Brother Franklin S. Richards, one of the Church attorneys, had an interview with the First Presidency regarding the corporations existing in the various Stakes and Wards for the purpose of holding the properties thereof. The object of the interview was to ascertain the mind of the Presidency upon the multiplying of these corporations as new Stakes and Wards might be organized. Brother Richards represented how burdensome they appeared to many of the brethren, not only from the expense attending their creation, but from the keeping of them up in order to maintain their legal status; and he sugge ..read more

[E. C. Briggs report to Joseph Smith III of interview with David Whitmer] .... [Emma] remarked of her husband Joseph's limited education while he was translating the Book of Mormon, and she was scribe at the time, "He could not pronounce the word Sariah." And one time while translating, where it speaks of the walls of Jerusalem, he stopped and said, "Emma, did Jerusalem have walls surrounding it." When I informed him it had, he replied, "O, I thought I was deceived." ... "In June, 1829, I [David Whitmer] saw the angel by the power of God, Joseph, Oliver and I were alone, and a light from heav ..read more

Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith told a reporter from the St. Louis Gazette that he had gained his power by the principles of truth and virtue. [BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://byustudies.byu.edu] http://bit.ly/tdimh ..read more

[Wilford Woodruff Journal] I spent the night with Br Druce. He has A good large House & garden. The House was Called Haunted by the Dead. His family was disturbed for A while, but after Dedicating the family & House unto God, & Rebuked all spirits which were not of God to depart out of the house they were not troubled any more. [Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies] http://bit.ly/tdimh ..read more

[Council of Fifty] Although in the previous meeting JS had declared the council full, two more members were admitted. In the morning session, council members discussed a proposal before the U.S. House of Representatives related to Oregon. ... JS also proposed that, instead of meeting, council members should travel and campaign for JS's presidency. ... On motion Er Wm. Smith and Jedidiah M. Grant were then received for time and for all eternity, by the unanimous vote of the council, and took their seats in order. ... The chairman then made some further remarks and advised that we let the cons ..read more

[Council of Fifty] On 4 April 1844 Orson Hyde left Nauvoo on assignment from the council to carry its petitions to the U.S. Congress and President John Tyler asking that JS be made a member of the U.S. Army and be allowed to raise one hundred thousand volunteers to protect national interests in the West. Hyde wrote five letters to JS reporting on his activities in Washington DC, dated 25 April, 26 April, 30 April, 9 June, and 11 June. JS received the first two letters on 13 May 1844, and the council met that day to review them. On behalf of the council, Willard Richards wrote a letter in respo ..read more

The Council of Fifty adjourns to disperse throughout the United States to campaign for Joseph's presidency. [Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology] http://bit.ly/tdimh ..read more

Joseph travels toward the head of the Des Moines River rapids, where he determines that the land on both sides of the Mississippi—Commerce on the east and Montrose on the west—will be the future gathering sites for the Saints. [He purchases two ajoining farms for $5,000 and $9,000] [Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology] http://bit.ly/tdimh ..read more

President Young said I have ordained my son Brigham unto all the Priesthood & Power that I hold myself and appointed him one of my Counsellors & now Brother Kimball you Bless him if you feel like it. Than Brother Kimball gave him a good Blessing. [Brigham Young Jr. had been ordained an apostle two months earlier by his father but was not admitted to the Quorum of Twelve until four years later.] [Wilford Woodruff, Historian's Private Journal, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Uta ..read more

First Counselor J. Reuben Clark requests U.S. department of State to assist immigration of two Mormons: "She and her husband are Aryan natives and nationals of Switzerland." In contrast, Clark privately urges State Department not to help Jewish children to leave Nazi Germany if their parents are trying to send them to United States. http://bit.ly/tdimh ..read more