Glimpse of the Past, LDS Church History May 1-15

Posted by on May 16, 2012 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

May 15, 1829 – While Joseph Smith, jun., and Oliver Cowdery were engaged in prayer in the woods, near Harmony, John the Baptist descended as a messenger from heaven in a cloud of light and ordained them to the Priesthood of Aaron and commanded them to baptize and ordain each other. This they did the same day. Immediately after being baptized, the Holy Ghost fell upon them in great measure and both prophesied. (See Doc. and Cov., Sec. 13, and History of Joseph Smith.) May 6, 1832 – Joseph Smith, jun., Sidney Rigdon and Newel K. Whitney left Independence, Mo., for Ohio. On the journey Bro. Whitney broke his leg and was miraculously healed. Joseph was poisoned by his enemies, but was restored in an instant. May 3, 1834 – At a conference of Elders, held at Kirtland, the Church was first named “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” May 13, 1834 – Zion’s Camp continued traveling towards Missouri by traveling through a long range of beech woods where the roads were very bad.  “In many instances we had to fasten ropes to the wagons to haul them out of the sloughs and mud holes.  Brother Parley P. Pratt broke his harness; the brethren fastened their ropes to his wagon, and drew it about three miles to the place of encampment on the Scioto river, while he rode singing and whistling.” (HOC 2:65). May 13, 1857 – Elder Parley P. Pratt is murdered in Arkansas and buried near the town of Alma.  He was traveling through the southern and eastern states visiting the Saints and teaching the gospel.  It is reported his dying words were:  “I die a firm believer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith…I am dying a martyr to the faith.” (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, xxvii) May 1885 – Apostles Brigham Young and Moses Thatcher visited the City of Mexico, and obtained permission from the Federal government for the Saints to remain in Chihuahua. Taken from: History of the Church; and Church Chronology by Andrew...

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Glimpse of the Past, LDS Church History April 16-30

Posted by on May 16, 2012 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

April 18, 1830 – Late in April the Prophet Joseph visited Joseph Knight, at Colesville, Broome Co., N. Y., where, under the Prophet’s administration, the first miracle was wrought in this dispensation. April 24, 1834 – On this and the following six days the mob burned about one hundred and fifty houses belonging to the Saints in Jackson County, Missouri. April 20, 1838 – Apostles Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde sailed from Liverpool, England, for America on the ship Garrick. They arrived in New York May 12th, and at Kirtland, O., May 22nd. April 15, 1840 – Apostle Orson Hyde left Commerce, Illinois, on his mission to Jerusalem. April 29, 1847 – The first camp of Pioneers arrived at the future sit of Grand Island, Nebraska.  They burned the dry grass so that the green grass would grow faster for those who would come later.  They had now traveled 204 miles from Winter Quarters. April 29, 1985 – Don Lind, an astronaut and member of the Church, participates in a journey aboard the space shuttle...

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Glimpse of the Past – LDS Church History April 1-15

Posted by on Apr 17, 2012 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

April 3, 1814 – Lorenzo Snow was born in Mantua, Portage Co., O. April 7, 1829 – Joseph Smith, jun., resumed the translation of the Book of Mormon, assisted by Oliver Cowdery as scribe, at Harmony.  Oliver Cowdery was called by revelation to assist Joseph Smith, jun., in his labors and stand by him in his difficulties. Oliver was also promised the gift of translating like Joseph, if he desired it. (Doc. and Cov., Sec. 6.) April 6, 1830 – The Church (afterwards named by revelation the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Saints) was organized according to the laws of the State of New York, in the house of Peter Whitmer, sen., at Fayette, Seneca Co., N. Y., with six members, namely, Joseph Smith, jun., Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer, jun., Samuel H. Smith and David Whitmer. Joseph Smith, jun., and Oliver Cowdery ordained each other Elders—the first Elders in the Church—according to commandment from God. They then laid hands on all the baptized members present, “that they might receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and be confirmed members of the Church.” The Holy Ghost was poured out upon them “to a very great degree.” Some prophesied and “all praised the Lord and rejoiced exceedingly.” April 11, 1830 – Oliver Cowdery preached the first public discourse delivered by any of the Elders in this dispensation. The meeting was held in the house of Peter Whitmer, sen., at Fayette. Hiram Page, Catherine Page, Christian Whitmer, Annie Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer and Elizabeth Whitmer were baptized by Oliver Cowdery, in Seneca lake. April 6, 1833 – About eighty official and some unofficial members of the Church met at the ferry on Big Blue river, near the western boundary of Jackson County, Missouri, and, for the first time, celebrated the birthday of the Church. April 7, 1837 – The city plat of Far West, Caldwell County, Mo., having been surveyed, the sale of town lots was left to Wm. W. Phelps, John Whitmer and Edward Partridge. Jacob Whitmer, Elisha H. Groves and Geo. M. Hinkle were appointed a building committee for the erection of a house of the Lord at Far West. April 8, 1843 – During General conference held in the log tabernacle at Miller’s Hollow on the east side of the Missouri River, the settlement is renamed Kanesville in honor of Colonel Thomas L. Kane.  Col. Kane was a non-member friend of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Saints.  The name is later changed to Council Bluffs, as it is known today in...

