Posted by admin on Dec 21, 2012 in Christmas Past 2012 |

On the 9th Day of Christmas Past Ezra Taft Benson was willing to serve in war-torn Europe but surprised. It would be hard but he was willing and his wife and children felt likewise. Story still available on yesterday’s 9th Day Question and Story post. Congrats to 9th Day drawing winner, MaryKay Jackson, who won a Holy family olive wood carved...

Posted by admin on Dec 20, 2012 in Christmas Past 2012 |

Question 9th Day Christmas Past: How did Ezra Taft Benson and his family react to some news they received just before Christmas? (To be entered into today’s giveaway & FREE tour drawing, Comment & Share your thoughts of story below on Facebook or our blog.) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1945: SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH President George Albert Smith called a special meeting of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve in their office. The Twelve were seated around the table with the First Presidency at the head at a cross table. After the prayer President Smith referred to the fact that announcement had been made that Brothers Widtsoe and McKay would go to Europe, but he said that on further investigation they found conditions so bad in Europe that it would not be wise to send these two brethren, but to select a younger man. Elder Harold B. Lee tells the story: “I began quickly to look around the table, speculating as to who would be called. One of the first men I eliminated was Elder Benson, who had the largest family as well as the youngest. I’d not quite made my survey around the table when President Smith announced that they had decided to call Elder Ezra Taft Benson to go to Europe.” (ETB Reminiscences.) “After outlining the magnitude of the job, President Smith announced that I had been chosen to go and preside over the European Mission and take charge also of the distribution of relief help for our people in those war-torn countries. It came as a great shock, and I was asked what my wife would say to my leaving her with a young family. I assured the Brethren that I could always count on my wife’s full support in any call from the Church.” The meeting then ratified unanimously President Smith’s nomination. Now I am to put my affairs in order promptly and go to Washington, D.C., to try and get the necessary permit and transportation to England. (ETB Journal.) President Smith said: “I am not at all concerned about you. You will be just as safe there as anywhere else in the world if you take care of yourself, and you will be able to accomplish a great work.” (ETB Reminiscences.) Later in a sweet and impressive talk with my wife, sanctified by tears, Flora expressed loving gratitude and assured me of her wholehearted support. At dinner I told the children, who were surprised, interested, and fully loyal. (ETB Journal.) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1945: SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH First notices that the welfare packages being sent to Europe by the Church for the relief of destitute members of the Church are being received in good condition-and are bringing happiness to many people-have been received this week at the Church Offices. The first words of thanks received have come from Holland. This country...

Posted by admin on Dec 20, 2012 in Christmas Past 2012 |

On the 8th Day of Christmas Past the Apostles in Great Britain, had never made greater sacrifices nor enjoyed greater blessings than on their Apostolic Mission. Story still available on yesterday’s 8th Day Question and Story post.  You could see these sites on our England & Wales Tour April 28 – May 9, 2913! Congrats to 8th Day drawing winner, David Constable, who won an olive wood oval frame with the Holy Family carved in...

