Doctrine and Covenants 6-9

“A few years ago I was observing a bug as it moved across the floor.  From my vantage point I could see that approximately 15 feet ahead he was going to run into an obstacle that would cause him to lose quite a bit of travel time.  I wanted to say, ‘Little bug, if you will change your direction and go 25 degrees to the left, you will save yourself a lot of time and trouble.’  But of course he continued his path and ran head-on into the obstacle.  He butted his head against it no fewer than 20 times as he first made a series of futile attempts to the right, then finally found his way around to the left.

“I thought, Is it not so with us and the Lord?  Is His vantage point not higher and greater than our own?”  (John B. Dickson, Ensign, Feb. ’01, pp. 21-22)

The problem with the little bug was not that there was no higher source who would have liked to help him; the problem was that he was unable to receive communication from that source.  Our lesson today is to assure us that we, as human bugs, are able to understand the communication that we receive from our Father’s higher and greater view!

“Our Heavenly Father wants to communicate with us even more than we want to communicate with him.  He wants us to be able to recognize his answers.”  (Gaylen Hinton, Ensign, Oct.’93, p. 61)

The difficulty of recognizing personal revelation

When my friend was a student at BYU, she was sharing an elevator with a young man.  Now, this can be dangerous in any situation, but most especially at BYU, because the young man turned to her and said, “I have just received a revelation that you are to be my wife!”  Now, knowing how beautiful my friend was, I can imagine that it might have been quite easy for many young men to have had a “revelation” about her.  Unfortunately, this particular young man found out quickly that his revelation was false, as she told him, “I’m sorry; I’m already married.”  Apparently, his love was truly blind and he didn’t see the ring on her finger.

               

So how do we tell whether we are receiving revelation from God, or whether we are getting a message from our own desires, or even from an evil source?  Or maybe we don’t recognize that we are receiving revelation at all.  Jesus said of the converted Lamanites, “at the time of their conversion, [they] were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they know it not.”  (3 Nephi 9:20)  How many of us are in that boat?  President Boyd K. Packer said, “It is not unusual for one to have received the gift [of the Holy Ghost] and not really know it.”  (Conference, Apr.‘08; and Ensign, May ’00, p.8)

This year in class we are having the blessing of studying the marvelous occurrences relating to the coming forth of the restored church.  After the First Vision, the heavens were opened and there were many other great and glorious visions, which we will learn about.  In light of this, it is very fitting that we have this lesson today, at the beginning of the year, so that we can recognize that the heavens are also open to us.

In the Munich Germany Area Conference in 1973, President Spencer W. Kimball said: “The burning bushes, the smoking mountains, … the Cumorahs, and the Kirtlands were realities; but they were the exceptions.  The great volume of revelation came to Moses and to Joseph and come to today’s prophet in the less spectacular way—that of deep impressions, without spectacle or glamour or dramatic events.

“Always expecting the spectacular, many will miss entirely the constant flow of revealed communication.”  (Quoted by Graham W. Doxey, Ensign, Nov.’91, p. 25)

Brother Doxey continues, “Even at the highest levels of responsibility in this kingdom of God, which is being built up upon the earth, the [still, small] voice is still small.”

“Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, ‘every common bush [is] afire with God; but only he who sees, takes off his shoes.’  (Aurora Leigh, book 7, lines 822-3)

“The questions are not, ‘Does God live?  Does God love me?’ … The critical question is, ‘Are you listening to him?  Have you removed your shoes?’”  (Ibid.)

Ways in which the Spirit works

Visions and great spiritual manifestations still do occur in among the faithful today.  Voices are heard from beyond the veil.  Angels do appear.  But, as Elder Dallin H Oaks says, ”These experiences are exceptional … Most of the revelation that comes to leaders and members of the Church comes by the still, small voice or by a feeling rather than by a vision or a voice that speaks specific words we can hear. I testify to the reality of that kind of revelation, which I have come to know as a familiar, even daily, experience to guide me in the work of the Lord. “ (Ensign, Mar.’97, p.14)

D&C 9:8 – The Spirit Causes Our Bosoms to Burn

This is one of the most familiar scriptures regarding revelation.  When this feeling occurs, it is a tangible manifestation confirming truth or answering prayers.  We need to be aware, however, that this is not the only way in which the Spirit speaks.  We would miss many, many revelations and and inspirations if we expected each of them to be accompanied by a powerful burning in our chest.  One of the Apostles is quoted as having said, “As I have traveled throughout the Church.  I’ve found relatively few people who have experienced a burning of the bosom.  In fact, I’ve had many people tell me they’ve become frustrated because they have never experienced that feeling even though they have prayed or fasted for long periods of time.”  (Jay E. Jensen, Ensign, Apr.’89, pp.21-2)

There are many different ways in which the Spirit speaks to us, and we are going to go over those today.  I got a great deal of help in preparing this lesson from Ensign articles, especially one by Jay E. Jensen, who was at the time Director of Scriptures Coordination for the Church Curriculum Dept., entitled “Have I Received an Answer from the Spirit?”  in April 1989. 

If class members have experiences to share after each scripture, forego the stories I have written and use theirs instead.  Put up wordstrips or write on the board each of the headings as it comes up.

D&C 6:23 – The Spirit Speaks Peace to the Mind

The most common manifestation of the Spirit is a feeling of peace, of calmness, of tranquility – or a departure of anxiety and fear.

One night when two of my brothers, both young adults with their own cars, were out late and my mother was home alone reading, the phone rang.  It was about 11:30 at night.  When she picked up the phone, the voice on the other end was very garbled.  The only words she could understand were “accident” and “hurt.”  This was in the days before cell phones, and she had no way to contact my brothers and make sure that they were okay.  Needless to say, she became flooded with an intense worry.  She was overcome by a terrible, dark feeling.  She fell to her knees and said a prayer.  She asked the Lord to tell her if there was something she was to do if one of the boys was in trouble, and if there was nothing she could do, or if there was no trouble, that he might please take away this horrible feeling.  She closed her prayer and stood up.  Immediately, as she stood, the fear left and she was wrapped in a feeling of peace.  She returned to her reading, and less than ten minutes later, my brothers both drove in at the same time, one into each of our two driveways.  She heard them call to each other across the lawn, and then they came in the house together laughing.  There had been no problem and she never knew whether the phone call had been a prank or a wrong number.