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Glimpse of Past – LDS Church History March 18-24

Posted by on Mar 22, 2012 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

March 18, 1833 – Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams were appointed and set apart by President Joseph Smith to be his Counselors in the Presidency of the Church, according to the revelation given March 8th. On the same occasion “many of the brethren saw a heavenly vision of the Savior and concourses of angels.” March 20, 1839 – Joseph Smith, jun., who was still imprisoned in Liberty jail, Mo., wrote an excellent epistle “to the Saints at Quincy, Ill., and scattered abroad,” in which was embodied a most fervent prayer in behalf of the suffering Saints, and words of prophecy. (See Doc. and Cov., Sec. 121, and History of Joseph Smith.) March 20, 1842 – The Prophet Joseph Smith baptized 80 people in the Mississippi River near his home, including M.L.D. Wasson, a nephew of Emma Smith, the first of her family to join the Church. March 18, 1843 – The Prophet Joseph spent the morning in his office working.  He records, “About noon, I lay down on the writing table, with my head on a pile of law books, saying, ‘Write and tell the world I acknowledge myself a very great lawyer; I am going to study law, and this is the way I study it;’ and then fell asleep.” March 18, 1962 – The first stake in Western Samoa is organized in Apia. Taken from: History of Joseph Smith 1:335; 5:306; and Church Chronology by Andrew...

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Glimpse of the Past – LDS Church History March 11-17

Posted by on Mar 14, 2012 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

March 14, 1838 – Headquarters of the Church was established in Far West, Mo. March 17 1842 – Joseph Smith organized the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo, with Emma Smith, Sarah Cleveland, and Elizabeth Ann Whitney as its presidency, to look after the poor and sick. March 1944 – The church announced the purchase of Spring Hill in Missouri, known in Church history as Adam-ondi-Ahman.  Final deeds for the purchase were dated June 27, 1944, the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  The deed to the land was passed on to the Church by Eugene Johnson, whose family had been in possession of the property for a century. March 12, 1961 – The first non-English-speaking stake of the Church was organized at the Hague in the Netherlands. March 15, 1970 – The first stake in Asia was organized in Tokyo, Japan. March 12, 1995 – Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley was ordained and set apart as the 15th President of the Church. Taken from  Church Chronology by Andrew Jenson, image from...

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Glimpse of the Past – LDS Church History March 1-8

Posted by on Mar 8, 2012 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

March 6, 1840 – Joseph attended a meeting of the High Council of Iowa held at the home of Elijah Fordham in Montrose.  He told them that it was the will of the Lord that they should desist from trying to live the law of consecration and that it would not be kept until the Lord commanded otherwise. March 4, 1842 – In preparation for the printing of the Book of Abraham in the Times and Seasons, the Prophet Joseph had Reuben Hedlock come to his office to view the original and “gave instruction concerning the arrangement of the of the writing. March 4, 1843 – The Prophet Joseph records that Orrin Porter Rockwell had been arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, for attempted murder of ex-Govenor Boggs.  He meets in council with brethren from Ramus, about building a meetinghouse there on Church property.  He uses a metaphor of a wagon wheel to describe the building of LDS communities in the area.  The hub is Nauvoo, the spokes to Ramus, LaHarpe, Shokoquon, and Lima being the one side of the wheel , the other side being in Iowa. March 4, 1844 – Feeling an urgency to finish the temple, the Prophet Joseph recommends that work on the Nauvoo House be suspended until the temple is finished, “as we need the temple more than anything else.” March 6, 1948 – Pres. Edward “Vaun” Clissold and his wife, Irene, arrive in Japan, the first official missionaries in Japan since the closure of the Japanese mission in 1924. March 6, 1986 – BYU basketball coach from 1949-1972, Stanley H. Watts, is inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.  His teams won eight conference titles and two National Invitational Tournament championships. Taken from Church History 4:89, 543; 6:230 and from Church Chronology by Andrew...

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