LDS Church History

Official Tumblr account of the Church History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. http://history.lds.org/

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We've found this rare video of the first baptisms of Ghana! The baptisms in Ghana occurred on December 9, 1978, at what has become known as “Baptism Beach” near Cape Coast.

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During the Soweto uprising—a series of black student–led protests against apartheid—Julia Mavimbela noticed how hate and anger were affecting the youth in her hometown. So she created a community garden as a way to help the youth deal with their feelings, the same feelings she had felt after the death of her husband. “Let us dig the soil of bitterness, throw in a seed of love, and see what fruits it can give us. . . . Love will not come without forgiving others.”

In 1981, Julia met missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while they were working together to clean up a boys’ club in Soweto. Soon after, she began taking the missionary discussions. At first, she was not really interested, but then the missionaries began to teach the plan of salvation. “Then I started listening, really listening, with my heart. . . . As the missionaries taught me the principle of eternal relationships, I had the feeling that here is the way to be with my parents and my husband.” Within months, Julia was baptized.

Soon after joining the Church, Julia was asked to speak in stake conference. Julia recalled: “When I walked to the podium, I think most everybody was shocked. It was their first time seeing a black person speaking at conference.” She served the Church in many capacities, including as a Relief Society president, a public affairs missionary, and a public affairs director for the Church in South Africa. After the dedication of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple, Julia was sealed to her parents and husband and became one of the first temple workers there. She continued to serve until her passing in 2000.

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In the wake of the 1976 Soweto riots, Julia Mavimbela started a series of community gardening projects with local youth. As they worked to grow food for their families, she compared the hard soil to their hard life experiences. 

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"We then travled on our homeward journey feeling firstrate, from heare we traveled some hundreds of miles without scarcly seeing such a thing as a tree or a stick of wood thus being forced to burn for fuel bufalo chips for to cook our food. this being in the travels of the buffalo known as there excavations, or sometimes caled by the boys, chewed grass. sometimes while geathering these chips one must be very carful in examening the under part or they might find them not so hard as he would wish. There is one little circumstance connected with this part of the program worth mentioning[.] it stands with me as well as some others as a rich joke". There was in our train a very nice young lady who was very fond of assisting here [her] parants in all kinds of camp duties expecly [especially] here [her] mother, expecly in gathering chips." not with standing the abhorance she had in regard to them." On evening while geathering them for there evenings use and not being very far from camp, and watching very clostly to see if anyone was looking in her direction and on beinging convinced that all was right, just at this time turning over one very nice large one, and finding something rather soft and getting some thing on it that did not suit her, she gave her hand a turable [terrible] shake making some of the teamsters think that she was bitten by a rattle snake, she not wishing to let the secret be known. yet it was mistrusted what the alement was" that she had pressed the chip rather hard and the affect being not very plesant, so the reader can well imagen the effect of the joke. However this little affare was a very agreeable one." —John Clark Dowdle, 1866

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Ever wonder what actual historians have talked about regarding the history of the Church? This will lead you to the "Saints" podcast.

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"We walked until our shoes were worn out, and our feet became sore and cracked open and bled until you could see the whole print of our feet with blood on the ground.  We stopped and united in prayer to the Lord; we asked God the Eternal Father to heal our feet and our prayers were answered and our feet were healed forthwith." —Jane Manning James

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Shoveling snow in Asia, circa 1921

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Between 1855 and 1914, hundreds of people joined the Church in Iceland. In fact, the first Icelanders to leave their beloved homeland and immigrate to the United States of America were these converts, who were eager to join with the Saints in Utah. _ Converted in Denmark while learning trades, Thorarinn Thorason and Gudmund Gudmundson of Iceland were baptized in 1851. They returned to Iceland that year and began preaching on Westmann Island, where several more people joined the Church.

After other missionaries arrived in 1853, Johann P. Lorentzen arrived and ordained Gudmundson an elder, baptized more converts, and organized a branch (a small congregation) on June 19, 1853. Soon after, nearly all the members emigrated to the United States.

