Filling in the History

The dedication of the Kirtland House of the Lord and the events that follow are pivotal moments in the history of the Church and a major victory for the Latter-day Saints of the time. Despite their issues and the hard times they had to work through, they made it to a milestone day, an 8 hour event to dedicate their sacred structure. A week later during a sacrament meeting, Joseph and Oliver describe a theophany of heavenly being restoring authority and keys to do the work they were commended to do. These keys and this moment are the reason for modern Temples, the focus of the Church, and the direction for all Latter-day Saints.

After years of turmoil and the Zion's Camp expedition, the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon select the Twelve Apostles. The Apostles are ordained and called on a mission to the surrounding areas armed with Section 107 as we now have it, which explains Priesthood and Church government. We get a serious brawl between Joseph and William Smith. We also see a set of mummies show up in Ohio, which leads to the papyri findings and the translation into the Book of Abraham.

Part 2 of 2:

One of the largest pivots in Church History surrounds Zion's Camp. This armed group of men and women, recruited from all over various branches of the Church who marched to Missouri to attempt to reclaim their lands and continue to build Zion in Independence. This was a major sacrifice for the members of this group, some left the Church, some died from disease, and the first cohort of Apostles and later Presidents of the Church came from this expedition. There is much to cover and much to remember from Zion's Camp on Filling in the History.

Part 1 of 2.

One of the largest pivots in Church History surrounds Zion's Camp. This armed group of men and women, recruited from all over various branches of the Church who marched to Missouri to attempt to reclaim their lands and continue to build Zion in Independence. This was a major sacrifice for the members of this group, some left the Church, some died from disease, and the first cohort of Apostles and later Presidents of the Church came from this expedition. There is much to cover and much to remember from Zion's Camp on Filling in the History.

The battle over Zion begins with the destruction of the press office set up by Church members in Independence, MO. The Book of Commandments is never fully printed and the members are forced out of their homes and out of the area. Government helps do not function for this small group and there is little hope that things will turn to their favor. Despite all of this, we get a mission call, we get more revelations, the Saints are building up another press in Kirtland, and Joseph Smith decides to organize an expedition to redeem Zion and reinstate people back into their homes. This is the beginning of Zion's Camp, the beginning of Kirtland as headquarters of the Church, and of what will come to be known as the Mormon War.

The Saints want to build their city of Zion and a House of the Lord. They are buying lands, gathering converts, sending out missionaries, and publishing at an increasing pace. We get to see the earliest plans for the Kirtland and Independence temple structures as well as the ambitious city planning ideas they hoped to accomplish. However, mobs formed to combat this growth and combined to assault the leaders in Missouri and destroy the printing press. Now Church leaders need to choose to fight on the streets, in the courts, or petition for help to try to remain in their new home.

Several very remarkable events are reported during the period leading up to receiving Section 93. We get meetings where groups of people have shared visions, manifestations, and one very odd experience by Reynolds Cahoon. Joseph Smith receives a revelation describing pre-mortality, the definition of truth, and nature of God, and the potential destiny of humankind. Section 93 is a pivotal moment in defining what doctrines will direct the Church and some believe is one of the most important works ever written. We will try to do it all justice in this episode of Filling in the History.

This episode gives us the health code for the Latter-day Saints, the Word of Wisdom. Since this code tells people what they can and cannot drink or consume, it has been debated, reinterpreted, and provided a lot of tension since it was first given in 1833 to the present day. We also see the official beginning of the First Presidency of the Church, and a revelation explaining the status of the Apocrypha and whether Joseph Smith should include it in his revision of the Bible. We also have some poignant meetings, interesting blessings, and much more which we are Filling in the History.

Two days after a prophecy about civil war, bloodshed, and national strife, Joseph Smith meets with 10 others in the upper room of the local store and gives a revelation of peace that extends over three days. This is the longest canonized revelation to date and this time it is filled with hope, history, clarity, and motivation for anybody who chooses to serve. This revelation is not about war, it is termed "The Olive Leaf."

Joseph Smith travels to New York City and writes his wife a letter from hotel stationary. We get another letter to William W Phelps that we have now canonized to Section 85. Small meetings happen as people are ordained to callings and called on missions. We also get a revelation explaining the parable of the wheat and tares as well as a big prophesy about the United States entering into a Civil War which will start in South Carolina. All of this a much more on Filling in the History.