No Unhallowed Hand

 This morning I was thinking about a Netflix series I watched about Mark Hoffman, master forger of historical documents. The work of his hands was so painstakingly flawless, had he been killed by his own bomb, the truth about his forged documents might never have been discovered. Instead his reputation would have remained intact as a very successful, if not very lucky and fortunate dealer of expensive historical treasures.  He unearthed them much to the amazement of those around him.  He reported saying, "Fooling people gave me a sense of power and superiority."  In the series, it flashes back to an early childhood experience of  burying and digging up a jar of money with his own hands and enjoying the reaction of those around him as he said, "I found the treasure!"  

It must have given him secret delight when he could deceive others, knowing he had in fact created the historical documents with his own hand. He must have been so proud of his own work. I know my hands are pretty clumsy.  I can barely write legible script let alone use pen and ink to do beautiful signatures.  He was an artist of extreme precision.  It I would have created something so perfect, I think I would be tempted to worship the works of my own hands as well!  

 I found it curious that when he tried to commit suicide in prison, he was left with irreversible tissue damage to his right forearm.  His hand would never be able to perform his deceptive work again.  If God preserved his life once resulting in his exposure to the world as forger, the second time,  his attempt left his hand cursed for the rest of his life.  God did not let him die.  Perhaps that was on purpose.  It also left us with a symbol-his useless member-his damaged limb.   I think Mark Hoffman fits the bill of having an "unhallowed hand."  In both cases, it reminds me of a great quote by Joseph Smith.

“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.

 I am grateful for the hallowed hands of Joseph Smith who unearthed a great treasure-the Book of Mormon and was able to translate it by the gift and power of God. Plenty of people doubt it's authenticity and origin of the book-golden plates hidden, angel Moroni's instructions, seer stones.  Opponents point out that the book is not what it claims to be.  It's a fake.  Joseph Smith is a fraud-just another treasure seeker fooling a bunch of people.  Only a fool would believe it!  Rather than a translation of an an ancient record, critics claim the Book of Mormon is the work of Joseph Smith's own hand, not the Lord's.

To examine the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, we don't have to seek out testimony of renown experts of antiquities or have religious suspects hooked up to a lie detector.  The witness is much more personal, much more powerful, much more convincing.  Moroni (the same angel that personally instructed Joseph) strongly encourages us to find out for ourselves if the work is real, authentic, and true.  "Ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true;  and if ye ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.  And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

Over the years, I have received so many witnesses in my heart and mind, even personal revelation to recognize the hand of the Lord and the voice of the Lord in the Book of Mormon.  It is another testament of Jesus Christ-companion scripture to the Bible. It as real as anything to me. I have found the treasure!  In addition I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.   He sealed his testimony of the truth with his own blood.  God allowed him to die as a martyr.  

As instructed by present day prophets, I do not refer to myself as a "Mormon."  Rather I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  A member-a limb dependent on adequate circulation as part of the body of Christ.  I don't want to be a useless member or dead limb of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He can use my unskilled hands as an instrument to accomplish his work. I want my hands to be hallowed, blessed, and consecrated.