LDS Witness
Testimonies (Why I Believe)

Robert J. Matthews — Spiritual Witness of the Joseph Smith Translation

Published October 29, 2026 at 11:38 PM

1940s · 1948
Provo, Utah
Robert J. Matthews·Joseph Fielding Smith

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As a teenager, Robert J. Matthews had a profound spiritual experience that directed his life's work toward the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) of the Bible. While attending a meeting, he heard Joseph Fielding Smith use the word 'revelation' in reference to the JST. Matthews described this moment as the word sinking 'right into my soul,' which served as a catalyst for his lifelong academic and spiritual dedication to studying and validating the Prophet's translation work.

In Their Own Words

“He said, 'Joseph Smith in a revelation was told how it should read.' When Elder Smith said the word 'revelation,' that just sank right into my soul. — Robert J. Matthews, Teacher, Scholar, Administrator: A Conversation with Robert J. Matthews”

Sources & References

Teacher, Scholar, Administrator: A Conversation with Robert J. Matthews, Religious Studies Center (https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-5-no-3-2004/teacher-scholar-administrator-conversation-robert-j-matthews) (research confidence: high)

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Filed under

Testimonies (Why I Believe)1940sUSA

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Questions about this account

Who was involved in this account?
The account involves Robert J. Matthews, Joseph Fielding Smith. Each person named here also has a witness page collecting the other accounts involving them.
When did this account take place?
The account is set in 1948, in the 1940s.
Where did this account take place?
It took place in Provo, Utah.
What kind of miracle is this?
It is filed as a Testimonies (Why I Believe) account reported in USA.
Where does this account come from?
Teacher, Scholar, Administrator: A Conversation with Robert J. The full source citation appears in the Sources section below, with links to the original where available.

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