Joseph Smith's Prophecy That the Missouri Prisoners Would Survive

During the 1838 Missouri conflict, while Joseph Smith and other Church leaders were prisoners under threat from hostile forces, Joseph assured his fellow captives that their lives would be spared. As recorded in his autobiography, Parley P. Pratt noted that on the morning of November 3, 1838, while being marched toward Independence, Joseph Smith comforted the prisoners, stating that the word of the Lord had come to him during the previous night with a promise of protection. Joseph told them, 'Be of good cheer, brethren; the word of the Lord came to me last night, that our lives should be given us; and that whatever we may suffer during this captivity, not one of our lives should be taken.' The prisoners survived their imprisonment, fulfilling the prophecy.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

As we arose and commenced our march on the morning of the 3rd November, Joseph Smith spoke to me and the other prisoners in a quiet, but firm and confidential tone; said he, 'Be of good cheer, brethren; the word of the Lord came to me last night, that our lives should be given us; and that whatever we may suffer during this captivity, not one of our lives should be taken.' During this captivity we were frequently threatened with assassination, and were several times under sentence of death, and once ordered to be shot without any trial, at public square, in Far West, by the order of General Lucas; but were preserved through the power of the Almighty, and our lives were spared, as the Prophet had foretold.