Gratitude for the Scriptures

By Pat Graham

For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them. (2 Ne. 4:15.)

Can you read this: They are reformed Egyptian characters. When Joseph Smith examined the gold plates, he saw characters like these written on them. Because Joseph could not read such writing, Heavenly Father helped him to translate it. The Book of Mormon has now been translated into over seventy languages to help make the gospel available to “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (D&C 133:37).

Parts of the Bible were written on papyrus scrolls. These writings were translated many times as people made copies of the record. Today the Bible is printed in over 1,700 languages and dialects. There are over 5,000 different languages and dialects in the world, so there is a lot of translating still to be done!

Instructions: The words and phrases listed below can be translated, or decoded, by substituting the letters of the alphabet that are over the code letters. Then match the word with its definition.

1. FSSO SJ QSVQSR	a. To express the same ideas by using another language
2. XVERWPEXI	b. General term for sacred writing
3. TIEVP SJ KVIEX TVMGI	c. Book containing the Old Testament and the New Testament
4. FMFPI	d. Record on gold plates engraved by Nephi and other Book of Mormon prophets
5. YVMQ ERH XLYQQMQ	e. Revelations given for the establishment and regulation of the Church in the last days
6. WGVMTXYVI	f. Scriptures that include translation of the writings of Abraham
7. HSGXVMRI ERH GSZIRERXW	g. Instrument provided to help translate records

Answers:

Sharing Time Ideas

Make large chart of code. Write coded letters for each word or phrase on separate pieces of paper. Write each definition on separate pieces of poster board. Demonstrate how to use code. Invite seven children to come forward and hold up definitions. Divide remaining children into two or more teams. Give each team a word or phrase to translate. Ask a representative from each team to match his team’s translated word with its definition by standing next to the child holding that definition.
Discuss the following questions: What is papyrus? What is the stick of Joseph? The stick of Judah? How are plates engraved? (See CTR B manual, Lesson 13, and Book of Mormon Stories, PBIC0325, page 8.) What scriptures do we have that were not translated but given as revelations in our day?

Illustrated by Ilene Rupp