This week in Church history
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
150 years ago
About 22,000 people convened in Nauvoo, Ill., for the 15th Annual Conference of the Church April 6, 1845, according to History of the Church 7:391.
Elder Heber C. Kimball conducted the opening session, beginning at 10:30 a.m., and offered the invocation. "The morning was spent in teaching, on the baptism for the dead, by President [Brigham] Young."
The afternoon session, beginning at 2 p.m., started off with the blessing of children, "But owing to the immense number it was found impossible to complete the whole, when it was accordingly dispensed with, and the remainder of the afternoon was occupied in exhortation from the stand by Elder [John E.] Page and President Young."
On Monday, April 7, the conference began at 10 a.m., but "in consequence of the high wind, it was thought best to remove into the valley, a little south; and the whole of this immense congregation was removed and comfortably seated in the short space of about forty minutes."
Business transacted at the session included reports of the construction status of the temple and Nauvoo House; considering all "old obligations against the Church, which are pouring in like a torrent; also to ascertain the feelings of the people in regard to sustaining the authorities of the Church under the present organization."
President Young asked the congregation if the Saints were "satisfied that Joseph Smith lived and died as a Prophet, Seer and Revelator to this Church." It was moved by Elder William W. Phelps that Joseph be accepted as such, and that the Saints were "satisfied that he lived according to his profession, and died a martyr to the truth." The motion carried unanimously. A similar motion was made concerning the labors of Hyrum Smith, which also carried unanimously.
The Twelve were then unanimously sustained collectively and individually.
Quote from the past
"Men must be honest, they must live faithfully before their God, and honor their calling and being on the earth." - President Brigham Young, in an address given Oct. 8, 1855, in the Bowery in Salt Lake City.