In 1879, a Church pamphlet was translated, printed in Denmark, and distributed in Iceland. An Icelandic Mission was organized for a short time, from about 1894 until after 1900. Proselytizing was discontinued in 1914. Missionary work resumed in Iceland in 1975 under the direction of the Denmark Copenhagen Mission, building on the efforts of Latter-day Saint servicemen who had been stationed in Iceland.

A branch was organized at Reykjavik on August 8, 1976, with about 10 members. A year later, it had grown to more than 40 members. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ was translated into Icelandic in 1980. By 1986, membership had reached 180.

Ground was broken in March of 1999 for the first meetinghouse in Iceland. The meetinghouse was dedicated in July 2000 _ Verso (what's written in the back): "Westmanoen Iceland (where mormon gospel wsa first preached ?)"

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Joseph Smith's journal entry for Christmas day, 1835:

"Fryday 25th. At home all this day and enjoyed myself with my family it being Christmas day the only time I have had this privelige so satisfactorily for a long time."

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On July 17, 1949, Matthew Cowley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came to Tokyo to dedicate a newly renovated mission home. During his remarks, Cowley declared that the LDS Church is “here to stay; we will never retreat again.” Cowley then promised that there would be many more buildings built by the Church—“even temples”—in Japan. . Cowley’s prophecy of a temple in Japan took many years to be fulfilled. During that time the closest temple was in Laie, Hawaii, more than 3,840 miles (6,180 km) away. The expense of travel—up to one-half of the average wage earner’s annual salary at the time—meant that few could afford to make the trip . On August 9, 1975, when Spencer W. Kimball, President of the Church, announced at an area conference in Tokyo that a temple would be built in Japan, many of the Saints folded their arms and wept for joy. 

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Who wouldn't enjoy a winter sleigh ride led by David O. McKay?

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Do you know who the first missionary of the restored Church was?  

Samuel H. Smith, though not as well known as his older brothers Joseph and Hyrum Smith, played an influential role in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

He briefly served as Joseph’s scribe, was the third person baptized after the Aaronic Priesthood was restored, and was chosen as one of the Eight Witnesses. When the Church was organized, Samuel was one of the six original members. And in 1830, he was called as the first missionary of the newly organized Church.  

Unlike modern missionaries, Samuel served alone and had no training. After a discouraging few days, Samuel approached Phineas Young.  

Samuel said to Phineas, “If you will read this book with a prayerful heart, and ask God to give you a witness, you will know of the truth of this work."  

Phineas took the book and reported to his wife, “I have got a book here, called the Book of Mormon, and it is said to be a revelation, and I wish to read it and make myself acquainted with its errors, so that I can expose them to the world.” Phineas read the book twice in two weeks, and rather than finding error, he became convinced that it was the word of God.  

In the meantime, Samuel Smith also gave a copy to John P. Greene. Greene’s wife, Rhoda, read the book and was convinced of its truthfulness. Samuel felt impressed to leave it with Mrs. Greene as a gift.  

When he gave it to her, “she burst into tears, and requested [him] to pray with her.” He then encouraged her to “ask God, when she read it, for a testimony of the truth of what she had read.” She did so, and after convincing her husband to read it and pray about it, the two were soon baptized. Rhoda Greene was Phineas Young’s sister, and she also shared the book with her family members.  

One of these family members was Brigham Young. He read one of the copies of the Book of Mormon that Samuel had given to his brother Phineas and to the Greenes. In his search for the true Church of Jesus Christ, Brigham began a two-year study of the restored gospel, then shared his new knowledge with his good friend Heber C. Kimball.

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Traveling to visit family this Thanksgiving?

This is John Taylor's passport! There weren’t photographs at the time, so you’ll notice that in the lower left-hand corner is a description of what John looked like. 

It can also be interesting to look at the stamps and see where they are from—sometimes you can even match them up to a person’s journals and travel accounts!

