Revelation Dates: September – October 1831

Revelation Places: Various places in Ohio

Section 64 - Historical Background: Joseph Smith was living on the Morley farm which was now being sold for monies to purchase land in Missouri. John Johnson offered Joseph and Emma to share his home in Hiram, Ohio which they gratefully accepted. Meanwhile, a company of brethren were preparing to go to Missouri, as commanded, and this revelation was received.

Section 65 - Historical Background: Ezra Booth, a converted Methodist minister, apostatized and made accusations against Joseph Smith. As apostasy grew among the ranks of the church, Joseph receives this revelation. He labeled this revelation as a prayer.

Section 66 - Historical Background: Prior to receiving section 66, a recent convert named  William E. McLellin had privately asked the Lord 5 specific questions. At the beginning of the third church conference, McLellin asks Joseph for a personal revelation. Unbeknownst to Joseph, in this revelation the Lord answers all of McLellin’s 5 questions. A historical note on William E. McLellin is given after this section.

Revelation Dates: August 1831

Revelation Places: Jackson County, Missouri; Banks of the Missouri River; Kirtland Ohio

Section 60 - Historical Background: After being in Jackson County, Missouri for only 3 weeks, Joseph Smith and other church leaders had accomplished much, including holding a church conference, the settlement of newly arriving saints, identified the site of the New Jerusalem and dedicated the new temple site, dedicated the land for the inheritance of the saints, and received several new revelations. Now, the Lord asks Joseph and the leaders of the church to return to Kirtland, Ohio.

Section 61 - Historical Background: As Joseph and 10 others returned to Kirtland, they travelled the Missouri River by canoe. Near tragedy struck on day 3 when one canoe capsized and Sidney Rigdon nearly drowned. W. W. Phelps witnessed the destroyer upon the waters while the others heard the awful, satanic noises but did not witness it with their eyes. This greatly troubled the group and Joseph sought counsel from the Lord.

Section 62 - Historical Background: On the journey to Cincinnati, Joseph met some of the Elders on their way to Independence which was joyous to everyone.

Section 63 - Historical Background: Upon the return to Kirtland, Joseph, Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Cowdery were immediately engulfed by many questions by the saints and new converts. Joseph inquired of the Lord regarding the purchase of lands and many other concerns and questions.

Revelation Dates: August 1-7, 1831

Revelation Places: Jackson County, Missouri

Section 58 - Historical Background: In a previous revelation, contained in section 57, the Lord set up the prospect for a Zion society. To achieve the promises from a Zion society the saints were required to achieve sufficient righteousness. However, the Lord knew what would ultimately happen and tried to prepare the saints for the trials and harsh reality that would soon come upon them. Joseph Smith had recently arrived in Jackson County and received this revelation.

Section 59 - Historical Background: As the saints poured into Jackson County from Ohio and elsewhere, they were anxious for counsel from the Lord in the building of Zion. With the convenience of the Prophet Joseph, many had questions for the Lord that could have been answered directly from the scriptures.

Revelation Dates: May – July 1831

Revelation Places: Ohio and Missouri

Section 51 - Historical Background: As the many converts from New York came to Kirtland Ohio, Bishop Partridge had been assigned to organize and care for them according to the law of consecration, described in section 42. Needing assistance from the Lord, the bishop asked Joseph to seek further guidance from the Lord.

Section 52 - Historical Background: A church conference was called in Kirtland which about 2,000 members attended. The events included ordaining several High Priests. During the conference, Joseph Smith rebuked evil spirits residing in 2 men.

Section 53 - Historical Background: After calling all the elders on missions in the previous section, Sidney Gilbert was not included. Hurt by this, Gilbert approached the Lord in prayer and then to Joseph for a revelation of what work he can do while the others went to Missouri.

Section 54 - Historical Background: The saints from Colesville, New York contracted with Leman Copley to stay on his property. Copley was to consecrate his property to the church, but he apostatized and broke his covenant. Joseph sought counsel from the Lord.

Section 55 - Historical Background: William W. Phelps was converted through the Book of Mormon and sought a revelation from the Lord as to what work he should do.

Section 56 - Historical Background: As Thomas B. Marsh was preparing to go to Missouri as commanded, his indolent companion, Ezra Thayre, was not enthusiastic. Joseph inquires what the Lord would have him do.

Section 57 - Historical Background: The focus of the saints was on gathering to Zion in Jackson County, Missouri. The town of Independence Missouri was a backward, frontier town of about 3,000 people. The Lord announces the place for Zion and the temple.

Revelation Dates: May 1831

Revelation Places: Kirtland, Ohio

Section 49 - Historical Background: A man named Leman Copley was a recent convert from a religious group called the Shakers, or the Shaking Quakers. He was so excited about the gospel that he wanted to present it to his former church members located near Cleveland, Ohio. The founder of the Shakers was a woman named Ann Lee, who had once been involved in a miserable marriage. Much of her religion was built around her opposition to marriage and the relations that went with it. “Mother Lee” was regarded as the returned Christ, meat was forbidden to eat, baptism was unnecessary and a celibate life was required. Before sending missionaries to this group, Joseph asked the Lord how to approach the concepts of these people.   

