Sometimes even when we’re doing the right things, life gets hard. Joseph and Oliver, with support from Emma and Joseph’s brother Samuel, were managing to push the Book of Mormon translation process along at a breathtaking rate. But growing opposition from Emma’s family and others in their Harmony, Pennsylvania, neighborhood made it necessary for Joseph, Emma, and Oliver to move in the middle of the work.
Oliver had a friend, David Whitmer, whom he had been writing about the plates and translation. Through a series of events described in the section introduction links below, the Smiths and Oliver moved to Fayette, New York, where they joined David at his parents’ home with their family. In this peaceful setting, the Prophet and his scribes were eventually able to complete the Book of Mormon translation and obtain the witnesses for it prophesied in the record. These events provide the background for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson, Doctrine and Covenants 14‒17.
For further background, read Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, chapter 7, especially pages 68 to 71, and Richard Lloyd Anderson’s Ensign article on the Whitmer family. To understand how far the Smiths and Oliver had to travel, compare and scroll out on these maps of Harmony and Fayette. To see the Whitmer farm in Fayette where sections 14 through 17 were received, click here and here. For an article about various witnesses to the Book of Mormon, go here.
Doctrine and Covenants 14
For an introduction to this section, see the Joseph Smith Papers at this link.
For a short biography of David Whitmer, the recipient of this revelation, and numerous links to other sources about him, click here. For a longer biography of David from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, click here.
Doctrine and Covenants 15
For an introduction to this section, see the Joseph Smith Papers at this link.
For a biography of John Whitmer, the recipient of this revelation, and numerous links to other sources about him, click here. For more information, read Brian Reeve’s article “The Book of John Whitmer.”
Doctrine and Covenants 16
The historical background for this revelation is the same as for Doctrine and Covenants 15.
For a biography of Peter Whitmer Jr., the recipient of this revelation, and numerous links to other sources about him, click here.
Doctrine and Covenants 17
For an introduction to this section, see the Joseph Smith Papers at this link.
For information the Three Witnesses—Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris—who were the recipients of this revelation, click here and here. For portraits of the Three Witnesses, go here.
Additional Resources for Adults
Book of Mormon Central offers an overview of this week’s study assignment, together with videos and commentary on each Doctrine and Covenants section.
BYU Studies Quarterly provides links to past articles published in the journal that relate to this week’s lesson.
Keith Perkins’s February 1989 Ensign article on the Whitmer family titled “True to the Book of Mormon” is worth reading.
LDS Scripture Teachings has information on the Whitmer family members who are the recipients of the revelations in this week’s lesson.
Additional Resources for Children
The Church provides a video and pictures for children about the Book of Mormon witnesses in chapter 7 of its Doctrine and Covenants Stories.
The Living Scriptures also offers an animated video of this week’s lesson that may be helpful in teaching children.
(Photo credit for image at top of post: Detail from photo of Whitmer Farm, Fayette, New York, taken by George Edward Anderson, 1907, public domain, copied from https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/whitmer-farm-1907, [accessed Feb. 13, 2021].)
