Without Disclosing My True Identity
later wrote, “He quoted many other passages of scripture, and offered many
explanations which cannot be mentioned here.”^30
The Urim and Thummim Introduced; Joseph’s Free Will is Preserved
After this significant insight and information was given, the conversation returned to
the Book of Mormon record, which Joseph was told was “written upon gold plates.” He was
told that he would be given “power” to translate these plates by use of a miraculous
communication device known as the Urim and Thummim. He was given an introduction to
and description of how it worked and lit up with characters and writing containing the text
of what the plates said, or rather, what Joseph would be given for the book to say. In addition
to giving him the ability to translate, he was told that the curious rocks would also function
to assist him when he had questions about his calling or when he was in need of further
instruction on how to deal with situations that would confront him and the people that
would come into his life.
One might suppose, and correctly so, that Joseph could have looked into the Urim
and Thummim—without the plates—and received what the book’s advanced editors wanted
him to write. However, the advanced monitors who understood mortal human nature
needed to ensure that a young, mortal, barely adult man would stay focused on the task at
hand and understand the importance of his mission and, more importantly, the importance
of the Book of Mormon. The process of translating the plates was designed specifically to
place demands on Joseph’s free will, allowing him to choose to complete his calling or not.
As has been noted thus far, our Christ and Moroni both waited upon Joseph to inquire for
further light and knowledge before they actually appeared to him. While advanced beings
have the power to “pull our strings,” human energy and motion is still required by the
mortal. This energy must come from our free will according to the universal and eternal
laws that govern human free agency.
Joseph Learns About the Author of the Book of Mormon
It was crucial that Joseph received sufficient information about his personal
involvement in the construction of the gold plates (of which until now he had no
knowledge) in order to help him remain motivated to its translation, publication, and
purposes. Therefore, Joseph was provided with the personal, tangible evidence that
personally linked the significance of the Book of Mormon to him. Joseph found out that an
ancient prophet named Mormon fashioned the individual plates of gold and engraved the
majority of the record on the plates. It was then revealed to Joseph that he was Mormon in
another lifetime before he came to the earth again as Joseph Smith, Jr.
This information puzzled Joseph deeply. It would puzzle anyone who couldn’t
remember any experiences past his or her current mortal birth. However, the experiences
Joseph had in other lifetimes were recorded within his human essence, which memories are
generally veiled or inaccessible because of the inability of the imperfect mind to recall them.
Furthermore, because of his imperfect mind, the young man still didn’t quite understand all
that Christ explained to him. Although many things Joseph had learned seemed logical to
him, some of the “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” were very hard for his normal mortal
brain to conceptualize.