Revelation, , Seneca Co., NY, to , June 1829. Featured version, titled “Chapter XIII,” typeset [ca. early 1833] for Book of Commandments, 33. John Whitmer copied this revelation [ca. Mar. 1831] into Revelation Book 1, but the page or pages on which it was copied were removed at some point from that volume and are no longer extant. The version found in the Book of Commandments and featured below is the earliest extant version. For more complete source information, see the source note for the Book of Commandments.
This revelation and the one that follows were directed to brothers and , respectively, in early June 1829, soon after they were . The two revelations are identical but were addressed to each man separately. When compiling Revelation Book 1, John Whitmer copied in the revelation addressed to himself before the revelation to Peter, implying they were received in that order.
Members of the Whitmer family became interested in JS’s work as early as fall 1828. Three of the sons of , (twenty-six), (twenty-four), and (nineteen), all became “zealous friends and assistants in the work.” Peter Jr. and David were baptized sometime in June 1829 in Seneca Lake, New York, and John was probably one of those baptized the same month. On occasion, John served as a scribe to JS when was not available to record JS’s dictation of the Book of Mormon. John and Peter Jr. were “anxious to know their respective duties” and “desired with much earnestness that I [JS] should enquire of the Lord concerning them.”
Revelation Book 1, p. [207]. Though John Whitmer included these revelations in his handwritten index to Revelation Book 1, the actual copies of the revelations are not extant. (See also Revelation, June 1829–D [D&C 16].)
“Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 8, [8]–[10]; see also Historical Introduction to Revelation, June 1829–A [D&C 14].
Kansas City Daily Journal. Kansas City, MO. 1878–1891.
1 A Revelation given to , in , New-York, June, 1829.
HEARKEN my servant , and listen to the words of Jesus Christ, your Lord and your Redeemer, for behold I speak unto you with sharpness and with power, for mine arm is over all the earth, and I will tell you that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone: for many times you have desired of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you.
2 Behold, blessed are you for this thing, and for speaking my words which I have given you, according to my :
3 And now behold I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you, will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen. [p. 33]
The editors of the Book of Commandments composed revelation headings loosely based on John Whitmer’s headings found in Revelation Book 1. Because the page or pages in Revelation Book 1 that apparently contained this revelation are missing, it is unknown whose work is reflected in this heading. Regardless, it was most likely not part of the original revelation text.