The world was not left with Joseph Smith’s testimony alone
WHAT’S NEW?
Insights Episode 16: Why Witnesses?
Episode 1 ⎜ Episode 2 ⎜ Episode 3 ⎜ Episode 4 ⎜ Episode 5 ⎜ Episode 6 ⎜ Episode 7 ⎜ Episode 8 ⎜ Episode 9 ⎜ Episode 10 ⎜ Episode 11 ⎜ Episode 12 ⎜ Episode 13 ⎜ Episode 14 ⎜ Episode 15 ⎜...
Insights Episode 15: Are Prophets Perfect?
Episode 1 ⎜ Episode 2 ⎜ Episode 3 ⎜ Episode 4 ⎜ Episode 5 ⎜ Episode 6 ⎜ Episode 7 ⎜ Episode 8 ⎜ Episode 9 ⎜ Episode 10 ⎜ Episode 11 ⎜ Episode 12 ⎜ Episode 13 ⎜ Episode 14 ⎜ Episode 15 ⎜...
Insights Episode 14: Plural Marriage – Part 2
Episode 1 ⎜ Episode 2 ⎜ Episode 3 ⎜ Episode 4 ⎜ Episode 5 ⎜ Episode 6 ⎜ Episode 7 ⎜ Episode 8 ⎜ Episode 9 ⎜ Episode 10 ⎜ Episode 11 ⎜ Episode 12 ⎜ Episode 13 ⎜ Episode 14 ⎜ Episode 15 ⎜...
Insights Episode 13: Plural Marriage – Part 1
Episode 1 ⎜ Episode 2 ⎜ Episode 3 ⎜ Episode 4 ⎜ Episode 5 ⎜ Episode 6 ⎜ Episode 7 ⎜ Episode 8 ⎜ Episode 9 ⎜ Episode 10 ⎜ Episode 11 ⎜ Episode 12 ⎜ Episode 13 ⎜ Episode 14 ⎜ Episode 15 ⎜...
Insights Episode 12: Who were the Danites?
Episode 1 ⎜ Episode 2 ⎜ Episode 3 ⎜ Episode 4 ⎜ Episode 5 ⎜ Episode 6 ⎜ Episode 7 ⎜ Episode 8 ⎜ Episode 9 ⎜ Episode 10 ⎜ Episode 11 ⎜ Episode 12 ⎜ Episode 13 ⎜ Episode 14 ⎜ Episode 15 ⎜...
Snapshot 19: The Witnesses are Credible
“And no man can look at David Whitmer’s face for a half-hour, while he charit[abl]y and modestly speaks of what he has seen, and then boldly and earnestly confesses the faith that is in him, and say that he is a bigot or an enthusiast.” David Whitmer, interview with...
Snapshot 18: The Most Profound Experience
“Skeptics may laugh and scoff if they will, but no man can listen to Mr. Whitmer as he talks of his interview with the Angel of the Lord, without being most forcibly convinced that he has heard an honest man tell what he honestly believes to be true.” Richmond...
Insights Episode 11: What were the Voree Plates?
Episode 1 ⎜ Episode 2 ⎜ Episode 3 ⎜ Episode 4 ⎜ Episode 5 ⎜ Episode 6 ⎜ Episode 7 ⎜ Episode 8 ⎜ Episode 9 ⎜ Episode 10 ⎜ Episode 11 ⎜ Episode 12 ⎜ Episode 13 ⎜ Episode 14 ⎜ Episode 15 ⎜...
Snapshot 17: David Whitmer: Boringly Consistent
“During our interview, Mr. Whitmer reiterated his testimony as given at the beginning of the Book of Mormon, saying that all he testified to there was true; that he had seen the plates and the Heavenly messenger, as he had stated.” David Whitmer, Interview with Edwin...
Snapshot 16: Martin Harris Returns
“After they [David Whitmer, Joseph, and Oliver] had been visited by the angel the Prophet then came over to me where I was praying, and I asked the prophet to pray with me…after praying sometime the angel appeared with the golden plates and I saw with these two eyes...
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WITNESSES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON — INSIGHTS
Providing even greater depth into the many insightful interviews during the course of the Witnesses film project, the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon — Insights series of mini-films are hosted by Camrey Bagley Fox, who played Emma Smith in Witnesses, as she introduces and visits with a variety of experts. These individuals answer questions or address accusations against the witnesses, also helping viewers understand the context of the times in which the witnesses lived.
Video posts, with audio recordings and transcripts are available here.
A playlist is available on the The Interpreter Foundation YouTube channel here.