D&C 11:13-14 – The Spirit Enlightens Our Minds

The Prophet Joseph Smith indicated that at these times you may “feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas…” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.151)

How do you know that it is the Spirit and not just your own idea?  After the words “enlighten your mind,” the Lord adds the phrase “which shall fill your soul with joy.”  The feeling of understanding in the mind given by the Spirit is always accompanied by some type of positive emotion.  Brother Jensen says, “Not only is our understanding affected, but our souls seem to expand – the whole experience is delicious to us.”

D&C 11:12 The Spirit Leads to do Good

“Have you ever learned of someone in need, perhaps a close friend, and felt strongly impressed to help?  Have you ever talked with someone and been led to say the right thing?  Have you ever suddenly felt a need to fix something in the house or to weed the garden?  This is how the Spirit can work – he leads us to do good.

“Have you ever felt that you should forgive someone?  Have you ever been prompted to pay tithing before you pay certain bills?  Have you ever seen a child learn to share his toys?  These are a few times in which the Spirit can prompt a person, even a small child, to do justly. “ (Ibid., p.24)

I saw the Spirit work upon my daughter Savannah in this way when she was six or seven.  She was on the back patio and accidentally knocked over a really cute flowerpot which I had made from a kit a friend had given me as a gift.  Like most little kids, she was afraid for having made such a mistake, but she felt moved to come right in the house and confess to me.  She was upset as she told me, but knowing that it was just an accident, I thanked her for letting me know and we cleaned it up.  A few minutes later, she came back in the house and said, “Mom, I have such a strange feeling.  It’s like I’m all warm right here,” and she rubbed her chest.  Because she followed the first prompting of the Spirit to confess, she then received a confirmation that she had done the right thing.

D&C 128:1 – The Spirit Occupies our Minds and Presses upon our Feelings

How many times does this type of revelation come to the leadership of the church?!  This is how Joseph Smith was prompted many times.  The fact that the subject of baptism for the dead pressed upon Joseph’s mind at the particular time that it did is a remarkable manifestation of the Spirit, when we  realize that at the time Joseph was being pursued by enemies and was facing numerous difficulties and distractions.  This is how President Spencer W. Kimball was prompted to seek for priesthood blessings for worthy members of every race.  Another irony is that in his conference talk on revelation, Elder Graham Doxey stated that this subject, revelation, had been on his mind since the speaking assignment came.  He obviously had received revelation that he should give a talk on revelation.

President Joseph F Smith’s great vision recorded in D&C 138 was precipitated by the thoughts of the deaths of beloved family members, his own imminent death, and deaths of millions worldwide, due to the Spanish Influenza and World War I.

D&C 8:2-3 – The Spirit Tells us in our Minds and our Hearts

Elder Richard G. Scott explained this scripture very specifically in an address at the annual Church Educational System Religious Educators Symposium at BYU, August 11^th, 1998: “I would explain that an impression to the mind is very specific.  Detailed words can be heard or felt and written as though the instruction were being dictated.”

Here is an amazing experience Elder Russell M. Nelson had with this type of revelation:

“Many of us have had experiences with the sweet power of prayer. One of mine was shared with a stake patriarch from southern Utah. I first met him in my medical office more than 40 years ago, during the early pioneering days of surgery of the heart. This saintly soul suffered much because of a failing heart. He pleaded for help, thinking that his condition resulted from a damaged but repairable valve in his heart.

“Extensive evaluation revealed that he had two faulty valves. While one could be helped surgically, the other could not. Thus, an operation was not advised. He received this news with deep disappointment.

“Subsequent visits ended with the same advice. Finally, in desperation, he spoke to me with considerable emotion: ‘Dr. Nelson, I have prayed for help and have been directed to you. The Lord will not reveal to me how to repair that second valve, but He can reveal it to you. Your mind is so prepared. If you will operate upon me, the Lord will make it known to you what to do. Please perform the operation that I need, and pray for the help that you need.’

“His great faith had a profound effect upon me. How could I turn him away again? Following a fervent prayer together, I agreed to try. In preparing for that fateful day, I prayed over and over again, but still did not know what to do for his leaking tricuspid valve. Even as the operation commenced, my assistant asked, ‘What are you going to do for that?’  I said, ‘I do not know.’

“We began the operation. After relieving the obstruction of the first valve, we exposed the second valve. We found it to be intact but so badly dilated that it could no longer function as it should. While examining this valve, a message was distinctly impressed upon my mind: Reduce the circumference of the ring. I announced that message to my assistant. ‘The valve tissue will be sufficient if we can effectively reduce the ring toward its normal size.’

“But how? We could not apply a belt as one would use to tighten the waist of oversized trousers. We could not squeeze with a strap as one would cinch a saddle on a horse. Then a picture came vividly to my mind, showing how stitches could be placed—to make a pleat here and a tuck there—to accomplish the desired objective. I still remember that mental image—complete with dotted lines where sutures should be placed. The repair was completed as diagrammed in my mind. We tested the valve and found the leak to be reduced remarkably. My assistant said, ‘It’s a miracle.’ I responded, ‘It’s an answer to prayer.’

“The patient’s recovery was rapid and his relief gratifying. Not only was he helped in a marvelous way, but surgical help for other people with similar problems had become a possibility. I take no credit. Praise goes to this faithful patriarch and to God, who answered our prayers. This faithful man lived for many more years and has since gone to his eternal glory.” (Elder Russell M. Nelson, Conference, Apr.’03; and Ensign, May ’03, pp.7-8)

To continue with Elder Scott’s words: “A communication to the heart is a more general impression.  The Lord often begins by giving impressions.  Where there is recognition of their importance and they are obeyed, one gains more capacity to receive more detailed instruction to the mind.  An impression to the heart, if followed, is fortified by a more specific instruction to the mind.”