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We're having an art competition! Here are the rules for the #SaintsArtStory

In summary: 

Enter as an individual—not as a brand (so post from your personal account—make sure it’s public so we can see it), via Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

If you’re not over 18, have your parent or legal guardian’s consent to enter. (You know how you can share multiple photos on Instagram? Just have the second one be your guardian holding up a signed paper saying it’s okay for you to enter)

There are three winners for each platform, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The grand prize gets a copy of the artwork found on the cover of “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days,” and a copy of the book.

Second place gets a copy of the artwork found on “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days.”

Third place gets a copy of the, “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days” book.

Saints: The LDS Story Sweepstakes Official Rules

ENTRY IN THIS CONTEST CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES.

ELIGIBILITY. Saints: The LDS Story Art Giveaway Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is open to individuals 18 years of age and older. A parent or legal guardian’s consent is required to participate for entrants under the legal age of majority in their state of primary residence (a “Minor”). The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these official rules (the “Official Rules”) and Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Sweepstakes. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

SPONSOR.  Saints: The LDS Story, 15 E N Temple, Salt Lake City Utah, 84150 (“Sponsor”).

SWEEPSTAKES SUBMISSION PERIOD. Sweepstakes will begin at 8 a.m. Mountain Time (“MT”) on November 1, 2018 and will end at 11:59:00 p.m. MT on November 24th, 2018 (the “Sweepstakes Period"). Sponsor’s time clock is the official clock for the Sweepstakes. Winner will be notified via messaging.

HOW TO ENTER. To enter during the Sweepstakes Period, entrants are to artistically depict a scene, quote, or whatever else their imagination limits them to on the pages of the “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days” book. Entrants are not limited to doodling, and may use the pages of the book as the canvas of their imagination. 

Entrants are to tag Saints: The LDS Story (Twitter: @churchhistory, Instagram: @saints_lds_story, Facebook: @LDShistory) and when possible use #SaintsArtStory to have their artwork entered into consideration.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS.  Entries must not contain any obscene, profane, lewd, defamatory, or inappropriate matter as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.  Any entry deemed unsuitable by Sponsor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER, WINNER SELECTION.  Three winners (the “Winner”) will be selected by social media followers via voting. There will be one Grand Prize, second place, and third place winner for Twitter, one Grand Prize, second place, and third place winner for Instagram, and one Grand Prize, second place, and third place winner for Facebook. Winners will be notified by via messaging on their respected platforms.

PRIZES, APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE (“ARV”) & ODDS. The Grand Prize winner will receive a copy of the artwork found on the cover of “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days,” as well as a copy of “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days.” ARV of the Grand Prize is $35.00 US dollars. 

Second place winners will receive a copy of the artwork found on the cover of “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days.”

Third place winners will receive a copy of “Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days.”

Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received during the Sweepstakes Period.  No substitution, cash redemption or transfer of Grand Prize is permitted except at Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion. If the Grand Prize, or any portion thereof, cannot be awarded for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole and absolute discretion, to substitute the Grand Prize of equal or greater value. All federal, state and local taxes, and all other costs associated with acceptance or use of the Grand Prize, are the sole responsibility of the Winner. Arrangements for delivery of the Grand Prize will be performed after Winner validation. At the Sponsor’s discretion, unclaimed prizes may not be awarded.

