Doctrine and Covenants 14-17 - Stand as a Witness

Doctrine and Covenants 14-17 all takes place in June 1829, when Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and Emma Smith have moved in with the Whitmer family.

I taught adult Sunday School, and two of the participants in class talked about visiting the Whitmer home and being a little surprised to see the reality of how small it was to be housing extra guests. This reminder brings home some of the great sacrifices that the Whitmer family made because they believed that what Joseph Smith was doing was the work of the Lord. Keep in mind that there were three Whitmer sons, a Whitmer daughter, and the parents living in the home at the time, and then Joseph, Oliver, and Emma joined them. This was notably a great strain on Mary Whitmer, the mother, as it increased her workload when she already had quite a lot to do. They also of course, now had extra mouths to feed.

There are so many excellent sources about this time in history that I don't want to re-tell something that can be told elsewhere. Here are a few relevant points for today, and then I will recommend some places for great additional insight.

Mini-summary of background to Doctrine and Covenants 14-17

• Joseph Smith was translating the scriptures, with Oliver Cowdery as scribe, in Harmony, Pennsylvania (with some financial backing from Joseph Knight, Sr.) 
• The locals in Harmony had become hostile and Oliver and Joseph were concerned about their safety. 
• Oliver Cowdery wrote to David Whitmer to ask if he, Joseph, and Emma could move in with them. Oliver asked his father for permission, and after a miracle where the field had been plowed overnight (angels), Peter Whitmer, Sr. said yes, and willingly met with and brought them into their home.
• As Joseph and Oliver were translating the scriptures, some of the Whitmers express concern about what they should be doing, and Joseph, praying on their behalf, received individual revelation fro David Whitmer, John Whitmer, and Peter Whitmer, Jr.

There's so much more between the lines here but the point is the great faith of the Whitmer family, and that with all they were already doing to advance the work of the Lord, that they still wanted to know what else they could. Just as the Lord had replied to Joseph Knight Senior in Doctrine and Covenant 12, he did the same for David Whitmer (D&C14), John Whitmer (D&C14), and Peter Whitmer, Jr. (D&C 16). 

(Click to zoom in/expand)

I think it's meaningful that the Lord responded to these Whitmers separately as every individual is of great worth, but it's also important because the Lord, throughout the scriptures, has emphasized important things through repetition. So, what kind of things does he repeat? He tells all of them the importance of missionary work and bringing souls unto him. The Lord repeatedly reminds us, 

"For behold the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he my treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God." (Doctrine and Covenants 14:3 ... but similar scriptures in D&C 4, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16). 

Behold the Field is White Already to Harvest
I found a little visual lesson in the April 2015 New Era Magazine called, "Thrust in Your Sickle." It talks about how a sickle is a tool, sharp, common, and personal, and what those qualities mean. I am sharing it as I feel like it's a great visual took for a conversation with your family. I talks about how we have many tools, like social media, to open our mouths. One of the reminders is that a sickle is sharp. Elder Kevin R. Duncan, quoted in this visual, talks about how, "we kept a file on hand to sharpen our sickle every day. In missionary work and indeed in all areas of life, we need to keep our spiritual sickles sharp so that we can achieve our own best potential."  (This quote was from his article, "Abandoned Seeds in Rocky Places," New Era, July 14, 18).

Witnesses
Several of these men became witnesses to the gold plates. This is significant because the Lord has said repeatedly throughout the scriptures that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." (Doctrine and Covenants 6:28). 

Dallin H. Oaks said, 

Witnesses and witnessing are vital in God’s plan for the salvation of His children. In the Godhead, the function of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness of the Father and the Son (see 2 Ne. 31:18). The Father has borne witness of the Son (see Matt. 3:17; Matt. 17:5; John 5:31–39), and the Son has borne witness of the Father (see John 17). The Lord has commanded His servants to testify of Him (see Isa. 43:10; Mosiah 18:9; D&C 84:62), and all of the prophets have borne witness of Jesus Christ (see Acts 10:43; Rev. 19:10). ("The Witness: Martin Harris," Dallin H. Oaks, May 1999)

So how do we remain true to what we know? I'd like to share some quotes from church leaders over the years.

Ezra Taft Benson on sharing our witness of the Book of Mormon said:

“The Book of Mormon is the instrument that God designed to ‘sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out [His] elect.’ (Moses 7:62.) This sacred volume of scripture needs to become more central in our preaching, our teaching, and our missionary work.

“… In this age of the electronic media and the mass distribution of the printed word, God will hold us accountable if we do not now move the Book of Mormon in a monumental way.

“We have the Book of Mormon, we have the members, we have the missionaries, we have the resources, and the world has the need. The time is now!

“My beloved brothers and sisters, we hardly fathom the power of the Book of Mormon, nor the divine role it must play, nor the extent to which it must be moved” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 143–44). (Quote from the Come Follow Me Sunday School manual.)

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, in talking about Daniel being taken captive to Babylon to learn their ways, while still faithfully holding on to the God that he had been taught about and knew to be true, said:

Many of you know how it feels to defend an unpopular truth. In the Internet slang of today, we talk about getting “flamed” by those who disagree with us. But Daniel wasn’t just risking public ridicule. In Babylon, those who challenged the religious authorities understood what it means—figuratively and literally—to be “flamed.” Just ask Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.²

In the same talk he also said: 

Because of our belief, we will never hunger, never thirst.¹³ The gifts of God’s grace will enable us to be true to our faith and will fill our soul like “a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”¹⁴ We will experience true and lasting joy.¹⁵

("Be Not Afraid, Only Believe," Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2015 General Conference)

Gordon B. Hinckley reminds us 

I wish that every member of this church would put those words where he might see them every morning as he begins his day. They would give us the courage to speak up, they would give us the faith to try, they would strengthen our conviction of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that more miracles would happen over the earth.

        ("Be Not Afraid, Only Believe," Gordon B. Hinckley, First Presidency Message, February 1996) 

Sources I recommend for additional study:

The Knight and Whitmer families (This one was linked from the Come Follow Me manual)

Map showing where Joseph Knight Sr. lived in context to where Joseph Smith was translating scriptures in Harmony.

Details about the Knight family from BYU (writer William G. Hartley)

An Ensign article about how the Whitmers nourished the church.

Another Ensign article about how the Whitmers were true to the Book of Mormon

Excerpt from Saints Volume 1