It is important to note that Elder Scott, another time, counseled that we may miss further revelation if we do not record in our personal scriptures, our journals, those that we do receive.  Writing down promptings received helps us to recognize them even better the next time.  (See Richard G. Scott, Helping Others, p.11)

Alma 14:11 – The Spirit Constrains

When the wicked inhabitants of Ammonihah were about to burn the believers, Amulek suggested to Alma that they exercise their priesthood power to save the innocent.  But through the Spirit, the Lord held Alma back from doing something contrary to His divine plan.

Wilford Woodruff related a constraining encounter he had with the Spirit.  He was bringing some Saints from New England and Canada to the West.  They had scheduled passage on a boat, but the Spirit spoke to President Woodruff, “Don’t go aboard that steamer, nor your company.”  He obeyed the voice.  The boat departed and some fifty yards downstream caught fire and sank (A Story to Tell, p. 320).  I wonder how many times the Spirit constrains us to do something and we never get to see what might have happened had we disobeyed.

John 14:26 – The Spirit Brings Things to our Remembrance

This happened to Enos as he went hunting.  The Spirit brought the teachings of his father back into his mind.  They sunk deep into his heart, and he was moved to pray.  (See Enos 1:3-4.)  Had he not followed that prompting through remembrance by meditating and praying, he would not have received the testimony he did.

How many of us at key moments have had the Spirit bring to our remembrance the words of our parents, teachers, a conference address, or the scriptures?

As we keep putting the words of Christ and our testimonies into the memories of our children and those we teach, the Spirit will be able to call their attention to those when the time is right.  Hopefully, they will then follow the Spirit when it prompts them to remember those words they have been taught by us.

D&C 98:12 – The Spirit Gives Revelation Line upon Line

In his Conference address of October 1989, Elder Scott also taught: “When we seek inspiration to help make decisions, the Lord gives gentle promptings.  These require us to think, to exercise faith, to work, to struggle at times, and to act.  Seldom does the whole answer to a decisively important matter or complex problem come all at once.  More often, it comes a piece at a time, without the end in sight.”

This is in keeping with President Joseph F. Smith’s account of how he received his testimony.  Having had the Prophet Joseph as his uncle, and Hyrum Smith as his father, he was, no doubt, accustomed to hearing of marvelous manifestations of the Spirit.  As a young teen, he served as a missionary, and these are his words about how he gained his testimony.  I suspect many of us received ours in the same way.

“When I as a boy first started out in the ministry, I would frequently go out and ask the Lord to show me some marvelous thing, in order that I might receive a testimony.  But the Lord withheld marvels from me, and showed me the truth, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, until He made me to know the truth from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and until doubt and fear had been absolutely purged from me.”  (Gospel Doctrine, 5^th edition, p.7)

D&C 43 – The Spirit Prompts According to our Stewardships

This is not just one way in which the Spirit prompts – this is a rule that governs revelation.  The prophet holds the keys of revelation for the entire church, the bishop can receive revelation for the ward, and you can receive revelation for your own family.  You cannot receive revelation for something or someone over which you have no stewardship.  (See Dallin H Oaks, “Revelation,” New Era, Sep.’82, pp.45-6)

In addition, any revelation we receive in our own capacities must be in harmony with truth received through the prophet.  The First Presidency has said, “When … inspiration conveys something out of harmony with the accepted revelations of the Church or contrary to the decisions of its constituted authorities, Latter-day Saints may know that it is not of God, no matter how plausible it may appear”  (Messages of the First Presidency, 4:285).

This is the same reason why the young man in the elevator was mistaken in his revelation about my friend.  He had no stewardship over her.

What if revelation does not come?

“Sometimes you may struggle with a problem and not get an answer.  What could be wrong?  It may be that you are not doing anything wrong.  It may be that you have not done the right things long enough.  Remember, you cannot force spiritual things.

“Put difficult questions in the back of your minds and go about your lives.  Ponder and pray quietly and persistently about them.”  (Boyd K. Packer, Oct.’79 Conference)

Remember, it took three Church presidents pondering and praying before the revelation was given that all worthy males could receive the Priesthood.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks has also counseled on this subject.  “We do not always receive inspiration or revelation when we request it.  Sometimes we are delayed in the receipt of revelation, and sometimes we are left to our own judgment.  We cannot force spiritual things.  It must be so.  Our life’s purpose to obtain experience and develop faith would be frustrated if our Heavenly Father directed us in every act, even in every important act. We must make decisions and experience the consequences in order to develop self-reliance and faith."  (BYU Devotional, Sep. 29, 1981; and Ensign, Oct.’94, p.13) (See also D&C 8:10, second half)

Conclusion

It may appear that Joseph Smith died prematurely, before the work of the Restoration was complete.  But he was allowed to exercise revelation from the other side of the veil in order to give counsel to his successor, Brigham Young, many times.  It’s ironic that it was at one of these appearances when revelation was obvious and grand that he gave counsel to Brigham Young on how to encourage the Saints in receiving the less obvious revelations:

“Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right.  Be careful and not turn away the still small voice; it will teach them what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom.  Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it.  [And here is where he gives the best overall guide for recognizing revelation:] They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good.”  (Juvenile Instructor, 8:114 (1873); Quoted in Apr.’89 Ensign, p.21)

Image from ChurchofJesusChrist.org Media Library

These times are no less troubled than Brigham Young’s time.  Although we are minuscule human “bugs” in a universe of obstacles, being able to receive and recognize revelation makes us open to the Lord’s help from his vantage point high above us.  This is one of the greatest blessings given to members of the Restored Church.  As Elder Boyd K. Packer said:

“We need not live in fear of the future.  We have every reason to rejoice and little reason to fear.  If we follow the promptings of the Spirit, we will be safe, whatever the future holds.  We will be shown what to do.”  (Boyd K Packer, Apr.’00 Conference; and Ensign, May ’00)

Doctrine and Covenants 3-5 + the 3 Witnesses

You may want to use the church video, "The Works and Designs of God" from "Teachings from the Doctrine and Covenants.

