Where did the Book of Mormon Come From? Who wrote it? Where was it found? What is it about? Join Professor Casey Griffiths as he travels to upstate New York and Pennsylvania to explore the historical sites connected to the discovery, translation, and printing of the Book of Mormon, and find answers to these questions and more! Before traveling to the east, Casey gathers information about the...

In a moving new video, Casey Griffiths and Scott Woodward travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, and to Nauvoo, Warsaw, and Carthage in Illinois to review the events that led up to the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. As Casey and Scott visit these sites, they discuss two questions: Why was Joseph murdered? And why do Joseph’s and Hyrum’s deaths mean so much today? Modern day Nauvoo is drastically...

In support of the 2021 “Come Follow Me” curriculum, the Interpreter Foundation is hosing a virtual fireside series that seeks to enrich individual and family scripture study through a series of livestream presentations by faithful scholars on selected capstones of Joseph Smith’s final years. An initial presentation on the events of Joseph Smith’s martyrdom on June 27 the anniversary of Joseph...

As Joseph Smith finished the translation of the Book of Mormon, three of his closest supporters—Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer—were chosen by revelation as special witnesses of the Book of Mormon ( Doctrine and Covenants 17 ). An angel showed them the golden plates from which the book was translated ( Testimony of Three Witnesses ). In addition, eight others were permitted to...

For this year’s Come, Follow Me course of personal and church study focusing on the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History, Book of Mormon Central is pleased to offer a new series of short videos discussing the history and significance of Joseph Smith’s First Vision. The goal of these videos is to help the viewer better understand and appreciate what the First Vision is, why it’s important,...

The Joseph Smith Papers Project has published the newest volume in the Documents series of this monumental documentary history undertaking of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 11: September 1842­–February 1843 , edited by Spencer W. McBride, Jeffrey D. Mahas, Brett D. Dowdle, and Tyson Reeder, historians for the Church...

Today, May 15, is John the Baptist Day, the day on which he appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1829 and restored the Aaronic Priesthood. On that morning, Joseph had reached 3 Nephi 11 in the rapid process of translating the Book of Mormon. It was in that chapter that Jesus gave his twelve disciples in Bountiful the authority to baptize. Realizing that they themselves needed to be...

The Church Historian’s Press has announced the publication of a new volume in the Documents series of the Joseph Smith Papers Project. Under the editorship of historians Elizabeth A. Kuehn, Jordan T. Watkins, Matthew C. Godfrey, and Mason K. Allred, The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 10: May–August 1842 compiles papers dating to the summer of 1842 and “covers a time during which...

In Mosiah 8, Limhi inquired of Ammon 1 who could translate the 24 Jaredite plates. What results is a lengthy explanation about what a seer is and how they operate with revelatory devices I can assuredly tell thee, O king, of a man that can translate the records; for he has wherewith that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from God. And the things are...

Slightly modified from the foreword to Insights into Joseph Smith’s First Vision Joseph Smith’s First Vision of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ occupies a foundationally important position in the lives and faith of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Successive generations of latter-day prophets and apostles have testified of the consummate significance...