On September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith betook himself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God. While he was in the act of calling upon God, he discovered a light appearing in his room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at Josephs' bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. This personage was glorious beyond description.
He called Joseph by name, and said he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to Joseph, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for Joseph to do; and that Joseph's name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.
He said there was a book deposited, written upon goldplates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of the Americas, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it (the bible contained some of the Gospel, but the Book of Mormon contained the rest of it), as delivered by the savior to the ancient inhabitants. There were also two stones in silver bows-and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummium-deposited with the plates, and God had prepared them for the purpose of translateing the Book.
Then Moroni told him to not show the plates to any one, unless he was commanded to show them, or he would be destroyed. While he was conversing with Joseph, the vision was opened to his mind that he could see the place where the plates were deposited. Then the light began to close around the person that had been speaking to Joseph, and continued to do so till Josephs' room was completely dark once again.
The same messenger came several times after that telling him some of the same things, which he was told before, and the messenger also warned him that Satan would try to tempt Joseph, to get the plates for of getting rich. This he forbade Joseph, saying that he must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom, otherwise Joseph could not have them.
Morning then came and Joseph went to work with his Father, but his Father could see that something was wrong and told Joseph to go home, and on his way Joseph fell to the ground unconscious and saw the same messenger that had visited him during the night and told him to tell his father all that he had been told that night. Joseph then obeyed and returned to his father in the field and rehearsed the whole matter to him. And his father told him to go and do as he was commanded. So he left the field and went to the place where the messenger told him that he would find the Gold plates. He then reached the stone that the plates could be found under.
He then lifted up the stone with a lever and with a little exertion raised it up. He then looked in, and there indeed he beheld the plates, the Urim and Thummim and the breastplate. Joseph then made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden by the messenger, and was told that the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would it, until four years from that time. The messenger then told him to come to that place precisely in one year from that time and that he would then meet with Joseph and that Joseph should continue to do so until the time should come for obtaining the plates. So he went at the end of each year and was taught more and more from that same messenger.
On September 22, 1827, the time came to obtain them. So Joseph went to the place where the plates were and the messenger then gave him the plates, saying that he is responsible for them; that if Joseph let them go carelessly he would be cut off. Joseph then understood why, because there was many persecutions and every stratagy that could be invented was resorted for that purpose. But by the Wisdom of God they remained safe in Joseph's hands.
Joseph did do what was required of him when he translated the Gold Plates and when Joseph was finished translating the plates, the messenger then called for them. Joseph then delivered them unto him; and The Angel, Moroni, has them in his charge till this day. And today the translated book is known as the Book Of Mormon.
