Thought:
Years
ago, Elder S. Dilworth Young of the Seventy taught me a lesson about
reading the scriptures. A stake was struggling with tensions and difficulties
among the members, and counsel needed to be given. I asked President Young,
“What should I say?” He answered simply, “Tell them to read the scriptures.” I
asked, “Which scriptures?” He said, “It really doesn’t matter. Tell them to
open up the Book of Mormon, for instance, and begin to
read. Soon the feeling of peace and inspiration will come, and a solution will
present itself.” Make scripture reading a part of your regular routine, and the
blessings will follow. There is in the scriptures a voice of warning, but there
is also great nourishment. (BK Packer Oct. 2-2013)
Book of the Week: Joseph Smith and the Restoration - Ivan J.
Barrett To appreciate the Church, to love its teachings, to
believe its divine origin, we must know its history. From the records of the past
we can see our own course more clearly. It
is men and women at their best who inspire us. Many a life has been
transformed by the careful study and deliberate
contemplation of great lives. In building
for ourselves a strong
and wholesome philosophy of living we need the inspiration of those
who have lived
gloriously. From out of the pages of Church history come such mighty ones. Let
us walk, as it were, into the great
portrait gallery of the noble Saints of the latter days—let us gaze
into the faces of men and women who endured the contumely of the word to
bequeath to us the truth; let us catch
the fire and enthusiasm in their eyes; let us note the expression of
hope and expectancy and mark the depth
of courage and determination engraved upon their countenances. As
we vicariously experience
their faith, courage, loyalty, and persistence in righteousness we
will be strengthened to lay aside every weight and run with majestic valor and
sublime patience the race of life before us.
Church History by the
Year - 1838
1831-Sept. 11
|
D&C 64:21 - Kirtland will be a stronghold for 5 years.
|
1833-Nov-Dec
|
Saints expelled from Jackson County
|
1834-May-Aug
|
March & return of Zion's Camp
|
1834-Dec. 5
|
Oliver Cowdery set apart as Assistant President of the Church
|
1835-Feb.
|
Quorum of the 12 and 70 called
|
1836-May-Jun
|
John Taylor and Lorenzo Snow baptized
|
1836-June 29
|
Mass meeting in Liberty, Clay County. 1)Poor 2)Religious differences
stirs prejudice 3) Eastern customs & dialect alien to Mo. 4) Anti-Slavery
5) Indians chosen 6)Promise
|
1836-Dec. 26
|
Caldwell County created
|
1836-Summer
|
Saints begin settling in Far West
|
1836-Dec. 29
|
Caldwell & Davies Counties created-Sponsor Alexander Doniphan.
Signed Gov. Boggs.
|
1837-Early
|
$ from Saints given to Phelps & Whitmer to buy land. Conflict
when profit taken.
|
1837-May
|
Panic of 1837 hits Ohio
|
1837-Nov.
|
Joseph in Far West to settle difficulties
|
1838-Jan. 12
|
Joseph and Sidney flee Kirtland
|
1838-Feb.
|
Phelps & John Whitmer tried by High Council. Marsh & Patten
new acting Presidency.
|
1838-Mar. 14
|
Joseph arrives to settle in Far West (Emma 6 months pregnant)
|
1838-March
|
D&C 113-
|
1838-Apr
|
Stake Pres. for Mo. called -3 Senior Apostles-Marsh, Patten,
Young-Temporary solution
|
1838-Apr.
|
D&C-114 To David Patten
|
1838-Apr.
|
John Whitmer asked for his history.
|
1838-Apr. 12
|
O. Cowdery ex'd-1)Persecuting church leaders, 2)seeking to destroy
character of Joseph. 3) Selling land in Jackson, 4) Leaving calling &
turning to law practice. (Oct. 48)
|
1838-Apr.
|
D&C 115-Name of Church-Temple in Far West w/out debt-establish
stakes in area.
|
1838-Apr.
|
History of Church begun-Joseph with assistance from Sidney.
|
1838-May
|
Adam-ondi-Ahman founded. D&C 116- See also D&C 107:53;
78:15-16
|
1838-June
|
Sidney Rigdon's Salt Sermon, July 4 Independence Day Sermon
|
1838-June 28
|
Di-Ahman Stake created. John Smith Pres. Reynolds Cahoon & Lyman
Wight-Couns.
|
1838-Summer
|
Population of Caldwell County 5000-over 1/2 in Far West-Boasts of
Anti's
|
1838-July 8
|
D&C 117, 118, 119, 120
|
1838 Summer
|
Unauthorized document to dissenters, Danites led by Sampson Avard
|
1838-Aug. 8
|
Election Day at Gallatin. Peniston vs. Williams. Judge Adam
Black signed affidavit.
|
1838-Sept. 7
|
Joseph & Lyman Wight tried before Judge Austin King at suggestion
of Generals David Atchison & Alexander Doniphan.
|
1838-Oct. 1-7
|
Battle of DeWitt
|
1838-Oct. 18-19
|
Guerilla Warfare in Davies County. Thomas B. Marsh and Orson Hyde
joined enemy at Richmond. Marsh ex'ed March 1839-Hyde relieved of duties in
12. June 27 returned.
|
1838-Oct. 25
|
Battle of Crooked River
|
1838-Oct. 27
|
Governor Bogg's "extermination order"
|
1838-Oct. 30
|
Haun's Mill Massacre - 17 killed, 13 wounded
|
1838-Oct. 30-Nov. 6
|
Siege of Far West- General Atchison, General Clark. General Lucas,
Coronel HInkel; Joseph, Sidney, Lyman Wight, PPP, George W. Robinson. General
Alexander Doniphan
|
Nov-38-Apr. 39
|
Independence-Richmond - Sampson Avard, Judge Austin King, Doniphan (November),
Liberty (Dec. 1-Apr 6),
|
2 May
1835 Thomas B. Marsh
sustained as President
of the Quorum of the Twelve
3
September 1837 John F. Boynton
disfellowshipped. He was excommunicated
later that year.
