Liberty Jail…Young Women’s Activity

July 13, 2014 by shelley

Liberty Jail…Young Women’s Activity

For our Mutual Activity we went to Liberty Jail, where Joseph Smith was imprisoned over the winter of 1838-39.

Liberty Jail

In 1833 a small jail was constructed in Liberty, the seat of Clay County, Missouri. In 1856 the building was abandoned. After a short tenure as an ice house, it fell into disrepair and was finally demolished near the turn of the century. Today, thousands of Latter-day Saints and other tourists visit the partially reconstructed jail and view it as what the LDS historian B. H. Roberts called a “prison temple” because of a notable prisoner it housed: the Prophet Joseph Smith languished within its four-foot-thick walls from December 1, 1838 until April 6, 1839. Sharing this incarceration were his brother Hyrum (see Smith, Hyrum), who served as his second counselor in the presidency of the Church; Sidney Rigdon, his first counselor; and three other brethren-Lyman Wight, Alexander McRae, and Caleb Baldwin.

They were held on a variety of unsubstantiated charges stemming from the “Mormon War” (see Missouri Conflict), which had culminated in their betrayal and the fall of the LDS settlement of Far West, Missouri, a few weeks earlier. As they awaited trial, they suffered severe privation. Confined to the lower level or dungeon portion of the building, they slept on the straw-strewn stone floor with little light and scant protection from the Missouri winter. Alexander McRae described the food they were served as “very coarse, and so filthy that we could not eat it until we were driven to it by hunger” (CHC 1:521). He also recorded that several attempts were made to poison them.

Notwithstanding these trying physical conditions, Joseph Smith’s greater suffering seemed to come from his anguish for the thousands of Latter-day Saints, including his own family, who were being driven from the state under the executive order of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs calling for the extermination of the Mormons (see Extermination Order). In a very long, two-part letter to the Church, written between March 20 and March 25, Joseph cried out, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries? Yea, O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions?” (D&C 121:1-3).

In answer, he was told to be of good cheer: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes” (D&C 121:7-8). Some of Joseph Smith’s most sublime writings are found in this letter. The counsel of the Lord concerning the proper exercise of priesthood authority (D&C 121:33-46) is among the most quoted latter-day scripture. Excerpts from the letter make up sections 121, 122, and 123 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

In early April 1839, the prisoners were moved to Daviess County for trial; and then while being taken to Columbia, Boone County, on yet another change of venue, they learned from their captors that, for a variety of reasons, it would be agreeable to the officials if they would escape. With the aid of their guards, the prisoners hastened to join the exiled Latter-day Saints who were gathering in western Illinois.

KANSAS CITY FIRST WARD YOUNG WOMEN

Kansas City First Ward Young Women

BYU Women’s Conference and LDS Church History Museum

May 9, 2014 by shelley

BYU Women’s Conference

and

LDS Church History Museum

Ellen Riley flew in to meet me to attend Brigham Young University Women’s Conference. Our first stop was to eat lunch in the Nauvoo Cafe, and then a visit to Temple Square and the Church History Museum.

The Nauvoo Cafe is located on the corner of South Temple and Main Street in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, in Downtown Salt Lake City.

Nauvoo Cafe In Joseph Smith Memorial Building

goodies at the Nauvoo Cafe

Visiting Temple Square and the flowers of Temple Square

Salt Lake City Temple

Reflecting pool in front of Salt Lake City Temple.

Assembly Hall at Temple Square, Salt Lake City

The Salt Lake Assembly Hall is one of the buildings owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the southwest corner of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. It has seating capacity for an audience of approximately 1,400 people.

The Salt Lake Assembly Hall is a Victorian Gothic congregation hall. Rough granite walls are laid out in cruciform style making the hall’s exterior look like a small gothic cathedral.

Flowers Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah

Our timing was just a little late to see all the tulips in their prime, but Temple Square was still gorgeous!

Flowers Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah

The L.D.S. Church History Museum

L.D.S. Church History Museum

The museum is located west of Temple Square and north of the Family History Library.

