Witnesses of the Book of Mormon
Taught by Jennifer Lassiter
Jennifer
started her lesson by asking the sisters this question. “What is a witness”? Some
of the sister’s responses were: “someone that can testify”; “one who has personal
knowledge of something”; “having faith”; “having a testimony.
Jennifer then asked who the three witnesses
were that helped Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon. The ladies
responded: Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmore.
Joseph Fielding Smith stated; “It seems to me that any
member of this Church would never be satisfied until he or she had read the
Book of Mormon time and time again and thoroughly considered it so that he or
she could bear witness that it is in very deed a record with the inspiration of
the Almighty upon it.”
President Joseph Fielding Smith served as the Church
Historian and Recorder from March 1921 to February 1970. In this position, he
was instrumental in procuring original documents of historical significance to
the Church. One of these documents was a handwritten testimony signed by David
Whitmer, one of the three special witnesses of the Book of Mormon. President
Smith was also privileged to handle a handwritten testimony of Oliver Cowdery,
another of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. After copying these two
documents by hand, President Smith read them in at least two public
discourses—once in March 1939 and again in the October 1956 general conference
of the Church.
All three [special] witnesses became estranged and
left the Church. Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris came back humbly seeking
membership in the Church and both died in full fellowship. David Whitmer
remained out of the Church; however, all three of these men remained faithful
to the testimony they gave to the world which is found in each copy of the Book
of Mormon.
This is a testimony of David Whitmer, given in
Richmond, Missouri, March 19, 1881—copied from the original document, which was
published in the Richmond Conservator on that date.
“Unto all nations, kindred’s, tongues and people unto
whom these presence shall come—
“It having been represented by one John Murphy of Polo
[Caldwell County], Missouri, that I had in a conversation with him last summer,
denied my testimony as one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon—
“To the end thereof, that he may understand me now if
he did not then, and that the world may know the truth, I wish now, standing as
it were, in the very sunset of life, and in the fear of God, once for all to
make this public statement:
“That I have never at any time, denied that testimony
or any part thereof, which has so long since been published with that book, as
one of the three witnesses.
“Those who know me best, will know that I have always
adhered to that testimony—And that no man may be misled or doubt my present
views in regard to the same, I do now again affirm the truth of all my
statements as then made and published.”
Now let me say something about Martin Harris. … While
continuing true to his testimony of the Book of Mormon he was for many years
disgruntled with the Church. But sometime after the saints came to Utah some of
our good brethren went after him, found him and warmed him up, and brought him
back. He came out here [to Utah], was re-baptized, and lived here for a number
of years, bearing witness of his testimony among the settlements. He died here
and was buried.
Now we come to Oliver Cowdery. What about Oliver
Cowdery, the most important of the three, who was with Joseph Smith so many
times at the appearing of angels and the restoration of keys? What about him?
He left the Church and became extremely bitter, but never denied the testimony.
Some people have said he did, but he did not. Always he was true to that
testimony. …
… After the saints were driven from Nauvoo and were
out on the plains and everything looked the darkest (Sidney Rigdon said they
had gone to their destruction and there was no hope for them, and the
newspapers said they could not survive!), under those conditions, Oliver
Cowdery … asked to come back to the Church. … He was received back, and was
preparing to take a mission to Great Britain when he was taken ill and died. He
died at the home of David Whitmer, bearing testimony to the truth.
Jennifer continued all three men fell away from the
church, but never denied their testimonies. We all have flaws and make
mistakes. We sometimes make the same mistake over and over and continue to ask
our Heavenly father for forgiveness. What can we do when the whirl winds of
life get too strong that we may wonder of the path?
Keep saying our
prayers. Reading our scriptures and church magazines. Attending the temple.
Serve others and don’t focus on your problems. We continue to gain knowledge
when we do these things and have a countenance about us.
We all need to ask ourselves; “how can we be the best
witnesses of the Book of Mormon”? What can we do, to improve our knowledge of,
and then bear witness of this word of God?
