudraf,i bin singaotem wan sia ston we hem i bin luk long Navu se wan Yurim mo Tumim (Wilford Woodruff journal, Dec. 27, 1841, Church History Library). Lukluk tu long Revelations and Translations, Volume 3: Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, xix.

  18. Luk tu long Revelations and Translations, Volume 3: Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, xviii–xix.

  19. Blong wan sot stori long stat blong ol wok ia, luk long Documents, Volume 1: July 1828–June 1831, 150–52.

  20. Minutes, Apr. 17, 1853, Church History Library.

  21. “Two Days’ Meeting at Brigham City, June 27 and 28, 1874,” Millennial Star, Aug. 11, 1874, 498–99.

  22. Minutes, Sept. 30, 1855, Church History Library.

  23. Minutes, Oct. 25–26, 1831, in Documents, Volume 2: July 1831–January 1833, vol. 2 of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers (2013), 84.

  24. Preface to Book of Mormon, ca. Aug. 1829, in Documents, Volume 1: July 1828–June 1831, 93. Lukluk tu long “Testemoni blong Olgeta Tri Witnes,” Buk Blong Momon.

  25. Joseph Smith, in Wilford Woodruff journal, Nov. 28, 1841, Church History Library; or introduction to the Book of Mormon.