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KnoWhy #555 - Did Joseph Smith’s Mother Believe He Could Have Written the Book of Mormon? (Alma 32:21)

TitleKnoWhy #555 - Did Joseph Smith’s Mother Believe He Could Have Written the Book of Mormon? (Alma 32:21)
Publication TypeKnoWhy
Year of Publication2020
Corporate AuthorsBook of Mormon Central Staff
PublisherBook of Mormon Central
Place PublishedSpringville, UT
KeywordsAngel Moroni; Book of Mormon Translation; Early Church History; Smith, Joseph, Jr.; Smith, Lucy Mack
Abstract

Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet, left behind an important history of the life of Joseph Smith. In her history she describes young Joseph giving the Smith family “amusing recitals” on the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. Some have used this to portray Joseph as having a wild, vivid imagination that lent itself to the composition of the Book of Mormon. A closer look at Lucy’s history, however, undermines this line of argumentation. Read in context, her history strengthens faith in her son’s claims.

URLhttps://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/did-joseph-smiths-mother-believe-he-could-have-written-the-book-of-mormon
Citation Key6742

Scripture Reference

Alma 32:21