Discovery, Translation and Promise, by Robert Rosskopf
One night in 1823, a 17-year-old farm boy named Joseph Smith, was praying in his room, when the room started to fill with light. All at once, a "personage" appeared to him. The personage, or angel, introduced himself as Moroni, and told Joseph about a book that was buried in a hill near his farm. He told Joseph that he would be allowed to retrieve the book, if he remained faithful, and translate it into English with the gift and power of God. He was also told that his name would be had for good and evil among all men. (1)
The next day, Joseph found the place, where the Book of Mormon had been concealed, and attempted to remove it. The angel Moroni then appeared to him, and forbade him to remove the book, but told him that they should meet every year at that place, until the day when he should be allowed to remove it.
After meeting with the angel every year for four years, Joseph was allowed to remove the book and translate it. Several people worked as his scribe during the translation, although Oliver Cowdery ended up doing most of the transcribing. After the translation was complete, Joseph was commanded to show the book to three witnesses; Joseph picked three people, who showed an interest in the translation. They were Martin Harris, David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery. They were allowed to see the book inscribed on gold plates, as well as see the angel Moroni. While thus engaged, they heard the voice of God proclaim the translation to be correct. Their testimony can be found in the preface to the Book of Mormon. (2)
Several others were also allowed to see the Book of Mormon, at a later date, and thumb through its pages. Their testimonies can also be found in the preface to the Book of Mormon. (3)
The Book of Mormon tells the story of the immigration of three groups of people to the American continent. The largest part of the record consists of the journeys of Lehi, and his family, and the record of their posterity, as the book was handed down from generation to generation. Moroni, the last prophet to write in the Book of Mormon, was a descendant of Lehi, and recorded the following promise before sealing it up in the stone box where it would later be found.
"2 And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you.
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."
(Moroni 10) (4)
In this manner, the Lord has provided a way for all men to receive a testimony of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. I myself have taken this challenge, and have read the Book of Mormon cover to cover, and have kneeled down in prayer to seek affirmation of its authenticity. I received the confirmation of the Holy Ghost. That few minutes of prayer opened up a whole new world for me. I have seen many discoveries over the years that corroborate the Book of Mormon, but none has
had as much impact as that singular experience when I put the words of the prophet Moroni to the test.
(1) http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/jstestimony
(2) http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/thrwtnss
(3) http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/eghtwtns
(4) http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/10
