Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "From Joseph Smith, one unlearned and untrained in theology, more printed pages of scripture have come down to us than from any other mortal—in fact, as President Holland has pointed out, more than the combined pages, as available at present, from Moses, Paul, Luke, and Mormon." (Joseph Smith: “A Choice Seer,” Mar. 30, 1986, Devotional)
Lucy Harris (Written by Lucy Mack Smith): "Joseph, I will tell you what I will do, if I can get a witness that you speak the truth, I will believe all you say about the matter and I shall want to do something about the translation—I mean to help you any way.“
"She said that a personage appeared to her, who told her, that as she had disputed the servant of the Lord, and said his word was not to be believed, and had also asked him many improper questions, she had done that which was not right in the sight of God. After which he said to her, 'Behold, here are the plates, look upon them and believe.' After giving us an account of her dream, she described the record very minutely." (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith).
Prophet Joseph Smith: “Truth is a matter of fact; and the fact is, that by the power of God I translated the Book of Mormon from hieroglyphics, the knowledge of which was lost to the world; in which wonderful event I stood alone, an unlearned youth, to combat the worldly wisdom and multiplied ignorance of eighteen centuries with a new revelation, which (if they would receive the everlasting Gospel) would open the eyes of more than eight hundred millions of people, and make ‘plain the old paths,’ wherein ‘if a man walk in all the ordinances of God blameless’ he shall inherit eternal life. …” (George Q. Cannon, Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet, Deseret Book Co., 1964, p. 460.)
Joseph Smith on Translation process: At a Church Conference (25–26 Oct. 1831), at the home of Serenus Burnett (in Orange, OH.), Hyrum Smith invited his brother Joseph to explain to all how the Book of Mormon came forth. He responded: “I would inform you that I translated the book by the gift and power of God and that it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon; and…it was not expedient for him to relate these things." (JSP/Document Series Minutes, 25–26 Oct. 1831; HC 1:220; and Elder NAM, “By the Gift/Power of God,” Ensign, Jan. 1997.)
The Book of Mormon was translated in a stunningly short amount of time. There was NO time for outside research, rewriting or polishing. The Book of Mormon was translated in a span of no more than 75 days. Moreover, Joseph could not spend all of his time concentrating on the translation. He needed time to eat, sleep, to seek employment, to receive the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods, to make two trips to Colesville, to convert and baptize Hyrum and Samuel Smith, to receive and record thirteen revelations that are now sections of the D&C, to move a buckboard from Harmony to Fayette, to acquire the copyright for the Book of Mormon, to preach and baptize a few days in Fay-ette, to experience the manifestations with the Three and Eight Witnesses, and to make arrangements for the public-cation of the Book of Mormon. As Oliver Cowdery afterward testified: “These were days never to be forgotten - to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven.” (See end notes of JSH, p.58.) (From article, “How Long Did It Take to Translate the Book of Mormon?” by John Welch in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, p.1-8.)
Emma Smith: “When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote a part of it, as he dictated each sentence, word for word … When he came to proper names he could not pronounce, or long words, he spelled them out, and while I was writing them, if I made any mistake in spelling, he would stop me and correct my spelling although it was impossible for him to see how I was writing them down at the time … When he stopped for any purpose at any time, he would, when he commenced again, begin where he left off without any hesitation … One time while… translating he stopped suddenly and said, ‘Emma, did Jerusalem have walls around it?’ When I answered, ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘Oh! [I didn’t know.] I was afraid I’d been deceived.’ He had such a limited knowledge of history at that time…he did not even know that Jerusalem was surrounded by walls.” (E.C. Briggs, “A Visit to Nauvoo in 1856,” Journal of History, Jan. 1916, p. 454; also Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, July 1993.)
Last Testimony of Emma (in Feb. 1879, to her son, Joseph Smith III): “The plates often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen tablecloth, which I had given him…I once felt of the plates, as they lay on the table, tracing their outline and shape. They seemed to be pliable like thick paper and would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book … Joseph could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictate a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, and was present dur-ing the translation of the plates, and had cognizance of things as they transpired, it is marvelous to me, ‘a marvel and a wonder,’ as much so as to anyone else…I did not attempt to handle the plates other than I have told you, nor uncover them to look at them. I was satisfied that it was the work of God, and therefore did not feel it to be necessary to do so…I moved them from place to place on the table, as it was necessary in doing my work … My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity—I have not the slightest doubt of it. I am satisfied that no man could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired; for, when acting as his scribe, [he] would dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or…interruptions, he could at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him. This was an unusual thing for him to do. It would have been improbable that a learned man could do this; and, for one so ignorant and unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible.” ("The Saints' Herald 26 [Oct 1879]: p.289-90; see also Missionary Site Guide: Harmony, p.61.)
