After he three witnesses had been visited by the angel Moroni, after they had been shown the Book of Mormon plates and had heard the voice of God bearing witness of the sacred record and commanding them thereafter to bear a like witness, the burden of Joseph the Prophet was immeasurably lighter.
His mother, Lucy Mack Smith, wrote: “When they returned to the house [after their experience with the angel and the plates] it was between three and four o'clock p.m. Mrs. Whitmer, Mr. Smith [Joseph Smith, Sr.] and myself, were sitting in a bedroom at the time. On coming in, Joseph threw himself down beside me, and exclaimed, 'Father, mother, you do not know how happy I am: the Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself. They have seen an angel, who has testified to them, and they will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said, for now they know for themselves, that I do not go about to deceive the people, and I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear, and it rejoices my soul, that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world.
' Upon this, Martin Harris came in: he seemed almost overcome with joy, and testified boldly to what he had both seen and heard. And so did David and Oliver, adding that no tongue could express the joy of their hears, and the greatness of the things which they had both seen and heard.” (History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, pp. 152-53.) (See 2 Nephi 29:8.)