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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LDS Site of the Week – ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN

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

Adam-ondi-Ahman – 173 years ago this week, Joseph Smith, jun., Sidney Rigdon and others visited a place on the north side of Grand river (about twenty-five miles north of Far West) called by the Saints Spring Hill, which by revelation was named Adam-ondi-Ahman, because “it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by the Prophet Daniel.” Where Adam and Eve dwelt after leaving the Garden of Eden.  Also where a great meeting or council will soon be held involving church leaders from this world and the next.  Millions will be in attendance.  All prophets who have ever received keys will be there with Adam.  This site is so sacred that the Church makes no effort to advertise it to the world.  There is no visitors’ center there and the plaques at the overlooks tell very little about it.  Visitors should already know and appreciate what they are looking at. Joseph Fielding Smith wrote a great deal about Adam-ondi-Ahman: “This council in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman is to be of the greatest importance to this world. At that time there will be a transfer of authority from the usurper and impostor, Lucifer, to the rightful King, Jesus Christ. Judgment will be set and all who have held keys will make their reports and deliver their stewardships, as they shall be required. Adam will direct this judgment, and then he will make his report, as the one holding the keys for this earth, to his Superior Officer, Jesus Christ. Our Lord will then assume the reins of government; directions will be given to the Priesthood; and He, whose right it is to rule, will be installed officially by the voice of the Priesthood there assembled. This grand council of Priesthood will be composed, not only of those who are faithful who now dwell on this earth, but also of the prophets and apostles of old, who have had directing authority. Others may also be there, but if so they will be there by appointment, for this is to be an official council called to attend to the most momentous matters concerning the destiny of this earth.  When this gathering is held, the world will not know of it; the members of the Church at large will not know of it, yet it shall be preparatory to the coming in the clouds of glory of our Savior Jesus Christ as the Prophet Joseph Smith has said. The world cannot know of it. The Saints cannot know of it — except those who officially shall be called into this council — for it shall precede the coming of Jesus Christ as a thief in the night, unbeknown to all the world.”  (Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., The Way to Perfection, p...

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LDS Site of the Week – ORSON HYDE MEMORIAL GARDEN, JERUSALEM

Posted by on Apr 15, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour |

On April 15, 1840, Apostle Orson Hyde left Commerce, Ill., on his mission to Jerusalem.  This week’s site is dedicated to him and his mission there.  ORSON HYDE MEMORIAL PARK/GARDEN Located on the Mt of Olives, just below the BYU Center.  On October 24, 1979, President Spencer W. Kimball and 2000 other Church officials and members gathered here to dedicate the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden, a 5.5 acre park developed with a $1 million gift from the Orson Hyde Foundation, headed by Apostle LeGrand Richards.  The Garden was one of the largest and most prestigious parts of the Jerusalem National Park, a greenbelt of small parks and landscaped gardens around the Old City.  It features a 150-seat stone amphitheater near the top of the Garden and on the north side of the amphitheater a bronze plaque was placed with excerpts of Elder Hyde’s prayer in English and Hebrew.  The plaque has since been removed due to vandalism most likely caused by hurt feelings over misunderstandings from things said in the prayer.  The wall that held the plaque now has an obvious empty space where the plaque was encased.  Olive trees and other indigenous vegetation are growing throughout the park and a stone path winds back and forth in a gradual descent to the lower slope of the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. DWB p....

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175th Anniversary of Kirtland Temple

Posted by on Apr 5, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour |

A special commemoration was held at the Kirtland Temple in honor of the 175th Anniversary of its dedication.  This special event was highlighted in the Church News.  In attendance was Karl Ricks Anderson, also known as “Mr. Kirtland”.  Karl’s incredible knowledge of the area’s spiritual history as well as the important role he has played in the restoration of Kirtland’s Church historical sites has certainly earned him this title.  He is featured in the picture at left. When the Prophet Joseph Smith dedicated the Kirtland Temple 175 years ago, he described the experience as a great spiritual outpouring: “…a noise was heard like the sound of a rushing mighty wind, which filled the Temple, and all the congregation simultaneously arose, being moved upon by an invisible power; many began to speak in tongues and prophesy; others saw glorious visions; and I beheld the Temple was filled with angels…The people of the neighborhood came running together…seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting upon the Temple, and were astonished at what was taking place.” Now 175 years later, Karl Anderson and other LDS Church Leaders helped many members who attended the special commemoration to leave the temple expressing that they had experienced “a small glimpse of the great spiritual outpouring witnessed at the dedication 175 years ago.” You could spend eight inspiring days with Karl Ricks Anderson on his Sharon to Kirtland Tour as he uniquely shares uplifting insights and information about these incredible sites, the prophet Joseph Smith, and the faithful Saints who joined with the Church.   Visit our Sharon to Kirtland tour web page for more details. For the full Church News story visit:  ...

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LDS Site of the Week – Liberty Jail

Posted by on Mar 22, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour |

Liberty Jail – This week marks the anniversary of when Joseph Smith, jun., who was imprisoned in Liberty jail, Mo., wrote an excellent epistle of what is now D&C 121-123. Thirteen miles north of the Independence Visitor’s Center, Joseph Smith was a prisoner here from December 1838 until he was allowed to escape in May 1839.  Conditions were harsh and made doubly so for Joseph because of the brutality of the Missouri Militia upon the Saints while he was there.  It was a growing experience for Joseph Smith and some of the greatest sections of the D&C were received there as mentioned above. Alexander W. Doniphan, who courageously represented Joseph Smith as his lawyer here and in Richmond, is buried in the Liberty Cemetery, though he was a native of Richmond.  Those held prisoner at Liberty Jail were: Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb Baldwin, Alexander McCrea.  Those held prisoner at Richmond Jail were: Parley P. Pratt, King Follet, Darwin Chase, Norman Shearer, Luman Gibbs, Morris Phelps. For more Missouri Sites – See our Missouri/Nauvoo/Winter Quarter Tour...

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LDS Site of the Week – GADFIELD ELM CHAPEL, England

Posted by on Mar 14, 2011 in British Isles - England and Wales Trips, Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour |

The Gadfield Elm Chapel near the village of Pendock in Worcestershire, England, is the oldest extant chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The structure was built in 1836 as a religious meetinghouse by the United Brethren, a group of breakaway Primitive Methodists led by Thomas Knighton. In 1840, Latter Day Saint missionary and apostle Wilford Woodruff preached among the United Brethren; ultimately all but one of the 600 members of the United Brethren were converted to Mormonism. After the conversions, the structure was deeded to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Knighton and John Benbow. As a chapel of the early Latter Day Saint movement, the building was a centre of activity for the church in the Malvern Hills area. The chapel was sold by the church in 1842 to help fund the emigration of British Latter Day Saints to America. The building was privately owned until it was purchased in 1994 by the Gadfield Elm Trust, a group of LDS Church members interested in preserving the chapel. The Trust renovated and restored the chapel, and it was dedicated by LDS Church apostle Jeffrey R. Holland on 23 April 2000. In 2004, the Gadfield Elm Trust donated ownership of the chapel to the LDS Church, and it was rededicated by church president Gordon B. Hinckley on 26 May 2004. The chapel is operated as a historical tourist site by the LDS Church and admission to the public is free. For more information about other amazing British Isles sites, visit our England & Wale’s 400th Bible Commemoration Tour...

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