Lucy Mack Smith: “Joseph being a remarkably quiet, well-disposed child, we did not suspect that anyone had aught against him. He was out on an errand one evening about twilight. When he was returning through the dooryard, a gun was fired across his pathway with evident intention of killing him… The next morning…we found his tracks under a wagon where he lay when he fired. We found the balls that were discharged from his piece the next day in the head and neck of a cow that stood opposite the wagon in a dark corner, but we never found out the man, nor ever suspected the cause of the act.” (REHJS, p.93-94.)
Prophet Joseph Smith, in Wentworth Letter (Nauvoo 1842): “As soon as the news of this discovery (i.e. plates) was made, false reports, misrepresentation, and slander flew as on the wings of the wind in every direction; our home was frequently beset by mobs and evil designing persons. Several times I was shot at and very narrowly escaped…but the power and blessing of God attended me.” (HC, v.4, p.538.)
Prophet Joseph Smith: “When I do the best I can—when I am accomplishing the greatest good, then the most evils and wicked surmisings are got up against me. … The enemies of this people will never get weary of their persecution against the Church, until they are overcome. I expect they will array everything against me that is in their power to control, and that we shall have a long and tremendous warfare. He that will war the true Christian warfare against the corruptions of these last days will have wicked men and angels of devils, and all the infernal powers of darkness continually arrayed against him … If a man stands and opposes the world of sin, he may expect to have all wicked and corrupt spirits arrayed against him. But it will be but a little season, and all these afflictions will be turned away from us, inasmuch as we are faithful, and are not overcome by these evils.” (Discourse 31 Aug. 1842, in Nauvoo in HC, 5:140–41; and TPC: Joseph Smith, p.372; also in Words of JS, p.130-131.)
Oliver Cowdery recorded that while Joseph was being instructed by Moroni at the Hill Cumorah on the 22 Sept. 1823: “…the heavens were opened and the glory of the Lord shone around about and rested upon him. While he thus stood gazing and admiring, the angel said, ‘Look,’ and as he thus spake he beheld the prince of darkness, surrounded by his innumerable train of associates, all this passed before him, and the heavenly messenger said, ‘All this is shown, the good and the evil, the holy and the impure, the glory of God, the power of darkness, that ye may know hereafter the two powers and never be influenced or overcome by that wicked one … Now, go thy way remembering what the Lord has done for thee and be diligent in keeping his commandments, and he will deliver thee from temptations and all the arts and devices of the wicked one. Forget not to pray, that thy mind may become strong, that when he shall manifest unto thee, thou mayest have power to escape the evil, and obtain these precious things.” (Messenger & Advocate, V. 2, #1 [Oct. 1835], p.198.)
Lucy Mack Smith: “Joseph continued to receive instructions from the Lord…and we [gathered] together every evening…listening while he gave us a relation of the same. I presume our family presented an aspect as singular as any that ever lived upon the face of the earth—all seated in a circle, father, mother, sons and daughters, listening in breathless anxiety to the religious teachings…and giving the most profound attention to a boy…who had never read the Bible through in his life…We were now confirmed…that God was about to bring to light… something that would give us a more perfect knowledge of the plan of salvation and the redemption of the human family. This caused us greatly to rejoice and the sweetest union and happiness pervaded our house, and tranquility reigned in our midst. During our evening conversations, Joseph would…describe the ancient inhabit-ants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, the animals upon which they rode; their cities [and] build-ings with every particular; their mode of warfare; and…religious worship…as if he had spent his whole life among them.” (LMS, History, 1845, JSPapers, p.86-87; in REHJS, edit. Scot and Maurine Proctor, Bookcraft [SLC, UT., 1996] p.111-112.)
