In the January 2024 Liahona, there is a remarkable little story. Meant as an aside to the beginning of our faith community’s study of the Book of Mormon this year, it tells the story of Mary Whitmer’s experience. You see, though you will not find her testimony anywhere in the printed, official version of the Book of Mormon published by the Church, Mary Whitmer was one of its Witnesses[1].
“In the spring of 1829, Mary and Peter Whitmer welcomed Joseph and Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery into their home so the translation of the gold plates could be completed. The demands on Mary’s time were high. She cared for nine people in her own home and assisted her married children who lived nearby.
“Mary’s five sons and both of her (eventual) sons-in-law became official witnesses of the gold plates in June 1829. That same month, Mary received a witness of her own.
“Outside her home, a gray-haired man with a knapsack over his shoulder approached Mary and said, “My name is Moroni. You have become pretty tired with all the extra work you have to do.” Taking the knapsack off his shoulder, Moroni continued, “You have been very faithful and diligent in your labors. It is proper, therefore, that you should receive a witness that your faith may be strengthened.” He then revealed the contents of his knapsack—the gold plates.
“Mary became a witness of the gold plates, like the Three Witnesses and Eight Witnesses, whose testimonies are in the introductory pages of the Book of Mormon.”
And, of course, Mary was also a witness that Moroni was real, and was really sent as a heavenly messenger to help bring forth the Book of Mormon.
The Liahona takes the tack that this episode shows God is no respecter of persons, and that those that are humble are often given more in a spiritual sense than is given to the noble and great. I have no problem with that interpretation, but I see more than that principle at work here.
I put forward that there is a type and a pattern of “the female witness” in the scriptures. While earthly norms often demand male witnesses—which is apparently why Joseph Smith sought them exclusively for his preamble to the Book of Mormon when published—I assert that heavenly norms often demand female witnesses in addition to male witnesses. It appears to matter to Heaven that women have also seen, touched, and thereby known. It matters to Heaven that women also stand as witnesses of important aspects of the Restored Gospel. And I’d also suggest it matters to women that it matters to Heaven.
Now, because the scriptures have come forth from the pens of men, they often leave out women who probably appeared unremarkable and undistinguished to men, and thus not worthy of mention. But even so, we see glimpses of this pattern of “the female witness” despite this predilection.
I’d suggest this pattern is seen most clearly in the New Testament. It is a woman who was chosen to be the very first witness of the resurrected Lord. It is a woman who sees, hears and bears record of the Annunciation. It is a woman who announces the Christ, along with a man, at the temple when the child Jesus is blessed after birth. It is a woman at the well who is the first witness of Christ to the Samaritans. These were not serendipitous events, I’d argue. These witnesses were chosen with care by Heaven; it is no happenstance they were female.
I’ll leave it to readers to find the “female witnesses” in the Old Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine & Covenants. They are there, if you look for them.
So why would Heaven want female witnesses? Does Heaven have some type of ongoing DEI mandate?
To my mind, it goes a bit deeper than inclusivity, though God is certainly inclusive and wants to reach the whole world in their own languages with the good news of the Restored Gospel, and wants to save every soul who has ever lived on the earth, no matter where or when.
Sex, I think, is that deeper thing. We know that God is sexed, that we have a Heavenly Father and a Heavenly Mother. We know there were only two human beings in the Garden of Eden, a male and a female. We know that Christ could only be conceived by male and female beings. We know that can be said of every human soul born. We know that Heaven is organized into families that have fathers and mothers. We know sex is eternal. We know there are two powers in the universe—the power of Heavenly Father (priesthood) and the power of Heavenly Mother (priestesshood). The Great Plan itself could not exist without male and female participation in equal partnership.
I’d submit, then, that the greatest events of the Plan are by heaven’s decree to be witnessed by both male and female, by both the priesthood and the priestesshood, and that this is a pattern or type of most things pertaining to the Plan. [2] After all, the Plan is a joint male-female undertaking from its very foundation. The necessity of female witness seems eminently appropriate, even requisite, when seen in that light. [3]
That female witness matters to Heaven is also, I suggest, of great importance to the women of the Church. It means they are not secondary appendages or instruments in the story of the Restored Gospel and the Great Plan of Happiness; they are vital participants in that story and their witness is required.
The story of Mary Whitmer, then, is not some sweet aside to the story of the Book of Mormon. It is a needed element of it. Perhaps one day we will see the story of Mary Whitmer’s witness placed in the preamble to the book by the Church, where it rightfully belongs, when the understanding of the necessity of female witness is finally recognized. I look forward to that day!
NOTES:
[1] Emma Smith purportedly saw the golden plates covered by a cloth, perhaps even felt them through that cloth, but she did not see the plates uncovered.
[Back to manuscript].
[2] Perhaps the restoration of priesthood ordination would not be one of those things as it did not involve the priestesshood. [Back to manuscript].
[3] It is interesting to consider that the Proclamation on the Family was presented by President Hinckley to a general conference session for the women of the Church. I still believe it needs to be ratified formally by the women before it can be canonized as scripture. [Back to manuscript].
Full Citation for this Article: Cassler, V.H. (2024) "The Importance of Mary Whitmer’s Experience as a Type and Pattern," SquareTwo, Vol. 17 No. 1 (Spring 2024), http://squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleCasslerMaryWhitmer.html, accessed <give access date>.
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