Personages who appeared to Joseph Smith

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Overview: Summary page Leading up to the vision: Methodist camp meetings in 1820 Joseph became "partial" to Methodists Religious revivals in 1820 Place of residence in 1820 The vision: First Vision accounts (summary) 1832 account (overview) Early understanding of God? No new dispensation? Different age? Different motivation? No persecution? No revival? Not forbidden to convert? Wicked destroyed? Only one Deity? In heaven or earth? Unconditional salvation? Struggle with Satan? 1835 account (overview) Personages were angels? 1838 account (overview) 1820 Revival? "It commenced with the Methodists" Paul's accounts of his vision Scholars solved discrepancies? Can't see God without priesthood? After the vision: No ref in 1830s publications? Seldom mentioned in LDS pubs bef 1877? No ref in non-LDS pubs before 1843? Taught Joseph saw "God" in 1830 pub? No published ref to Father and Son until 1838? Joseph unsure of God in 1823? Lucy joined Presbyterians in 1823? Joined other churches? All churches wrong? Fabricated to bolster authority? Details added over time? Created to offset leadership crisis? Others' accounts: George Q. Cannon Cowdery version of 1834-5? Orson Hyde Andrew Jenson Heber C. Kimball| Orson Pratt George A. Smith Lucy Mack Smith Orson Spencer John Taylor Brigham never spoke of 1st vision? Brigham claimed an angel? Seldom published pre-1877 (short) (long) Moroni's visit: Moroni's visit (summary) Nephi or Moroni in 1823? A "spirit" visited Joseph in 1827? Moroni as an "angel of Satan" Other criticisms: D&C 121:28 contradicts vision? Father: Spirit vs. Embodied Personages seen by Joseph
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Joseph Smith, Jr.

The following list includes known personages who appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith or who were seen by him in vision. The list does not include instances where he only heard supernatural voices, as in D&C 128:20–21.

Abraham	D&C 137:5
Adam (Michael)	D&C 137:5; History of The Church 3:388. GospeLink;History of The Church 5:247. GospeLink
Alvin Smith	D&C 137:5
Elias	D&C 110:12
Elijah	D&C 110:13–16
God the Father	JS—H 1:17; D&C 76:20; 137:3
James	D&C 27:12; 128:20
Jesus Christ	JS—H 1:17; D&C 76:20–24; 110:2–10; 137:3
John the Baptist	D&C 13; 27:8
John the Beloved	D&C 27:12; 128:20
Moroni	JS—H 1:30–49; D&C 20:6; 27:5
Moses	D&C 110:11
Paul	Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, edited by Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), 180. ISBN 087579243X. off-site
Peter	D&C 27:12; 128:20
Satan	D&C 128:20
Unnamed angel	(concerning wine in sacrament) D&C 27
Unnamed angel	(with three witnesses) History of The Church 1:54–55. GospeLink
Unnamed angel	(accepted dedication of the Kirtland Temple) Life of Heber C. Kimball, p. 106; Temples of the Most High, p. 28

Contents 1 Notes 2 Further Reading 2.1 FAIR wiki articles 2.1.1 Overview 2.1.2 Leading up to the vision: 2.1.3 The vision: 2.1.4 After the vision: 2.1.5 Others' accounts: 2.1.6 Other criticisms:

Notes

• Both Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery saw John the Baptist together (D&C 13); Peter, James, and John together (D&C 27:12 and 128:20); Jesus Christ together (D&C 110:2–10); Elijah together (D&C 110:13–16); Moses together (D&C 110:11); and Elias together (D&C 110:12).
• Both Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saw God the Father and Jesus Christ together (D&C 76:20–24).
• Joseph Smith, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer saw an unnamed angel together (History of The Church 1:54–55. GospeLink). These were the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon.
• John Taylor claimed that Joseph Smith saw Enoch (JD 21:65. wiki; JD 21:94. wiki), Isaac (JD 21:94. wiki), Jacob (JD 21:94. wiki), Mormon (JD 17:374. wiki and JD 21:163. wiki), Nephi (JD 21:161–163. wiki), Noah (JD 18:326. wiki, JD 21:94. wiki, and JD 23:48. wiki), the 12 Jewish apostles (JD 21:94. wiki), the 12 Nephite apostles (JD 21:94. wiki), "others who lived on this [the American] continent" (JD 17:374. wiki), "others who lived on the Asiatic continent" (JD 17:374. wiki), and an unnamed angel (JD 5:271. wiki).
• George Q. Cannon claimed that Joseph Smith saw Nephi (JD 13:47. wiki).
• Orson Pratt claimed that Joseph Smith saw Nephi (Orson Pratt Letter Box, 3/11/1876).
• Oliver B. Huntington claimed that Joseph Smith saw Eve (Oliver B. Huntington Diary, BYU Library, 2:214).
• Eliza R. Snow claimed that Joseph Smith saw an unnamed angel three times, commanding him to practice polygamy (Biography and Family Records of Lorenzo Snow, (Salt Lake City: Desert News, 1884), 69–70).