PREPARATION TO RECEIVE THE PLATES

Quoting Kent P. Jackson, a professor at BYU:  "On the 21st of September, 1823, the Lord began to educate the Prophet [Joseph Smith] in preparation for the restoration of the gospel.  The Nephite prophet Moroni, as the last prophet of the Lehite dispensation and the final author, compiler, and caretaker of the Nephite record, was appropriately chosen to serve as young Joseph Smith's tutor...Moroni's message to the young Prophet outlined not only the calling of Joseph Smith, but also the destiny of the Church and kingdom of God from the time of the Restoration until the Millenium"  (Kent P. Jackson, "Moroni's Message to Joseph Smith," Ensign, August 1990, 13, 15). Brother Jackson has itemized the scriptures Moroni quoted in his article, according to the four accounts Joseph Smith dictated about his visit.

Every year Joseph met the angel, who continued to instruct him.  In 1827, when Joseph had just been married and was now 22 years old, he returned home late one night from a business trip.  His family had been worried about why he was so late.  He "smiled and said in a calm tone, 'I have taken the severest chastisement that I have ever had in my life.'" His father was upset and asked which neighbor might have given Joseph a hard time and began ranting and raving.  "Joseph replied, 'Stop, father, stop.  It was the angel of the Lord.  As I passed by the hill of Cumorah, where the plates are, the angel met me and said that I had not been engaged enough in the work of the Lord; that the time had come for the record to be brought forth; and that I must be up and doing and set myself about the things which God had commanded me to do.  But, father, give yourself no uneasiness concerning the reprimand which I received, for now I know the course that I am to pursue, so all will be well"  (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by his Mother, Bookcraft, 100, italics added). When the Lord sends us chastisement, it is a blessing, as Joseph said, for now we know the course to pursue. Remember that!

Shortly after that, on September 21, 1827, Joseph received the plates from the Angel Moroni.  He had them for two years, and the majority of that time was spent, not in translating them, but in simply keeping them away from those who wanted to steal them (Andrew H. Hedges, "Take Heed Continually: Protecting the Gold Plates," Ensign, January 2001).

THE THREE WITNESSES

Today we are going to focus on the lives of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon.  Or were there actually four? Or five?  Keep reading!

MARTIN HARRIS AND THE BOOK OF LEHI

The first of the Three Witnesses to meet Joseph Smith was Martin Harris.  He was a well-to-do neighboring farmer.  In the spring after Joseph received the plates and wrestled to keep them safe all winter, Martin Harris served as his scribe while Joseph translated the Book of Lehi.  Joseph and Emma had moved to Pennsylvania to avoid the mobs.  Martin's farm was back in New York.  It's quite an imposition on a farmer's time to sit as a scribe in another state, and his wife and parents questioned the value of what he was doing.  To appease them, he wanted to take the manuscript of the Book of Lehi back to New York and show his family.  He was 45 years old and Joseph was 23.  He asked Joseph to ask the Lord whether he might do this.  Joseph asked and the answer was definitely no.  He pestered Joseph to ask again.  Again Joseph asked and the answer was no.  Finally, he asked for a deal that the Lord might let him do it if he would solemnly covenant to show them to only six specified family members (his wife, his parents, his brother and his sister-in-law).  Joseph asked this and the Lord finally said yes.  From this experience, Joseph learned a very valuable lesson, which we might like to learn also, and that is not to bargain with the Lord and not to re-ask the Lord when we have been given a clear answer.

"On June 15, 1828, soon after Martin left with the manuscript, Joseph and Emma's first child was born.  They named him Alvin.  He lived only a few hours.  Emma was very sick, and Joseph, in his grief, hardly had time to think of the manuscript...When Emma regained her health, she urged Joseph to travel to Fayette to see what had happened to Martin and the manuscript" (Brian and Petrea Kelly, Latter-day History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, American Fork: Covenant Communications, 30).

The strain on Joseph was enormous on his return to New York, but he was blessed by the kindness of a stranger, who deserves our recognition:

"Only one passenger was in the stage[coach] beside himself; this man observing Joseph's gloomy appearance, inquired the cause of his affliction, and offered to assist him if his services would be acceptable.  Joseph thanked him for his kindness, and mentioned that he had been watching some time with a sick wife and child, that the child had died, and that his wife was still very low...Nothing more passed between them on this subject, until Joseph was about leaving the stage; at which time he remarked, that he still had twenty miles further to travel on foot that night, it being then about 10:00.  To this the stranger objected, saying, 'I have watched you since you first entered the stage, and I know that you have neither slept nor eaten since that time, and you shall not go on foot twenty miles alone this night; for, if you must go, I will be your company.

"Joseph...thanked the gentleman for his kindness, and, leaving the stage, they proceeded together.  When they reached our house it was nearly daylight.  The stranger said he was under the necessity of leading Joseph the last four miles by the arm; for nature was too much exhausted to support him any longer..." (Kelly, 31).

Joseph's parents fed Joseph and the stranger a little breakfast and sent for Mr. Harris.  He always came immediately when called upon, living just next-door, and they expected him to join the rest of them for breakfast. At 8:00 they set the table, but he didn't come. At 9:00 he didn't come. 10:00. 11:00. Noon.

"But at half past twelve we saw him walking with a slow and measured tread toward the house, his eyes fixed thoughtfully upon the ground.  On coming to the gate, he stopped, instead of passing through, and got upon the fence, and sat there some time with his hat drawn over his eyes.  At length he entered the house.  Soon after which we sat down to the table, Mr. Harris with the rest.  He took up his knife and fork as if he were going to use them, but immediately dropped them.  Hyrum, observing this, said, 'Martin, why do you not eat; are you sick?' Upon which Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, 'Oh, I have lost my soul!'" (Kelly, 31)

Joseph took the long, lonely journey back to Emma the following day.

