From your article:
"It is difficult to determine if Smith was indeed duped or whether he simply realized that these plates were useful to bolster his story of gold plates as the source of the Book of Mormon, but what is clear is that the members of the LDS Church continued to hold to the belief that the plates were authentic, because they were difficult to dismiss without simultaneously dismissing Smith as a translator."
The fact is that Joseph "I cheated them all" Smith "translated" some of the fake records, claiming that they were from a descendant of Ham. A slick lie destined to cheat Mormons like non-Mormons.
And, like Donald "I grab every [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]" Trump, So was Joseph Smith, a man who didn't take the truth exactly, who spread "alternative facts."
Even Mormon leaders knows it!
It has never been difficult for members of the church to recognize that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon came from God through Joseph Smith. I believe that if the plates were authentic we would have a full transcript of them. We have the Pearl of Great Price which was given to us through Joseph Smith through the power of God. The proof is in the pudding so to speak.
One of the plates was found. It has been tested, including by Mormons. And even Mormons came to the realization that the plates were a fake.
Smith could not translate, neither with nor without God's help. And one more thing: He claimed to speak several languages fluently, including German.
This, too, is a lie, as an article from the Warsaw Signal proves.
The fact is that Smith was a liar, manipulator and fraudster. And if Mormons are gullible, it's their problem!
Meeting Sandra Tanner is not proof she was not in it for the money, although having known her some through e-mail she seems like a nice person but sadly mixed up.
When you meet a person, you realize when you have some human knowledge and experience, what kind of person that person is.
I do not like everything about her, so she is a little too fanatical in her Christian faith; on the other hand, she is a wise woman who cares about the truth.
She was a devout Mormon, with questions. Questions that her church did not want or could answer. Instead, she should obediently believe every crap that Mormon leaders tell.
Then chaff separates from the wheat.
Either you become a gullible Mormon, or you continue to research until you find answers.