Which American religious leader said he was led by an angel to find the Book of Mormon engraved on golden tablets?

Answer 1

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" church) believe that an angel named Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith, Jr when he was in his late teens and showed him in vision the place where the plates were buried. He went to this place for several years on the same day to receive direction from the angel before he was allowed to take them home to begin translation. In all, four men, including Joseph, touched and handled the plates, with an additional eight seeing them but not holding them. Others saw or carried the plates while they were covered with a cloth, as they were not to be exposed to anyone's veiw without express permission from God.

The plates are described by those who saw or held them as being gold in color, held together by three D-shaped rings, weighing about 40 to 60 pounds, six to seven inches wide by about eight inches long and four to six inches thick, with each piece being about as thick as parchment or thick paper (like cardstock). About 2/3 of the pages were sealed up so that they could not be opened. There were very small engravings covering both sides of each page that were meant to be read from right to left.

These plates were translated by the power of God into the Book of Mormon, which is considered by members of the Church as being equally as sacred as The Bible.

Answer 2

Joseph Smith, Jr. said that an angel named Moroni appeared to him at the age of 17. The Angel told him that "there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang." (Joseph Smith-History v.34) The angel reappeared three more times and essentially repeated the same message. Joseph said that "While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it." (v. 42)The next day, Joseph "went to the place where the messenger had told [him] the plates were deposited; and owing to the distinctness of the vision which [he] had had concerning it, [he] knew the place the instant that [he] arrived there."Joseph was met there by the angel, and for the next four years returned to the same place where he was instructed by the Angel. In 1827 he was allowed to bring the plates home and begin translation. Joseph describes the translation as being through the Urim and Thummim and seer stones by the power of God.

Answer 3

Joseph Smith, Jr. found the plates in the Hill Cumorah near his home in Palmyra, New York in the mid 1820's. He was told about the place by the angel Moroni, who also met and taught him for several years at the place where the plates were buried, until Joseph was allowed to take them home and translate them.

Joseph Smith said of this occasion:
"He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do;... He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent... He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants; ... While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it...
[I] went to the place where the messenger had told me the plates were deposited; and owing to the distinctness of the vison which i had concerning it, I knew the place the instant that I arrived there... On the west side of the hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box." (Joseph Smith History)

You can read the rest of the account from Joseph Smith at the link below.

Answer 4

Joseph Smith, Jr claimed to have been lead by an angel to a place where ancient metal plates were buried in a hill near his home and translated these plates into what is now published as the Book of Mormon.