OBTAINING THE GOLD PLATES

Let us continue however, “ and then I immediately went to the place and found where the plates was deposited. …and straightaway made three attempts to get them (the plates).” Now comes a little ‘doublespeak’ on his part as he says “…then being exceedingly frightened I supposed it had been a dreem (sp) or Vision but when I considered I knew that it was not…” What is this supposed to mean? He says he made three attempts to get them and becomes exceedingly frightened but does not say why he is so frightened. So in the same sentence he says “I knew that it was not (a dream) therefore I cried unto the Lord in the agony of my soul (agony of his soul? agony means wretchedness, bitterness, misery, anguish, desolation, …show more content…
Is it possible even for him to have committed sins and transgression during a time of “immediately”? Remember, the angel had clearly stated that Joseph Smith had been forgiven for his sins when he first started talking to him. Oliver Cowdery, in his letter to Wm. W. Phelps, (Page 74) states clearly about this angel’s words “…by hearing that his own sins were forgiven and his former transgressions to be remembered against him no more”. This is Oliver Cowdery writing of Joseph Smith’s experience and he is stating the same thing Joseph Smith stated in his circa summer 1832 history. It is not clear how Joseph Smith could have committed any sin or transgression in the simple act of obedience to the angels instructions to go directly to where the plates were. Well, now, we first have the angel stating the Lord had forgiven Joseph Smith and his sins and his transgressions would “be remembered against him no more”. Second, we have an angel of the Lord, Joseph Smith (and Oliver …show more content…
Doesn’t it seem obvious that not keeping the commandments of the Lord are both a sin and a transgression? And isn’t it clearly stated by Joseph Smith in his own handwriting, and also written down by Oliver Cowdery, that Joseph Smith had been told directly by the angel that he (Joseph Smith) could not obtain the plates since he had not kept the “commandments of the Lord”? It is very plain that his sins and transgressions had indeed been remembered by the Lord as this is the single vital reason the angel tells him he cannot obtain the plates, and this is the same angel that just a short time earlier had assured him his sins had been forgiven and his former transgressions would “be remembered against him no more”. What is going on