Joseph Smith's First Vision/Lack of contemporary Father and Son vision until 1838

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Questions

== There is no mention of Joseph Smith seeing the Father and Son in any “contemporary” newspaper, diary, LDS publication, or writing of any kind until the year 1838.

To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here

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== In The Reflector, vol. 2, no. 13, 14 February 1831 it is said that four LDS missionaries were teaching in November 1830 that Joseph Smith had seen "God" personally. The 1832 historical recital listed below and the 1835 historical recounting below both qualify as 'contemporary' accounts.

Altogether there are at least eight eyewitness contemporary and reminiscent accounts that confirm Joseph Smith taught between 1831 and 1837 that the Father and Son (two personages) were present during his inaugural manifestation from heaven.

May 1831 – November 1833: John Alger

A. Karl Larson and Katharine Miles Larson, eds., Diary of Charles Lowell Walker (Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 1980), 2:755–56 [recorded 2 February 1893].

ca. 12 November 1831: Lorenzo Snow

Deseret Evening News, no. 207 (20 July 1901), 22.

ca. 27 November 1832: Joseph Smith historical document

Dean C. Jessee, ed., Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, rev. ed. (Salt Lake City and Provo, UT: Deseret Book and BYU Press, 2002), 9–12.

See: Only one Personage appears in the 1832 account

9 August 1834 – 9 August 1835: Samuel W. Richards

Young Woman’s Journal, vol. 18, no. 12, December 1907, 537–39.

20 October 1834: Edward Stevenson

Fifty-three years ago in the town of Pontiac, Oakland County and then Territory, but since State of Michigan when I was but thirteen years of age. I first met with Joseph Smith, the Prophet of this generation and of the nineteenth century. I shall never forget the impression then made upon pon me by his presence and voice. He was accompanied by the three witnesses before mentioned, and at public meetings all of them in turn bore testimony, and to us it was indeed a day of Pentecost. First the Prophet related how he was alone in the woods in secret prayer when a bright light began to shine around him (like unto Paul's vision) the brightness of which at first alarmed him, but his fear was soon dispelled by the tho voice of the Father introducing His Only Begotten Son to him, who spoke to the young man, and instructed him (see Zech., 2nd chap.) He also described the visit of the angel (three times during one night to his bed-chamber) who instructed im in the fullness of the everlasting Gospel...
—Millennial Star, vol. 48, no. 22, 31 May 1886, 341 off-site; Juvenile Instructor, vol. 29, no. 14 15 July 1894, 443–44. (emphasis added)

9 November 1835: Joseph Smith historical recounting

Dean C. Jessee, Mark Ashurst-McGee, and Richard L. Jensen, eds., Journals, Vol. 1: 1832–1839 (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2008), 87–88.

13 November 1836: Kirtland Temple discourse

Joseph Smith gave “a relation . . . of the rise of the Church and of his experience” inside the Kirtland Temple to “a vast concourse” of people (“4 or 5 hundred”). The Prophet “gave the history of these things, relating many particulars of the manner of his first visions, etc.” (Parley P. Pratt to the Elders and Brethren of the Church of Latter-day Saints in Canada, 27 November 1836, MS, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah). Since Joseph had only one year previously referred to his experience in the grove with two personages as his “first communication . . . [or] vision,” he likely spoke about that event during this meeting.

August 1837: Mary Isabella Horne

I feel greatly honored when I realize that I have had the privilege of personally entertaining this great man, of ministering to his temporal wants, of shaking hands with him, and listening to his voice. I heard him relate his first first vision, when the Father and Son appeared to him ; also his receiving the gold plates from the Angel Moroni. This recital was given in compliance with a special request of a few particular friends in the home of Sister Walton whose house was ever open to the Saints. While he was relating the circumstances the Prophet's countenance lightened up , and so wonderful a power accompanied his words that everybody who heard them felt his influence and power , and none could doubt the truth of his narration.
—Woman’s Exponent, vol. 39, no. 1, June 1910, 5–6. off-site

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Answer

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The eyewitnesses, and the periods of time their recitals cover, demonstrate that Joseph Smith talked about seeing the Father and Son on a regular basis and over an extended period of time -- before he had the 1838 Church history written down.

== Notes ==

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