Joseph Smith on receiving plates: When the time came for Joseph Smith to obtain the plates, Joseph Knight Sr. traveled to the Smith home, where the Prophet used his wagon to retrieve the plates. Late that night, after Joseph had returned, he said to Brother Knight, “It is ten times better than I expected.” According to Father Knight, the Prophet described the plates, though he “seemed to think more of the glasses or urim and thummim than he did of the plates. ‘For’ says he, ‘I can see any thing. They are marvelous.’” (Joseph Knight Sr. journal entry, in Ensign, Jan. 1988 p. 44; also in “The Knight Family: Part I,” by William G. Hartley in Ensign, Oct. 1989; also in Steven C. Harper “Probation of a Teenage Seer,” cited above.)
Prophet Joseph Smith: “These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold. Each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings in Egyptian characters and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much skill in the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument…call-ed ‘Urim and Thummim,’ which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breast-plate. Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift and power of God. ("Wentworth Letter/1842" HC, 4:536-541.)
Lucy Mack Smith: "As soon as she arrived there, she said she had come to see the plates and would never leave until she had accomplished it. Without delay she began ransacking every nook and corner of the house--chest, cupboard, trunk, etc.; consequently Joseph was compelled to take both the breastplate and the record out of the house and secrete them elsewhere."
"Not finding them in the house, she [Lucy Harris] concluded that Joseph had buried them, and the next day she went out and hunted the ground over, adjacent to the house. She kept up the search till two o'clock in the afternoon.” (The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith By His Mother, Bookcraft, 1996 p. 156-157).
President Russell M. Nelson: “The details of this miraculous method of translation are still not fully known.” (“By the Gift and Power of God,” Ensign, July 1993, 61).
Emma Smith: "When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote part of it, as he dictated each sentence, word for word, and when he came to proper names he could not pronounce, or long words, he spelled them out, and while I was writing them, if I made a mistake in spelling, he would stop me and correct my spelling, although it was impossible for him to see how I was writing them down at the time.” (Edmund Briggs interview, 1856).
Emma Smith: “She remarked of her husband Joseph's limited education while he was translating the Book of Mormon, and she was scribe at the time, 'He could not pronounce the word Sariah.’ (Edmund Briggs interview, 1856).
Emma Smith: “When he stopped for any purpose at any time he would, when he commenced again, begin where he left off without any hesitation, and one time while he was translating he stopped suddenly, pale as a sheet, and said, 'Emma, did Jerusalem have walls around it?' When I answered 'Yes,' he replied 'Oh! I was afraid I had been deceived.' He had such a limited knowledge of history at that time that he did not even know that Jerusalem was surrounded by walls." (Edmund Briggs interview, 1856).
“One morning when he was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went upstairs and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable.”
“He went downstairs, out into the orchard, and made supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour—came back to the house, and asked Emma's forgiveness and then came upstairs where we were and then the translation went on all right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful" (Braden-Kelley Debate, p. 186.)
Joseph Knight: “It is ten times Better than I expected,” he remembered Joseph saying. He recalled further the Prophet’s particular fascination with the spectacles. “He seamed to think more of the glasses or the urim and thummem then [than] he Did of the Plates,” wrote Knight, “for, says he, ‘I can see any thing; they are Marvelus.’” (Jessee, “Joseph Knight’s Recollection,” 33.)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell: Oliver Cowdery is reported to have testified in court that the Urim and Thummim enabled Joseph “to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates” (“Mormonites,” Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, 9 Apr. 1831).
If these reports are accurate, they suggest a process indicative of God’s having given Joseph “sight and power to translate” (D&C 3:12).
If by means of these divine instrumentalities the Prophet was seeing ancient words rendered in English and then dictating, he was not necessarily and constantly scrutinizing the characters on the plates—the usual translation process of going back and forth between pondering an ancient text and providing a modern rendering.
While the use of divine instrumentalities might also account for the rapid rate of translation, the Prophet sometimes may have used a less mechanical procedure. We simply do not know the details.
Whatever the details of the process, it required Joseph’s intense, personal efforts along with the aid of the revelatory instruments. The process may have varied as Joseph’s capabilities grew, involving the Urim and Thummim but perhaps with less reliance upon such instrumentalities in the Prophet’s later work of translation.