I was excited to see a set this set of coins in the museum.

Old Set of Mormon Coins

I had heard about a set like this one in the news recently. ABC had a story about them, as did KSL in Salt Lake City and LDS Living.

They were the rarest of a seven-piece collection of Mormon coins made in 1849 that brought in nearly $2 million at an auction staged by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.

A $10 Mormon gold coin fetched $705,000, and a $20 Mormon gold coin sold for $558,000 at auction this week.

The territorial coins, put up for sale by a collector, went to an undisclosed buyer. Bidding ended Thursday night.

Tyson Emery, a coin expert at All About Coins in Salt Lake City, said coins and currency were scare when Mormon pioneers arrived in Utah in 1847, and the settlers began making their own coins primarily to buy goods from the East.

“The gold that they used to make these Mormon gold coins came from the original California gold strike, probably right from the American River at Sutter’s Mill,” he told the Deseret News (http://bit.ly/1h1t3cv ).

Only 46 of the $10 gold coins were made, and just a few are still around.

I was also excited to see the “originals” of Missouri Church history. This picture by C. C. A. Christensen showing the persecution of the Saints in Jackson County, Missouri is the “one” always used showing the Saints being expelled from Jackson County Missouri.

Painting of Persecution of the Saints in Jackson County, Missouri

Another “original” is Joseph Smith’s letter written in Liberty Jail to the people in Quincy, Illinois after being expelled from Missouri. Parts of this letter would latter become scripture D&C sections 121-123:

Joseph Smith letter written in Liberty Jail

Displayed with the letter were original bars from Liberty Jail.

And lastly, the original cast iron face wheel from Haun’s Mill on display at the Church History Museum. (Article about Haun’s Mill)

Cast Iron Face Wheel from Hauns Mill

Then we were off to Women’s Conference 2014 at Brigham Young University.

BYU’s beautiful campus!

The Theme this year is found in Psalm, 84:11 which reads, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” In this verse we are reminded of the blessing and power of divine grace.

Women’s Conference 2014

Marriott Center Brigham Young University

Thursday Morning Opening Session was a real treat!

Thursday Morning Opening Session was Sheri Dew.

Sheri Dew

Her theme was: “For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield: the Lord will give Grace and Glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
—Psalm 84:11

Thursday Afternoon General Session was Elder Bruce C. Hafen and his wife, Marie.

Elder Bruce C. Hafen and Marie K. Hafen

They spoke on the Redeeming and Strengthening Powers of the Atonement.

Friday Morning General Session

Linda K. Burton, Bonnie L. Oscarson, Rosemary M. Wixom

Linda K. Burton, Bonnie L. Oscarson, Rosemary M. Wixom spoke on the Atonement Heals, Comforts, Consoles, and Enables Us to Show Mercy and Grace Unto Ourselves

Friday Afternoon Closing Session was Elder Quentin L. Cook and his wife Mary.

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve and Mary G. Cook

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve and Mary G. Cook spoke on

The Rewards of Righteousness

We stayed for the evening performance which included; Mercy River, Hilary Weeks, Hudson Lights, Sandra Turley (broadway star), and Jenny Oaks Baker (Emmy nominated). All incredible, but the climax of the evening was a video “Evil Did Not Win” about one of the victims of the Sandy Hook Massacre Emilie Parker and a talk by her mother Alissa. I noticed as we left many red, rimmed eyes.

Sandra Turley

(I had to take this picture of Sandra Turley and send it to Becca. Becca is good friends with Sandra’s sister and brother-in-law [also a Duke graduate with Carl]. We sat by Sandra’s mother at graduation.)

Side note: May 1st was the first day of BYU’s new President Kevin Worthen. Kevin grew up in Price and was one of the best friends of my brother Craig. Really exciting to see a kid from Price do so well. The Deseret News and BYU today called Craig to interview him to find out what Kevin was like as a kid. Craig told a couple of “Kevin Stories”.