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Explore the history of the Three Witnesses as well as other witnesses of the Book of Mormon here, and then leave your own witness of the Book of Mormon!
The Three Witnesses
“The testimonies of the three witnesses is the closest we come to rational evidence for Latter-day Saint belief. Three men attest to a sensory encounter with the gold plates and a divine being. In an age of skepticism, when all religious belief is under attack, their statement becomes more relevant every day.”
— Richard L. Bushman, Ph.D., Gouverneur Morris Professor of History Emeritus at Columbia University; former Howard W. Hunter Visiting Professor in Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University; former president of the Mormon History Association, author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling.
Oliver Cowdery
David Whitmer
(January 7, 1805 – January 25, 1888) Farmer, livery keeper, city councilman, and mayor. Arranged for the completion of the translation of the Book of Mormon in his father’s home. Among six original members of the Church. Appointed president of the Church in Missouri. For a short time, he was the designated successor to Joseph Smith. Helped to select the first members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation.
Martin Harris
(May 18, 1783 – July 10, 1875) Farmer, weaver, sheep raiser, and veteran of the War of 1812. Scribe for the lost portion of the Book of Mormon. Paid the printing costs for the publication of the Book of Mormon through the sale of 151 acres of his farm. A member of the first Church High Council. Helped to select the first members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation.
The Eight Witnesses
“Why are there two sets of official Book of Mormon witnesses? The Three Witnesses had an experience with the divine while the Eight Witnesses had an experience that was more secular in nature. To those who claim the Three Witnesses were caught up in a hallucination brought on by the suggestion of a supernatural encounter, we can turn to the experience of the Eight Witnesses, which contains no hint of a supernatural element. To those who say that Joseph Smith somehow created a fake set of plates that was used to fool the Eight Witnesses, we can consider the angelic visitation reported by the Three Witnesses. The contrast between these two kinds of experiences strengthens the case that Joseph Smith was not just making it all up.”
— Daniel C. Peterson, Ph.D., president of The Interpreter Foundation; professor of Islamic studies and Arabic at Brigham Young University; author of numerous articles on the witnesses of the Book of Mormon
Joseph Smith Sr.
(July 12, 1771 – September 14, 1840) Cooper, farmer, teacher, merchant, and father of Joseph Smith Jr. Attended the first meeting of the School of the Prophets. Member of the Kirtland high council. Ordained patriarch of the Church and assistant president of the Church. Sustained as an assistant counselor in the First Presidency.
Hyrum Smith
(February 9, 1800 – June 27, 1844) Farmer, cooper, city council member, vice mayor, and older brother of Joseph Smith Jr. Among the six original members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Presided over the Colesville, New York branch. Attended the organizational meeting of the School of the Prophets. Member of the committee to supervise the construction of the Kirtland temple.
Samuel H. Smith
(13 March 1808 – 30 July 1844) Farmer, logger, scribe, builder, tavern operator, bishop, alderman, city councilman and younger brother of Joseph Smith Jr. Among the six original members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Attended the organizational meeting of the School of the Prophets. President of the Kirtland high council. Regent of the University of Nauvoo.
Jacob Whitmer
(February 2, 1800 — April 21, 1856) Shoemaker, farmer, son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman and older brother of David Whitmer. Member of the High Council in Missouri. Member of the building committee for the temple at Far West.
John Whitmer
(August 27, 1802 – July 11, 1878) Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor, Church historian, and older brother of David Whitmer. One of the scribes for the translation of the Book of Mormon. An assistant to his brother David Whitmer in the Missouri Church presidency.
Christian Whitmer
(January 18, 1798 – November 27, 1835) Shoemaker. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman and oldest brother of David Whitmer. Ensign in the New York militia and constable of Fayette, New York. Served as one of the Book of Mormon scribes. Served as a high counselor of the Church in Clay County, Missouri.
Peter Whitmer Jr.
(September 27, 1809 – September 22, 1836) Tailor. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman and youngest brother of David Whitmer. Served as one of the Book of Mormon scribes. Among the six original members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Served as a high counselor of the Church in Clay County, Missouri.
Hiram Page
(c. 1800–August 12, 1852) Physician, and farmer. Married Catherine Whitmer, the younger sister of David Whitmer. Claimed to receive revelations for the Church through his personal seer stone but later denounced them in response to a revelation to Joseph Smith (see D&C 28). Helped found Far West, Missouri.
Other Witnesses of the Plates
The Three Witnesses and The Eight Witnesses were not the only ones who saw and/or physically handled the plates.
