The Savior’s words as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 27: 5 said, “…Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fullness of my everlasting gospel, to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim”.
Sixteen individuals have been identified through documented accounts to have been visited by the angel Moroni. These sixteen accounts are documented in the History of the Church, Volume 1, and in the personal journals of the individual.
Joseph Smith – There are 22 recorded instances of Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith, yet it may safely be presumed that there were more instances then these. After all, Moroni was Joseph’s mentor and teacher. The following are the dates and locations of the recorded visitations of Moroni to the prophet Joseph Smith:
- Sept. 21-22, 1823 – Moroni appeared 3 times in Joseph’s bedroom
- Sept. 22, 1823 – Field outside Joseph’s home
- Sept. 22, 1823 – At the Hill Cumorah
- Sept. 22, 1824 – At the Hill Cumorah
- Sept. 22, 1825 – At the Hill Cumorah
- Sept. 22, 1826 – At the Hill Cumorah
- Sept. Winter 1827 – By the Hill Cumorah
- Sept. 22, 1827 – At the Hill Cumorah
- June 1828 – Hamony, PA
- July 1828 – Harmony, PA
- July 1828 – Harmony, PA
- July 22, 1828 – Harmony, PA
- June 1829 – Harmony, PA
- June 1829 – Between Harmony, PA and the Hill Cumorah
- June 1829 – Fayette, NY
- June 1829 – Fayette, NY
- June 1829 – Fayette, NY
- June 1829 – Fayette, NY
- June 1829 – Manchester, NY
- June 1829 – Manchester, NY
Oliver Cowdery – One of the Three Witnesses, was shone the plates by the angel Moroni near the Whitmer Farm in Fayette, New York.
David Whitmer – One of the Three Witnesses, was shone the plates by the angel Moroni near the Whitmer Farm in Fayette, New York.
Martin Harris – One of the Three Witnesses, was shone the plates by the angel Moroni near the Whitmer Farm in Fayette, New York.
Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer (again) – On their way from Harmony to Fayette, in the company of Joseph Smith, they saw Moroni. The company while riding in a horse drawn wagon came upon an old man walking along the road. David looked to Joseph for instruction and Joseph told David to offer the old man a ride. The old man declined the offer and stated that he was heading to Cumorah. The name Cumorah was not known to David, so he turned to Joseph for an explanation. Suddenly the man disappeared. Joseph identified the old man as Moroni and Joseph told the others that Moroni was safely transporting the plates to the Whitmer Farm and would return the plates to Joseph once they arrived.
Mary Whitmer – When entering the barn early one morning to milk the cows, Mary encountered an old man who identified himself as Moroni. He appeared as a traveling old man, just as described by her son David as the man who he had earlier encountered along the road from Harmony. He testified of the work Joseph was involved with, which was occurring in her home, and “then untied his knapsack and showed her a bundle of plates, which corresponded with the description given by the witnesses of the Book of Mormon”. After showing her the plates, Moroni told Mary “to be patient and faithful in bearing her burden a little longer, promising that if she would do so, she should be blessed; and her reward would be sure, if she proved faithful to the end”.
Hyrum Smith – Hyrum, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer went to the Hill Cumorah with Joseph Smith at the time Joseph returned the plates to the angel Moroni. Moroni met the small group and received the plates from them.
Luke Johnson – While praying, Luke saw in vision the angel Moroni and the plates.
Mrs. Martin Harris (Yes! That Mrs. Martin Harris!) – According to Lucy Smith, one evening Mrs. Harris challenged Joseph and his story of the plates. Mrs. Harris concluded the conversation by saying, “Joseph, I will tell you that if I can get a witness that you speak the truth, I will believe all you say on the matter and I shall want to do something about the translation—I mean to help you in any way.” The next morning she related a dream in which Mornoi appeared to her during the previous night and rebuked her for challenging Joseph’s story of the plates. He then showed her the plates saying, “Behold, here are the plates, look upon them and believe.” She then described what the plates looked like, confirming the truth of her vision. True to her word, Mrs. Martin Harris provided Joseph her inheritance of $28 to help with the work of translation.
Zerah Pulsipher – Zerah was a Protestant minister of a large congregation. Missionaries had taught Zerah about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and provided him with a Book of Mormon. Soon after, while working in his barn one day, Zerah related that “a bright light came over my head which caused me to look up. I thought I saw the angel with the Book of Mormon in his hands in the attitude of showing it to me and saying ‘this is the great revelation of the last days in which all things spoken of by the prophets must be fulfilled’.” Zerah and most of his congregation were baptized. Zerah was a mighty missionary and taught the gospel to Wilford Woodruff, who Zerah baptized in December 1833.
W.W Phelps, John P. Green, and Rhoda Green– While traveling to Far West, Brother Phelps became lost and needed to stay the night out on the prairie. He became hungry and his horse needed water. In the dark, he came upon a loaf of bread, wrapped in a white linen cloth which was held together by six pins. A man then appeared to Brother Phelps and guided him and the horse to water. The man then provided Brother Phelps with directions that would lead him back to Far West. Once in Far West, the prophet Joseph Smith asked Brother Phelps if anything peculiar happened to him on his way. After Brother Phelps related his experience to Joseph and John P. Green, Brother Green explained that an old man had approached his home the day before and told Sister Green that he had a friend who could use a loaf of bread. Brother and Sister Green gladly wrapped the loaf of bread and gave it to the man. Brother Phelps returned the white linen cloth and six pins to Brother Green. Joseph then smiled and said, “And you didn’t know that that was Moroni!”
John Taylor – While still young, and prior to the restoration of the gospel, the future President of the Church saw in vision “an angel in the heavens, holding a trumpet to his mouth, sounding a message to the nations.”
Harrison Burgess – While praying to have his testimony confirmed that he knew the Book of Mormon was indeed true, he relates that “suddenly a glorious personage clothed in white stood before me and exhibited to my view the plates from which the Book of Mormon was taken.”
Heber C. Kimball – A personal friend of Brother Kimball wrote, “At family prayers, just a little while before his death, he remarked that the angel Moroni had visited him the night before and informed him that his work on this earth was finished, and he would soon be taken.” Heber C. Kimball died the next day.
Oliver Granger – A story related by Brother Granger’s daughter states, “My father obtained a copy of the Book of Mormon a few months after it was published while he was in New York City. My father told me that he had a heavenly vision in which a personage who identified himself as Moroni, told him that the Book of Mormon was a true record of great worth, and Moroni instructed him (my father) to testify of its truth and that he should hereafter be ordained to preach the everlasting Gospel to the children of men.”
Revelation 14: 6, “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.”
Tom Pettit
For more stories and accounts like this, visit www.tomcpettit.com
www.LivingHeritageTours.com – LDS Church History Tours
LDS Church History Tours for YOUTH – www.LDSYouthTours.com
