Mormon Sites - Translated Beings

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"Translated Beings" are human beings who prior to their death have had a change wrought upon their bodies that preserved them from death until the moment of their resurrection. They were translated so that they could fulfill future missions. Known translated beings include John the Beloved and The Three Nephites.

Joseph Smith revealed that translation is "a power which belongs to this (the Melchizedek) priesthood." (Documentary History of the Church Vol. 4, p.209.)

John Taylor added: "The principle of translation was a principle that at that time (the time of Enoch) existed in the Church, and is one of the principles of the gospel, and which will exist in the last day." (Journal of Discourses of John Taylor, Volume 26, p.90.)

 

The Book of Mormon, recording events that took place at the time of Christ's appearing to the Nephites in America, mentions that the desire of three of His twelve chosen disciples was to be translated:

4 And when he had spoken unto them, he turned himself unto the three, and said unto them: What will ye that I should do unto you, when I am gone unto the Father?
 
 5 And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto him the thing which they desired.
 
6 And he said unto them: Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me.
 
7 Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the powers of heaven.
 
8 And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.
 
9 And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world; and all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand."   3 Nephi 28:4-9
 
 
Why am I writing about Translated Beings?
 
Why, today August 28, 2007, am I writing about translated beings on a website that is devoted to Book of Mormon Geography?
 
Because I am intensely interested in such beings and their works on earth, because I know that many Latter-day Saints who may also be interested visit here, and because it seems probable that The Three Nephites if they are alive and well upon this earth today would themselves be intensely interested in, and perhaps involved with, the work that holds promise of bringing the records of their people to the knowledge of the world.
 
 
Elder Orson Pratt, an early LDS Apostle, wrote:
 
"Do you suppose that these three Nephites have any knowledge of what is going on in this land (America)? They know all about it; they are filled with the spirit of prophecy. Why do they not come into our midst? Because the time has not come. Why do they not lift up their voices in the midst of our congregations? Because there is a work for us to do preparatory to their reception, and when that is accomplished, they will accomplish their work, unto whomsoever they desire to minister." Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, Volume 2, p.264.
 
 
The following is a stretch admittedly, but I'm looking for a reason to add this material to the Mormon Sites website. Could the works for "us" to do include telling the world about these special ministering angels, so faith in their presence amongst us can be increased, and their works be made more widely known? (Read on the next page  about a possible visit by translated beings to give a blessing to a sick LDS missionary about 1971. Could this be the kind of works translated beings are doing today?)
 
Shall we study them together then, these holy people, and the works that they do?
 
Bookmark this site to your Favorites.
 
 
 
Here's what Joseph Fielding Smith had to say about visitation stories:
 
"As to the meaning of my remark: "unless the story can be properly authenticated," in reference to purported visitations of the three Nephites, all I can say is that we should take into consideration the character and creditability of the witness, based upon his previous life. I know of no rule that can be laid down, but when a story comes to me of this kind and I discover flaws in it, or what appear to be flaws, I reject it, and if there is evidence to support it, as we discover in the story told by David Whitmer about the preparation of his field in the night, which enabled him to make his journey to meet the Prophet, we have some tangible evidence. There are individuals with vivid imagination and whose stories are not reliable, there are others whom we can believe because we have confidence in their truthfulness and integrity."  Letter dated December 15, 1841 referenced in "They Who Tarry" by R. Clayton Brough p. 59-60.
 
 
Caveat then, we shall be cautious and seek personal spiritual confirmation regarding any stories we may read about translated beings on this website. 
 
 
 
104,000 links to stories about the Three Nephites - be sure to bookmark this webpage before clicking the link so you can find your way back here. This Google search could keep you reading for weeks, or maybe even months! Caution, when you click the link above you will enter unscreened territory. Some of the linked websites could contain offensive and possibly anti-LDS material.
 
Click here to bookmark this site to your Favorites.
 
 
 
 
References
 
Translated Beings, a recent article in Meridian Magazine by John A. Tvedtnes
 
They Who Tarry, The Doctrine of Translated Beings, a book by R. Clayton Brough, Horizon Publishers 1991.
 
The Three Nephites, a book by Bruce E. Dana, Cedar Fort Books 2003
 
http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/afterlife/translated_eom.htm Mark McConkie article
 
http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/doctrines/angels_eom.htm Oscar McConkie article
 
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/in/t/105  scripture search references
 
http://scriptures.lds.org/gs/t/36 Guide to the Scriptures references
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Translation_(Mormonism) Wikipedia article
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entering_heaven_alive entering heaven alive, more Wiki
 
 
http://www.latterdaylightbooks.com/catalog.php?Iit=1389&Ict=34  Not quite on topic but "In Search of Kokopelli" a book by Dr. L.H. Erickson (published 2007) makes a connection between Moroni and the common petroglyph character "Kokopelli" that appears in southwestern USA. Moroni may have been doing work similar to that of translated beings during his 20+ years of wanderings after the Nephite battle at Cumorah.
 
FARMS review of the now out-of-print book titled "About The Three Nephites" by C. Douglas and Jewel Beardall.

 

 

 

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