Yesterday we went to The Leman Copley Farm. That was interesting. Leman had some acreage that he invited the Saints from Colesville to live on as the law of consecration was begun. As soon as the crops were in and they were settled, he changed his mind and invited them to move off and pay "damages." Our incredible treasure in the form of Karl Anderson (Kirtland historian) gave us lots of information about what he discovered searching for records about the land and such. Things aren't always as they seem. He was the one who was allowed to do the Copleys temple work and he shared some neat insights about that too. No judging. We just don't know. And he felt great warmth in the temple doing that work.
It was a theme repeated with our judgments of Emma, Sidney Rigdon, and others. Where would we be without Martin Harris? Martin Harris gets a bad rap. But we would not have the Book of Mormon without Martin Harris. Only the Lord knows the details. And it's only His place to judge.
John Tanner! I'd never heard of John Tanner who gave the equivalent in today's dollars of $250 MILLION to the church. And accepted the losses simply as if they were nothing. Amazing quiet story of moral integrity.
We went to the Mentor Christian church and heard how Sidney Rigdon started a church there, what his background was, his satellite churches prepared to receive the gospel, all who came into the church with him, and how he was instrumental in mentoring the prophet Joseph Smith, and how his job was to "watch over him that his faith fail not." And what happened to Sidney after he was tarred and feathered with Joseph. He was never the same after that.
Mentor Christian Church. Sidney started this
church after refusing to teach the doctrine of
infant damnation that his previous church required
of him. That made me love Sidney. He also
had several satellite congregations.
Sidney Rigdon.
We briefly went to the Kirtland visitor center and saw the Newel K Whitney home. Then we spent a good amount of time learning why the Isaac Morley Farm was so important. All I can say is, I never knew. Amazing spiritual goings on at the Morley Farm. And it was where the Smiths twins were born and died. I now have pictures in my head of all of these wonderful places. I never knew Church history was so rich and telling. Well, not in my heart anyway. My testimony has grown so much! And I am so glad that I prayed that it would. Did you know the Father and Son appeared at the Morley Farm? I don't have time to tell it. Look it up. It'll be a blessing. Lots of revelation received there as well.
Whitney home. Link.
Whitney Store, School of the Prophets
Isaac Morley farm.
A totally cool link that tells about the farm. Isaac Morley Farm.
And I almost forgot the lighthouse! We saw the lighthouse that was the inspiration for Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy. We are the lower lights, and we need to be burning. :-) The Erie canal is really something else.
Fairport Lighthouse.
Today? There are no words for today. Completely full of more information than I could ever tell. I will come back next week and try to fill in some of it and put pictures in.
We went to the John Johnson farm. Again, faithful people forwarding the work of the Lord. Lots of revelations. The site of Joseph's tarring and feathering and where little Joseph Murdock Smith died a few days later of exposure. Another heart wrenching amazing story of faith and courage against all odds. I complain about air conditioning! We spent a couple of hours hearing lots of background.
John Johnson home.
Where Joseph slept when he was dragged out.
Approx location of Sidney and Joseph tarred and feathered.
Harry Potter's room under the stairs. Haha. JK.
Where Joseph preached to the congregation "as usual."
Another totally cool site all about John Johnson home.
Then we went to Orange and heard all about the conference of the church there and how men were called, the 11 witnesses were together and more.
Sections 66 and part of 107.
We went to Shaker Heights and compared their points of doctrine and what the Lord had to say about it and how they responded to that. Look up Ann Lee for more information about them.
Shaker Heights.
We then went to the Community of Christ visitor center where we heard lecture for two hours on the Kirtland temple. Wow, wow, wow! Karl Anderson has made this trip so enriching and I am so grateful. We have walked through the Doctrine and Covenants. It's been a great blessing. We walked around the temple and also went to the graveyard. Then the C of C fed us a lovely dinner.
We finally get to see the temple.
We went back to the Newel K Whitney store and spent time in the room where the School of the Prophets was held. He taught us so much more. He has set us up for a pinnacle experience tomorrow in the Kirtland temple. We also spent a few minutes in the "revelation room." I am very excited to rise at 1:30 am Arizona time (ok exited is a little exuberant) and spend time with him teaching us about the ordinances, covenants, and power that the Saints received there. What a blessing to walk where these wonderful, humble, simple, faithful people lived and experienced a new way of life and a new faith.
School of the prophets. D&C 88: 127-141 is so interesting in this setting.
Authentic table in revelation room at Whitney store.
We loved the messages from Brother Calton and Kelley, our tour guides. Keys, how not to be deceived. Wonderful!
Tomorrow is an early and very long day. We go home. It will be great to see our kids. And when I am finished writing about this experience, I will share my testimony. I don't know how exciting that will be for any of you, but I've had some new insights to it myself. I am so grateful we were able to come.
So grateful to Mr Kirtland for making Kirtland
come alive. (Karl Anderson)
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