“Craig Smith became Worthen’s friend in the third grade, the same year Smith remembers running into Worthen one day in the library in Price. Worthen lived in Dragerton, a small town owned by a coal mine several miles away.

Smith was working his way through the Hardy Boys books. Worthen was carrying a stack of novels that included “Advise and Consent,” the 1959 Pulitzer Prize-winning political novel by Allen Drury.

“He was reading as an adult already in those days,” Smith said.”

AND

“Kevin is a very smart guy, but he’s also a very humble guy,” Smith said. “He’s usually the smartest guy in the room, but he doesn’t advertise that and doesn’t care if people know that or don’t know that. Lawyers usually want to let you know.”

His fellow BYU law students figured it out, Smith said. Their nickname for Worthen, who would graduate first in their class, was Zeus.

“Of course,” Smith said, “Zeus was the smartest and strongest of all.”

Congratulations to Kevin…13th President of Brigham Young University.

Independence, Missouri Mormon Visitor’s Center decorating for Christmas

November 24, 2013 by shelley

Christmas Tree Mormon Visitor’s Center Independence, Missouri 2013

Once again, I had the privilege of helping to decorate the Independence, Missouri Latter-day Saint (Mormon) Visitor’s Center for Christmas. I help Sue Allred with the decorating of the two trees (one big one upstairs and the pioneer tree downstairs). We have been doing it for about 15 years or so now. We just finished the trees on Friday. They will have the lighting ceremony Saturday Nov. 30th at 6:00 pm (937 W. Walnut, Independence, MO).

The big tree on the main level is a 12 footer and has the Savior and the celestial heavens as a back drop.

We choose colors that complement the back drop using gold, blues, pinks and lime greens. This year we used the theme of “Let Heaven and Nature Sing”.

Christmas Tree, Mormon Visitor’s Center Independence Missouri.

Glittery butterfly on Christmas tree Mormon Visitor’s Center Independence Missouri

Christmas Tree, Mormon Visitor’s Center Independence Missouri.

The downstairs area has to do with the history of the area so we decorate the tree to fit with the historic pioneer theme.

Pioneer tree Mormon Visitor’s Center Independence Missouri

Mormon Missouri Church History-sites in Missouri; Far West

July 27, 2013 by shelley

Far West, Missouri

There are several short histories of Far West (a historic site-Missouri Mormon History); Caldwell County has one, one from the LDS Church, another one from lesson manual LDS Church, one from understanding Mormonism and even one from Wikipedia.

For a Youth Conference we did a series of vignettes about the history of the early saints in Jackson County and Clay and Caldwell County. Our hope was to make the history of the early saints come to life for the youth. If you would like a copy of these vignettes about the early history of the Mormons in Missouri go here.

Today Far West is a historic site seven miles (11.26 km) south of U.S. Highway 36 on State Route D. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsmaintains a historic site there, including the cornerstones of the planned temple. Some Latter Day Saints expect that a temple will be located on this spot at some time in the future. The Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has a branch congregation that meets in Far West.

I want to share photographs of Far West as it appears today…far different than what it was in it’s prime in 1838 when it was the largest city in Missouri.

Looking south from Temple Site, Far West, Missouri

Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Mormon Missouri History

Far West, Missouri

Picnic Area, Far West, Missouri

Looking West, Far West, Missouri

Far West, Missouri

Information on Far West, Far West, Missouri

Information Far West, Missouri

Temple Site, Far West, Missouri

Far West, Missouri, Mormon Missouri History

Community of Christ Church, Far West, Missouri

Looking West, Temple Site, Far West, Missouri

Looking North from Far West Missouri

Pulling into Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Missouri Mormon History

Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri

Temple Cornerstone, NW corner, This cornerstone was laid in representation of the High Council (Quorum of the Twelve), Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Mormon Missouri History

Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri

Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Missouri Mormon History

Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, NE Cornerstone representation of the Lesser Priesthood

Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Mormon Missouri History

This cornerstone was laid in representation of the High Council (Quorum of the Twelve), Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Mormon Missouri History

Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Missouri Mormon History

Temple Site, Far West, Missouri

SE Cornerstone Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Missouri Mormon History

Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri

SW Cornerstone, Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Missouri Mormon History

SW Cornerstone Far West, Missouri, Cornerstone laid in representation of High Priesthood

SW Cornerstone, Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Missouri Mormon History

Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri, Missouri Mormon History

Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missouri

Far West Temple Site, Far West, Missourist

The LDS Church recently (May 2012) purchased the Far West Burial Grounds.

