Joseph Smith - History
Episode 77: Moroni visits Joseph (29-54)
Moroni's first visit
29 I prayed before I went to bed on September 21. 30 While I was praying, a light appeared in my room that made the room brighter than at noon. I saw someone standing in the air by my bedside. 31 He wore a white robe, whiter than anything I'd ever seen - whiter than anything on earth. His hands, arms, feet, legs, head, and neck were naked. He was completely naked except for his robe, which was open so I could see his bosom. 32 His robe was exceedingly white and his person was glorious beyond description - like lightning.
33 He called me by my name, and said his name was Moroni. He said God had a work for me to do. 34 He said there was a book written on golden plates that gave an account of the former inhabitants of this continent. And that the fulness of the Gospel was contained within it. 35 He also said there were two stones in silver bows fastened to a breastplate - which made up the Urim and Thummim. These were the "seers" that God prepared to translate the book.
42 He said that when I got the plates, I shouldn't show them or the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim to anyone, except for those to whom I was commanded. And that if I showed them to anyone else, God would kill me. 43 Then I saw the light gather around Mononi, and he ascended into heaven.
Moroni's second visit (same words as first visit)
44 But before I knew it, the room lit up again and he was again by my bedside. 45 He repeated again the very same things he said before, using the same words. He told me about famine, wars, pestilence, and judgment that will come to the earth in this generation. Then he left again the same way he left before.
Moroni's third visit (Using the same words as the first two visits)
46 I couldn't sleep after Moroni's second visit, where he repeated everything he had said exactly as he said before. Then he visited a third time, repeating word-for-word what he had said in his first two visits. He also said the devil was going to tempt me to use the golden plates to get rich. 47 Then Moroni ascended again and the cock crowed, so his visits must have occupied the whole night.
48 That morning I began my chores as usual, working with my father, but I was entirely unable to do anything. So my father sent me home. On the way back to the house, I fell down unconscious.
Moroni's fourth visit (Same words as third visit)
49 When I woke up, Moroni was there again, surrounded by light as before. He repeated everything he said on the previous night's three visits and commanded me to tell my father about them.
Finding the golden plates
50 I told my father about the visions, and he said they were from God and told me to do whatever Moroni said. So I went to the place where Moroni said the plates were buried, and I knew the place as soon as I saw it. 51 The plates were under a rock on the west side of a hill in Manchester, Ontario county, New York. 52 Within the box I found the plates, the Urim and Thummim, the breastplate, and two stones.
Returning every year for four years
53 I tried to remove them, but Moroni forbade me, saying that it wasn't time yet to bring them out - and wouldn't be for another four years. But he said that I should return to the place each year at the same time until then. 54 So I came back each year and met Moroni there.
