To the Point

Who saw the gold plates besides Joseph Smith?

Illustration by Steve Nethercott

Besides Joseph Smith, these 12 people saw the gold plates:

The Three Witnesses: Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris. The angel Moroni showed them the plates, testified of them, and commanded the three men to bear witness of them.¹

The Eight Witnesses: Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, and Samuel H. Smith. Joseph Smith showed them the plates and let them hold them.²

Mary Whitmer: The angel Moroni showed her the plates and comforted her because of the burdens she had to bear in taking care of eight children and three houseguests while the Book of Mormon was being translated at her home.³

Josiah Stowell glimpsed a corner of the plates. And at least four others lifted the gold plates while the plates were in a container or wrapping: Lucy Mack Smith, Emma Smith, William Smith, and Katharine Smith.⁴

None of these 17 people ever denied what they saw and experienced.

Notes

1. See “The Testimony of Three Witnesses,” Book of Mormon.

2. See “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses,” Book of Mormon.

3. See Saints, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 [2018], 70–71.

4. See Church History Topics, “Witnesses of the Book of Mormon,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org/study/ history/topics; see also witnessesofthebookofmormon.org/witnesses-of-the-plates.