Who is Angel Moroni?

The angel Moroni is the heavenly messenger who first visited the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1823. As a mortal named Moroni, he had completed the compilation and writing of the Book of Mormon. He ministered to Joseph Smith as a resurrected being, in keeping with his responsibility for the Book of Mormon, inasmuch as "the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim" had been committed to him by the Lord (D&C 27:5). Pursuant to this responsibility he first appeared to Joseph Smith on the night of September 21-22, 1823 (JS-H 1:29-49; D&C 128:20), and thereafter counseled with him in several reappearances until the book was published in 1830. During that time, he instructed Joseph Smith, testified to the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, and otherwise assisted in the work of restoring the gospel.

Because of the angel Moroni's role in restoring the everlasting gospel to be preached to all the world (Rev. 14:6-7; D&C 133:31-39), the Church placed a statue depicting him as a herald of the Restoration atop the Salt Lake Temple, and later on the hill Cumorah near Palmyra, New York, where anciently he had buried the Book of Mormon plates. Copies of the statue have also been placed atop several other LDS temples.

Joseph Smith's Description of the Angel Moroni by LeGrand Richards, reads as follows:

We have never seen a person who has been clothed with "eternal glory," but the Prophet Joseph Smith described such a man, Moroni, who appeared to him:

"While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared to my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.

"He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.

"Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning... (Joseph Smith 2:30-32.)

This is the description of a prophet who lived in the land of America about four hundred years after the resurrection of the Christ, and who had been resurrected for the work the Lord had planned for him to do. There was nothing mystical about him. He was a resurrected man, endowed with "eternal glory," which we do not yet enjoy but which is promised to all faithful followers of the Christ, and which made his very personage and countenance defy description. It is easy to understand, therefore, how the "same sociality" which we now enjoy can be enjoyed by those who have been endowed with "eternal glory."

By LeGrand Richards, (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder)

I will now share two short videos. First video: Moroni writes that he had spoken to Jesus and received extensive visions of the future. Speaking directly to modern-day readers of the Book of Mormon, Moroni writes, "Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing" (Mormon 8:35.) Upon completion of the record, written on golden plates, Moroni buried the plates in a stone box in a hill in what is now Wayne County, New York, where they were recovered by Joseph Smith. A 12-meter granite and bronze monument to Moroni has been placed by Latter-day Saints on this hill, which they call Cumorah.

Click here if video doesn't work: Moroni Buries The Plates

2nd video: Shows Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith and counseled him in several reappearances.

Click here if video doesn't work: The Angel Moroni and the Golden Plates