Imagine how it must have felt to face God's prophet, and tell him that you did not treasure the manuscript as you should have--that you had put worldly concerns above the Book of Mormon and therefore lost something of inestimable worth.

But wait!  Don't we from time to time face that very situation?  President Benson said of our day, "The Lord is not pleased with us in the manner of attention we're giving the Book of Mormon, a New Witness for Christ.  We need it in our homes, we need it in our families.  It was written for us today."  (Church News, 9 Nov. 1986, 10).  One day we will all have an accounting of our use of the scriptures.  Will we be like Martin Harris was that day, hanging our heads, leaning against the fence, feeling deep anguish as we now realize what a great treasure we lost due to our negligence?

Martin Harris's folly is recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants for all of us to witness.  But we would do very well to be half as valiant as Martin Harris.  Here are some ways in which he was a great example:

• He mortgaged his farm for the publication of the Book of Mormon.  How difficult it usually is for a wealthy man to part with his money!
• Despite the fact that the Lord had commanded him to mortgage the farm, when the mortgage fell due, the Church had no money to pay it back and he had to give it up to foreclosure.  Would that be a trial of faith for many of us?
• At about the same time, he endured the pain of divorce, rather unusual for his day.
• He served a mission with his brother Emer and baptized at least 182 people.
• While serving his mission he was imprisoned on a false charge.
• After his mission, he volunteered to march on the dangerous rescue mission with Zion's Camp (which we will learn more of this year).
• He was called to help choose the Quorum of the 12 Apostles.
• He was a member of the first high council in Kirtland.

Later in his life, he departed from activity in the Church due to some disagreement.  But even then, as he remained behind in Kirtland, he became the self-appointed caretaker and protector of the Kirtland Temple, which had been left behind by the saints.  Without Martin, it is doubtful that building would still be standing in its beauty as it is today.

After 33 years, he rejoined the Saints, and his visits to congregations in Utah strengthened the faith of many.   His final testimony was recorded by his grandson William Pilkington, as reported in Susan Black's wonderful book:

"On the 9th day of July 1875, while he was dying, I knelt by his cot...I wanted to get what I thought would be his last words, but he could not talk audibly.'  Pilkington then prayed that his grandfather's last words could be understood.  He reported, 'Strength was given to him and he bore his testimony as he had done many times before and I understood every word.  He then bore the same testimony to the whole world and then laid back exhausted.'  Martin died on 10 July 1875 in Clarkston, Utah.  He was buried with his Book of Mormon in his right hand and the Doctrine and Covenants in his left" (Susan Easton Black, Who's Who in the Doctrine and Covenants, Bookcraft, 127).

The Urim and Thummim were taken from Joseph but were returned by Moroni so that Joseph could receive the revelation that is now Section 3 (after inquiring of the Lord).  They were taken back afterwards, but returned again in a few days so that Joseph could again inquire and receive Section 10  (History of the Church, 1:21-23).

In accordance with the revelation received in Section 10, some of which was received about July 1828, Joseph went to work to support his family and did not restart the full-time translation of the Book of Mormon until April 7, 1829 (History of the Church, 1:28, 32).

TRANSLATION OF THE REST OF THE BOOK--OLIVER COWDERY

Now the second of the Three Witnesses enters the story.  While Joseph was in Pennsylvania, Oliver Cowdery, who was just a year younger than he, took up boarding with Joseph's parents back in New York.  He was the school teacher, and part of the school teacher's pay from the community he served was his room and board with one of them.  After hearing about Joseph's vision, he wanted to meet him himself.  At the same time, Joseph was praying for help in translating.  He had his wife and his brother-in-law writing for him, but they were both so busy that they couldn't do it full-time.  Olivery Cowdery showed up, and two days later, April 7, 1829, he and Joseph began to translate full-time.  The translation was finished June 30th or July 1st.  The speed with which they translated was incredible: the entire Book of Mormon in less than three months.  Oliver's normally perfect handwriting was uncharacteristically sloppy, as we noted before, because of the speed at which he was writing.  Interestingly, while Oliver was copying the Book of Mormon by hand, William B. Burt received the first U.S. patent for a typing machine (Kelly, 41).

Of Olivery, Wilford Woodruff wrote, "I have seen Oliver Cowdery when it seemed as though the earth trembled under his feet.  I never heard a man bear a stronger testimony than he did when under the influence of the Spirit" (Black, 74).

DAVID WHITMER--THE PLOW WAS LEFT STANDING

The third witness, David Whitmer, was an acquaintance of Oliver Cowdery's.  Before Oliver went to Pennsylvania, they had discussed the rumors about the Smith family and the golden plates.  Oliver had told David that he was going to find out whether the rumors were true and he would let him know.  Shortly after his arrival in Pennsylvania, he wrote to David, telling him he was convinced that Joseph actually had the plates and that he was to be the scribe in the translation.  Then he wrote another letter, including a few lines translated from the plates and bore his testimony of its authenticity as an ancient record.  Finally, Oliver wrote a letter asking--no, telling--David Whitmer that God had commanded him to come to Pennsylvania and bring Joseph and Oliver back to his own family's house. (He was still living with his parents.)  The reason for this was that persecution was now great in Pennsylvania.

David Whitmer didn't know what to do.  He had 20 acres to plow, which would not wait.  So he decided he had better do his plowing before he left.  He got up to do the work and found that 5 to 7 acres had been plowed in the night.  He said, "I do not know who did it, but it was done just as I would have done myself, and the plow was left standing in the furrow."

The next morning he went out to spread plaster on his fields, a common soil treatment of the day.  He had left the plaster in heaps near the house, but now it was gone.  He ran to his sister and asked what had happened to it.  She was surprised and said, "Wasn't it all sown yesterday?"

