Lesson 9: Witnesses See the Gold Plates

“Lesson 9: Witnesses See the Gold Plates,” Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997),42

To help the children desire to be

witnesses of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

Purpose

The golden plates lay hidden Deep in the mountainside; Until God found one faithful, In whom he could confide,A record made by Nephi,Written in days of old; Now, in the Book of Mormon, The story is retold.Words: Rose Thomas Graham, 1875-1967, Music: J. Spencer Cornwall, 1888-1983.

The Golden Plates

(Enter Name Here)

OUR OPENING PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN BY

I have something special in this container.

Does everyone believe me?I’d like to have some of you come up and look in the container.

This makes you a witness of what I brought to class today.

Attention Activity

For the witnesses that looked in the container, do you believe that I have something special with me today?

It’s easier to believe what you can’t see, when more than one person can testify of it’s existence.

Attention Activity

When Joseph Smith started to translate the gold plates, he was the only person who had actually seen the gold plates.

Attention Activity

Let’s read 2 Nephi 27:12 12 Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that athree bwitnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein.Attention Activity

What did Heavenly Father promise he would do when the Book of Mormon came forth?

Heavenly Father promised to allow witnesses to see the gold plates so that these witnesses could tell other people that the plates did exist.

Attention Activity

Lesson 9: Witnesses See the Gold Plates

“Lesson 9: Witnesses See the Gold Plates,” Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997),42

Go to the VideoGo to the SlidesDiscussion Time

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery finished translating the Book of Mormon.

Jesus wanted people to read the book.

He also wanted them to know that Joseph had told the truth about the gold plates.

Witnesses See the Gold Plates

Jesus chose three other men to see the gold plates and be witnesses that they were real.

These men were Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer.

Joseph took the three witnesses into the woods, where they prayed.

An angel came and showed them the gold plates.

Jesus told the three witnesses to tell people what they had seen.

Joseph Smith was very happy.

The three witnesses would tell people about the gold plates, and more people would believe that Joseph had told the truth.

Jesus told Joseph to show the plates to eight more witnesses.

The eight men held the gold plates in their hands and saw the writing on the plates.

All the witnesses wrote about the gold plates.

They said they had seen the plates, and they testified that the plates were real.

The words of the witnesses are in the Book of Mormon.

After Joseph Smith had translated the plates and the witnesses had seen them, Joseph did not need them any longer.

The angel Moroni appeared, and Joseph gave the gold plates back to him.

After Joseph finished translating the Book of Mormon, he took it to a printer.

Joseph did not have money to pay the printer

Martin Harris had enough money, and in a revelation he was asked to share it to pay the printer.

Satan did not want the Book of Mormon to be printed.

He did not want people to read it. Wicked men tried to stop the printer.

One man went to the printing shop on Sundays and stole some pages of the Book of Mormon.

He printed the pages in a newspaper until other men made him stop stealing them.

The people who tried to stop the printing did not succeed because those who are wicked cannot stop Jesus’ work.

After many months, the printing of the Book of Mormon was completed.

Discussion Time

What were Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris told to do in order to be witnesses of the gold plates? The Lord revealed that if these three men were humble, they would be allowed to be the three witnesses (see D&C 17).

What happened when Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris went into the woods to pray about being witnesses?

They knelt in prayer and each took a turn praying, but they received no answer.

They each prayed again, but still there was no answer.

Martin Harris felt that they were not receiving an answer because of some things he had done, so he left the group.

The others again knelt in prayer, and soon a light appeared above them and the angel Moroni stood before them.

How were Joseph, Oliver, and David shown the gold plates?

Moroni held the gold plates in his hands and turned the plates one by one so the men could see the engravings on them

What did Joseph Smith do to help Martin Harris?He found Martin praying earnestly and joined him in prayer.

The vision that Joseph, Oliver, and David had seen was repeated for Martin Harris.

The Three Witnesses testified in writing about their experience (see “The Testimony of Three Witnesses

Why do you think Martin was finally allowed to have the same vision as the other two witnesses

What impresses you most about the experience of the Three Witnesses?

What were the Three Witnesses told to do about their experience?

They were told to bear record of what they saw and heard.

Who told them to testify that the gold plates were real?

The voice of the Lord.

Why do you think Joseph Smith was glad to have other people see the gold plates?

He felt as if a big burden had been removed from him because up to now, he was the only one who witnessed the gold plates.

How were the gold plates shown to the Eight Witnesses?

The eight men held the gold plates in their hands and saw the writing on the plates.

How was the experience of the Eight Witnesses different from the experience of the Three Witnesses?

Why was it necessary that witnesses see the gold plates? (Ether 5:4; 2 Nephi 27:12–14.)

How are the testimonies of the witnesses a blessing to us today?

How can you be a witness of the Book of Mormon?

Study it, pray to know that it is true, live its teachings, and tell other people about it.