Section 50 - Historical Background: Numerous converts were flooding into the church, making it difficult to manage the many new branches spreading abroad. Especially troublesome were the perverted beliefs many converts brought into the church from their former religion. A false and lying spirit was beginning to infiltrate the church, including false visions, prophesies and manifestations of spiritual possession. Some church leaders became concerned and approached Joseph to inquire of the Lord. Together, they all knelt in prayer and Joseph received this revelation. 

Revelation Dates: March 8, 1831

Revelation Places: Kirtland, Ohio

Section 46 - Historical Background: New converts were now pouring into Kirtland, Ohio. Many had preconceived ideas from their former churches how weekly services should be held. Joseph inquires of the Lord how He wants it done. 

Section 47 - Historical Background: Up to this time, Oliver Cowdery had been acting as Church historian. Joseph Smith called John Whitmer to replace Oliver and John agreed to do it, but only if Joseph Smith received divine guidance from the Lord to call him to the work. 

Section 48 - Historical Background: A large number of new converts were about to arrive from New York. A member named Leman Copley made a covenant allowing the arriving saints to occupy a piece of his land. Copley apostatized and broke his covenant, forcing these weary saints off of his land. Other saints were occupying a piece of land owned by Isaac Morley. Joseph inquired of the Lord how to acquire lands for the many incoming Saints. 

Revelation Date: March 7, 1831

Revelation Place: Kirtland, Ohio

Section 45 - Historical Background: The Lord was well aware of the perils that were pouring out upon the Saints. Joseph lamented, “Many false reports, lies, and foolish stories were published and circulated in every direction, to prevent people from investigating the work.” During these times of slander and abuse, the Lord provided revelations of comfort and peace, including section 45, which was received, as Joseph wrote, “to the joy of the Saints who had to struggle against every thing that prejudice and wickedness could invent.”.

Revelation Dates: February 1831

Revelation Place: Kirtland, Ohio

Section 41 - Historical Background: Arriving in Kirtland Ohio, Joseph found many of the saints practicing “strange notions” brought with the new converts from their previous church backgrounds. As these false precepts and traditions were creeping in among the church, Joseph asked the Lord what to do.

Section 42 - Historical Background: The early members pooled their property in an attempt to mimic “all things in common” as described in Acts, also known as Christian Communism. This counterfeit to God’s Law of Consecration became so contentious that Joseph approached the Lord to seek the true meaning of “all things in common.” This section became known as “The Law” and was one of the first revelations to be published. 

Section 43 - Historical Background: Shortly after Joseph arrives in Kirtland, a woman by the name of Hubble announced herself as a prophetess who impresses some of the Elders, including Sidney Rigdon. Joseph declares her an imposter but some remained impressed by her. Joseph approached the Lord concerning the discord. 

Section 44 - Historical Background: The church was rapidly growing and the Lord knew that great opposition was also rapidly growing. It was revealed to Joseph to prepare the saints for the upcoming crisis by assembling all the Elders in a conference for strength and instruction.         

Revelation Dates: December 1830-January 1831

Revelation Place: Fayette, New York

Section 37 - Historical Background: Sidney Rigdon had been told earlier that new scriptures would be coming. As Joseph’s scribe, they received the book of Moses. The Lord then interrupts the translation and commands that the headquarters of the church be moved from Fayette, New York to Ohio.

 Section 38 - Historical Background: The church holds its 3rd and last conference in Fayette, New York. As part of the conference, Joseph wanted to provide answers to the Saints’ questions why the Lord was requiring them to sell their farms and homes and move to Ohio. Joseph asks the Lord and with Sidney Rigdon as scribe, he receives this revelation. 

Section 39 - Historical Background: Immediately after the church conference in Fayette, a 40-year-long Baptist minister named James Covel was so moved that he committed to Joseph that he would obey any commandment given him. Joseph inquired of the Lord what He desired from Covel. 

Section 40 - Historical Background: Despite the solemn promise and covenant to follow God’s command (see section 39), James Covel deliberately refused and turned his back on the Lord and His saints. When Joseph learned of Covel’s blatant rejection, he asked the Lord for instructions.   

Written by W. Cleon Skousen and narrated by Francis Urry, this professionally dramatized story of Easter was produced by KSL radio in Salt Lake City and was widely broadcast on radio stations during the 1960's and 1970's.

Journey through the Easter events beginning with the burial of Jesus Christ and concluding with His ascension. In the stillness of pre-dawn Jerusalem, a group of devoted women, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Joanna, among others, embark on a poignant mission to anoint the body of Jesus with sweet spices. Their story unfolds with dramatic encounters at the tomb, where they are greeted by angelic figures announcing Jesus' resurrection.

Powerful moments of disbelief, followed by a wonderous realization by Jesus’ closest followers, including Mary and the apostles, the emotional transitions from fear and sorrow to amazement and renewal of faith as the resurrected Christ appears first to Mary and later to the broader group of disciples.

The moving account of Jesus’ 40-day ministry after His resurrection, filled with miraculous appearances and profound teachings. Culminating in Jesus’ ascension, the saints launch and ignite a global Christian movement of faith, testimony and hope.