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There is a place in Missouri a little north of Independence, which was originally named Spring Hill. It was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that this is a site where Adam and Eve were after being banished from the Garden of Eden about 6000 years ago. It is now named Adam-on-di-Ahman meaning Adam walked with God.
As far as I know, this information is just a matter of spiritual interest, but has not much to do with our learning and living the gospel of Christ to prepare ourselves to dwell with our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and Adam and Eve.
There are at least 5 references in the Old Testament of the Urim and Thummim which was attached to some kind of breast plate through which seers (prophets) could look and receive information from the Lord. These clear stones and the plates were delivered to the Prophet Lehi in Jerusalem and brought on the journey to the "promised land" (Ancient America) about 590 BC. They were eventually placed in a hand made vault by the last living prophet of that ancient people. His name was Moroni, the same who appeared several times 1400 years later as a resurrected being and now heavenly messenger to Joseph Smith and once to three other witnesses, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris and David Whitmer. He was the same who delivered the plates to Joseph Smith along with the Urim and Thummim and the breast plate. The witnesses were shown these by the heavenly messenger, Moroni and Joseph was instructed to prayerfully use these to translate the transcriptions on the plates by the gift and power of God. Only after sincere prayer was Joseph spiritually enabled to complete the translation even with the aid of the Urim and Thummim. Oliver Cowdery was the scribe to write the translation during most of Joseph's verbal translation. This translation was published as The Book of Mormon in 1829 and anyone today can obtain a copy, read it and pray to the Lord of its truthfulness so they can determine for themselves its truth.
There are those, who want to limit the way God does things, by poking fun at things like these sacred stones, and I am sure the translation could have been done in other ways if the Lord willed it, but this is the means he provided and which was used as in ancient time.
Thanks for the question. I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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