<P> According to Latter Day Saint belief , the golden plates ( also called the gold plates or in some 19th - century literature , the golden bible ) are the source from which Joseph Smith said he translated the Book of Mormon , a sacred text of the faith . Some witnesses described the plates as weighing from 30 to 60 pounds ( 14 to 27 kg ) , being golden in color , and being composed of thin metallic pages engraved on both sides and bound with three D - shaped rings . </P>
<P> According to Latter Day Saint belief , the golden plates ( also called the gold plates or in some 19th - century literature , the golden bible ) are the source from which Joseph Smith said he translated the Book of Mormon , a sacred text of the faith . Some witnesses described the plates as weighing from 30 to 60 pounds ( 14 to 27 kg ) , being golden in color , and being composed of thin metallic pages engraved on both sides and bound with three D - shaped rings . </P>
found gold plates engraved with sacred writings that became the book of mormon
found gold plates engraved with sacred writings that became the book of mormon
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith