8 months ago

Podcasts Faith and Religion Come Follow Me

Get a copy of my book: https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Servant-Kendal-Brian-Hunter/dp/1555177522

Opening Hymn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhR3-ARQOQU

Intro
i. You're looking good today and it feels good to be with you.
II. Theme: "The Second Vision: Prayer, Plates, Translation!"
III. Point I The Second Vision
i. Prayer
1. Praying for
a. forgiveness of sins
i. "I have not, neither can it be sustained, in truth, been guilty of wronging or injuring any man or society of men; and those imperfections to which I allude, and for which I have often had occasion to lament, were a light, and too often, vain mind, exhibiting a foolish and trifling conversation.
ii. This being all, and the worst, that my accusers can substantiate against my moral character, I wish to add that it is not without a deep feeling of regret that I am thus called upon in answer to my own conscience MA
b. Standing before church
2. Moroni's Three-peat
a. Work of translation
b. Vision to mind
c. Three visits:
i. DAB "Repeat Again the same Things As Before"
ii. Kent Jackson "Moroni's Message To Jospeh Smith"
1. https://notes.nephi.org/scriptures_quoted_by_moroni
ii. Plates
1. Digs up, can't get. Reached in, and set aside. plates disappeared. Joseph Smith seen a vision of good an evil
2. Reburies. Comes back
3. Legends about having to dig up Alvin Smith's body
4. Brought Emma with him when got it
5. Plates portion sealed, weighed 50#, solid gold be 100#, so alloy, tumbaga
iii. Translation
1. copied characters, then translated from copies, 62
2. One Hoffman forgery, circle. Other one used for gold book, now in possession of Church.
3. ideas: no log--U&T, seer stone
4. Read translation, vs study out of mind
5. FWR "Br. Joseph Smith jr. said that it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the book of Mormon, & also said that it was not expedient for him to relate these things &" 25–26 October 1831
6. John Whitmer's read parchment--source of info? he never used it, only OC and JS did.
IV. Point II The Anthon Incident
i. Parallel to transition of Book of Abraham, is is accurate?
ii. Promise and perils of Scholarship
1. Michael Rhodes, BYU professor. PhD I Egyptology Advisor said couldn't be a Mormon and objective scholar. Dropped out, and joined Air Force.
iii. For me: when a conflict between scholarship and seership:
1. Admit the discernment, say cannot resolve with information we have at present (not qualifier)
2. For scholarly publication, say "scholarship suggests X", then put our POV in a footnote. Insights form my faith tradition teaches ...
3. Reverse that for a church publication, put the scholarship in a footnote
V. Point III D&C 2
i. JS Manual Ch 26, TPJS, pg, 335.
ii. Priesthood revealed
iii. Focus on children turning towards fathers
iv. Utterly wasted vs. smitten with curse. D&C 138 uses both
v. This is not just another protestant sect, Luther-derivative ideas
VI. Compelling Clues
i. Details of vision
1. Dress of Moroni
2. Lightdacing cf First Vision
3. Remembered intense text dump, and noticed differences
a. Truman Madsen, Js Lecture 2 on Joseph Smith's memory: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/truman-g-madsen/joseph-smiths-personality-and-character/
4. Threepeat Acts 10:16 and Peter's kosher vision
ii. Details of stone and box, cross stones on bottom. Cement
iii. Lucy Smith: "During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent, their dress, mode of travelings, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life among them WMD 1:296.
1. Crucial detail that might answer questions is now lost
iv. JS voice in telling history: straightforward and unadorned, like the flowery flourishes of OC history
1. Contrast with church critics: sarcasm, viciousness, and merchandising--t shirts and bobbleheads
VII. Christ Quotient
i. Atonement Quotient
1. Sealing and Atonement
2. Role of PH, pesudo-Protestantism. Just free-folating power, like the force or Hogwart's magic
3. Need PH and sealing ordinances
4. This JFM and Ostler: have you been saved versus have you been sealed?
ii. BOM witness of Jesus Christ. Covered that last year. Nothing has changed
iii. Restoration really about restoring doctrine and power of Christ's atonement
1. Translate to get message of mission of the messiah out.
2. Restoring
a. Doctrine
b. Priesthood
c. Sealing power
d. Selaing keys
e. give us the full blessings of the Chris's atonement
f. This is not an unholy amalgam of Masonry and Protestantism. Is is a new thing. The restored understanding of Christ--that's the point
3. Sealing power: full expression of Christ’s atonement--that's the point.