Elder Orson Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said Joseph Smith told him that he used the Urim and Thummim when he was inexperienced at translation but that later he did not need it, which was the case in Joseph’s translation of many verses of the Bible. -see Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 11 Aug. 1874, 498–99. ("By the Gift and Power of God," Ensign, January 1997, p.36).
Lucy Harris (Written by Lucy Mack Smith): "Joseph, I will tell you what I will do, if I can get a witness that you speak the truth, I will believe all you say about the matter and I shall want to do something about the translation—I mean to help you any way.“
"She said that a personage appeared to her, who told her, that as she had disputed the servant of the Lord, and said his word was not to be believed, and had also asked him many improper questions, she had done that which was not right in the sight of God. After which he said to her, 'Behold, here are the plates, look upon them and believe.' After giving us an account of her dream, she described the record very minutely." (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith).
Prophet Joseph Smith: “Truth is a matter of fact; and the fact is, that by the power of God I translated the Book of Mormon from hieroglyphics, the knowledge of which was lost to the world; in which wonderful event I stood alone, an unlearned youth, to combat the worldly wisdom and multiplied ignorance of eighteen centuries with a new revelation, which (if they would receive the everlasting Gospel) would open the eyes of more than eight hundred millions of people, and make ‘plain the old paths,’ wherein ‘if a man walk in all the ordinances of God blameless’ he shall inherit eternal life. …” (George Q. Cannon, Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet, Deseret Book Co., 1964, p. 460.)
Joseph Smith on Translation process: At a Church Conference (25–26 Oct. 1831), at the home of Serenus Burnett (in Orange, OH.), Hyrum Smith invited his brother Joseph to explain to all how the Book of Mormon came forth. He responded: “I would inform you that I translated the book by the gift and power of God and that it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon; and…it was not expedient for him to relate these things." (JSP/Document Series Minutes, 25–26 Oct. 1831; HC 1:220; and Elder NAM, “By the Gift/Power of God,” Ensign, Jan. 1997.)
The Book of Mormon was translated in a stunningly short amount of time. There was NO time for outside research, rewriting or polishing. The Book of Mormon was translated in a span of no more than 75 days. Moreover, Joseph could not spend all of his time concentrating on the translation. He needed time to eat, sleep, to seek employment, to receive the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods, to make two trips to Colesville, to convert and baptize Hyrum and Samuel Smith, to receive and record thirteen revelations that are now sections of the D&C, to move a buckboard from Harmony to Fayette, to acquire the copyright for the Book of Mormon, to preach and baptize a few days in Fay-ette, to experience the manifestations with the Three and Eight Witnesses, and to make arrangements for the public-cation of the Book of Mormon. As Oliver Cowdery afterward testified: “These were days never to be forgotten - to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven.” (See end notes of JSH, p.58.) (From article, “How Long Did It Take to Translate the Book of Mormon?” by John Welch in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, p.1-8.)
Emma Smith: “When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote a part of it, as he dictated each sentence, word for word … When he came to proper names he could not pronounce, or long words, he spelled them out, and while I was writing them, if I made any mistake in spelling, he would stop me and correct my spelling although it was impossible for him to see how I was writing them down at the time … When he stopped for any purpose at any time, he would, when he commenced again, begin where he left off without any hesitation … One time while… translating he stopped suddenly and said, ‘Emma, did Jerusalem have walls around it?’ When I answered, ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘Oh! [I didn’t know.] I was afraid I’d been deceived.’ He had such a limited knowledge of history at that time…he did not even know that Jerusalem was surrounded by walls.” (E.C. Briggs, “A Visit to Nauvoo in 1856,” Journal of History, Jan. 1916, p. 454; also Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, July 1993.)
Last Testimony of Emma (in Feb. 1879, to her son, Joseph Smith III): “The plates often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen tablecloth, which I had given him…I once felt of the plates, as they lay on the table, tracing their outline and shape. They seemed to be pliable like thick paper and would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book … Joseph could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictate a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, and was present dur-ing the translation of the plates, and had cognizance of things as they transpired, it is marvelous to me, ‘a marvel and a wonder,’ as much so as to anyone else…I did not attempt to handle the plates other than I have told you, nor uncover them to look at them. I was satisfied that it was the work of God, and therefore did not feel it to be necessary to do so…I moved them from place to place on the table, as it was necessary in doing my work … My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity—I have not the slightest doubt of it. I am satisfied that no man could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired; for, when acting as his scribe, [he] would dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or…interruptions, he could at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him. This was an unusual thing for him to do. It would have been improbable that a learned man could do this; and, for one so ignorant and unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible.” ("The Saints' Herald 26 [Oct 1879]: p.289-90; see also Missionary Site Guide: Harmony, p.61.)
