LDS Church History Site of the Week – Smith Family Log Home

Posted by on Sep 28, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour |

188 years ago on Sept. 21,  Joseph Smith, jun., was engaged in earnest prayer in his father’s house in Manchester, near Palmyra, N. Y.  He saw the room in which he had retired for the night filled with light surpassing that of noonday, in the midst of which stood a person dressed in white, whose countenance was as lightning, and yet full of innocence and goodness. This was the angel Moroni, who informed Joseph that God had a work for him (Joseph) to do, and that his “name should be had for good and evil among all nations.” The angel quoted many passages of Scripture, and told Joseph that the native inhabitants of America were a remnant of Israel who had anciently enjoyed the ministry of inspired men, that records engraved on plates of gold, containing their history and also the fullness of the everlasting Gospel had been preserved and were buried in a neighboring hill. While conversing with the angel, a vision was opened to Joseph’s view, so that he could see the place where the plates were deposited, and he was told by the angel that he should obtain them at some future day, if he was faithful. After imparting many instructions, the angel disappeared, but returned twice during the night, and repeated what he had said on his first visit; he also gave further instructions.  It is so amazing to go and feel the sacred spirit of this amazing rebuilt log home where Moroni’s visits took...

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Glimpse of the Past – LDS Church History Sep 22-30

Posted by on Sep 28, 2011 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

September 22, 1827 – Joseph Smith obtained the gold plates from Moroni at the Hill Cumorah (see JS-H 1: 59). Sept 25, 1842 – The Prophet Joseph spoke in the Grove in Nauvoo for “more than two hours, chiefly on the subject of persecution.” Sept 25, 1928 – The first institute building in the church, adjacent to the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho, is dedicated by Pres. Charles W. Nibley of the First Presidency.  The program had started a year earlier with fifty-seven students being taught by J. Wyley Sessions. Sept 26, 1955 – The Church College of Hawaii, now Brigham Young University – Hawaii, commenced its first day of classes with 153 students and 20 faculty/administrators in war surplus buildings moved to the Laie site.  Dr. Reuben D. Law became the first president of CCH. Sept 26, 1963 – U.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy speaks in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, while visiting the state just two months before he was...

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LDS Church History Site of the Week – Logan Temple

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

On 17 September 1877, the corner stones of the Logan Temple were laid.  Here are some Temple Facts for this site of the week. The Logan Utah Temple was the second temple built in Utah. The Logan Utah Temple was the only temple dedicated by President John Taylor. The five-story Logan Utah Temple was built entirely by volunteer labor over a seven-year period from 1877 to 1884. The exterior walls of the Logan Utah Temple were originally painted an off-white color to hide the dark, rough-hewn limestone. In the early 1900s, however, the paint was allowed to weather away, uncovering the beautiful stone that characterizes the temple today. On the evening of December 4, 1917, fire broke out in the Logan Utah Temple, engulfing the southeast staircase, destroying several windows and paintings, and causing extensive smoke and water damage. The origin of the fire was discovered to be electrical wiring. The Logan Utah Temple was flood lighted at night for the first time during the month of May 1934 as part of the temple’s Golden Jubilee celebration. Everyone entering the valley was astonished by the brilliant spectacle. Thirteen years would pass before the temple was lit again on the temple’s 63rd anniversary—this time with an elaborate permanent system. The Logan Utah Temple is the only temple to be completely gutted and rebuilt inside. The two-year project replaced the progressive-style ordinance rooms with motion-picture ordinance rooms. President Spencer W. Kimball, who rededicated the completed temple in 1979, regretted the need to reconstruct the interior because of the loss of pioneer craftsmanship. Taken from: ...

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Glimpse of the Past – LDS Church History Sep 16-21

Posted by on Sep 16, 2011 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

September 21, 1823 – Joseph Smith, jun., while engaged in earnest prayer in his father’s house in Manchester, near Palmyra, N. Y., saw the room in which he had retired for the night filled with light surpassing that of noonday, in the midst of which stood a person dressed in white, whose countenance was as lightning, and yet full of innocence and goodness. This was the angel Moroni, who informed Joseph that God had a work for him (Joseph) to do, and that his “name should be had for good and evil among all nations.” The angel quoted many passages of Scripture, and told Joseph that the native inhabitants of America were a remnant of Israel who had anciently enjoyed the ministry of inspired men, that records engraved on plates of gold, containing their history and also the fulness of the everlasting Gospel had been preserved and were buried in a neighboring hill. While conversing with the angel, a vision was opened to Joseph’s view, so that he could see the place where the plates were deposited, and he was told by the angel that he should obtain them at some future day, if he was faithful. After imparting many instructions, the angel disappeared, but returned twice during the night, and repeated what he had said on his first visit; he also gave further instructions. Sept 16, 1840 – First apostle arrives in the Isle of Man (John Taylor). September 1856– Cache County was settled by Peter Maughan and others, who located what is now the town of Wellsville. September 16, 1855 – The Horticultural Society was organized in G.S.L. City, with Wilford Woodruff as president. Various other societies were organized in the forepart of the year, among which were the “Universal Scientific Society”, the “Polysophical Society”, the Deseret Philharmonic Society and the “Deseret Typographical Association.” Taken from Church Chronology, Andrew...

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LDS Church History Site of the Week – Nauvoo Mansion House

Posted by on Sep 8, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour |

This week’s site is the Mansion House which served as Joseph and Emma’s second home in Nauvoo.   The Mansion House served to entertain many individuals that came to Nauvoo. Initially, Joseph hosted guests free of charge, but was unable to continue to support himself doing so. It eventually became necessary for him to start charging guests in September 15 of 1843.  Additionally, the Mansion House served as the venue where several temple ordinances were performed before the completion of the Nauvoo Temple. Joseph leased the Mansion House to Ebenezer Robinson in January of 1844 who continued to use it as a public-house. After the martyrdom of the Prophet and his brother in Carthage, the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum were displayed in the Mansion House for the Saints to view. It is estimated that over ten-thousand people viewed Joseph and Hyrum’s bodies that day.  Additionally, George Cannon made death masks of Joseph and Hyrum while at the Mansion House.  Zina Jacobs, a member of the Church living in Nauvoo, described the experience of Joseph and Hyrum’s bodies being returned: “This afternoon the bodies of the martyrs arrived in town. . . . I went into this house for the first time and saw the lifeless, speechless bodies of the two martyrs for the testimony which they held. Little did my heart ever think that mine eyes should witness this awful scene.” Emma continued to live in the home after Joseph’s death until moving into the Nauvoo House in 1869.  In the 1890s, the hotel portion of the home was removed. The Community of Christ currently maintains the home and tours are available. Taken from: Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., 5: 556. and ...

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