Get to Know the Gold Plates!

~AD 421

The Book of Mormon prophet Moroni sealed up the gold plates. The plates taught about Jesus Christ. They also told the history of Moroni’s people.

1823

As an angel, Moroni visited Joseph Smith. Moroni told him the gold plates were buried in the nearby Hill Cumorah.

1827

After Joseph had prepared for four years, the Lord trusted him to take the plates home.

1828

Joseph translated the plates by listening closely to the Holy Ghost. He also used special tools from God. He used a rock called a seer stone and tools called interpreters or the Urim and Thummim that had been buried with the plates.

1829

Heavenly Father helped Joseph understand what the plates said. Oliver Cowdery helped write down what Joseph translated.

At least twelve people saw the gold plates. One of them was Mary Whitmer. You can read the testimony of other witnesses at the front of the Book of Mormon. None of these people ever denied what they experienced.

1830

The first translated copy of the Book of Mormon in English was printed in Palmyra, New York, USA.

Today

The Book of Mormon now is read all over the world! It is translated into 115 languages. Missionaries share the Book of Mormon with everyone they can.