How many of you read the Book of Mormon at home, by yourselves or with your family?

How can reading the Book of Mormon bless you and your family?

T

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

Joseph Smith’s mother recorded what happened when he returned to the house after the Three Witnesses had been shown the gold plates.

Listen to the following account:

Enrichment Activity 1

“When they [Joseph and the Three Witnesses] returned to the house it was between three and four o’clock p.m. Mrs. Whitmer, Mr. Smith and myself, were sitting in a bedroom at the time.

Enrichment Activity 1

On coming in, Joseph threw himself down beside me, and exclaimed, ‘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 will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said …

Enrichment Activity 1

I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear’ ”

Enrichment Activity 1

Can you think of ways you can be a witness of the Book of Mormon and its teachings.

Can you show us what you could do to be a witness in a particular situation, such as when someone asks you what your church believes or what the Book of Mormon says.

Enrichment Activity 2

The witnesses were not chosen at random but were all men who helped in different ways to bring forth the Book of Mormon.

Listen to the following information about the Three Witnesses.

Enrichment Activity 3

Martin Harris When Joseph Smith was suffering persecution in New York, Martin Harris gave him fifty dollars to help him move to Harmony, Pennsylvania.

Martin also pledged his farm so that the money could be raised to publish the Book of Mormon. Enrichment Activity 3

A portion of his farm had to be sold at auction to pay the printing costs of the Book of Mormon.

He acted as a scribe for Joseph for a short time.

Enrichment Activity 3

Oliver Cowdery Oliver Cowdery was a schoolteacher who heard about Joseph Smith’s vision and the gold plates while he was living with the Smith family.

Enrichment Activity 3

He prayed to find out whether the things he had heard were true, and he received the answer that Joseph was telling the truth.

Enrichment Activity 3

He went to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to meet Joseph, and he became Joseph’s scribe.

Oliver also helped with the publication of the Book of Mormon, setting some of the type by hand himself

Enrichment Activity 3

David Whitmer David Whitmer received letters from his friend, Oliver Cowdery, about Joseph Smith and the translation of the gold plates.

Oliver sent a few lines of the translation and bore his testimony about the records, and David shared these letters with his family. Enrichment Activity 3

As persecution in Harmony got worse, Oliver asked David to let Joseph Smith stay at his home to finish the translation.

David experienced miracles in getting ready to go to Harmony to get Joseph.

Enrichment Activity 3

Listen to the following story;Joseph and Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery lived in the home of Peter and Mary Whitmer, David Whitmer’s parents, for a time during the translation of the Book of Mormon.

Enrichment Activity 4

Much of the extra work of having these guests fell on Mary Whitmer, but she never complained.

One day, as she went to the barn to milk the cows, she met a kindly old man, who was actually the angel Moroni, who had the plates at that time.

Enrichment Activity 4

Moroni 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.”

Then he showed her the gold plates.

Enrichment Activity 4

This experience strengthened the whole Whitmer family.

Enrichment Activity 4

I want to bear my testimony that the Book of Mormon is true.

I want to express my gratitude that you can be a witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

I want to encourage you to bear your testimonies of the Book of Mormon to your families.

TESTIMONY

(ENTER NAME HERE)

OUR CLOSING PRAYER WILL BE

GIVEN BY

THE END

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This presentation is intended to supplement, not replace, the lesson manual and scriptures.

Teachers should refer to the manual, scriptures and other resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.

Ether 5:4

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4 And in the mouth of three awitnesses shall these things be established; and the btestimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record—and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day.

2 Nephi 27:12–14

12 Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that athree bwitnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein.

2 Nephi 27:12–14

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13 And there is anone other which shall view it, save it be a few according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men; for the Lord God hath said that the words of the faithful should speak as if it were bfrom the dead.

 14 Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him good will he establish his word; and wo be unto him that arejecteth the word of God!

D&C 17

1 Behold, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a aview of the bplates, and also of the cbreastplate, the dsword of Laban, the eUrim and Thummim, which were given to the fbrother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord gface to face, and the hmiraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the iRed Sea.

D&C 17

 2 And it is by your faith that you shall obtain a view of them, even by that faith which was had by the prophets of old.

 3 And after that you have obtained faith, and have seen them with your eyes, you shall atestify of them, by the power of God;

 4 And this you shall do that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., may not be destroyed, that I may bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men in this work.

D&C 17

5 And ye shall testify that you have seen them, even as my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., has seen them; for it is by my power that he has seen them, and it is because he had faith.

 6 And he has translated the abook, even that bpart which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true.

 7 Wherefore, you have received the same power, and the same faith, and the same gift like unto him;

D&C 17

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 8 And if you do these last acommandments of mine, which I have given you, the bgates of hell shall not prevail against you; for my cgrace is sufficient for you, and you shall be dlifted up at the last day.

 9 And I, Jesus Christ, your aLord and your God, have spoken it unto you, that I might bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men. Amen.

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