Posted by admin on Dec 19, 2012 in Christmas Past 2012 |

Question 8th Day Christmas Past: Heber C. Kimball & Orson Hyde were the first missionaries called to serve in Great Britain.  A few years later ALL the Apostles were issued a call to serve there – the only time in the history of the Church that the Quorum of the Twelve as a body has been called to travel outside America for such an assignment!  Many amazing events took place, what are some of their experiences during Christmas and New Year’s time? (To be entered into today’s giveaway & FREE tour drawing, Comment & Share your thoughts of accounts below on Facebook or our blog.  See these sites and many more on our England and Wales Tour April 28 – May 9, 2013!) First Mission – First general conference in Great Britain: At length it was decided to hold a conference—the first general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Great Britain—in the “Cockpit,” Preston, on Christmas day, 1837. Branches had been raised up in Preston, Walkerford, Alston, Bedford, Eccleston, Wrightington, Hexton, Euxton Bath, Daubers Lane, Chorley, Whittle, Leyland Moss, Ribchester, Thornley, Clithero, Waddington, Downham, Barshe Lees, Askin, Hunter’s Hill, Stoney Gate Lane, Chatburn, Penwortham, and other places. About three hundred Saints, representing a much larger membership residing in branches extending thirty miles and more around Preston, attended that first conference. Priest Joseph Fielding was ordained an Elder. Ten Priests and seven Teachers were ordained to minister in the various branches; one hundred little children were blessed at this time, and the Word of Wisdom, which had heretofore been taught more by example than by precept, was first publicly proclaimed in Great Britain. A glorious day of glorious deeds! It was fitting that such a body of Saints should meet under the direction of two of the Lord’s Apostles on the day that is celebrated as that of His birth. And on that day it was fitting that a hundred little children should be blessed. It was fitting, too, that in the old “Cockpit,” the cradle of “teetotalism,” the Word of Wisdom—the Lord’s law of health and vigor, life and vitality—should first be publicly proclaimed in Great Britain. Second Mission – London On December 1st at Barratt’s Academy Brigham Young preached his first Gospel sermon in London. Ten days later he departed for Cheltenham, and left London in the capable hands of Brothers Kimball and Woodruff. During the second week in December four persons were baptized—Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, with whom the missionaries lodged, Christopher Smith, their apprentice, and Henry Connor, Jr. HCA minister of the Independent Order, Reverend James Albion by name, encountered the missionaries, attended some of their meetings, and invited the brethren to his home, which invitation they accepted on more than one occasion. Having heard the Gospel of the Master from their lips, the Reverend Albion offered the use of his...

Posted by admin on Dec 19, 2012 in Christmas Past 2012 |

On the 7th Day of Christmas Past it would have been so fun to sing “Come, Come Ye Saints” by William Clayton! Story still available on yesterday’s 7th Day Question and Story post. Congrats to 7th Day drawing winner, Keli Emerson, who won a set of olive wood carved silhouette Christmas ornaments from...

Posted by admin on Dec 18, 2012 in Christmas Past 2012 | 2 comments

Question 7th Day Christmas Past: What LDS hymn made its debut at a general conference on Christmas Eve? (To be entered into today’s giveaway & FREE tour drawing, Comment & Share your thoughts of story below on Facebook or our blog.) The song “All is Well” came to be universally used by the pioneers to soften the hardships and bolster their courage and faith in the trek westward. After completing the trek westward as a member of the first Pioneer Company in July 1847, Clayton returned in the fall to Winter Quarters where his family had remained. Surely Clayton was present across the Missouri River in Kanesville, Iowa, at the jubilee conference that convened on Christmas Eve day, 1847, when his “song” was first sung at a general conference of the Church. The setting was the new log tabernacle, “the biggest log-cabin in the world,” which seated 1,000. In the early afternoon “Come, Come, Ye Saints” was sung, accompanied by the Winter Quarters band, followed by the sustaining of the new First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—President Brigham Young with his counselors, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards.4 It is proper, perhaps, that “Come, Come, Ye Saints,” is the only currently used hymn composed during the 1846-1848 emigration period of the Church as its words so completely reflect the sentiment of the westwarding Saints. The first words are a call to the Saints, wherever they might be to “Come, come” together. This most likely was a reflection of the Lord’s admonition in D&C 124:25 given in 1838 “let all my saints come from afar” to Zion. William Clayton had responded to that call, coming from England. In his scribe capacity he especially would have been aware of Brigham Young’s words to Orson Spencer in England in 1847, “Say to the saints, Come.”5 The concept of calling upon the Saints to “come” to Zion had been a constant theme, and Clayton’s use of the phrase in his hymn could apply equally to Zion or to a united group such as a pioneer company. Taken from:  Pioneer Song Inspires Generations , LDS Church News, 1996,...