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Seer Stone - Urim & Thummim:
The Prophet Joseph Smith used both the Seer Stone and the Urim and Thummim in translating the Book of Mormon. But “the exact way” in which it was done is not known. The only recorded words that the Prophet ever uttered about how he performed the translation are recorded on the title page of the Book of Mormon below.
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The Seer Stone was egg-shaped and of a chocolate colour and about the size of an egg.
And it is true that when using the Seer Stone, at least during the daytime, the Prophet would put it in a hat and then bury his face in the hat to keep out the light, so that he could read the inscriptions that would appear on the stone.
B.H. Roberts quoted David Whitmer’s description of translating by the Seer Stone as follows:
A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the translation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it were correct, then it would disappear and another character with the interpretation would appear” (B. H. Roberts, Defense of the Faith and the Saints, Vol.1, p.351).
Urim and Thummim:
The Urim and Thummim were two transparent stones arranged in a bow somewhat similar to spectacles, and were attached to a breast plate. The Prophet used either the Seer Stone or the Urim and Thummim in the translation of the Book of Mormon. B.H. Roberts comments on the use of the two instruments in the translation process as follows:
A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the translation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it were correct, then it would disappear and another character with the interpretation would appear” (B. H. Roberts, Defense of the Faith and the Saints, Vol.1, p.351).
Urim and Thummim:
The Urim and Thummim were two transparent stones arranged in a bow somewhat similar to spectacles, and were attached to a breast plate. The Prophet used either the Seer Stone or the Urim and Thummim in the translation of the Book of Mormon. B.H. Roberts comments on the use of the two instruments in the translation process as follows:
The sum of the whole matter, then, concerning the manner of translating the sacred record of the Nephites, according to the testimony of the only witnesses competent to testify in the matter is: With the Nephite record was deposited a curious instrument, consisting of two transparent stones, set in the rim of a bow, somewhat resembling spectacles, but larger, called by the ancient Hebrews ‘Urim and Thummim,’ but by the Nephites ‘Interpreters.’
In addition to these ‘Interpreters’ the Prophet Joseph had a ‘Seer Stone,’ possessed of similar qualities to the Urim and Thummim; that the prophet sometimes used one and sometimes the other of these sacred instruments in the work of translation; that whether the ‘Interpreters’ or the ‘Seer Stone’ was used the Nephite characters with the English interpretation appeared in the sacred instrument; that the Prophet would pronounce the English translation to his scribe, which when correctly written would disappear and the other characters with their interpretation take their place, and so on until the work was completed” (B.H. Roberts, The Seventy’s Course in Theology, First Year, p.111)
Where are the seer stones today?
In addition to these ‘Interpreters’ the Prophet Joseph had a ‘Seer Stone,’ possessed of similar qualities to the Urim and Thummim; that the prophet sometimes used one and sometimes the other of these sacred instruments in the work of translation; that whether the ‘Interpreters’ or the ‘Seer Stone’ was used the Nephite characters with the English interpretation appeared in the sacred instrument; that the Prophet would pronounce the English translation to his scribe, which when correctly written would disappear and the other characters with their interpretation take their place, and so on until the work was completed” (B.H. Roberts, The Seventy’s Course in Theology, First Year, p.111)
Where are the seer stones today?
MacKay and Frederick write in their book about the difficulty tracing the complete provenance of the seer stones. They explain we only know for certain of the location of one of Joseph’s main seer stones, namely the brown stone which is in the possession of the church as part of the First Presidency's collection. The white stone is likely part of the same collection though we do not know for sure. Additionally, the Nephite stones were taken from Joseph by the angel Moroni.
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Where is the white seer stone today?
This white seer stone above was the shape of an egg, though not quite so large, of a gray cast something like granite but with white stripes running round it. It was transparent but had no holes, neither in the end or in the sides.” This seer stone was also used to translate the book of Mormon and others.
If these stones were used then why are there so many changers in the Book of Mormon after it was written?