On March 5, 2020 we get the dialogue that I think represents the Three Disciples (at least two of them - it might be that one of them stayed with the Teleri who they had just led from somewhere) speaking with Joseph, and ultimately getting him to agree to come home them.
I've covered all of this before, but I recently made the comment or observation that it seems that the Disciples were present, or at least saw in some capacity, Joseph having created or placed his Story or Song on the Rose Stone. This guess comes from the cryptic opening line of those March 5 words which says simply "Every word described was brilliant".
There are a lot of things that could mean - infinite possibilities depending on who is speaking to whom and why. In my story (and having to place a stake somewhere), the nature of this dialogue is the attempt of the Disciples to convince Joseph to come home, and since my guess is that it is Joseph's Story on the Rose Stone, that he 'described' it and it was recorded, and that it was mentioned to the Stone Couriers that the Stone was "brighter than the sun", my best guess is that this line references the Rose Stone.
Why are they saying this to Joseph? I don't know - maybe to give him hope? He was complaining about being 'sick', and maybe they were teaching him about his healing and restoration, and that he had done something that he couldn't even remember at that time (in 2020) that was going to rescue not only restore him but his entire family. He had done this at the request or advice of Eru (Jesus) remember, and it was done at the very beginning of the history of this world.
That is what I imagine, at least.
But, in order to tell this to Joseph, and let him know about his "brilliant" words, they must have been present in some capacity. The phrase doesn't sound like they were talking in generalities, or they heard that what Joseph did was a pretty cool thing. No, they told him that 'every word' was brilliant. The only way they could speak with such assurances and such specificity, in my view, is if they had heard him speak those words. Every one.
This means, again, that they were either present at that time, in the beginning, to hear those words, or that they witnessed or observed him doing at some other time, as in when Jesus caught them up to heaven, where they saw and heard things that were unlawful or forbidden to speak of. In that latter case, it would have been potentially similar to when Nephi (son of Lehi) was caught up to a high mountain and saw things occurring almost as if they were in real time - as if he were a present observer to the events being shown to him (such as when the "Spirit of the Lord" had to take leave of Nephi to go participate in the vision of Jesus' birth).
The latter is my view, but it could be both. I say the latter, because I think we have all forgotten that beginning since we are clearly here or on other worlds in different bodies and times, and have no conscious memory of any time before this time. The Disciples would have had to have been shown the event again. It doesn't mean they weren't there as it happened as well originally, but in order for them to have any memory or ability to recall those words, they must have been shown it later. Given that they were given long life for specific reasons (just like John, and presumably Eowyn in my story), to be witnesses of what Jesus showed them at Bountiful may be one of these, in addition to other roles (such as herding lost 'Fathers' home, helping retrieve lost Beings like Joseph-Dior, or appearing to Joseph Smith to let him know about Golden Plates).
In the account of Bountiful, Mormon, who is basing his own summary on the writings of Nephi-Gandalf as well as potentially his discussions with Nephi-Gandalf's (Moroni would later write that he and his father had been ministered to by the Three), describes the Disciples' experience as this:
And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he touched every one of them with his finger save it were the three who were to tarry, and then he departed.
And behold, the heavens were opened, and they [presumably the Three] were caught up into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things.
And it was forbidden them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them power that they could utter the things which they saw and heard;
And whether they were in the body or out of the body, they could not tell; for it did seem unto them like a transfiguration of them, that they were changed from this body of flesh into an immortal state, that they could behold the things of God.
But it came to pass that they did again minister upon the face of the earth; nevertheless they did not minister of the things which they had heard and seen, because of the commandment which was given them in heaven.
They saw and heard - in other words, directly witnessed - things that they were not allowed to share with anyone else. My guess is that at least part of what they witnessed was this event with the Rose Stone, including what was said by Joseph, which makes at least one of the reasons they were forbidden to speak of it make sense. The Rose Stone was a secret that was hidden up from the foundation of the world, and its contents were meant to not come out until an appointed time, as I understand it.
