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SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released new documents surrounding the translation of the Book of Mormon Tuesday.

The LDS Church, as part of The Joseph Smith Papers Project, released the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon and details of the seer stones used as instruments by Joseph Smith during the translation of the Book of Mormon. The documents are the 11th published volume of the project in the church's effort to release documents surrounding its founding.

The church said the publication, which will be entitled "Revelations and Translations, Volume 3: Printer's Manuscript of the Book of Mormon," represents a "major milestone in a longstanding collaboration between historians from the Church History Department and the Community of Christ."

Participating from the LDS Church were Elder Steven E. Snow, church historian, recorder and member of the First Quorum of the Seventy; and Richard E. Turley Jr., assistant church historian and recorder. Representing the Community of Christ, which owns the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon, were President Robin Linkhart, president of the Seventy; and Lachlan Mackay, Nauvoo historical sites coordinator.

"We're very pleased that they've been partners with us in this process and exceptionally good stewards of this priceless document," Elder Snow said in a statement. "It's great to be able to cooperate like we have and to be able to print this particular volume. I think members of both churches will find this very, very interesting."

This case encloses the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon, protecting and preserving the manuscript for future researchers and interested Church members. © 2015 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

"Well, I think it's really quite remarkable," Romig said in a statement. "I'm remembering when there were times that there wasn't as much collaboration as there is today, and that's been very refreshing and I'm very thankful that that's the case."

The manuscripts feature several high-quality photos and give readers an inside look into the documents.

"High-quality, full-color images of the most complete early manuscript of the Book of Mormon give users of this volume unprecedented access, as though they were holding the original in their hands," Turley Jr. said in a statement.

In conjunction with the release of the printer's manuscript project, the LDS Church also posted Tuesday a magazine article — co-authored by Turley — about seership, seer stones and their roles in translation and revelation. Posted on its website, the article is scheduled to be published in print in the church's October 2015 issue of the Ensign magazine.

The Joseph Smith Papers Project was created to bring to light all the documents relating to the church's founder Joseph Smith and the church's founding. The project has released two volumes of documents and are expected to release approximately two dozen print volumes.

The stone pictured here has long been associated with Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon translation. The stone Joseph Smith used in the Book of Mormon translation effort was often referred to as a chocolate-colored stone with an oval shape. This stone passed from Joseph Smith to Oliver Cowdery and then to the Church through Brigham Young and others. (Photograph by Welden C. Andersen and Richard E. Turley Jr. © 2015 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Contributing: Trent Toone

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