13 April
1838 Lyman E. Johnson
and his brother, Luke S. Johnson
excommunicated.
11 May
1838 William E. M'Lellin
excommunicated.
25
October 1838 David W. Patten
killed in Battle of
Crooked River.
19
December 1838 John
Taylor and John E. Page
ordained.
17 March
1839 Thomas B. Marsh
excommunicated.
26 April
1839 Wilford Woodruff
and George A. Smith
ordained.
4 May
1839 William Smith
and Orson Hyde removed from the Quorum by vote
of the church.
25 May
1839 William Smith
restored to Quorum by vote of the Church.
27 June
1839 Orson Hyde restored to the Quorum by vote
of the church
Section 113 Answers
to certain questions on the writings of Isaiah, given by Joseph Smith the
Prophet, at or near Far West, Missouri, March 1838.
Joseph,
Emma, Julia, Joseph III & Frederick arrived in Far West on March 14. In an informal
meeting with Elias Higbee and others Joseph clarified passages from Isaiah 11
& 52. Stem of Jesse is Jesus. The rod and root are Joseph Smith. Isaiah 11
was quoted by Moroni Sept. 1823 who said they were about to be fulfiiled.
Joseph recorded this section in his Scriptory Book.
As with Smith’s record keeping in general, his journal-keeping methods
developed over time. Before he and his scribes developed a consistent, workable
procedure, their efforts, intentionally or not, echoed several genres. The
first six journals each bear a title—Book for Record, Sketch Book, Scriptory
Book, Memorandum, and Minute Book (all constituting the present first volume of
The Joseph Smith Papers, Journals series), and Book of
the Law of the Lord (the title of the book containing the first journal
presented in volume two of the Journals series). These titles, in the end,
reflect something of the varied contents and purposes of these journals. The
Scriptory Book, for example, contains various written records, or
scripts—letters, minutes, revelations, and other transcribed documents—as well
as typical journal entries recording daily events. Combining miscellaneous
documents with proper journal entries, the book functioned as a repository for
information Smith and his scribes wanted to preserve. (http://josephsmithpapers.org/doc/series-introduction-for-the-journals-series)
Section 114
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Far West,
Missouri, April 11, 1838.
Vs. 2 - The
Greek word for bishopric is "episkope"=overseership
or office. It can refer to a variety of callings or duties.
David W.
Patten- Born Nov. 14, 1799 New York. 6'1" 200+ pounds. Baptized June 15,
1832 by brother John. Gift of healing . Missions man. Asked Joseph for martyr's
death. Captain Fearnot. Killed Oct. 25 at Battle of Crooked River. (Age 38) Grave in Far West. Unmarked and Unknown.
D&C 124:19
Apostasy
before Oct. 25, 1838- T.B. Marsh, W.E. McLellin, Luke S. Johnson, John F.
Boynton, Lyman E. Johnson. Wm. Smith was Inactive and in and out but was not
Ex'd until 1845. Orson Hyde was Out on May 1839 and in on June 27, 1839
Section 115
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Far West,
Missouri, April 26, 1838, making known the will of God concerning the building
up of that place and of the Lord’s house. This revelation is addressed to the
presiding officers and the members of the Church.
Vs. 2 -
Counselors to Bishop Partridge were Isaac Morley and Titus Billings.
Vs. 4 - Name
of the Church
Vs. 8 -
Temple to be built in Far West.
Section 116
Orson Pratt
Said, "We have then an understanding that Adam-ondi-Ahman was the place
where Adam dwelt. Ondi-Ahman means the place where Adam dwelt. Ahman signifies
God, The whole term means Valley of God, where Adam dwelt. It is in the
original language spoke by Adam, as revealed to Joseph. (JD 18:342-43)
Section 117
William
Marks - Born Nov. 15, 1792 in Vermont. Baptized in New York. Moved to Kirtland
and ran a bookstore. Was Pres of the Kirtland Stake and the Nauvoo Stake. Was
sympathetic to Sidney Rigdon, a Counselor to James Strang and a co-founder of
the Reorganized Church. Counselor to Joseph III. Died May 22, 1972 - Age 79.
Vs. 11-The
Nicolatians appear to have been characterized by sensuality, seducing
Christians to participate in feasts of pagans. They taught in order to overcome
sensuality, one must know the whole range of it by experience. BRM said they
were members of the Church who were trying to maintain Church standing while
living after the way of the world. Nicolatians has come to identify those who
want their names on the records of the Church, but do not want to devote
themselves with full purpose of heart. (Understanding the Book of Revelation p.
31)
Section 118
Father
Smith, "the Lord will take the will for the deed." Others, "the
Lord could not expect the 12 Apostles to go up and sacrifice their live to
fulfill that revelation." Brigham and the 12, "The Lord God has
spoken and we will fulfill that Revelation and commandment." (Wilford
Woodruff JD 18:123)
Section 119 & 120-
The
Windows of Heaven Elder
David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles October 2013