Mary Lightner Receives Book of Mormon and Begins Personal Study and Prayer

“We remained there two years, when we heard of the plates of the Book of Mormon, being found by Joseph Smith. Soon the news was confirmed by the appearance of Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, and Ziba Peterson, with the glorious news of the restoration of the Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. They bore a powerful testimony by the Holy Ghost of the truth of the work. When a copy of the Book of Mormon came to Brother Morley's possession—the only one in that part of the country—my desire to read it was so intense that I asked Brother Morley to let me take it home and read it. He said, 'Child, if you will bring this book home before breakfast tomorrow morning, you may take it.' I was perfectly happy. I took the book home and my mother and I sat up all night reading it. We read it through. The next morning I returned the book to Brother Morley. He was surprised and said, 'I haven't read it myself yet.' I told him how far we had read and recited the first verse and the outline of Nephi's history. He was amazed and said, 'Child, take this book home and finish it, I can wait.'”

— Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, Autobiography of Mary E. Lightner