Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 5:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 5:4

"And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony 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."

I had to ponder on the role of witnesses. There are witnesses in every ordinance I could think of. If there isn't a witness then there are at least two people performing the ordinance, which I would think makes them witnesses. With the Book of Mormon the Lord made sure there would be witnesses to the reality of the golden plates. There were three witnesses not only to the golden plates but Moroni actually appeared and showed them to them. They were Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris. We have their testimonies at the beginning of the Book of Mormon. Then there were eight witnesses that saw and handled the golden plates. They were: Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sr., Hyrum Smith and Samuel H. Smith. Their testimony follows the three witnesses testimony in the Book of Mormon.

What joy it must have given Joseph Smith, Jr. to have other witnesses the reality of the golden plates and know that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God. My husband said he got no farther in the Book of Mormon than the testimonies of the witnesses and he already knew the book was true. 

I also had to ponder on my baptism covenant and how I need to stand as a witness. It is found in Mosiah 18:9

"Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witness of God at all times and in all things, and in places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye my have eternal life."

I know that not only do I need to stand as a witness of God to others, but one day I will account for my role. I pray I am found worthy in the end.

Day 398 Tami Fitzgerald Harris