Smith family tradition has it that the Hyrum Smith farmstead was across the street from the burial grounds. Pictures were taken about the time the church released the news of their purchase of the burial grounds.

Far West Cemetery, Far West, Missouri

Far West, Missouri and the 24th of July

July 25, 2013 by shelley

For the past few years I have been in Salt Lake City on the 24th of July and enjoyed celebrating Pioneer Day in the traditional “Utah” way…parade, floats, fireworks, horses and marching bands. This year however, I was not in Salt Lake City on Pioneer Day. But we did plan a Mutual Activity to Far West, an early Mormon Settlement in 1838 and a site dedicated for a temple. Revelations for seven sections of the Doctrine & Covenants was received in Far West. There is very little there today but it was exciting to be there on Pioneer Day and remember all the early Saints that were in that very spot about 175 years ago…and it was a gorgeous beautiful evening.

We brought a picnic dinner and enjoyed the evening:

KC 1 at Far West

We learned a little of the history of Far West.

The town was founded by Missouri Mormon leaders, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer in August 1836 shortly before the county’s creation. The town was platted originally as a 1-mile (1.6 km) square area, centered on a public square which was to house a temple. The design of the town resembled Mormon founder and prophet Joseph Smith Jr.‘s plan for the City of Zion, which had been planned to be built in the town of Independence, Jackson County, Missouri. As the town of Far West grew, the plat was extended to 4 square miles (10 km²).

Early Latter-day Saints began to settle in northwestern Missouri soon after the Church of Christ was organized in 1830. According to a revelation given by Joseph Smith Jr., Independence would be the “centerplace” of the City of Zion when Jesus returned. However, disputes between Mormon and Missourian settlers in Independence led to the expulsion of the Mormons from Jackson County in 1833. Most Mormons temporarily settled in Clay County, Missouri. Towards the end of 1836, Caldwell County was created specifically for Mormon settlement to recompense Mormon losses in Jackson County. Shortly after the creation of Caldwell County, Far West was made the county seat.

Far West became the headquarters of the Latter-day Saint movement in early 1838 when Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon relocated to the town from the previous church headquarters, Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith taught the Latter-day Saints that the Garden of Eden had been in Jackson County and whenAdam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, they moved to the Caldwell County and Daviess County areas of Missouri. While headquartered in Far West, the official name of the church was changed from Church of Jesus Christ to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

New problems erupted between the Mormons and their neighbors when the Mormons began to settle in the counties surrounding Caldwell, including De Witt in Carroll County and Adam-ondi-Ahman inDaviess County. A series of escalating conflicts followed and the Governor of Missouri eventually called out 2,500 state militiamen to put down what he alleged to be a “Mormon rebellion.” Latter Day Saints poured into Far West for protection and found themselves under siege. Joseph Smith Jr., Sidney Rigdon and others surrendered at the end of October, 1838, and were put on trial by the state for treason. The main body of the Mormons were then forced to sign over their property in Far West and Caldwell County to pay for the militia muster and then leave the state. The main body later settled inNauvoo, Illinois.

Far West became a ghost town soon after the departure of most of the Mormon population. The county seat was moved to Kingston, Missouri and many of the log houses in Far West were relocated. Former Mormon John Whitmer continued to live in the nearly empty town, where he owned a large farm.

On May 2012, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed that it purchased 6,000 acres of Missouri farmland and three historical sites from the Community of Christ.

Far West Missouri: