Witnesses to the Book of Mormon

In my Joseph Smith and the Restoration class, we have 4 papers to write over the course of the semester. I decided to upload them here because I have found that I have learned so much in writing on these topics.

I don’t personally feel the need for the account of the three witnesses in order to have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I have read it myself and prayed to know if it is truly the word of God. I have received my own witness to its truthfulness and I cannot deny it. But, I do find comfort in the Lord’s statement, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1) similar to the comfort that Joseph Smith felt when his friends were allowed to see the plates and the vision of the angel that accompanied it. It gives me comfort especially as I will soon leave to teach the people of São Paulo, Brazil, to know that I will never be alone when I speak the truth. However, I am also grateful for the 11 witnesses to the Book of Mormon, because they provides a solid foundation when Satan’s doubts start to creep into my mind. We cannot doubt that they saw the plates, they saw the angel Moroni, and they heard the voice of God.

I find it so powerfully persuasive that when it was suggested that David Whitmer had denied his previous witness to the Book of Mormon, he responded with the publication of a pamphlet to make a public statement “that the world may know the truth”. And “in the fear of God” he declared that he has never and could never deny that testimony. For someone to go to that much effort simply to be sure that there is zero misunderstanding of his statements on the matter reveals to me that David Whitmer knew what he saw and heard. That he would fear God’s judgment to come upon him because of a misinterpretation of his words proves Whitmer’s testimony of the sacredness of the book and the importance of the work as viewed by God. David Whitmer knew that his ability to testify of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon was directly related to the promise that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against [him]” (D&C 17: 8).

Professor Harper explains the difference between first-hand and second-hand statements by saying that the latter are hearsay. That is to say that they are unverifiable due to their inconsistency and lack of credibility. Harper explains that their only value comes from their ability to reveal how people of the time felt and thought about the events that occurred. This distinction is important because as people look for answers to their questions concerning the Book of Mormon from many different sources they may get discouraged by the number of accounts that go against the book whether they say the same thing or not. But as we view these sources as hearsay, we can turn to the first-hand accounts and feel the power that they have to declare truth. These are stories of actual people who saw with their own two eyes and felt with their own two hands things that they are now bound to testify of truthfully. 

William McLellin’s testimony seems especially worth considering because he had left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; and therefore, would receive no personal gain for testifying that the Book of Mormon was true. He said what he said because he knew without a doubt that it was true; he couldn’t deny it. He explains that he has yet to find any evidences toward the falseness of the Book of Mormon higher than his own evidences of its truth. It seems to me that a man would be more honest in a personal letter feeling that no one except the intended reader would read his words than any other circumstance. However, this man who had apparently found some reason to be outside of the church, did not use this opportunity to speak anything against it, but rather, to declare its truthfulness with all of the power inside him. Further, if any man had credibility to testify of the Book of Mormon, McLellin did. Not only had he read the book several times thus receiving his own personal witness to its truthfulness by the whisperings of the Holy Spirit, but he also knew personally several of the first-hand witnesses to the plates. He spoke with them and heard their testimony and hasn’t experienced any other statement powerful enough to disclaim their truth.

From reading the testimonies of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon, I have gained my own personal testimony to the wisdom of God. I believe that He gives us all that we need to have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed. He gives us people who know something to be true and He gives us the gift to believe on their words. Although it is up to us to build upon this faith that we may withstand the trials of life, He does not leave us alone in this process. He has provided for us prophets and apostles who continue to testify of Jesus Christ today, the scripture of prophets who testified of the miracles of God in the past, and furthermore, the testimony of these 11 witnesses and others of their time whose testimonies we may lean on until we can say of ourselves that we know these things to be true.