Alvin Smith's Charge to Joseph Smith Regarding the Record
Published October 27, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Contributed by
Lucy Mack Smith History Research
During his final hours, Alvin Smith exhorted his brother Joseph to be a good boy and put forth every effort to obtain the record (the Book of Mormon plates). He urged him to be faithful in receiving instruction and keeping commandments, setting a godly example for his younger siblings.
In Their Own Words
“But when he came to Joseph, he said, “I am now going to die, the distress which I suffer, and the feelings that I have, tell me my time is very short. I want you to be a good boy, and do everything that lies in your power to obtain the record. Be faithful in receiving instruction, and. in keeping every commandment that is given you. Your brother Alvin must leave you; but remember the example which he has set for you; and set the same example for the children that are younger than yourself, and always be kind to father and mother.” — Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Chapter XX”
Sources & References
Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother (Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith), first published 1853, Chapter XX. https://archive.org/details/biographicalsket0000lucy (account extracted verbatim from the book's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high)
Every published account is vetted against its sources — read our editorial standards.
Filed under
Related Miracles
Similar miracle types and stories from the 1820s.
Questions about this account
Who was involved in this account?
When did this account take place?
Where did this account take place?
What kind of miracle is this?
Where does this account come from?
Miracle of the Week
One remarkable, documented account in your inbox every Monday, drawn from the full archive.