"'Not to my knowledge,' answered David.  'I'm astonished at that,' replied his sister, 'for the children came to me in the forenoon, and begged of me to go out and see the men sow plaster in the field, saying, that they never saw anybody sow plaster so fast in their lives.  I accordingly went, and saw three men at work in the field, as the children had said but supposing that you had hired some help, on account of your hurry, I went immediately into the house, and gave the subject no further attention'" (Smith, 136-37).

Needless to say, David Whitmer immediately took the two-day trip to Pennsylvania to bring Joseph and Oliver back with him.  (This story, as well as the following story, is also printed in Richard Lloyd Anderson, "The Whitmers: A Family That Nourished the Church," Ensign, August 1979).

THE FOURTH WITNESS

At this point in the story, we find out about a fourth witness, or maybe we should say, the first witness of all.

David Whitmer's parents' home was a log cabin 20 feet by 30 feet.  There were five children still living at home, in addition to the parents, and there were only three bedrooms.  And they were taking in Joseph and Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery--the prophet of God, his wife, and a schoolteacher.  I know I would feel pretty stressed out and very intimidated by the coming house guests, especially if my home was a tiny log cabin and I was already working all day long just to maintain the farm.

 The reconstructed Whitmer home in Fayette, New York.

David went to Fayette to fetch Joseph and Oliver while his mother readied the home.  As the men were traveling from Pennsylvania (Emma was coming later), 

"...in a clear, open place, a very pleasant, nice looking old man suddenly appeared by the side of our wagon and saluted us with, 'Good morning; it's very warm;' at the same time wiping his face or forehead with his hand.  We returned the salutation, and by a sign from Joseph, I invited him to ride if he was going our way.  But he said very pleasantly, 'No, I am going to Cumorah.'  The name was somewhat new to me, and I did not know what 'Cumorah' meant.  We all gazed at him and at each other, and as I looked round inquiringly of Joseph, the old man instantly disappeared so that I did not see him again.

"Sometime after this, my mother was going to milk the cows, when she was met out near the yard by the same old man (judging by her description of him), who said to her, 'You have been very faithful and diligent in your labors, but you are tired because of the increase of your toil; it is proper, therefore, that you should receive a witness, that your faith may be strengthened.'  Thereupon, he showed her the plates. My father and mother had a large family of their own, the addition to it, therefore, of Joseph, his wife Emma, and Oliver, very greatly increased the toil and anxiety of my mother.  And although she had never complained she had sometimes felt that her labor was too much, or, at least, she was perhaps beginning to feel so.  This circumstance, however, completely removed all such feelings, and nerved her up for her increased responsibilities (B.H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church, Deseret Book, 1:126-27, quoted in Kelly, 40).

Does the Lord care about the backstage work?  The housekeeping?  The laundry?  Yes, He does.  The Lord felt that Mary Whitmer's homemaking duties made her worthy to view the plates.  She was actually the first person besides Joseph to see the plates!

AND THE FIFTH

Since originally writing this post, I have learned about a fifth witness. (See, we are always learning something new if we keep studying!) The prophet's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, reported in an interview with a Henry Caswall in 1842 that she also had seen the plates.

"I have myself seen and handled the golden plates; they are about eight inches long and six wide; some of them are sealed together and are not to be opened, and some of them are loose. They are all connected by a ring which passes through a hole at the end of each plate, and are covered with letters beautifully engraved. I have seen and felt also the Urim and Thummim. They resemble two large bright diamonds set in a bow like a pair of spectacles. My son puts those over his eyes when he reads unknown languages, and they enable him to interpret them in English. I have likewise carried in my hands the sacred breastplate. It is composed of pure gold, and is made to fit the breast very exactly" (John W. Welch, Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820-1844, Brigham Young University Press and Deseret Book, 162).

THE THREE WITNESSES ARE SHOWN THE PLATES BY THE ANGEL

On June 20, 1829, as the translation was progressing, Joseph came across a scripture that told him there were to be three witnesses to the Book of Mormon.  He didn't say which scripture it was, but there are two it could have been:  2 Nephi 27:12 or Ether 5:2,3.  Because we don't know the order in which the Book of Mormon was translated, we don't know which one it was, but when Joseph read this, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer asked if they might be the three. (The section heading to D&C 17 tells us that they were inspired to desire this.)  Joseph then asked the Lord (because no revelation was ever received without asking first), and the Lord said yes. (See D&C 17:1-3)

After sincere prayer in the woods with the Prophet Joseph, David and Oliver saw an angel.  "In his hands he held the plates...He turned over the leaves one by one..we heard a voice from out of the bright light above us, saying, 'These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God.  The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear'"  (Kelly, 42).

Shortly afterwards, Joseph and Martin prayed fervently together and beheld the vision.  When they returned to the house it was about 3:00 in the afternoon.  Joseph threw himself down by his mother and said, "Father, mother, you do not know how happy I am: the Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself.  They have seen an angel, who has testified to them, and they will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said, for now they know for themselves, that I do not go about to deceive the people, and I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear, and it rejoices my soul, that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world" (Kelly, 44).

A day or two later, eight more witnesses were permitted to see and touch the plates, but without an angel.  The testimonies of all 11 of these witnesses are recorded in the very front of the Book of Mormon.   

Doctrine & Covenants 2; Joseph Smith--History 1:27-65

AFTER THE FIRST VISION

After Joseph Smith saw his initial heavenly vision of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and hosts of angels, he knew that God knew him, that his sins were forgiven, and that he should not join any of the churches available to him on the earth. He learned "many other things" which he didn't relate in his tellings of the vision. Later that day, he told his mother that he had learned that the Presbyterian church, which she and some of his siblings had joined, did not contain the true gospel. It doesn't appear that he told her any more than this.

A few days later, he took the opportunity to relate the vision to a Methodist preacher, a person he assumed to be a man of God. This preacher berated him and told him the vision was devillish because God didn't give man visions anymore. Rather than helping Joseph to understand what had happened (which is clearly why Joseph told him the story), he belitted him and spread the story and soon everyone in the area knew that a boy named Joseph Smith had reported a heavenly vision and most of them were bristling with rage (Joseph Smith--History 1:20-22). From what has been reported by Joseph Smith (see previous post) and by others, there was no indication that he planned to start a new religion at this point. He was just a teenage boy, telling his personal spiritual experience. It is remarkable that the response of the community was so violent.

