W. W. Phelps Sees the Destroyer Riding Upon the Waters (Missouri River, August 1831)

On August 9, 1831, Joseph Smith left Independence, Missouri, in company with ten elders, traveling down the Missouri River in canoes on the return journey to Kirtland, Ohio. On the third day, the dangers common to the western waters manifested themselves: the canoe carrying the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon ran into a large tree lodged in the river and was upset, the occupants nearly drowning. The party of eleven landed and encamped on the bank of the river at McIlwaine's Bend, about one hundred miles from Independence.

That evening, William W. Phelps, in open vision by daylight, saw 'the destroyer in his most horrible power' ride upon the face of the waters; others in the camp heard the noise but saw not the vision. The next morning, after prayer, Joseph Smith received the revelation now published as Doctrine and Covenants 61, in which the Lord declared it not needful for the whole company to move upon the waters, warned that destructions were decreed upon the waters, and promised that 'he that is faithful among you shall not perish by the waters' — directing most of the elders to continue their journey home by land. The company was preserved, and the elders arrived safely at Kirtland.

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

On the 9th, in company with ten Elders, I left Independence landing for Kirtland. We started down the river in canoes, and went the first day as far as Fort Osage, where we had an excellent wild turkey for supper. Nothing very important occurred till the third day, when many of the dangers so common upon the western waters, manifested themselves; and after we had encamped upon the bank of the river, at McIlwaine's Bend, Brother Phelps, in open vision by daylight, saw the destroyer in his most horrible power, ride upon the face of the waters; others heard the noise, but saw not the vision. The next morning after prayer, I received the following revelation: [Doctrine and Covenants 61]. It was not deemed proper that the whole company should continue their journey by water, as the Lord had declared that there were many destructions upon the waters, and especially in the Missouri river; and therefore, I received a commandment that the Elders should journey by land, and that they should take their journey two by two, and preach the word, not in haste, but by the way, and that they should be diligent in all things, and not weary in well doing, and that they should walk in the uprightness of heart before Him; and if they were thus faithful, they should be blessed and preserved, and that they should be preserved from the dangers of the waters, and that they should arrive safely at Kirtland.