LDS and Mormons - What happened to the Golden Plates that Joseph Smith found and translated?

Question

The story I was told by some missionaries (who came to my house before 9am on a Saturday, thank you VERY much) was that Joseph Smith found some tablets or plates that had an ancient language written on them. He translated them (the didn't tell me how) and that became the book of Mormon. What did Joseph do with them afterwards? Are they in a museum somewhere, perhaps in Utah? I'd think they would be pretty important, so what happened to them after he transcribed them?

(People who don't like mormons, I don't care. Enough jokes. And no, you're not the first one to edit out the second "m" in their name, stop thinking you're clever.)

-should be "(*they* didn't tell me how)...

Answer 1

He gave them back to Moroni, who took them back to Heaven with him. They are no longer on the Earth.

Answer 2

I'm a Mormon who's actually been to Church recently. :) Once the translation process was done, the plates were returned to the angel Moroni. It had already been very difficult for Joseph Smith to maintain the plates safe; many wanted to steal them from him because of their monetary value. To leave them with Joseph would have been an obvious mistake.

A few more interesting facts regarding the plates...

1) Joseph Smith was by no means the only person who ever saw the metal plates on which the Book of Mormon was engraved. Fifteen other men also saw the plates and many gave a detailed description of them. Their testimonies can be found in all modern copies of the Book of Mormon.

2) Joseph Smith was ridiculed for years for reporting that the Book of Mormon record was engraved on metal plates. Recent archeological evidence has shown, however, that making records on metallic plates was indeed an ancient Middle-Eastern practice. In fact, a record engraved on gold plates has recently been discovered. It was made by the Etruscans, a people that had their origins in the Middle East (Turkey). These "gold plates" even have bound gold rings on the side, matching the description given by those who saw the original metal plates on which the Book of Mormon was engraved.

On a different note, when I was a missionary it was against the rules to chat with people before 9:00, and I don't think the rule has changed. If the early time bothers you, you might politely mention that to the missionaries the next time you see them and ask them to come later in the future.

If you'd like to learn more about Mormonism, visit my site at http://www.allaboutmormons.com .

Answer 3

We believe that the angel Moroni came back and took them. People were trying to get them to use for themselves, or to melt down and sell. They would have been worth a pretty penny, so they were taken so that didn't happen. Where they were put from there, I can't say.

He translated them with the help of the Urim and Thummim. They aren't seer stones, or a hat. That part of what people think are wrong.

Here is a site that has a lot of questions and answers about the Book of Mormon. You can scroll down and click on the question and it will go right to the answer.

Answer 4

He didn't "lose" them, exactly. He claimed that they were taken back by the angel who showed him where the plates were hidden. He took them back after Joseph Smith had translated the Book of Mormon. No one knows for sure where they are now, or if they will one day show up again. They are not in a museum in Utah.

Answer 5

Upon the translation of the plates, the angel Moroni took the plates from Joseph. Their need having been fulfilled, ie the translation having been accomplished, the plates served their purpose. Now, it is up to us to read, study, ponder and learn about the message of the plates or Book of Mormon. In as much as we need to live by faith, we do not have the tangible plates to see and feel, but we do have the testimony of twelve people how have. (See title page of Book of Mormon)
Likewise, we do not have the original text of the Bible and the manuscript that the Bible was written on. We read it and learn by faith in its words.

Answer 6

They were delivered back into the hands of the same angel, Moroni, who delivered them to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
The following is taken from the Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, which is included in every copy of the book of Mormon. There is also a record of what happened to them in the History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, volume 1, chapters 1 through 6 I know of no online reference to that book.
“At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the twenty-second day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this charge: That I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected.
“I soon found out the reason why I had received such strict charges to keep them safe, and why it was that the messenger had said that when I had done what was required at my hand, he would call for them. For no sooner was it known that I had them, than the most strenuous exertions were used to get them from me. Every stratagem that could be invented was resorted to for that purpose. The persecution became more bitter and severe than before, and multitudes were on the alert continually to get them from me if possible. But by the wisdom of God, they remained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by them what was required at my hand. When, according to arrangements, the messenger called for them, I delivered them up to him; and he has them in his charge until this day, being the second day of May, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.”

Answer 7

According to folk lore, the gold tablets were blank and translated by Smith who some how used a truth-stone to look upon the tablets. It was this truth-stone that he was able to read the inscriptions upon the tablets. Someone else wrote the translations down and every time they translated some more, the scribe would have to read the previous session, just to make sure they were on the same page as god. They are supposedly in Salt Lake Temple but I don't think even Marie Osmond has seen them.

Ok, so we have a guy that reads blank slates while looking at the blank slates with another rock? This story is true and without error because Smith had also seen the Christian apostles and the angel Moroni. This gave proof to the story.

Modern Christian churches do not believe Smith's story because only their version is true. They got it from a self-proclaimed apostle that really saw Jesus himself. So that story must be true.

Wow! I reckon Jesus is just bustin' out all over, ain't he?

Answer 8

As far as I remember (I haven't been to church in a long time), Joseph Smith returned them to where he'd received them.
He translated the plates with special help from the Angel Moroni (his figure can be seen on the top of every temple). He was the only one who was able to read them.

Have you ever seen the Mormon episode of South Park? It actually describe the history of the LDS church pretty well.

Answer 9

They are in the big church in Salt Lake City, I've been told. Only the 13 head of LDS can see them.

From Wikipedia:
After translation was completed, Smith said he returned the plates to the angel,[93] although the angel periodically brought them, as needed, to show several witnesses. Many Latter Day Saints, including Brigham Young, have believed the plates were returned to Hill Cumorah and that other ancient records lie buried there, including the Sword of Laban and the special spectacles given to aid the translation process.

Answer 10

I am not really sure but maybe you should try asking the missionaries. There are alot of answers on where they went and I could give you one but how accurite would that answer be and is that answer the true answer which we will never know.