As detailed in the Book of Mormon, in the 19th century, individuals believed they could receive supernatural messages through seer stones. Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Church, used seer stones, for tasks like locating lost objects and translating the Book of Mormon. These stones, along with the "interpreters" that accompanied the golden plates, facilitated the early stages of the church's development. The term "Urim and Thummim" was sometimes used interchangeably for both the interpreters and the seer stone. However, as Joseph Smith's spiritual insight grew, he transitioned to receiving revelations without these aids, marking a significant progression in his prophetic journey.

After the Children of Israel’s exodus from Egypt, the Mosaic law was put in place. The role of Aaronic priests was defined. They were told to make special clothing to administer the Aaronic priesthood covenants. As part of the breastplate, priests were to wear the Urim and Thummim. This is a Hebrew phrase meaning “lights and perfections” or “lights and truth.” Most biblical scholars agree that the Urim and Thummim was used to receive revelation or interpret events. It should be noted that in the Mormon canon of scripture, there was a Urim and Thummim used by Book of Mormon prophets. These prophets used the Urim and Thummim for revelatory purposes, but more specifically for translation purposes.

The last prophet of the Book of Mormon was named Moroni. He appeared to Joseph Smith talks about how the Urim and Thummim were prepared for the translation of the Book of Mormon.

“According to Martin Harris, an angel commanded Joseph Smith to stop these activities, which he did by 1826. (See Bushman, Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism, 64–76; and Richard Lloyd Anderson, “The Mature Joseph Smith and Treasure Searching,” BYU Studies 24, no. 4 [Fall 1984]: 489–560.) Joseph did not hide his well-known early involvement in treasure seeking. In 1838, he published responses to questions frequently asked of him. “Was not Jo Smith a money digger,” one question read. “Yes,” Joseph answered, “but it was never a very profitable job to him, as he only got fourteen dollars a month for it.” (Selections from Elders’ Journal, July 1838, 43, available at josephsmithpapers.org.) For the broader cultural context, see Alan Taylor, “The Early Republic’s Supernatural Economy: Treasure Seeking in the American Northeast, 1780–1830,” American Quarterly 38, no. 1 (Spring 1986): 6–33.” info Information Sources: cancel https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/book-of-mormon-translation?lang=eng#org/topics/book https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/questions-and-answers-8-may-1838/2

After going to the place where the Book of Mormon was hidden every year for four years Joseph receives the Book of Mormon and Urim and Thummim.

“Scribes and others who observed the translation left numerous accounts that give insight into the process. Some accounts indicate that Joseph studied the characters on the plates. Most of the accounts speak of Joseph’s use of the Urim and Thummim (either the interpreters or the seer stone), and many accounts refer to his use of a single stone. According to these accounts, Joseph placed either the interpreters or the seer stone in a hat, pressed his face into the hat to block out extraneous light, and read aloud the English words that appeared on the instrument. The process as described brings to mind a passage from the Book of Mormon that speaks of God preparing “a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light.” [Emma] described Joseph “sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us.” Oliver Cowdery, testified under oath in 1831 that Joseph Smith “found with the plates, from which he translated his book, two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows. That by looking through these, he was able to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates.”31 In the fall of 1830, Cowdery visited Union Village, Ohio, and spoke about the translation of the Book of Mormon. Soon thereafter, a village resident reported that the translation was accomplished by means of “two transparent stones in the form of spectacles thro which the translator looked on the engraving.” info Information Sources: cancel https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/book-of-mormon-translation?lang=eng#org/topics/book

Joseph says he didn’t need it anymore. For the work of translation.

Phineas, brother of Brigham, gives the seer stone to Brigham Young. Brigham Young is quoted as saying that in addition to the chocolate seer stone Joseph had others, possibly as many as five seer stones at one point.

Zina was one of Brigham Young’s wives and she inherited the chocolate seer stone from Brigham Young after his death. She was called to be the head of the Mormon Church’s women’s organization, the Relief Society. During the years she served as Relief Society General President, she donated the chocolate seer stone to the Church.