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1835-36 Journal: 20 Dec. 1835 to 16 Jan. 1836 “A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge for if he does not get knowledge he will be brought into Captivity by some evil power in the other world as evil spirits will have more knowledge & Consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs Revelation to assist us & give us knowledge of the things of God.” (Joseph Smith, 10 April 1842). Reason: What does this quote teach you about Joseph Smith the prophet? Significant Event Date and Joseph’s Age State Received Vision of Celestial Kingdom and of Salvation for the Dead, Including Little Children (D&C 137) Jan. 1836 (age 30) Ohio Dedicated Kirtland Temple (D&C 109) Mar. 1836 (age 30) Ohio Jesus Christ Accepted Kirtland Temple; Moses, Elias, and Elijah Restored Priesthood Keys (D&C 110) Apr. 1836 (age 30) Ohio Traveled to New York City and Salem, MA (D&C 111) Jul.- Sept. 1836 (age 30) Ohio to New York and Massachusetts Drafted Kirtland Safety Society Articles Nov. 1836 (age 30) Ohio Missouri Legislature Approved Bill to Create Caldwell County, MO, for Mormon Settlement Dec. 1836 (age 31) Missouri Reason: What lessons do you learn from this account? 1 January 1836 • Friday Br. William came to my house and Br. Hyrum Smith, also, Uncle John Smith, we went into a room in company with father and Elder Martin Harris, father Smith then opened our interview by prayer after which, he expressed his feelings on the ocasion in a verry feeling and pathetic manner even with all the sympathy of a father whose feeling were wounded deeply on the account of the difficulty that was existing in the family, and while he addressed us the spirit of God rested down upon us in mighty power, and our hearts were melted Br. William made an humble confession and asked my forgiveness for the abuse he had offered me and wherein I had been out of the way I asked his forgivness, and the spirit of confission and forgiveness, was mutual among us all, and we covenanted with each other in the Sight of God and the holy angels and the brethren, to strive from henceforward to build each other up in righteousness, in all things and not listen to evil reports concerning eachother, but like brethren, indeed go to eachother, with our grievances in the spirit of meekness, and be reconciled and thereby promote our own happiness and the happiness of the family and in short the happiness and well being of all.— my wife and Mother, & my Scribe was then called in and we repeated the covenant to them that we had entered into, and while gratitude swelled our bosoms, tears flowed from our eys.— I was then requested to close our interview which I did with prayer, and it was truly a jubilee and time of rejoiceing [Samuel T.] Whitman wrote: “The ice storm [that winter] wasn’t generally destructive. True, a few wires came down, and there was a sudden jump in accidents along the highway. … Normally, the big walnut tree could easily have borne the weight that formed on its spreading limbs. It was the iron wedge in its heart that caused the damage. “The story of the iron wedge began years ago when the white-haired farmer [who now inhabited the property on which it stood] was a lad on his father’s homestead. The sawmill had then only recently been moved from the valley, and the settlers were still finding tools and odd pieces of equipment scattered about. … “On this particular day, it was a faller’s wedge—wide, flat, and heavy, a foot or more long, and splayed from mighty poundings [—which the lad found] … in the south pasture. [A faller’s wedge, used to help fell a tree, is inserted in a cut made by a saw and then struck with a sledge hammer to widen the cut.] … Because he was already late for dinner, the lad laid the wedge … between the limbs of the young walnut tree his father had planted near the front gate. He would take the wedge to the shed right after dinner, or sometime when he was going that way. “He truly meant to, but he never did. [The wedge] was there between the limbs, a little tight, when he attained his manhood. It was there, now firmly gripped, when he married and took over his father’s farm. It was half grown over on the day the threshing crew ate dinner under the tree. … Grown in and healed over, the wedge was still in the tree the winter the ice storm came. “In the chill silence of that wintry night … one of the three major limbs split away from the trunk and crashed to the ground. This so unbalanced the remainder of the top that it, too, split apart and went down. When the storm was over, not a twig of the once-proud tree remained. “Early the next morning, the farmer went out to mourn his loss. … “Then, his eyes caught sight of something in the splintered ruin. ‘The wedge,’ he muttered reproachfully. ‘The wedge I found in the south pasture.’ A glance told him why the tree had fallen. Growing, edge-up in the trunk, the wedge had prevented the limb fibers from knitting together as they should.” 1 My dear brothers and sisters, there are hidden wedges in the lives of many whom we know—yes, perhaps in our own families. Reason: What lessons do you learn from this account? 3 January 1836 • Sunday Sunday morning 3d went to meeting at the usual hour President Sidney Rigdon, delivered a fine lecture upon the subject of revelation, in the afternoon I confirmed about 10 or 12 persons who had been baptised, among whom was Marvel C. Davis who was baptized at the intermission to day. The entire world is celebrating this month the five hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison, his biographer, says, “This night of October 11–12 [1492] was one big with destiny for the human race, the most momentous ever experienced aboard any ship in any sea.” (Admiral of the Ocean Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus, Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1942, p. 223.) In my private commemoration of this event, I have read and reread one important and prophetic verse from the Book of Mormon, and also a very long biography of Christopher Columbus. That verse from Nephi’s vision states: “And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.” (1 Ne. 13:12.) We interpret that to refer to Columbus. It is interesting to note that the Spirit of God wrought upon him. After reading that long biography, a Pulitzer winner of forty years ago, titled Admiral of the Ocean Sea—I have no doubt that Christopher Columbus was a man of faith, as well as a man of indomitable determination. I recognize that in this anniversary year a host of critics have spoken out against him. I do not dispute that there were others who came to this Western Hemisphere before him. But it was he who in faith lighted a lamp to look for a new way to China and who in the process discovered America. His was an awesome undertaking—to sail west across the unknown seas farther than any before him of his generation. He it was who, in spite of the terror of the unknown and the complaints and near mutiny of his crew, sailed on with frequent prayers to the Almighty for guidance. In his reports to the sovereigns of Spain, Columbus repeatedly asserted that his voyage was for the glory of God and the spread of the Christian faith. Properly do we honor him for his unyielding strength in the face of uncertainty and danger. Reason: What lessons do you learn from this account? 12 January 1836 • Tuesda A man was introduced to me by the name of Russell Weaver from Cambria, Niagara Co. N. Y this man is a preacher, in the church that is called Christian or Unitarian, he remarked that he had but few minuits to spend with me, we entered into conversation, and had some little controversy upon the subject of prejudice, but soon come to an understanding, he spoke of the gospel and said he believed it, adding that it was good tidings of great joy— I replyed that it was one thing, to proclaim good tidings and another to tell what those tidings are, he waived the conversation and withdrew. The achievement of some important goals in our lives is subject to more than the timing of the Lord. Some personal achievements are also subject to the agency of others. This is particularly evident in two matters of special importance to young people of college age— missionary baptisms and marriage. In the summer of 2001, Sister Oaks and I were in Manaus, Brazil. I spoke to about 100 missionaries in that great city on the Amazon. As I stood to speak, I was prompted to put aside some notes I usually use on such occasions and substitute some thoughts on the importance of timing—some of the scriptures and principles I have been discussing here. I reminded the missionaries that some of our most important plans cannot be brought to pass without the agency and actions of others. A missionary cannot baptize five persons this month without the agency and action of five other persons. A missionary can plan and work and do all within his or her power, but the desired result will depend upon the additional agency and action of others. Consequently, a missionary’s goals ought to be based upon the missionary’s personal agency and action, not upon the agency or action of others.