Source Report Card
Chapter 3: A Voice from the Dust: The Book of Mormon Boxes
| Source | Who | When | Chain | Rung | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 3:6-15 (choice seer) | Joseph of Egypt, quoted by Lehi | pub. 1830 | 1st | 1 | A+ (in the book Joseph translated) |
| 2 Nephi 3:12 (records "grow together") | Joseph of Egypt, quoted by Lehi | pub. 1830 | 1st | 1 | A+ |
| Isaiah 29:4, 11-14 (voice from dust, sealed book) | Isaiah | c. 700 BC | 1st | 1 | A+ (first context: Jerusalem) |
| 2 Nephi 26:16-17; 27:6-26 (expanded Isaiah 29) | Nephi | dictated 1829, pub. 1830 | 1st | 1 | A+ (dictated a year-plus after the Anthon visit) |
| JS 1832 History: Harris goes "to the Learned" (Anthon unnamed) | Joseph Smith | 1832 | 1st / 3rd for what "the learned" said | 4 | C |
| JS Papers chronology (2 Nephi dictated c. May-June 1829) | Church Historian's Press | modern | n/a (historians' dating) | 2 | A (dating, not doctrine) |
| Joseph Smith–History 1:63-65 (Harris and Anthon) | Martin Harris via Joseph Smith | event 1828; written 1838-39 | 3rd (Anthon's exact words) | 1 | A+ (as scripture) |
| Anthon letters to Howe and Coit (per Kimball, BYU Studies 10:3, 1970) | Charles Anthon | 1834, 1841 | 1st | Outside witness | C (confirms the visit; letters contradict) |
| Ezekiel 37:16-22 (two sticks) | Ezekiel | c. 590-570 BC | 1st | 1 | A+ (dual reading) |
| Doctrine and Covenants 27:5 ("stick of Ephraim") | The Lord through Joseph Smith | 1830 | 1st | 1 | A+ |
| 3 Nephi 21:1-11 (gathering sign; "marred" servant) | Jesus Christ to the Nephites | pub. 1830 | 1st | 1 | A+ (says "these things," not "the book"; servant unnamed) |
| Mormon 8:26-37 (the book's world) | Moroni | pub. 1830 | 1st | 1 | A+ (backdrop, not countdown) |
| 2 Nephi 27:28 / Isaiah 29:17 (Lebanon a fruitful field) | Nephi / Isaiah | pub. 1830 / c. 700 BC | 1st | 1 | A+ as text |
| Mark E. Petersen, Conference Report Oct 1965, p. 61 (via OT Student Manual) | Mark E. Petersen (then Quorum of the Twelve) | 1965 | 1st | 3 | A |
| Gospel Principles (2011), ch. 43 ("are now being fulfilled") | The Church | 2011 | 1st | 2 | A |
| Book of Mormon Student Manual (2009), chs. 7, 12, 49 (choice seer; Joseph "preserved," citing 3 Nephi 21:10) | Church Educational System | 2009 | 1st | 2 | A |
| OT Student Manual: 1 Kings-Malachi, chs. 15, 27 | Church Educational System | 1982 | 1st | 2 | A |
| BoM Seminary Teacher Manual (2017), Lesson 130 (v. 9 "man" = Joseph per Holland; vv. 10-11 applied to Joseph) | The Church | 2017 | 1st | 2 | A |
| Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant (1997), 287-88 | Jeffrey R. Holland (then Quorum of the Twelve), personal book | 1997 | 1st | 4 | B (reported via manual) |
| Boyd K. Packer, "Scriptures" | Boyd K. Packer (then Quorum of the Twelve) | Oct 1982 | 1st | 3 | A |
| Church scripture editions | The Church | 1979, 1981 | 1st | 2 | A |
| D. Todd Christofferson, "Preparing for the Lord's Return" | D. Todd Christofferson (then Quorum of the Twelve; now Second Counselor in the First Presidency) | Apr 2019 | 1st | 3 | A |
| Further reading: Moses 7:62 ("truth will I send forth out of the earth") | The Lord to Enoch, through Joseph Smith | dictated Dec 1830 | 1st | 1 | A+ (dictated after the book was published) |
| Further reading: Psalm 85:11 ("Truth shall spring out of the earth") | Psalmist | uncertain | 1st | 1 | A+ (Book of Mormon reading is an application) |
| Further reading: 2 Nephi 29:3-10 ("A Bible! A Bible!") | The Lord through Nephi | pub. 1830 | 1st | 1 | A+ |
| Further reading: Ezra Taft Benson, "The Gift of Modern Revelation" | Ezra Taft Benson (then President of the Church) | Oct 1986 | 1st | 3 | A |
| Further reading: Oliver Cowdery, Letter IV, Messenger and Advocate | Oliver Cowdery (then Assistant President of the Church), retelling Joseph | Feb 1835 | 3rd | 4 | C (up from D: published while Joseph was alive and cooperating) |
Anthon is an outside witness, rated for reliability only.