Heavenly Manifestations

Lucy Mack Smith's Spiritual Experience while Guarding the Manuscript

Published October 27, 2026 at 6:23 PM

1820s
Palmyra

Contributed by

Lucy Mack Smith History Research

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While guarding the Book of Mormon manuscript beneath her bed, Lucy Mack Smith experienced a night of profound reflection and spiritual communion. She meditated upon the years of toil and suffering the family had endured to secure the record and felt the presence of divine protection, concluding that the heavens were moved on their behalf and that angels were watching over them.

In Their Own Words

“But as for myself, soon after { went to bed I fell into a train of reflections which occupied my mind, and which caused sleep to forsake my eyelids till the day dawned, for, when I meditated upon the days of toil, and nights of anxiety, through which we had all passed for years previous, in order to obtain the treasure that then lay beneath my head; when I thought upon the hours of fearful apprehensions which we had all suffered on the same account, and that the object was at last acco:mplisned, I could truly say that my soul did magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiced in God my Savior. I felt that the heavens were moved in our behalf, and that the angels who had power to put down the mighty from their seats, and to exalt them who were of low degree, were watching over us; that those would be filled who hungered and thirsted after righteousness, when the rich would be sent away empty; that God had helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his promised mercy, and in bringing forth a record, by which is made known the seed of Abraham, our father. Therefore, we could safely put our trust in him, as he was able to help in every time of need. — Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Chapter XXXII”

Sources & References

Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother (Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith), first published 1853, Chapter XXXII. https://archive.org/details/biographicalsket0000lucy (account extracted verbatim from the book's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high)

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Questions about this account

Who was involved in this account?
The account involves Lucy Mack Smith. Each person named here also has a witness page collecting the other accounts involving them.
When did this account take place?
The account is set in the 1820s.
Where did this account take place?
It took place in Palmyra.
What kind of miracle is this?
It is filed as a Heavenly Manifestations account reported in United States.
Where does this account come from?
Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother (Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith), first published 1853, Chapter XXXII. The full source citation appears in the Sources section below, with links to the original where available.

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