AN "AT-RISK" YOUTH

What happened to Joseph Smith over the next three years? He was from a poor family, new to the area. He had to work long hours. He was ostracized by the church-goers and the well-to-do. The ministers derided him. The "good" kids didn't associate with him. Besides his siblings, only the non-religious youth would accept him. He reports,

"Being of very tender years, and persecuted by those who ought to have been my friends and to have treated me kindly, and if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me—I was left to all kinds of temptations; and, mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell into many foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God. God. In making this confession, no one need suppose me guilty of any great or malignant sins. A disposition to commit such was never in my nature. But I was guilty of levity, and sometimes associated with jovial company, etc., not consistent with that character which ought to be maintained by one who was called of God as I had been. But this will not seem very strange to any one who recollects my youth, and is acquainted with my native cheery temperament" (JS-H 1:28).

THE MENTORING OF JOSEPH SMITH

Eventually, Joseph decided he needed to right himself with God. He still had no idea he would be starting a church. He just wanted forgiveness and a personal connection with Diety. 

"I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him..." (JS-H 1:29).

In response to his prayer, he had series of four angellic visitations over the next 12 hours that showed him there would be much more for him to do. The visions were all fundamentally the same. With the absence of paper and writing utensil, the method of instruction had to be repetitive, so that Joseph could commit it to memory.

God reveals His will "line upon line, precept upon precept" (Isaiah 28:10). Over the next seven years, Joseph was granted many more visions. For more detail on these visions, please read "Moroni's Message to Joseph Smith." 

Through these tutoring experiences, Joseph reported to learn about the following concepts important to the Restoration of the original Church of Jesus Christ and to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ:

1. Apostasy and scattering

2. The calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith

3. The opening of the heavens during the Restoration

4. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon

5. The restoration of the priesthood and of the sealing keys

6. The gathering of the elect

7. Destruction and purification prior to and during the Second Coming

8. Deliverance for the faithful

9. The Second Coming

10. The premillennial and millennial state of the faithful

Ten years after the First Vision, Joseph Smith finally had the knowledge, the maturity, the resources, the scripture, the financial backing, and enough believers to legally start a new American religion, the restored church of Jesus Christ. But it took ten years of growth with seven years of mentoring.

THE PROMISES HAVE BEEN PLANTED

In that first set of four visions, Joseph Smith was quoted Malachi 4:4-6 differently than it appears in the King James Version of the Bible. 

"Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord...And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming."

The angel's version omits the phrase, "He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children," and adds, "He shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers." Those promises are contained in the Abrahamic Covenant. If this Covenant is not fulfilled by the turning of the children to it, the earth is wasted. The promises have been planted in the children by Elijah. It is now up to the children to accept the gospel and follow the covenant path. And it is up to us to help.

My grandson and son-in-law

OUR "AT-RISK" YOUTH

Like Joseph Smith, our youth today are "at risk." The forces of evil, the secularization of society, the downward pull of the fallen world, the philosophies of the present day, the pressure exerted by their peers--all of these combine to make it harder for the hearts of the children to turn to the New and Everlasting Covenant and nurture that promise planted in their hearts to its full maturity. They need mentors.

The Lord places individuals within our sphere of influence who have that promise planted in their hearts.  When they are actually members of our family, it gives us the distinct advantage of being able to do missionary work long-term, without deadlines. In Joseph Smith's case, his parents and older siblings were the only mentors who believed him for those first three years after the vision. 

Elder Robert D. Hales said, 

"It is impossible to overestimate the influence of parents who understand the hearts of their children. Research shows that during the most important transitions of life—including those periods when youth are most likely to drift away from the Church—the greatest influence does not come from an interview with the bishop or some other leader but from the regular, warm, friendly, caring interaction with parents...

"It is our imperative duty to help youth understand and believe the gospel in a deeply personal way. We can teach them to walk in the light, but that light cannot be borrowed."

“The greatest missionary work we will ever do will be in our homes. Our homes, quorums, and classes are part of the mission field. Our children and grandchildren are our most important investigators…

 “The greatest rescue, the greatest activation will be in our homes. If someone in your family is wandering in strange paths, you are a rescuer, engaged in the greatest rescue effort the Church has ever known. I testify from personal experience: There is no failure except in giving up. It is never too early or too late to begin. Do not worry about what has happened in the past. Pick up the phone. Write a note. Make a visit. Extend the invitation to come home. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed. Your child is Heavenly Father’s child. You are about His work. He has promised to gather His children, and He is with you.

“The greatest faith we have will be within our homes as we remain strong in the trials and tribulations of parenthood. To a small group of mothers, President Monson recently said, ‘Sometimes we are too quick to judge the effect of our successes and failures.’ May I add, don’t look at today’s trials as eternal. Heavenly Father does His work in the long term. ‘There is much which lieth in futurity,’ the Prophet Joseph Smith said. ‘Therefore, . . . let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed’ (D&C 123:15, 17)"(Elder, Robert D. Hales, “Our Duty to God: The Mission of Parents and Leaders to the Rising Generation,” April 2010 General Conference)

BE OF GOOD CHEER

All throughout the scriptures, and in the most unlikely situations therein, we find the commandment to “be of good cheer.”  We must obey this commandment if we want to help our family members.  If our children see that we are sad, why would they want to be like us?  If our children can detect that they make us feel like failures, how can we encourage them?  It is unfair and incorrect to place the responsibility for our happiness on our children or anyone else.  They are busy enough trying to figure out their own happiness.  The best thing we can do is show by example how the gospel makes us happy, independent of what anyone (themselves included) does, because it gives us hope.  Do not exercise faith in failure by focusing on the negative or becoming distraught by problems.  Remember they are all temporary conditions, brought on by our fallen world. Christ has overcome the world.  

