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Some of the greatest Church History stories revolve around the golden plates, which were given to Joseph Smith to translate into The Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith was told of the gold plates years before he was able to receive them. Joseph was informed by the angel Moroni, to come to the Hill Cumorah at the same time each year until he was ready to receive the plates. It took four years before Joseph was allowed to take the plate to translate. Joseph was told he had to bring "the right person" to the hill to be able to obtain the plates for translation. The angel did not tell Joseph who he was to bring, only that "he would know". That person was Emma Smith, and through many hard years of trying to align himself with God's will, Joseph did know. This story is very significant to the importance of daughters of Heavenly Father. God's daughters are not left out of stories, by Heavenly Father, His daughters are there and are of importance. Sometimes those who tell the stories don't think Emma's presence there, is of great importance, and others will.
Emma Smith was an “active participant” in the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. At a time when women were not considered ‘equal’ in society, the Lord did not exclude women from the marvelous work, in the Restoration of the Gospel to the Earth. Emma Smith was privileged to be an eye witness to some of the most miraculous events of the Restoration of the Church. At the end of her life, Emma told her son’s of her early experiences in the restoration of the Church. When speaking of her time being a scribe to Joseph she said: “it is marvelous to me, a marvel and a wonder.”
Emma and Joseph Getting the Plates
On September 21, 1823 the Angel Moroni appeared to the young Joseph Smith, he was only 17 years old. That night the Angel Moroni taught Joseph of the Book of Mormon, and sacred, ancient record. He told Joseph where he could find the plates, buried in the Hill Cumorah. The next day Joseph went to the hill, to the location shown him, and was met again by the Angel Moroni. The Angel told Joseph that he would need to come to this same place next year “with the right person.”
Joseph got the impression that “the right person” was his dear brother Alvin. Alvin was someone Joseph looked up to, he was seven years older than Joseph and a wonderful brother to him. Only two months after Joseph’s visit with the angle, Alvin was taken ill and passed away unexpectedly in November 1823.
For the next three years on the same day September 22, Joseph returned to the Hill Cumorah. Each time, Joseph was expecting to receive the plates and begin the translation of The Book of Mormon. Each time, Joseph was denied the plates, by the angel, and returned empty handed for different reasons.
On September 1826, the Angel gave Joseph Smith one more year to align his will with Gods. According to the Angel this was his last chance to get it right, Joseph needed to find the right person to accompany him to the hill and there were no more chances! The pressure was on for Joseph, he was out of time, and had one more chance to get it right!
Joseph set to work praying and trying to align his will with Gods. He received a revelation in a seer stone that Emma Hale was the person needed to accompany Joseph to the Hill Cumorah to help him obtain the plates.
Emma was the person! Emma was the one Heavenly Father wanted there to help Joseph. Without Emma Joseph would not have been able to get the plates. The angel had told Joseph specifically that he needed "the right person". For years before, Joseph had tried to get the plates, and had not been able to accomplish the work, with Emma there with him, Joseph was allowed to take the ancient record home.
Both Joseph and Emma, together, were the right people to get the plates from the hill!
Joseph and Emma married in Colesville New York in January 1827, and moved to Joseph’s family home in Manchester, New York.
Getting the Plates from the Hill Curmorah
On September 22, 1827 Joseph and Emma rode to the Hill Cumorah. Emma waited in the carriage while Joseph received the plates from the Angel Moroni. She kept the horses quiet while Joseph was getting the plates. One account says Emma knelt to pray as Joseph went to obtain the plates. Joseph took the plates and hid them in a hollow birch log in the woods. They came home in time for breakfast having been successful in obtaining the plates from the hill!
What a relief it would have been for Joseph, and all that knew what he was going through. With years of buildup, to finally have received the plates would have been miraculous!
Emma and Joseph were the right people to get the Plates from the Hill Cumorah. Heavenly Father does include His daughters in the work of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The story of Joseph Smith obtaining the Plates from the Hill is a story told over and over again, and yet often times Emma is left out when the story is told. Joseph had tried to obtain the plates for multiple YEARS and was not able to, UNTIL he brought “the right person” along, Emma was the missing piece of the puzzle for Joseph to receive the plates. The Lord wants both men and women to work together in His work and it is evident through this story. Different jobs, different responsibilities, but both working for the same cause.
More Blog Posts:
Emma Smith Interview on the Authenticity of The Book of Mormon
Joseph and Emma’s Twins in Kirtland Ohio
Emma Smith Homeless in Kirtland
References:
“First” by Jennifer Reeder Chapter 5