The Lost 116 Pages of the Book of Lehi [Mormonism Live 193]

In this episode of Mormonism Live, hosts Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon dive deep into one of the most impactful events in Mormon history—the loss of the 116 pages of the Book of Lehi. These pages, the first part of the Book of Mormon, were said to be translated by Joseph Smith through divine means, under the guidance of the angel Moroni. However, when they were lost, it set off a chain of events that would forever shape the narrative of the Latter-day Saints.

Bill and RFM explore this pivotal incident, asking crucial questions about what the loss of these pages reveals about the mindset and motives of Mormonism's founder, Joseph Smith. Was it a simple mishap, or does this event expose deeper layers of intention and strategy? By viewing the lost 116 pages through the lens of Smith's perspective, the hosts argue that everything begins to fall into place, shedding new light on the origins and early days of the Mormon faith.

Join us for an in-depth analysis that challenges the traditional narrative and offers fresh insights into one of the most significant episodes in Latter-day Saint history.

Help support Bill Reel & Radio Free Mormon in making informative entertaining content that shines a light on truth and leads with transparency. 

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[jimgreen]

I wish Mark Hofmann stayed out of trouble long enough to do a version of the 116 pages, he would have done a great job.

[richardheath]

It had never occurred to me in my 54 years of active membership, but it is completely possible that the 116 pages actually came back at some later point to Joseph and he destroyed them himself.

[Ohzip]

I struggled for the majority of my life because nothing Joseph produced made any sense. I could not defend the doctrine clearly, though I fought with all my strength to do just that.
I am so grateful for Dan Vogel and programs like this one. I really thought I was going crazy.

[raymondraino]

At 5 or 6 years old, I learned the importance of quality control standards over this story. While at family home evening one evening, my dad told the whole 116 missing pages story and asked me and my sister if we had any questions. I ask why didn't joseph smith just do it all over again. I was promptly treated like I was being a smart ass and threatened with a spanking when the answers that dad was giving me seemed badly forced.

[FourofSix]

It’s amazing how much this has become clear as so ridicules fiction as I’ve shaken off the years of indoctrination.

[erintucker]

This episode was AMAZING 👏🏼 Bravo, Bill & RFM!

[debbieshrubb]

This was an excellent episode.
Lucy Harris is one of the unsung heroes of the early Mormon story, along with Isaac Hales.
They both called BS on Joseph Smiths lies and deception.
(I also absolutely loved the comments about Richard Bushman who absolutely ignores the inconvenient and uncomfortable episodes in Joseph Smiths life and career as a false prophet.

[ChrisFBartlett]

If only there was a guy in the area, who was known to be an expert at locating lost, hidden, stolen items. I always wondered, “why wouldn’t God just tell him where they were??”

[runwillt]

This is why I am a monthly donor to Mormonism Live and why if you listen to this podcast you should be too. Amazing episode, better than 40 years of Sunday school lessons.

[joshharrison]

"The Prophet doth protest too much me thinks": absolutely brilliant!

[ChrisFBartlett]

Joseph “blaming himself“ while Martin Harris is recording down the blaming, is a narcissist’s way to indirectly manipulate the victim into shame. Like when someone says “well, I’m stupid for trusting you, a clumsy idiot, in the first place“

[TEAM__POSEIDN]

I can't help but ask. What was up with Moroni? It's like in one instance he can appear anywhere, be anywhere. In another instance he can deliver hardware to Joseph Smith (breastplate, "Urim & Thummim"). In yet another instance, he can haul physical gold plates up to a storage facility in heaven. But he can't be bothered to retrieve the 116 pages? It's bad enough that Joe didn't even attempt to find them using his peepstone. But supposedly Moroni is actively involved in the project too and could easily find the pages and return them to Joe without anyone even seeing him. Are there some kind of angel union rules that restrict resurrected man angels from handling paper products? I still can't believe that there are grown-ups who still can't perceive the fraudulence of it all.

[iamjustsaying]

Brilliant! I have so much greater clarity, and it all makes perfect sense, now!

[riverrain]

I've been listening off and on for years and years, listening consistently as my primary post Mormon podcast for about a week now, just joined at the Bronze level. I appreciate what you are creating, and I support you.

[randyjordan]

You gotta give Joseph Smith credit: He could have given up on the gold Bible scheme when the pages were stolen. But he pressed forward because he hoped that he could make more money by publishing the book than he could by doing anything else. Keep in mind that by that time, his peepstone/treasure digging scheme had already gotten him convicted in court. So if he was gonna get his family out of poverty and become something other than a poor farmer, he had to come up with a much bigger scheme. He had also already gotten Martin Harris and his money roped in to the project, and Joseph Knight was helping him financially too. So he kept going until he and Cowdery wrote enough material to get the book published.

[justkeepgoing]

Here again! Rewatching the Playlist to sleep.

[TEAM__POSEIDN]

So many of Joseph Smith's stories are weird like this. It's like watching a Harry Potter movie where in one scene his friend is dangling from a cliff and Harry uses his wand and spell book to slowly and safely levitate the friend and put him back on a safe spot. The next day, he's walking across a high bridge with a different friend, while carrying the same wand and spell book. Suddenly that friend slips and finds himself dangling from the bridge. Harry starts screeching in terror and panic. "I don't know what to do! If only there were something I could do to rescue you! Alas, I am about to lose a dear friend and I am totally helpless!" No mention of the wand or spell book is made whatsoever in the scene.

[jessicathurston]

This story of the 116 pages always sat wrong with me. It just didn’t make sense. I thought to myself that if JS had re-translated the lost pages it would have been so obvious if some conspiring person were to come forward with an altered version of the original manuscript. But I just went along with it. Same with the Book of Abraham. I remember thinking, “So Joseph just happens to get access to some random papyri from Egypt and they turn out to be scripture written by Abraham? I’m supposed to believe that?” But of course I just doubted my doubts and went along with it.

[MemyzelphandI]

Why didn't Joseph just whip out his hat, plop the stone in it and go grab those lost pages....😅😅😅

[cynthiavermillion]

You should post the website link in your description for ease of donating. Thanks for all you do!