Mormon Stories podcast depends entirely upon the voluntary contributions of you, its listeners.

To keep Mormon Stories alive, please consider donating today at MormonStories.org.

To make a contribution to Mormon Stories, just click on the Make a Donation button at the

top right of the MormonStories.org website.

For all this and more, please check out MormonStories.org, and thank you for listening.

Dr. Richard Bushman, thank you so much for coming on Mormon Stories again.

Okay, it's pleasure.

I guess this episode we're hoping, I'm hoping that we can cover maybe two main topics.

The first is Joseph Smith as translator, which would cover the Book of Mormon, maybe

the Book of Abraham, and a bit about the Kinderhook plates, and then a second section, just

about the three new witnesses.

So that's kind of the overview.

Let's start talking about the Book of Mormon.

When did Joseph Smith first learn that he was going to be helping out with the Book

of Mormon?

Well, I have no insight other than the traditional day in September 1823.

And for those who may not know the story, what did he...

Oh, as you're getting at.

Well, this is probably the most fabulous of all Joseph Smith stories, and the angel appears

in his room when he's seeking, when he, that is Joseph, was seeking forgiveness once more.

And granting the forgiveness, but then rushes on to the main topic of the night, which was

the presence of gold plates kept by an ancient people over a thousand year period or more,

...