- Oliver, verily, verily I say unto you that assuredly as the Lord lives, which is your God and your Redeemer, even so sure shall you receive a knowledge of whatever things you shall ask with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records which are ancient, which contain those parts of my scriptures of which have been spoken by the manifestation of my spirit; yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart by the holy ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now behold, this is the spirit of revelation. Behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground; therefore, this is your gift. Apply unto it and blessed are you, for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies when, if it were not so, they would slay you and bring your soul to destruction. O remember these words and keep my commandments; remember this is your gift.
- Now this is not all, for you have another gift, which is the gift of working with the sprout. Behold, it has told you things. Behold, there is no other power save God that can cause this thing of nature to work in your hands, for it is the work of God, and therefore, whatever you shall ask to tell you by that means, that will he grant unto you that you shall know. Remember that without faith you can do nothing.
- Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you had not ought. Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records which have been hid up, which are sacred, and according to your faith shall it be done unto you. Behold, it is I that have spoken it, and I am the same which spake unto you from the beginning. Amen.
SECTION 3
A revelation given in Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829, through Joseph Smith Jr. to Oliver Cowdery. Oliver desired to know whether the Lord would grant him the gift of translation. [See also jsh 13:21–23.]