General Conference and translation of the Book of Mormon

With General Conference coming up, this is a good time to review the way past conferences have discussed the translation of the Book of Mormon. 

On WordCruncher, I searched the scriptures, General Conferences, and other references for "Urim and Thummim, "seer stone" and "seer stones." The results are below.

Because no one is claiming any revelation about new information regarding the translation, we can all look at the historical record to make informed decisions for ourselves. 

Part of the historical record is the teachings of past prophets, starting with Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, both of whom always said Joseph translated the plates by means of the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates.

Here are three examples:

Question 4th. How, and where did you obtain the Book of Mormon?

Answer. Moroni, the person who deposited the plates, from whence the Book of Mormon   was translated, in a hill in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, being dead, and raised again therefrom, appeared unto me and told me where they were and gave me directions how to obtain them. I obtained them and the Urim and Thummim with them, by the means of which I translated the plates and thus came the Book of Mormon.

(Elders’ Journal I.3:42 ¶20–43 ¶1)

These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated, with the Urim and Thummim, or, as the Nephites would have said, “Interpreters,” the history, or record, called “The book of Mormon.”

(Times and Seasons II.1:201 ¶2)

With the records was found a curious instrument which the ancients called “Urim and Thummim,” which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate.

Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift, and power of God.

(Times and Seasons III.9:707 ¶5–6)

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On WordCruncher, I searched the following references for "Urim and Thummim, "seer stone" and "seer stones." 

Early LDS periodicals

Conference talks 1839-2023

Scriptures

JS early writings

Josephus

The Late War

American Revolution

First Book of Napoleon

Evans Early American Imprints

Answers to Gospel Questions I-IV

There were over 200 references to Urim and Thummim in general conference, but only 1 reference to "seer stone" and only 1 reference to "seer stones." 

The sole reference to "seer stone" was a negative reference in an 1883 talk by George Q, Cannon.

Some of the general conference references to Urim and Thummim involved topics unrelated to the translation of the Book of Mormon, but every reference that involved the translation specifically reiterated and corroborated what Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery taught about the translation of the Book of Mormon by means of the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates.

Note: the last time anyone has testified in General Conference that Joseph translated the plates with the Urim and Thummim was in 2007, when Elder L. Tom Perry quoted from Oliver Cowdery's Letter 1.

Oliver wrote of this remarkable experience: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated, with the Urim and Thummim … the history, or record, called ‘The book of Mormon’” (Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1834, 14; see also Joseph Smith—History 1:71, note).

(2007, April, L. Tom Perry, ‘The Message of the Restoration,’ Ensign, May 2007, ¶ 28)

Urim and Thummim references

Scriptures (14 references: OT 1, NT 0, BM 0, DC 5, PGP 8) 

- OT 1, plus a heading, plus 2 "Urim and the Thummim," plus 4 with Urim in different word order

- BM plus 4 in Testimony of Joseph Smith

- DC plus 7 in headings

- PGP plus 1 in heading

General Conference (202 references)

Early LDS references (44 references)

- this includes Joseph Smith's statements in the Wentworth letter and the Elders' Journal

Evans (62 references from Old Testament)

Josephus (4 references from Old Testament)

Answers to Gospel Questions (19 references)

Seer stone (1 reference)

In the early days there was a man that was a witness to the Book of Mormon, who had been selected by the Lord to handle the plates, to heft them, and then to write his testimony concerning that which he had seen and felt. He obtained possession of a seer stone—or as it is called sometimes, a peep-stone. Through this peep-stone he professed to obtain revelations, which he wrote. And the Lord gave a commandment upon the subject, and Oliver Cowdery was commanded to take Hiram Page by himself and talk to him upon the subject. He was instructed to tell him that that which he had received through that stone was not of God, and that Satan deceived him. He was told that this power was not given to him, and “neither shall anything be appointed unto any of this church contrary to the church covenants.” That is, there was only one man upon the earth who had a right to give to the Church commandments concerning the word of God, and the conduct of the word of God, and that was the man whom He had selected.
(1880s1883 JD, GQC Conditions ¶20 • JD 24:364)

Seer stones (3 references) 

1. Scriptures, Book of Mormon, Heading to Mosiah 28: "Using the two seer stones, Mosiah translates the Jaredite plates."

2. Times and Seasons: Aaron seems to be introduced into an office that before existed, and took the Urim and Thummim as instrument, that was as old as Adam for all that is known in the bible to the contrary. — In fact the word Teraphim translated into English from the Hebrew, “images,” (Gen. 31:19,) might with more propriety, be rendered spectacles or spy-glass, and actually mean the Urim and Thummim; for neither Laban or Abraham are charged with worshipping “images,” or idols. The Urim and Thummim, Seer stones, Teraphim, and Images, whatever name is given to them; are found in the United States of America. And when Israel according to the 3rd chapter of Hosea, shall seek the Lord their God in the latter days, the same instruments of the holy offices of God, will be used as formerly. We are coming back to the light ages.
(Times and Seasons II.7:298 ¶4)

3. General Conference 2017. We know something of the process and instruments he used in that translation. In that first 1830 printing, Joseph included a short preface and simply and clearly declared it was translated “by the gift and power of God.”4 What about the aids to translation—the Urim and Thummim, the seer stones? Were they essential, or were they like the training wheels on a bicycle until Joseph could exercise the faith necessary to receive more direct revelation?

(2017, April, Quentin L. Cook, ‘Foundations of Faith,’ Ensign, May 2017, ¶ 16)

footnote 4. In the first edition of the Book of Mormon, printed in 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, “I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God” (see preface to the Book of Mormon [1830]). Subsequent editions of the Book of Mormon include a similar statement: “The plates were delivered to Joseph Smith, who translated them by the gift and power of God” (see introduction to the Book of Mormon [2013]).
(2017, April, Quentin L. Cook, ‘Foundations of Faith,’ Ensign, May 2017, Notes, ¶ 4)