Holy Places From Our Past — Harmony, Pennsylvania
Setting: Harmony, Pennsylvania in 1828–1829
Harmony is one of the most important locations in the Restoration. Critical events occurred here:
Translation of a major portion of the Book of Mormon
Revelation of key early Doctrine and Covenants sections
Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist
First baptisms of this dispensation
It is also where Joseph and Emma endured profound personal tragedy and persecution.
Aftermath of the Lost 116 Pages (D&C 3)
After the 116 pages stolen loaned to Martin Harris were lost, Joseph:
Had the plates taken from him temporarily
Received a severe rebuke from the Lord (D&C 3)
Had the plates restored
But did not resume translation immediately
He explained that he had to labor to support his family, and the emotional and spiritual exhaustion following the loss likely influenced the pause.
Translation timeline
Intense translation began early 1828
Loss occurred in June 1828
Little to no translation took place afterward until April 1829
Family Visit and Emotional Recovery
Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith visited Joseph and Emma in Harmony after:
The death of their infant son
Emma’s near-fatal health crisis
The catastrophic loss of the manuscript
They expected to find despair, but instead learned:
Joseph had received forgiveness
The plates were restored
The work would continue
Lucy Mack Smith later described the visit as relieving “an almost insupportable burden.”
D&C 4 — The First Revelation Given for Another Individual
Joseph Smith Sr. asked his son how he could help in the work. In response, Joseph received Doctrine and Covenants 4, addressed specifically to his father.
Key doctrinal teachings
4.1 Desire qualifies one for service
“If ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work.”
4.2 Service must involve full devotion
Serve God with “all your heart, might, mind, and strength.”
4.3 Imagery of the harvest
The “field is white already to harvest”—symbolizing the urgency and readiness of the work.
This revelation appears to have motivated Joseph Smith Sr. to share the story of the plates with Oliver Cowdery, which directly led Oliver to travel to Harmony and become Joseph’s scribe.
Oliver Cowdery Learns of the Plates
Oliver was a young schoolteacher boarding with the Smith family in Palmyra. Local residents told him rumors about Joseph’s “gold Bible.” Initially, Joseph Smith Sr. refused to discuss it—likely due to:
Repeated ridicule from neighbors
Concern that Oliver would also reject the story
Social and financial vulnerability
But eventually, prompted by spiritual impressions (and possibly by D&C 4), Joseph Smith Sr. told Oliver the truth.
Oliver prayed, received a spiritual witness, and decided to travel to Harmony to assist Joseph.
His arrival in April 1829 changed everything.
Martin Harris and D&C 5
Before Oliver arrived, Martin Harris visited Joseph again, distressed because:
His wife, Lucy Harris, was attempting to legally charge Joseph and Martin with fraud
Accusers claimed Joseph was deceiving people for money by alleging possession of gold plates
Martin wanted to see the plates so he could testify truthfully if summoned to court
Key teachings from D&C 5
Miracles do not create faith. If people would not believe God’s words, they would not believe even if shown the plates.
Martin would see the plates—but only when spiritually prepared. Not for legal defense, nor to convince others, but “by the power of God and not of man.”
Foreshadowing of the Three Witnesses
The revelation anticipates a future divine manifestation to multiple witnesses.
Joseph’s Desperation Before Oliver’s Arrival
Joseph’s 1832 history records the emotional and financial crisis he faced:
He was nearly evicted by Isaac Hale for missing land payments
He lacked means to support Emma
Translation was halted
He felt abandoned and cried to God for help
Then unexpectedly, Oliver Cowdery arrived—with spiritual conviction and practical assistance.
Very shortly afterward, a payment was made on the Hale property, apparently using the wages Oliver had earned as a teacher.
Translation Accelerates (April–June 1829)
Once Oliver Cowdery began acting as scribe:
Translation took place rapidly (around 60–90 days)
Most of the Book of Mormon text we have today was translated in Harmony
Numerous revelations were received
Joseph and Oliver encountered profound questions in the text
This period is a spiritual turning point.
The Question of Authority and Baptism
While translating 3 Nephi, Joseph and Oliver discovered:
Baptism is essential for salvation, not merely symbolic
Proper authority is required, given directly by Christ
No existing church possessed this authority
This contradicted everything they had been taught by every Protestant denomination of their time.
Their response
They prayed to know how to obtain the necessary authority.
John the Baptist appeared as a resurrected being.
He restored the Aaronic Priesthood and authorized them to baptize.
This occurred in Harmony, near the Susquehanna River.
Significance of Harmony in Latter-day Saint History
Harmony is sacred because:
The Aaronic Priesthood was restored here
The first baptisms of the Restoration occurred here
The majority of the Book of Mormon was translated here
Foundational revelations (D&C 3–8, 10–17) were received here
Joseph and Emma endured profound suffering, faith, and resilience here
It is a place of sorrow, revelation, miracle, and triumph—a central location in the unfolding Restoration.