Zelph — Dig Your Blessings
Zelph: Introducing the Mormon Zodiac Signs (Part 6 of 8)
Have you ever wondered why God chose Joseph Smith to discover and dig up the Gold Plates? Was he just super righteous? Or was it because he had tons of experience looking for ancient treasure? Critics of the church like to point out that Joseph was a “money digger”, but they don’t understand that a claim like that only gives Joseph more credit.
When it comes to digging for treasure in upstate New York, nobody had as much notoriety as Joseph Smith. Although none of his digs were successful per se, he was famous for his ability to find treasure by looking at a seer stone in a hat. The problem was that the treasure would have a tendency to slip deeper into the earth (major bummer). Porter Rockwell often heard his mother and Joseph’s mother talking about their dreams and comparing notes, and:
“how the spades often struck the iron sides of the treasure chest, and how it was charmed away, now six inches this side, now four feet deeper, and again completely out of reach.” (Elizabeth Kane journal, 1872, published in Norman R. Bowen and Mary Karen Bowen, eds., A Gentile Account of Life in Utah’s Dixie, 1872–1873, (Salt Lake City: Tanner Trust Fund, 1995), 73.)
This “slippery treasure” idea is similar to what the The Book of Mormon talks about when God curses the ground and keeps things that are buried hidden. (Helaman 13:31–36, Mormon 1:18–19)
Even though those early treasure digs didn’t work out, Joseph’s practice sure paid off. God chose him to discover and dig up the Gold Plates, which weren’t his only successful dig. During the Zion’s Camp expedition in 1834, he and his men discovered some very significant human bones.
From “Dark and Loathsome” to “White and Delightsome”
God revealed the identity of the bones to Joseph in a revelation. They belonged to a man called Zelph — a Lamanite from Book of Mormon times. Zelph was special though, as his dark, Lamanite skin had become white because of his righteousness. As in, his dark-skinned curse had been lifted! He had aligned with the Nephites and fought under the great prophet “Onandagus”. What a guy! (Church History In The Fullness Of Times Student Manual, Chapter 12, -2003 edition)
Unfortunately, for some bizarre reason, the names “Zelph” and “Onandagus” don’t appear in the Book of Mormon. Which is especially confusing for Onandagus, because he was so famous in ancient times that his name was known from the Rocky Mountains all the way to the Hill Cumorah in New York. Speaking of names, there’s a county named “Onandaga” in upstate New York, just 70 miles away from Palmyra, where Joseph grew up. Talk about awesome coincidence! God works in mysterious, even suspicious ways.
Some may think the changing of your skin color is crazy and like… pretty racist, but it happened all the time back then. When people were wicked, God darkened their skin (1 Nephi 12:23). When they repented, God lightened their skin (3 Nephi 2:15). Total God move. The lesson is that people can change, just like God can change his mind about black people being unworthy to hold the priesthood. Another lesson is to always wear sunscreen! Not only does it protect you from skin cancer, it also helps you appear more righteous, because everyone know that righteousness and skin color are connected and of course there’s nothing racist about that idea!
Attribute Emphasis: Social
Zelphs are passionate, assertive party animals. They love to be social and can’t stand to be alone. They’re great at handling new challenges and adapting to different situations and the groups. They don’t see things in black and white, but as a vast spectrum of grays. Zelphs are open-minded, and are masters of the social scene. They can make a profound impact without anyone taking notice — kind of like a major Book of Mormon character who isn’t mentioned in the book.*
Just because you can pee on an electric fence, doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Similarly, Zelphs can start a social stampede, but they should consider the trampling effect of it.
Strengths:
Zelph’s are expert socializers. They are adaptive, resourceful, diplomatic, stealthy, and somehow able to change the darkness of their skin.**
Weaknesses:
Zelph’s can be impulsive, secretive, duplicitous, insecure, bossy, and unable to align well with dominant narratives.
Zodiac Dates: June 21st — August 5th
This is party and BBQ season — a time to enjoy yourself and be social. So go to all the parties. Just don’t stay in the sun too long, as it tends to make your skin darker and you’ll feel the righteousness seeping out of your soul.
Day of the Week: Saturday
Saturday is the best day to party. On a Friday, most of the day is taken up by working or going to school. On a Sunday, you need to go to bed on time because you have work or school in the morning. Saturday doesn’t have any of those limitations. It’s the best damn day to party, no contest.
If this is Your Zodiac Sign
If you are a Zelph, you know that you’re the life of the party, but you’re probably underappreciated for your contribution. Although much of your ability to socialize and have fun with almost anyone is innate, there’s still a good amount of practice required to maintain such a skill. As much as you enjoy being around other people, it’s not a bad idea to take some time for yourself occasionally. You spend so much of your time getting to know other people — which is great — but you also need to get more deeply acquainted with you.