GENERAL RULES: Winner will be notified via inbox message. Winner may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release of Liability and a Publicity Release and an IRS W-9 form within ten (10) days of attempted notification or prize will be forfeited. The return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable or failure to respond to notices or return any documents in a timely manner, as determined by the Sponsor, may result in disqualification and an alternate winner may be chosen. By participating, Entrants agree to release, discharge and hold harmless Sponsor from and against any and all liability or damages associated with this Sweepstakes or acceptance, use or misuse of the Grand Prize received in this Sweepstakes. Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer or administration of the Sweepstakes. Acceptance of the Grand Prize constitutes permission for the Sponsor and their agencies to use Winner’s names and likenesses for purposes of advertising and publicity without further compensation, unless prohibited by law. By participating in this Sweepstakes, Entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and decisions of the independent Sponsor, which shall be final in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, stolen, illegible, inaccurate, damaged, incomplete, non-delivered or postage-due mail; or for printing, distribution or production errors or for technical, hardware, software, or telephone malfunctions of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the user or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Sweepstakes, or by any human, or other error, which may occur in this Sweepstakes. If, in the Sponsor’s sole opinion, there is any suspected or actual evidence of tampering with any portion of the Sweepstakes or if technical difficulties compromise the integrity of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right to void suspect entries and/or modify and/or suspend and/or terminate the Sweepstakes and/or conduct a random drawing to award the Grand Prize in a manner deemed appropriate by the Sponsor. In the event of a dispute regarding the identity of the person submitting an entry, entries will be declared made by the name appearing on the entry. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any individual who tampers with the Sweepstakes or acts in a disruptive manner. This Sweepstakes is offered only in the United States and is governed by the laws of the State of Utah. By entering, Entrants irrevocably consent to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Utah located in Salt Lake County for any action, suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Sweepstakes.

WAIVER: By participating in this Sweepstakes, Entrant waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages, attorney’s fees or any damages other than actual out-of-pocket costs incurred to participate. Winner waives all rights and indemnifies Sponsor against any loss or liability claim, cause of action or liability, including without limitation those relating to any personal injury, death, loss, expense or damages of any kind, under any theory of law or in equity, arising from, acceptance or use of and/or resulting from the Grand Prize.

PUBLICITY. Unless prohibited by law, participation in the Sweepstakes constitutes each Entrant’s consent for Sponsor to use the Entrant’s name, age, photograph, image, likeness, statements for Sweepstakes or other promotional, advertisement or commercial purposes in any media now known or later developed, without payment or consideration to the Entrant or any other person.

PRIVACY. Sponsor will collect personal data from Entrants when they enter this Sweepstakes, and this information will be used for the purposes of administering the Sweepstakes, publicizing the Sweepstakes and other promotional purposes that benefit Sponsor only.

MISCELLANEOUS. Each entry is subject to verification by Sponsor. Participation in the Sweepstakes constitutes agreement and acceptance of these Official Rules. Entrants hereby waive any right to claim ambiguity in these Official Rules. Sponsor reserves the right to apply and interpret these Official Rules and conduct and administer the Sweepstakes. Any decision by Sponsor regarding the Sweepstakes, including eligibility of Entrants and determination of the winners, shall be final and binding.

RIGHT TO CANCEL OR MODIFY SWEEPSTAKES. If the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned for any reason or cause which Sponsor deems could corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, including fraud, technical failure, or insufficient participation, Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes or these Official Rules, including changing the Sweepstakes Period, or selecting a winner from entries received prior to the action taken or in such other manner as Sponsor may deem appropriate.

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Bishop Newel Whitney spoke to the women about the blessings the Lord would soon give them. Having just received the endowment, Bishop Whitney urged the women to stay focused on the work of the Lord and prepare to receive His power. “Without the female, all things cannot be restored to the earth,” he declared.​ He promised them that God had many precious things to bestow on the faithful Saints. “We must lose sight of vain things and remember that the eye of God is upon us. If we are striving to do right, although we may err in judgment many times, yet we are justified in the sight of God if we do the best we can.” Two days after Newel’s sermon, Phebe and Wilford climbed the bluff to the unfinished temple. As a family, they had endured hardships, including the death of their daughter Sarah Emma while Wilford was in England. Now they were more settled than they had ever been since their marriage, and they had welcomed two more children into their family. Wilford managed the Times and Seasons office, which provided steady work so he could support their family. The Woodruffs lived in a modest home in the city while building a new brick home on land south of the temple. They had plenty of friends to visit in the area, including John and Jane Benbow, who had sold their large farm in England to gather with the Saints. Still, as Bishop Whitney had taught, the Saints had to keep striving to do right, engaging in the work of the Lord and avoiding distractions that would lead them astray. More and more the temple was becoming crucial to keeping that focus. Descending to its basement, Phebe entered the baptismal font on May 29 and was baptized for her grandfather, grandmother, and great-uncle. As ​Wilford immersed her in the water, she had faith that her kindred dead would accept the restored gospel and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and remember His sacrifice. _ Chapter 38 of our book, Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days.

