Marriner W. Merrill's prophetic vision of the Church's future

At age nine, Marriner W. Merrill fell into a vision while going to call his father to dinner. He saw the Prophets Joseph and Brigham, the travels of the Saints, the settlement of Utah, and the growth of the Church.

In his own account, Merrill clarifies that during the vision he saw two men who were childhood friends of his, and that he observed each of them had more than one wife, which served as his first revelation regarding the divinity of plural marriage. Upon regaining consciousness and reaching home, he was notably pale and unable to speak distinctly for some time. Driven by the vision, he eventually ventured to ask his mother why plural marriage was not currently practiced, but upon her surprise at his knowledge, he concealed the experience as instructed by the voice he heard during the vision.

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

In the vision I saw the Church and the Prophets Joseph and Brigham. I saw the travels of the latter and of the Saints from Nauvoo and Winter Quarters to Utah. In the vision the sight of covered buggies and wagons was peculiar to me, for at that time I had never seen such vehicles, nor had I ever seen the mules which I beheld in my vision. I saw two and sometimes six mules to a wagon, and in the company of pioneers I beheld two men who had been boy friends of my youth, and each of them had more than one wife. In my vision at that time the divinity of plural marriage was revealed to me. I comprehended the doctrines and principles as they had been revealed. The progress and development of the Church were shown and the persecutions of the Saints were made clear to my understanding, and I heard a voice which told me that all I beheld was true, but I was cautioned to keep to myself what I had seen until I should have the opportunity of leaving my native country. Upon reaching home I was pale, and it was some time before I could speak distinctly. My mother asked me what was the matter, but I could not tell her. Later, however, I asked her why it was that the people did not practice plural marriage as they did in the days of the Bible. She seemed surprised at my question and asked me where I had heard of such a thing, but I made no reply, remembering the caution I had received in my vision.