Lucy Mack Smith: “Joseph being a remarkably quiet, well-disposed child, we did not suspect that anyone had aught against him. He was out on an errand one evening about twilight. When he was returning through the dooryard, a gun was fired across his pathway with evident intention of killing him… The next morning…we found his tracks under a wagon where he lay when he fired. We found the balls that were discharged from his piece the next day in the head and neck of a cow that stood opposite the wagon in a dark corner, but we never found out the man, nor ever suspected the cause of the act.” (REHJS, p.93-94.)
Prophet Joseph Smith, in Wentworth Letter (Nauvoo 1842): “As soon as the news of this discovery (i.e. plates) was made, false reports, misrepresentation, and slander flew as on the wings of the wind in every direction; our home was frequently beset by mobs and evil designing persons. Several times I was shot at and very narrowly escaped…but the power and blessing of God attended me.” (HC, v.4, p.538.)
Prophet Joseph Smith: “When I do the best I can—when I am accomplishing the greatest good, then the most evils and wicked surmisings are got up against me. … The enemies of this people will never get weary of their persecution against the Church, until they are overcome. I expect they will array everything against me that is in their power to control, and that we shall have a long and tremendous warfare. He that will war the true Christian warfare against the corruptions of these last days will have wicked men and angels of devils, and all the infernal powers of darkness continually arrayed against him … If a man stands and opposes the world of sin, he may expect to have all wicked and corrupt spirits arrayed against him. But it will be but a little season, and all these afflictions will be turned away from us, inasmuch as we are faithful, and are not overcome by these evils.” (Discourse 31 Aug. 1842, in Nauvoo in HC, 5:140–41; and TPC: Joseph Smith, p.372; also in Words of JS, p.130-131.)
Oliver Cowdery recorded that while Joseph was being instructed by Moroni at the Hill Cumorah on the 22 Sept. 1823: “…the heavens were opened and the glory of the Lord shone around about and rested upon him. While he thus stood gazing and admiring, the angel said, ‘Look,’ and as he thus spake he beheld the prince of darkness, surrounded by his innumerable train of associates, all this passed before him, and the heavenly messenger said, ‘All this is shown, the good and the evil, the holy and the impure, the glory of God, the power of darkness, that ye may know hereafter the two powers and never be influenced or overcome by that wicked one … Now, go thy way remembering what the Lord has done for thee and be diligent in keeping his commandments, and he will deliver thee from temptations and all the arts and devices of the wicked one. Forget not to pray, that thy mind may become strong, that when he shall manifest unto thee, thou mayest have power to escape the evil, and obtain these precious things.” (Messenger & Advocate, V. 2, #1 [Oct. 1835], p.198.)
Lucy Mack Smith: “Joseph continued to receive instructions from the Lord…and we [gathered] together every evening…listening while he gave us a relation of the same. I presume our family presented an aspect as singular as any that ever lived upon the face of the earth—all seated in a circle, father, mother, sons and daughters, listening in breathless anxiety to the religious teachings…and giving the most profound attention to a boy…who had never read the Bible through in his life…We were now confirmed…that God was about to bring to light… something that would give us a more perfect knowledge of the plan of salvation and the redemption of the human family. This caused us greatly to rejoice and the sweetest union and happiness pervaded our house, and tranquility reigned in our midst. During our evening conversations, Joseph would…describe the ancient inhabit-ants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, the animals upon which they rode; their cities [and] build-ings with every particular; their mode of warfare; and…religious worship…as if he had spent his whole life among them.” (LMS, History, 1845, JSPapers, p.86-87; in REHJS, edit. Scot and Maurine Proctor, Bookcraft [SLC, UT., 1996] p.111-112.)
