Description
Plowed During the Night: David Whitmer
May 1829, Harmony, Pennsylvania. Joseph Smith Jr. sat down with his scribe Oliver Cowdery to begin the work of translating the Book of Mormon, but as he picked up the Urim and Thummim he was not given the words of the Book of Mormon, but rather instructions to write a letter to David Whitmer of Fayette, New York, asking him to come and get them and take them to his house to finish the work of translating the Book of Mormon as people were seeking to destroy Joseph and stop the work.
The letter was written. When David received it, he showed the letter to his family who reminded him of the critical need to get the wheat crop sown and fertilized before he left. David’s father advised him to take the matter to the Lord and get a witness from Him of the need and urgency. David prayed on the matter and was instructed of the Lord to sow his fields first and then go.
“He then asked the Lord to enable him to do this work sooner than the same work had ever been done on the farm before and he would receive it as an evidence that it was the will of God for him to engage in forwarding the work which was begun by Joseph Smith.”
David had about 20 acres of ground to plow. He concluded he would finish the plowing and then go. David later recorded:
“One morning I got up as usual to go to work. On going to the field I found between 5 and 7 acres of my ground had been plowed during the night. I don’t know who did it, but it was done, just as I would have done it myself, and the plow was left standing in the furrow.”
Not only did David receive heavenly assistance in his fields, but he was enabled by his own power to accomplish more than he considered possible. This to him was a witness that he was indeed called of God to assist Joseph in the work.
David told his father, who had to see for himself. Having seen the miracle, Father Whitmer declared:
“There must be some overruling power in this thing and I think you had better go as soon as you get your plaster of paris sown and bring up the man with his scribe.”
The next morning David went out to scatter the fertilizer. Lucy Mack Smith records the following:
“When he came to look for it, behold it had entirely disappeared. Every vestige of it was gone from the spot where he left it. He ran to his sister’s house a few yards distant and enquired if she knew anything of what had become of the plaster [of] paris which had deposited near there. ‘Why.’ said she in surprise ‘you sowed it all yesterday…. The children came and begged me to go out and look at some men that were sowing plaster in the field, for said they, ‘Mother you never saw anybody sow plaster as fast as they do in your life.’ ‘I went and I did see three men to work in the field as the children said, but supposing that you had employed some assistance because of your hurry to get your work done, I passed into the house without giving any further attention to the subject.’
David made considerable enquiry but not being able to ascertain who had done it he related the circumstance to his Father who was quite as much at a loss to determine how the thing was brought about as he was but there was not a doubt upon the minds of the family of there being an exertion of supernatural power connected with the operation and all hands went about preparing David for his Journey. He was soon on his way and in 2 days he arrived there without injuring his horses in the least although the distance was 135 miles.”
The Book of Mormon is an undeniable miracle not only in what it is, but in how it came to be and its awesome power upon the hearts of men.
Sources:
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/100 p. 8, 9