But if that is the case, then why show it to the Disciples at all? My guess is because Jesus needed them to be future witnesses of that Stone. There is a law, I think it is referenced by Paul in the Bible but definitely it is in the Book of Mormon, that at least 2 or 3 witnesses must establish every Word of God. In Nephi's (son of Lehi) words in 2 Nephi 27, which is critical for his Rose Stone story, he asserts that Three Witnesses will be shown a "Book", and that they will be in a position to testify that the Book itself is true (it is what it claims to be), and that the words or visions on it are accurate.
Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein.
On the Rose Stone is the Word of God. Joseph, who saw/ created the things that are placed on there, likely can't even remember creating it, and he is back in Tirion or somewhere now anyway, awaiting the restoration of his family. Gim Guru-Faramir, who I have guessed this Stone will come to as the Being "like" Joseph, and who likely had a hand in its creation and its hiding, has also forgotten and can't be counted anyway, since if he is the person the Book is delivered to, we need 3 others besides him according to Nephi. We need someone who both saw and heard the event, and can thus speak to the truthfulness of the account.
Enter the Three Disciples to fill in the Witness gap. If it is true that at least part of what Jesus would have brought them up to Heaven to have seen is that event, then they could assert that the Stone is what it is purported to be, that the words that came from it in the process of whatever translation or story-building will occur from it are what they heard as well, and that they themselves have been eye-witnesses to some of the fulfilment of prophecies or stories found on it (since they have been around for quite some time, and their experiences cover many years and multiple worlds).
Further, since we have them being physically present at Williams Peak in the Sawtooth Mountains in 2020, and not only that, but being the ones who personally retrieved it, they can speak to its chain of custody, as it were. They can testify that the Stone was buried in such a manner as nothing short of the power that God gave them could dig it from the Earth. Meaning, it was left exactly where whoever buried and planted that Seed left it (presumably Gim Guru). They could further testify about the trusted people it was given to (the Stone Couriers), where they took it, and every step of its repair and storage. Every step of that Stone's journey fully accounted for.
I think that all results in a pretty strong witness, and should give anyone working with the Stone (Gim Guru initially, I guess) complete confidence that what they have is legitimate, as well as anyone else who is given the words that come from that Stone. We aren't going to be just relying on one guy and a Stone here.
This continues the trend of reinterpreting common Mormon assumptions about things. In Mormon theology, the Book in 2 Nephi 27 is the Book of Mormon (the LDS church literally wrote that interpretation into the chapter heading), and the Three Witnesses mentioned are Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris. In my own revised interpretation, the Book is the Rose Stone (or what is found on it), and the Witnesses become, in all fairness to Cowdery, Whitmer, and Harris, much stronger Witnesses at least in how Nephi foresaw the requirements of the job. They cannot be one of the Three Witnesses that Nephi prophesied about who could both testify to the truth of the book and what was on it. They could be a witness of the Plates or the book itself, but could not witness to the account's truthfulness, nor to the translation's accuracy, and thus Nephi must be talking about other Beings.
So, in this story then, not only am I suggesting new identities for these Witnesses, but an entirely different Book that is being referenced in 2 Nephi 27. The language of this chapter ties to Joseph's prophecy as recounted by Lehi in 2 Nephi 3, so for now I am assuming these are the same Book.
We also have the Ithil Stone and its record, so whether the Three Witnesses also testify to the truth of that account, or whether what is referenced in 2 Nephi 27 is just with respect to the Rose Stone, I don't know. I have suggested that 2 Nephi 3 refers to both the Ithil and Rose Stones (as represented by Hermes' Caduceus), and it would thus be at least the Rose Stone mentioned as being Witnessed in that later chapter, if not the complete and combined record.
Internally with the story at hand, that makes a lot of sense to have the Three Disciples play this role, and gives further depth into the roles that they would play in a latter day, which Mormon seemed to stress would be pretty critical, if largely unknown by Jew and Gentile alike.
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