Welcome to Part 2 with Dr. Casey Griffiths and Dr Scott Woodward on the introductory pages of the Book of Mormon.

Casey, we so often focus on the three witnesses that sometimes the eight are overshadowed.

You said that these two testimonies complement each other.

One is the supernatural experience, the other, this very tactile natural experience.

What do we need to know about these eight witnesses?

The eight witnesses, like you mentioned, have a much less supernatural experience. In fact, here's

their words. Joseph Smith Jr. the translator of this work has shown unto us the plates of which

hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold, and as many of the leaves as the

said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands. We also saw the

gravings thereof all of which has the appearance of ancient work and curious workmanship.

And this we bear record with words of soberness that the said Smith has shown unto us for we have seen

and have to and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken.

What they bear witness to is that they actually physically handle the plates,

that they're able to turn the pages, we have a document that community of Christ has in its possession,

that we're fairly sure comes from John Whitmer where he copied

characters from the plate's called the characters document and they tell a story too.

Not all of the eight witnesses stay in the church either and the general rule of thumb is if their last name Smith they died in the church.

If their last name's Whitmer, they didn't die in the church with two exceptions Christian and Peter. Christian and

Peter both die in 1835 and 1836 respectively and don't ever leave the church

die faithfully. But Jacob Whitmer, John Whitmer, and Hiram Page,

Hiram Page is a brother-in-law of the Whitmer,

sees married to Catherine Whitmer.

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