A lightbulb moment!

I have really thought a lot about the classes I've taught over the years and have never failed to mention about Martin Harris losing 116 pages of the manuscript.  Joseph Smith was involved also as he gave the pages to Martin.  I never mentioned that in the same breath.  It was always about Martin and his blunder.

The July Ensign has an article that really woke me up to this fact...

"Though Martin Harris is remembered for his mistake of losing 116 pages of the Book of Mormon, he also was dedicated to seeing the Book of Mormon published and accepted by the public.  He took a  transcription of some of the book's ancient characters to professor Charles Anthon in hopes of obtaining a certificate of authenticity, and he worked with printer E.B. Grandin and Joseph Smith to finance the book's publication and sell copies."

The article (you can peek at the site below) also states that the $3000 needed for the publication would be around $73,000.00 in today's economy.  Martin Harris made that possible.

I have always looked at this incident to how the Lord had prepared a double record so to speak and thus the work of restoration was not thwarted.  Also that we shouldn't pester the Lord.  All those sorts of things.

It never hit me- here was a convert with determination to help Joseph Smith in any way he could.  He was human and he was wonderful.  Even after losing those manuscript pages by the next spring he was back working again.  He got caught up, as many of us do nowadays, in the shortcomings of the humans in leadership roles but also, as many of us do nowadays, he never denied his testimony.  Even on his deathbed he bore that testimony.

Another point that hit me was the fact that Martin didn't beat himself to pieces after his repentance.  He repented and went on with the work and did all within his power.

Shame on me for judging him!!!  Sorry Brother Harris!! 

I like this sidebar in the article...

"From the life of Martin Harris we learn that when we are humble, we are blessed, and that we can make important contributions to the Lord's work despite past mistakes."

There is a lot to learn from this dedicated man!  I moved ahead in that realm!
 
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/07/the-life-of-martin-harris-patterns-of-humility-and-repentance?lang=eng


  (I like #3 in this quote)
 Martin’s Faithfulness

“What do we learn from this example? (1) Witnesses are important, and the testimony of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon is impressive and reliable. (2) Happiness and spiritual progress lie in following the leaders of the Church. (3) There is hope for each of us, even if we have sinned and strayed from a favored position.

“The Lord’s invitation is warm and loving: ‘Come back and feast at the table of the Lord, and taste again the sweet and satisfying fruits of fellowship with the saints.’”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Witness: Martin Harris,” Ensign, May 1999, 37.  http://www.lds.org/ensign/1999/05/the-witness-martin-harris?lang=eng