Dr. Craig J. Ostler: The Prophet Joseph Smith, Emma, and their adopted twins, moved to the home of John and Elsa Johnson in Hiram, Ohio, in September of 1831. Sidney Rigdon and his family also moved to Hiram to serve as Joseph’s scribe in his work on the inspired translation of the Bible. The Lord had given them a commandment that they were to translate the Bible through the spirit and inspiration of God. And so this room became the place where day after day, Joseph and Sidney met together so that they can pour over the translation of the Bible. Joseph would actually sit at the Bible and as he was there reading, he would pause and mark a spot, where he would then give to Sydney either a correction or addition or an explanation from the Bible to make it more understandable.
They came across passages in the testimony of John, in which he spoke of a resurrection of life and a resurrection of damnation. The new translation given to them by the spirit of the Lord clarified that the resurrections were of the just and the unjust. While they meditated on the implications of the new translation, a vision was opened to them. In referring to that vision, Joseph and Sidney later related,
12 By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God—13 Even those things which were from the beginning before the world was, which were ordained of the Father, through his Only Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning;14 Of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision. (D&C 76:12-14)
Dr. Kenneth Alford: And then for the next approximately hour and a half, they see a series of six visions. Joseph sees them and Sidney apparently sees the same thing. There are up to 12 witnesses in the room who comment that they see Sidney and Joseph conversing as they both look to the same place in the room and comment on the wonderful and amazing things that they’re seeing.1 The first vision they see is a vision of the Father and the Son with an emphasis on the role of our Savior Jesus Christ. They see the Savior in vision. It’s overwhelming. And the Lord sometimes teaches through extremes. The greatest extreme they could have from seeing the Father and the Son is to next see a vision of Satan and his fall, and that’s what they see. Following that, a vision opens of the sons of perdition and it’s horrible to behold, and they ask the Lord to close it up. And from that vision, which is so terrible, the greatest change that the Lord could give them again by way of contrast, is to show them a vision of the celestial Kingdom, the world where He lives. And that’s what they see. And then the two closing visions are a vision of the terrestrial world, where those who are not valiant will be. And then a vision of the Telestial world. And that ends their six visions. And multiple times during that vision, that extended vision of six visions, they are counseled to stop and write and record the things that they have seen, and they do that. But it tells us, and Joseph tells us multiple times afterwards, that he has not written but the hundredth part of the things that he has seen. And so as wonderful as section 76 is, the Vision, we have but just the tiniest portion that Joseph and Sidney received on that day in February 1832.
Craig J. Ostler: Philo Dibble, one of the dozen men present when this vision was received, said that he saw the glory and felt the power, but did not see the vision. He described the event by saying, Joseph would at intervals say, “what do I see?” then he would relate what he had seen or what he was looking at.
Dr. John P. Livingstone: Sidney replied “I see the same.” Sidney would say, “what do I see?” and would repeat what he had seen or was seeing and Joseph would reply “I see the same.”
Craig J. Ostler: Philo Dibble shared that this matter conversations repeated at short intervals to the end the division and during the whole time not a word was spoken by any other person, not a sound nor motion was made by anyone but Joseph and Sidney.
John P. Livingstone: Philo Dibble also said “it seemed to me that they never moved to joint or limb during the time I was there which I think was over an hour and to the end vision. Joseph sat firmly and calmly all the time in the midst of the magnificent glory but Sidney sat limp and pale apparently is limber is a rag, observing which Joseph remarked smilingly, “Sidney is not used to it as I am.”2
Craig J. Ostler: Adding to that recollection on another occasion, Philo Dibble observed that Joseph wore black clothes but at this time seem to be dressed in an element of glorious white and his face shone as if it were transparent.3 The Prophet Joseph Smith gave his evaluations and impressions regarding the visions, he said, “nothing could be more pleasing to the Saints upon the order of the Kingdom of the Lord than the light which burst upon the world through the foregoing vision. Every law, every commandment, every promise, every truth and every point touching the destiny of man from Genesis to Revelation where the purity of the Scriptures remain unsullied by the folly of man, go to show the perfection of the theory, in referring to the different degrees of glory in the future life and witness the fact that the document is a transcript from the records of the eternal world. The sublimity the ideas, the purity of the language, the scope of the fore action, the continued duration for completion in order that the heirs of salvation may confess the Lord bow the knee, the rewards for faithfulness and the punishments for sins are so much beyond the narrow mindedness man, that every man is constrained to exclaim: ‘It came from God.’”4
John P. Livingstone: The vision, which we now know today as section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants included Joseph and Sidney actually seeing the Lord. They recorded,
22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God. (D&C 76:22-24)
It is clear that Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saw the Savior on the right-hand of the Father. What a terrific witness to have right here, right here in this upper room in John Johnson home.
Craig J. Ostler: The home of John and Elsa Johnson was the scene of glorious events in the restoration, including the determination to publish the revelations the prophet Joseph Smith had received through November 1831 and the glorious visions of eternity received on February 16, 1832. Part 3 of John and Elsa Johnson’s home in Hiram, Ohio, will focus on the events of that dreadful night, the 24th of March, 1832, when a mob of men broke into the home, carrying out the prophet Joseph Smith to tar and feather him.
1Philo Dibble, “Recollections of the Prophet Joseph smith,” Juvenile Instructor, 27 no. 10 (15 May 1892) :303-304.
2Ibid.
3Dibble, Philo. “Philo Dibble’s Narrative.” In Early Scenes in Church History: Eighth Book in the Faith-Promoting Series. Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1882.
4“History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834],” p. 192, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed February 28, 2019, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-a-1-23-december-1805-30-august-1834/198
