LDS Site of Week – LIVERPOOL, England

Posted by on Jan 27, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour, Uncategorized |

Liverpool was England’s chief port and also the port of embarkation through which practically every emigrant from England passed. Over a hundred thousand Saints sailed from Liverpool to gather in Zion.  Situated on the east bank of the Mersey River, it was the exporting harbor for all the rest of Lancashire, the center of British manufacturing. Elders John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and Theodore Turley, the first of the Apostle missionaries to arrive in England (on the 2nd Apostolic England Mission), met in a special council Friday, January 17, 1840, with Joseph Fielding and Willard Richards of the presidency of the British Mission, and decided on their fields of labor. It was agreed that Elders Taylor and Fielding should go to Liverpool.  In Liverpool, Elder Taylor was the first LDS missionary to proselyte.  Elders Taylor and Fielding raised up a branch of about thirty members before the arrival from America of the other brethren of the twelve. This number rapidly increased and at the beginning of the year 1841 numbered more than two hundred souls. In March, 1842, the headquarters of the mission were transferred to Liverpool. A few days after Christmas in 1840, Brigham Young  went on to Liverpool where he remained through most of January and February and where, in January, he completed indexing and publishing the Book of Mormon. Tuesday, February 4, at 3:00 in the afternoon at the seashore was the time and place set for the first baptisms in Liverpool. Ten people were baptized that day in the chilly waters of the Irish Sea. For more information visit our England Tour Page. Learn about the 400th Anniversary Bible Translation...

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Glimpse of the Past – LDS Church History Jan 26-31

Posted by on Jan 27, 2011 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History, Uncategorized |

January 29, 1839 (Tuesday) – The Elders met at Far West to complete measures for the removal of the poor from Missouri, and pledged themselves to assist each other until all were removed. January 26, 1840 – The first preaching in Liverpool, England occurred by Elder John Taylor during the Apostolic Mission to England. 31 January 1844 (Wednesday) – The Prophet Joseph Smith contributed several books to the Nauvoo Library and Literary Institute for the Saints to increase their understanding. January 1946 – Ezra Taft Benson is appointed president of European Mission. January 1962 – Derek Alfred Cuthbert, first resident of the United Kingdom to be called as an LDS Church general authority while living in Britain, helped establish Deseret Enterprises, an agency that directed the distribution of materials for the LDS Church in Britain and on the European...

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LDS Site of Week – KIRTLAND Temple

Posted by on Jan 19, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour, Uncategorized |

Far more amazing visions and miracles took place in Kirtland than all other LDS sites combined!  There is so much information that we have had to dedicate an entire tour to this area with Kirtland renowned expert Karl Ricks Anderson.  There is far too much information for one entry.  This week marks the anniversary of a very important vision that took place at the Kirtland Temple which will be this week’s highlight.  (See this weeks Glimpse of Past entry for more details) Kirtland Temple Kirtland was the first temple of the Church and was constructed 1833-1836, by just a few hundred poor saints under conditions of great sacrifice.  “For thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have given of our substance to build a house to thy name” (D&C 109:5).  There were tremendous manifestations of the Spirit during construction, at the dedication and thereafter.   Lorenzo Snow enumerated blessings received in the temple during this period:  There we had the gift of prophecy – the gift of tongues – the interpretation of tongues – visions and marvelous dreams were related – singing of heavenly choirs was heard, and wonderful manifestations of the healing power, through administrations of the Elders, were witnessed.  The sick were healed – the deaf made to hear – blind to see and the lame to walk, in very many instances.  It was plainly manifest that a sacred and divine influence – a spiritual atmosphere pervaded that holy edifice (KRA p 170).  On January 21, 1836, Joseph Smith, his father, the First Presidency, the presidency of the Church in Missouri, the bishoprics in Kirtland and Missouri, and the Prophet’s scribe, Warren Parish, saw a vision of the Father and the Son as is recorded in D&C 137.  In April 1836, Joseph and Oliver received Priesthood Keys from Moses, Elias, and Elijah (D&C 110).  Also, there were at least four visits from the Savior (KRA p 174). For more information visit our Week in Kirtland Tour...

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Glimpse of Past – LDS Church History Jan 19-26

Posted by on Jan 19, 2011 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

January 21, 1836 (Thursday) – The Presidency of the Church, and the councils of Kirtland and Zion, met in the evening in the Lord’s House, at Kirtland, and attended to the ordinance of anointing with oil and blessing each other. The visions of heaven were opened, angels administered to them, and the house was filled with the glory of God. Joseph the Prophet “beheld the celestial kingdom of God and the glory thereof,” the “transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, the throne of God whereon was seated the Father and Son,” and the beautiful streets of the kingdom. He also saw Fathers Adam and Abraham. On seeing his brother Alvin, who died before the Church was organized, the Prophet marvelled, but the voice of the Lord told him that all who had died without a knowledge of the gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, should be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God. (See History of Joseph Smith.) (Doctrine and Covenants 137:1-10.) January 25, 1832 (Wednesday) – A conference was held at Amherst, Loraine Co., O., at which a number of Elders were called by revelation on special missions and to preach the gospel in different parts of the country. (Doc. and Cov., Sec. 75.) January 23, 1833 (Wednesday) – The conference was held at Kirtland. “After much speaking, singing, praying and praising God, all in tongues,” the brethren “proceeded to the washing of feet, as commanded of the Lord,” according to the practice recorded in John 13:4-15. (See History of Joseph Smith.) January 24, 1841 (Sunday) – Hyrum Smith succeeded his father, Joseph Smith, sen., as Patriarch to the Church, and Wm. Law was appointed a Counselor in the First Presidency, succeeding Hyrum Smith, in that capacity, according to revelation. Taken from Andrew Jenson’s:  Church...

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LDS Church Site of Week – RICHMOND, Missouri

Posted by on Jan 16, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour |

Richmond A most important place in Mormon Missouri history.  Here, after their arrest at Far West, Joseph Smith and others were put on trial under Judge Austin King, who was no better than a mobster himself.  The lawyer who defended Joseph was one of the truly great men in American history, Alexander Doniphan, whose statue is prominent in the town square.  This same Doniphan, in an effort to stop the persecution of the Mormons, succeeded as a member of the Missouri legislature in having two counties created just for the Mormons.  I.e. Caldwell (Far West area) and Davies (Adam-ondi-Aham).  As a brigadier general in the Missouri Militia, he prevented the execution by firing squad of Joseph and Hyrum at Far West by refusing to carry out that order from the commanding general.  He also represented Joseph Smith as his lawyer while he was in the Liberty Jail. After their arrest at Far West, Joseph Smith and others were taken to Independence and put on display in a most humiliating manner.  This was before being tried or convicted of anything.  They were then taken to Richmond and incarcerated while awaiting trial with a number of others arrested at the same time. This lead to the rebuking of the guards incident recorded by Parley P. Pratt in his autobiography and presented in Richmond as a part of our Missouri tour. The Richmond Old Mormon Cemetery has several important graves: Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Sr.; Mary Whitmer (only woman to see the plates), Jacob Whitmer (one of the eight witnesses). Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer came here to live after they apostatized from the church.  Oliver practiced law in Richmond and is buried in the old Mormon Cemetery.  David Whitmer is buried in the large city cemetery on Highway 10. For more Missouri Sites – See our Missouri/Nauvoo/Winter Quarter Tour...

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