Once Moroni sealed and buried the Nephite record, of course, we have no further information about him and his mortal life.
Fast forward 1400 years.
A young man by the name of Joseph Smith was living in upstate New York not far from where Moroni and hidden the plates. This young man was a prophet, chosen by God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, for a special mission to usher in the dispensation of the fullness of times. Joseph had seen both the Father and the Son in an open theophany/vision when he was just 14 years old. By the time Moroni enters the tale, Joseph was 17 years old.
I continued to pursue my common vocations in life until the twenty-first of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, all the time suffering severe persecution at the hands of all classes of men, both religious and irreligious, because I continued to affirm that I had seen a vision.
In consequence of these things, I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections; when, on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one.
While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. (JSH 1: 27, 29-30)
This person was the resurrected ancient prophet, Moroni. At first, Joseph was afraid, but as Moroni addressed him by name, his fear left him.
He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my 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 gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants; Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted "seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book. (JSH 1L 33-35)
The Urim and Thummin are mentioned in the Old Testament as being part of the breastplate of the High Priests of ancient Israel. The words mean "Light" and "Truth" and are called "seer stones." The ancient symbols for the Urim and Thummin, when overlapped make the symbol of the Star of David.
Nephi mentions his father, Lehi, being given a Urim and Thummin. I suspect that it was used by Moroni himself when he translated the Jaradite/Olmec record. They were revered by the Book of Mormon prophets and buried with the plates.
Text copyright Gebara Education February 2014
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