A "Seer", Revelator, Prophet; plates, breastplates and swords

In Mosiah 8 there is so much amazing information I don't know where to start.  I might just do bullets.

We learn the following:

• Limhi sent out a party of 43 to try to find help for their current situation.  
• In their search, they couldn't find Zarahemla, which they were trying to find, but instead found a land covered in bones of man and beast.  
• It was a land of many waters.  
• They returned with 24 plates with engravings on them, made of pure gold.  
• They also brought large breastplates, made of copper and brass
• and rusted swords, where the hilts had broken off.  

Can you imagine, coming across a land left desolate like this?  They describe it as being covered with ruins of buildings of every kind.  Wow.   

(Beautiful photo at Little Round Top, Gettysburg, PA, USA, taken by shaunoboyle from his photoblog, here. I imagine the ruins they found resembled something in a setting like this, for some reason.)

I can just picture Limhi, being so excited to realize who Ammon is once Ammon explains that he's from Zarahemla.  Can you feel his heart just swell with that knowledge?  Limhi asks Ammon if he can translate these plates of gold which they had found.  Can you imagine the anticipation of that answer???  Drumroll, please?

Ammon says he... can't, but then says he knows someone who can!  How excited that must have made Limhi and his people feel!

There is then discussion about Mosiah and how he uses "interpreters", and how it is a "gift" from God.

• They were a tool used to translate the records.
• No man can look in them except he be commanded.
• ...lest he should look for that he ought not and perish.
• Whoever is commanded to look in them is called a "seer". (Mosiah 8:13)

Then there's a description about what a "seer" is.

• A seer is greater than a prophet.
• A seer is both a revelator and a prophet.  
• "...a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can..."
• "yet a man may have great power given him from God." (Mosiah 8:16)

 Of course, after this,

"the king rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying: Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates, and these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men.  O how marvelous are the works of the Lord"! (Mosiah 8:19-20)

I can only imagine how excited he was!  I can't imagine how long he waited to hear such things.  Could you imagine, having such things in your possession, and not being able to interpret them?  I think I'd go crazy.  What a blessing, to have been able to finally find a way to get some answers!

~Jen:)