Remember:

There is a bright side to everything.  

If not, polish one of them up.

Our number one responsibility in all of our relationships in life is always the same: to love! Christ gave it as the great commandment.  I love this quote from the author Sue Monk Kidd:  

“That’s the only purpose grand enough for a human life.  

Not only to love, but to persist in love.” 

“What thank have ye if ye love those” who are obedient, sweet, kind, easy to love…?  There are marvelous skills to be developed through the close-up opportunity of loving the unique, imperfect individuals in our families and ward who may be a little prickly. Terrance Olsen, a family life teacher and counselor says, 

“When we are compassionate with our rebellious children,

 their conscience convicts them.  

When we are hostile, it justifies them.” 

D&C 121 teaches us that no power or influence CAN be maintained except by love.

But sometimes parents cannot reach their own children. 

RESCUING OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN

When I was a young mother, my husband and I were braving an airline trip with two tiny boys.  We were making our way through the Atlanta airport. I had the 1-year-old in a stroller, and the 3-year-old on a telephone-cord-style leash. One end was fastened around his wrist, and the other was fastened onto the stroller so I could have a free hand for baggage.  We saw the signs about not taking strollers on escalators, but we couldn’t find the elevator, so we got on. My husband got on first.  As I pushed the stroller onto the escalator, and held onto the handles to keep it steady, the 3-year-old panicked and refused to get on! I had forgotten he was unfamiliar with escalators! Before I could grab his hand, I was heading down the huge and steep escalator with the stroller, further and further away from my little boy, while the long, springy leash got tighter and tighter. Two women got on between me and my little boy and stared at the tightening leash as I cried out to my child to get on the escalator. I didn’t dare let go of the stroller. I couldn’t get the leash unfastened. I was absolutely panicked.

From the opposite side of the lobby, a young father saw what was happening. I will never forget how, without hesitation, he sprinted at top speed across the lobby, picked up my toddler, and ran down the escalator, shoving past the two gawking women to return my child to me. He ran as if it were his own child.  He sat there on the escalator steps with his elbow crooked around my little man, panting and heaving.  He didn’t point out how we should have known better than to take a stroller on an escalator. He helped my boy off the escalator, caught his breath, and turned around to go back up again.

Many times in their lives, parents will find themselves in metaphorically similar situations--the gap widening between them and their child--and they will feel their hands tied. When other people's children are at risk, we have the obligation to rescue.

WAYS TO ENCOURAGE SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN YOUTH

As parents:

Stay close to the Spirit. First of all, be extremely sensitive to your personal level of spirituality in any moment.  Don’t lose the Spirit by being reactive, defensive, judgmental, or getting angry.  Use your knowledge and spirituality to raise theirs, not to increase the gap between you.

Pray specifically.  Seek the spirit so you can pray specific prayers that will be answered to help them take miniscule but forward steps.

Elevate their spirituality. Reading the scriptures isn't the only way to feel the Spirit. Playing games and laughing together can elevate the spirit. Reminiscing about loved relatives can teach gospel principles in a non-confrontational way. Sharing family history with our youth can give them a sense of belonging and identity. Do activities that have the highest level of spirituality they can tolerate.

Form links.  Look for ways to form links between yourself and them. Make their interests yours. If they eat vegan, make some really great vegan recipes. If there is a vacation spot they are interested in, go there together. If they have a favorite treat keep it around. Text them. Do things they love to do.

Teach through environment.  Put up scriptures and great quotes in your home.  Youth can read them without having to interact about them, and they will likely absorb them bit by bit.  Both my oldest child and my youngest child (16 years apart) when asked for their favorite scriptures, repeated word-for-word a scripture which I had on display in the home, although we had never specifically focused on them.  Use pictures, books, movies, and laughter to create an uplifting environment in your home.

As ward mentors:

Know them.  Do you know the name of every young man and young woman in the ward?  Do you stop to talk with them?  Or do you consider it to only be the duty of their leaders?  I would like to challenge you to learn every name, and which parents they belong to, and then use those names to interact with them.

Mentor them.  In one ward, Melchizedek priesthood members are actually assigned to mentor specific Aaronic priesthood members. They are also assigned to learn all the names of all the youth in the ward. We don’t have to wait for the ward to make assignments, though. We can assign ourselves to the youth. 

Encourage them.  Kids often have feelings of being put down, criticized, feeling inadequate at school and among their peers.  We must make church and home a safe haven, a place where they feel loved and valued. Make sure they feel better when they are around you.  Bring attention to what they are doing right.  Express confidence that they can achieve their goals.

Fear not.  Remember “there is no fear in love.”  If you are afraid of them, you cannot love them.  

President Uchtdorf said, “I hope that we welcome and love all of God’s children, including those who might dress, look, speak, or just do things differently. It is not good to make others feel as though they are deficient. Let us lift those around us. Let us extend a welcoming hand….

“We know from modern revelation that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”⁴ We cannot gauge the worth of another soul any more than we can measure the span of the universe. Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father. Once we understand that, we can begin to understand how we should treat our fellowmen.

“One woman who had been through years of trial and sorrow said through her tears, “I have come to realize that I am like an old 20-dollar bill—crumpled, torn, dirty, abused, and scarred. But…I am still worth the full 20 dollars.”

“With this in mind, let our hearts and hands be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path. As disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master, we are called to support and heal rather than condemn.” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “You Are My Hands,” April 2010 Conference)

Practice greeting everyone you meet straight-on with eye contact and a smile, particularly if they have an appearance that makes you uncomfortable. Remind yourself it is another chance to practice seeing the child of God in every individual, another chance to prove that religious people are not hypocrites, another chance to let them feel the influence of the Spirit (which will be with you if you are filled with love). Shocking apparel is frequently a cover-up for a low self-image. Remember that everyone you meet is a child of God, and everyone in your family and ward is of the House of Israel, the “believing blood,” with the promises of the Father planted in their hearts.