Further Reading

FAIR wiki articles

First Vision wiki articles

Overview

• Summary page

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Leading up to the vision:

• Methodist camp meetings in 1820
• Religious revivals in 1820
• Place of residence in 1820

---

The vision:

• First Vision accounts (summary)
  • 1832 account (overview)
    • Early understanding of God?
    • No new dispensation?
    • Different age?
    • Different motivation?
    • No persecution?
    • No revival?
    • Not forbidden to convert?
    • Wicked destroyed?
    • Only one Deity?
    • In heaven or earth?
    • Unconditional salvation?
    • Struggle with Satan?
  • 1835 account (overview)
    • Personages were angels?
  • 1838 account (overview)
    • 1820 Revival?
    • "It commenced with the Methodists"
• Paul's accounts of his vision
  • Scholars solved discrepancies?
• Can't see God without priesthood?

---

After the vision:

• No ref in 1830s publications?
• Seldom mentioned in LDS pubs bef 1877?
• No ref in non-LDS pubs before 1843?
• Taught Joseph saw "God" in 1830 pub?
• No published ref to Father and Son until 1838?
• Joseph unsure of God in 1823?
• Lucy joined Presbyterians in 1823?
• Joined other churches?
• All churches wrong?
• Fabricated to bolster authority?
• Details added over time?
• Created to offset leadership crisis?

---

Others' accounts:

• George Q. Cannon
• Cowdery version of 1834-5?
• Orson Hyde
• Andrew Jenson
• Heber C. Kimball|
• Orson Pratt
• George A. Smith
• Lucy Mack Smith
• Orson Spencer
• John Taylor
• Brigham never spoke of 1st vision?
• Brigham claimed an angel?
• Seldom published pre-1877 (short)
  • (long)

---

Other criticisms:

• D&C 121:28 contradicts vision?
• Father: Spirit vs. Embodied
• Personages seen by Joseph

Joseph Smith other visionary issues wiki articles

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Moroni's visit:

• Moroni's visit (summary)
  • Nephi or Moroni in 1823?
  • A "spirit" visited Joseph in 1827?
  • Moroni as an "angel of Satan"
• Joseph Smith's early conception of God
• Personages who appeared to Joseph Smith
• Swedenborg and three degrees of glory  ^{[needs work]}

God wiki articles

• The Father: A Spirit vs. Embodied
  • Lectures on Faith teaches the Father is "a personage of spirit"?
• Corporeality of God
  • God is "not a man"?
  • Flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven?
  • Lectures on Faith teaches the Father is "a personage of spirit"?
• Creatio ex nihilo / Creation out of nothing
  • Creation in Colossians 1:16
  • Creation of spirits
    • Spirit children created by sexual union?
• Dallin H. Oaks on God as seen by LDS and other Christians
• Elohim and Jehovah
  • Downplaying the King Follett discourse?
  • Do Mormons believe they will be "gods of their own planets"?
  • Does Elohim have a father God above him?
• Foreknowledge of God
• God is a Spirit
  • Book of Mormon says God is a spirit?
• Godhead and the Trinity
• Heavenly Mother?
  • Latter-day Saints believe in Celestial Sex?
• Infinite regress of Gods?
• Kolob
• "No God beside me" - (includes Isaiah 43-46 issues)
• No man has seen God
• Polytheism - Are Mormons polytheists?
• Spirit bodies for humans and 1 Cor 15
  • Early Christians on literal resurrection
• Theosis or human deification
  • Do Mormons believe they will be "gods of their own planets"?
  • Latter-day Saints believe in Celestial Sex?
  • Primary sources/Theosis
• Unchanging Nature of God

Video

Revised or Unaltered?: Joseph Smith's Foundational Stories, Matthew Brown, 2006 FAIR Conference

• Part 1: Revised or Unaltered?: Joseph Smith's Foundational Stories
• Part 2: Revised or Unaltered?: Joseph Smith's Foundational Stories
• Part 3: Revised or Unaltered?: Joseph Smith's Foundational Stories
• Part 4: Revised or Unaltered?: Joseph Smith's Foundational Stories
• Part 5: Revised or Unaltered?: Joseph Smith's Foundational Stories
• Part 5: Revised or Unaltered?: Joseph Smith's Foundational Stories