On the night of
September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith prayed to know God's
further will toward him. Steadily a light grew "as though
the house was filled with consuming and unquenchable
fire."
Moroni, a messenger sent from God, stood before him.
In mortal life Moroni had been the last of ancient
American prophets having authority from God and whose
teachings were recorded for our time.
Moroni declared
"that the time was at hand for the Gospel in all its fullness to
be preached in power, unto all nations" and that Joseph was
"to be an instrument in the hands of God" in that
work. He
quoted ancient prophets who had foreseen that this
time would come. As Moroni stood before him Joseph was
shown in vision "the place where the plates were
deposited."
Every September
for four years, Joseph went to the Hill Cumorah and was
taught by Moroni. In September 1827 Joseph met Moroni at the
hill and received the gold plates. Twenty-one months
later, having completed the translation, Joseph
returned the plates to Moroni.
authority
The permission granted to men on earth called or ordained to act for and in behalf of God the Father or Jesus Christ in doing God's work (The Guide to the Scriptures, "Authority," 23–24).
Gospel
God's plan of salvation, made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The gospel includes the eternal truths or laws, covenants, and ordinances needed for mankind to enter back into the presence of God. God restored the fulness of the gospel to the earth in the nineteenth century through the Prophet Joseph Smith (The Guide to the Scriptures, "Gospel," 96–97).
