Last weekend Jacob and I went to visit my parents in Ohio and was able to visit Kirtland. It had been quite awhile since I had been there and Jacob had never been there. It was a beautiful day and an incredible experience.
Some of the incredible things that happened in Kirtland..
- The Kirtland Temple was the first temple erected in this dispensation and the revelation to build it was given in the spring of 1833. It was constructed through great sacrifice by the Latter-day Saints. Eliza R. Snow described their arduous efforts as follows:
"With very little capital except brain, bone and sinew, combined with unwavering trust in God, men, women, and even children, worked with their might; while the brethren labored in their departments, the sisters were actively engaged in boarding and clothing workmen not otherwise provided for-all living as abstemiously as possible so that every cent might be appropriated to the grand object, while their energies were stimulated by the prospect of participating in the blessing of a house built by the direction of the Most High and accepted by him." 1
- The First Presidency of the Church: Joseph Smith, Jr., Fredrick G. Williams, and Sidney Rigdon, saw the finished temple in vision to help direct for this sacred edifice. Fredrick G. Williams described the experience as follows:
"Joseph received the word of the Lord for him to take his two counselors, [Frederick G.] Williams and [Sidney] Rigdon, and come before the Lord and He would show them the plan or model of the house to be built. We went upon our knees, called on the Lord, and the building appeared within viewing distance. I being the first to discover it. Then all of us viewed it together. After we had taken a good look at the exterior, the building seemed to come right over us, and the makeup of this hall seemed to coincide with what I there saw to a minutia." 2
- The construction of the temple began on June 5, 1833, and was dedicated on March 27,1836. Many significant events occurred at the dedication including the singing of W. W. Phelps' hymn, "The Spirit of God," the performance of the Hosanna Shout, pentecostal manifestations, and angelic visitations.
- One week after the dedication, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery "standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit," and accepted the Kirtland Temple.
- (postcard)
- After the appearance of the Savior, other heavenly beings appeared to Joseph & Oliver including Moses, Elias, and Elijah, each committing the keys of their respective dispensation unto them.
1 Edward W. Tullidge, The Women of Mormondom (New York: Tullidge & Crandall, 1877), 82.
2 Truman Angell, Autobiography, Our Pioneer Heritage, Writings of Early Latter-day Saints, 198.
3 Doctrine & Covenants 110:2-6.
The Newell K Whitney Store: and what happened there..
- The Newel K. Whitney Store served as the home of Joseph and Emma Smith between September 1832 and February 1834. Joseph Smith III was born here on November 6, 1832. The store served as the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the time that the Smith family lived here.
- Many significant events occurred here including the organization of the School of the Prophets, the First Presidency receiving the keys of the kingdom, and receiving of the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom, Doctrine and Covenants Section 89.
- During one of the meetings of the School of the Prophets, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to members of the school. Zebedee Coltrin, a member of the school related the following experience:
I saw a person passing through the room as plainly as I see you now. Joseph asked us if we knew who it was and answered himself, 'That is Jesus our Elder Brother, the Son of God!' After the vision closed, Joseph then told those present to resume their former position of prayer. Again I saw passing through the same room, a personage whose glory and brightness was so great, that I can liken it to nothing but the burning bush that Moses saw, and its power was so great that had it continued much longer I believe it would have consumed us. After this personage had disappeared from the room, Joseph announced that the men had seen the father of the Lord Jesus Christ.1
- In the late 1970s, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
purchased the store from Wilford C. Wood and restored it. The store was dedicated by President Ezra Taft Benson on August 25, 1984.2 On November 18, 1988, President Ronald Reagan presented the Church with the Historic Preservation Award for restoring the Newel K. Whitney Store in 1984.3
2 Karl Ricks Anderson, Joseph Smith's Kirtland (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989), 249.
3 "Whitney Store Given Prestigious Award," LDS Church News, (November 19, 1988).
The John Johnson Farm
What happened in the John Johnson farm..
The John Johnson Farm served as headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for approximately six months between September 1831 and March 1832. Also, in an upper room of the house, several significant revelations were received including Doctrine and Covenants Section 76, the vision of the three degrees of glory.
The Prophet Joseph continued his work of the translation of the bible while living here, and the John Johnson Farm was where the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon were dragged from the house and tarred and feathered on March 24, 1832.1 Five days later, Joseph and Emma's adopted son, Joseph Murdock, died due to complications resulting from exposure.
| Key Events at the John Johnson Farm - On February 16, 1832 Joseph and Sidney received the revelations of the three degrees of glory, Doctrine & Covenants Section 76. - Joseph and Sidney were tarred and feather after being dragged from the farm house on March 24, 1832. |
The Johnson's were converted in the Spring of 1831 with the healing of John's wife Elsa from rheumatism in her shoulder.2 Two of the Johnson's sons, Luke and Lyman Johnson became members of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and their daughter, Marinda, married Orson Hyde.
SOURCES
1 Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., introduction and notes by B. H. Roberts (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932-1951), 1: 263 - 264.
2 Larry C. Porter and Susan Easton Black, eds., The Prophet Joseph: Essays on the Life and Mission of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1988), 163.
3 Susan Easton Black, Who's Who in the Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997), 156 - 157.
It really was an incredible day. Especially the Newell K Whitney store. Hearing their experiences and the missionaries testimonies motivated me so much to meet my potential!
It was equally wonderful to spend time with my wonderful parents. Im really enjoying my time with them more and more.
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