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Willard [Smith] found his father’s lifeless body slumped over in the doorway. He saw the body of his brother Sardius, whose head had been horribly mutilated from the gunshot. Other bodies—more than a dozen—lay heaped on the floor inside the shop. Willard searched among them and found his brother Alma. ... His trousers were covered in blood where he had been shot. . Willard gathered Alma in his arms and carried him outside. He saw their mother coming toward them from the woods. “They have killed my little Alma!” Amanda cried. . “No, Mother,” Willard said, “but Father and Sardius are dead.” ​. He carried his brother to their camp and carefully laid him down. ... . The wound was raw and ghastly. The hip joint was entirely gone. Amanda had no idea how to help him. . ... Through the thin fabric of her tent, Amanda could hear the groans of the wounded and the weeping of Saints who had lost husbands and fathers, sons and brothers. Anyone who might be able to help her was already tending to someone else or grieving. She knew she would have to rely on God. . When Alma regained consciousness, Amanda asked him if he thought the Lord could make him a new hip. Alma said he did if she thought so. . Amanda gathered her three other children around Alma. “Oh, my Heavenly Father,” she prayed, “Thou seest my poor wounded boy and knowest my inexperience. Oh, Heavenly Father, direct me what to do. . She finished her prayer and heard a voice direct her actions. The family’s fire still smoldered outside, and she quickly mixed its ashes with water to make lye. She soaked a clean cloth in the solution and gently washed Alma’s wound, repeating the procedure over and over until the wound was clean. ​. She then sent Willard to gather roots from an elm tree. When he returned, Amanda ground the roots to a pulp and folded them into a poultice. She placed the poultice on Alma’s wound and wrapped it with linen. . “Now you lie like that, and don’t move,” she told her son, “and the Lord will make you another hip.” . Once she knew he was asleep and the other children were safe in the tent, Amanda stepped outside and wept. _ Chapter 30

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One of the best love stories ♡ _  "Throughout the fall of 1835, Newel Knight remained determined to marry Lydia Bailey. Believing Ohio law allowed women who had been abandoned by their husbands to remarry, he urged Lydia to leave her past behind. But as much as Lydia wanted to marry Newel, she needed to know that it was right in the eyes of God. .  "Newel fasted and prayed for three days. On the third day, he asked Hyrum to find out from Joseph if it was right to marry Lydia. Hyrum agreed to talk to his brother, and Newel left to work on the temple on an empty stomach. .  "Newel was still working when Hyrum approached him later that day. Hyrum told him that Joseph had asked the Lord and received an answer that Lydia and Newel should marry. 'The sooner they are married, the better,' Joseph had said. 'Tell them no law shall hurt them. They need not fear either the law of God or man.' ​.  "Newel was ecstatic. Dropping his tools, he ran to the boardinghouse and told Lydia what Joseph had said. Lydia was overjoyed, and she and Newel thanked God for His goodness. Newel asked her to marry him, and she accepted. He then rushed to the dining room to break his fast. .  "Hyrum and Jerusha agreed to host the wedding the following day. Lydia and Newel wanted Joseph to perform the ceremony, but they knew he had never performed a marriage before and did not know if he had legal authority to do it. .  "The next day, however, while Hyrum was inviting guests to the ceremony, he told Joseph he was still looking for someone to marry the couple. 'Stop!' Joseph exclaimed. 'I will marry them myself!'" _