another four years passed before joseph would be prepared to receive the plates during those years the smith family listened to joseph as he recounted heavenly truths when asked whether they had ever doubted joseph s testimony his brother william replied my boy claims he s seen a vision claims the father and the son appeared in vision he s a young boy quite unlearned but his heart is good and pure and i believe him how could i not believe him o how marvelous it is that our god has spoken once again and he ll gather israel as his people o how great the goodness of our god o how great his wondrous plan o how great the goodness of our god o how great his wisdom and his mercy o how great his works his wondrous plan o how great the love of god he has placed his hand to gather israel in he will gather her under his wing we shall be his people and he ll be our god a marvel and a wonder shall go forth o how great the goodness of our god o how great his wisdom and his mercy  o how great his works his wondrous plan o how great the love of god o how great the goodness of our god o how great his mercy on his people 