Joseph Smith on receiving plates: When the time came for Joseph Smith to obtain the plates, Joseph Knight Sr. traveled to the Smith home, where the Prophet used his wagon to retrieve the plates. Late that night, after Joseph had returned, he said to Brother Knight, “It is ten times better than I expected.” According to Father Knight, the Prophet described the plates, though he “seemed to think more of the glasses or urim and thummim than he did of the plates. ‘For’ says he, ‘I can see any thing. They are marvelous.’” (Joseph Knight Sr. journal entry, in Ensign, Jan. 1988 p. 44; also in “The Knight Family: Part I,” by William G. Hartley in Ensign, Oct. 1989; also in Steven C. Harper “Probation of a Teenage Seer,” cited above.)
Prophet Joseph Smith: “These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold. Each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings in Egyptian characters and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much skill in the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument…call-ed ‘Urim and Thummim,’ which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breast-plate. Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift and power of God. ("Wentworth Letter/1842" HC, 4:536-541.)
Lucy Mack Smith: "As soon as she arrived there, she said she had come to see the plates and would never leave until she had accomplished it. Without delay she began ransacking every nook and corner of the house--chest, cupboard, trunk, etc.; consequently Joseph was compelled to take both the breastplate and the record out of the house and secrete them elsewhere."
"Not finding them in the house, she [Lucy Harris] concluded that Joseph had buried them, and the next day she went out and hunted the ground over, adjacent to the house. She kept up the search till two o'clock in the afternoon.” (The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith By His Mother, Bookcraft, 1996 p. 156-157).
President Russell M. Nelson: “The details of this miraculous method of translation are still not fully known.” (“By the Gift and Power of God,” Ensign, July 1993, 61).
Emma Smith: "When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote part of it, as he dictated each sentence, word for word, and when he came to proper names he could not pronounce, or long words, he spelled them out, and while I was writing them, if I made a mistake in spelling, he would stop me and correct my spelling, although it was impossible for him to see how I was writing them down at the time.” (Edmund Briggs interview, 1856).
Emma Smith: “She remarked of her husband Joseph's limited education while he was translating the Book of Mormon, and she was scribe at the time, 'He could not pronounce the word Sariah.’ (Edmund Briggs interview, 1856).
Emma Smith: “When he stopped for any purpose at any time he would, when he commenced again, begin where he left off without any hesitation, and one time while he was translating he stopped suddenly, pale as a sheet, and said, 'Emma, did Jerusalem have walls around it?' When I answered 'Yes,' he replied 'Oh! I was afraid I had been deceived.' He had such a limited knowledge of history at that time that he did not even know that Jerusalem was surrounded by walls." (Edmund Briggs interview, 1856).
“One morning when he was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went upstairs and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable.”
“He went downstairs, out into the orchard, and made supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour—came back to the house, and asked Emma's forgiveness and then came upstairs where we were and then the translation went on all right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful" (Braden-Kelley Debate, p. 186.)
Joseph Knight: “It is ten times Better than I expected,” he remembered Joseph saying. He recalled further the Prophet’s particular fascination with the spectacles. “He seamed to think more of the glasses or the urim and thummem then [than] he Did of the Plates,” wrote Knight, “for, says he, ‘I can see any thing; they are Marvelus.’” (Jessee, “Joseph Knight’s Recollection,” 33.)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell: Oliver Cowdery is reported to have testified in court that the Urim and Thummim enabled Joseph “to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates” (“Mormonites,” Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, 9 Apr. 1831).
If these reports are accurate, they suggest a process indicative of God’s having given Joseph “sight and power to translate” (D&C 3:12).
If by means of these divine instrumentalities the Prophet was seeing ancient words rendered in English and then dictating, he was not necessarily and constantly scrutinizing the characters on the plates—the usual translation process of going back and forth between pondering an ancient text and providing a modern rendering.
While the use of divine instrumentalities might also account for the rapid rate of translation, the Prophet sometimes may have used a less mechanical procedure. We simply do not know the details.
Whatever the details of the process, it required Joseph’s intense, personal efforts along with the aid of the revelatory instruments. The process may have varied as Joseph’s capabilities grew, involving the Urim and Thummim but perhaps with less reliance upon such instrumentalities in the Prophet’s later work of translation.
Elder Orson Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said Joseph Smith told him that he used the Urim and Thummim when he was inexperienced at translation but that later he did not need it, which was the case in Joseph’s translation of many verses of the Bible. -see Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 11 Aug. 1874, 498–99. ("By the Gift and Power of God," Ensign, January 1997, p.36).