Reminders
Topical Guide Paper:
Due today
Email to DandC@byu.edu
Reading:
Please report it!
Final Exam:
Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. in the classroom
Matching: Sections, names, dates
Short answer
Details about a section of your choice
It should take about one hour
Study the reviews
Class 28 – Section 136
Exodus and Renewal
Who Should Lead the Church?
•Those with claims:
•Sidney Rigdon – 1st Counselor in the First Presidency.
•Twelve – Authority Equal to that of the First Presidency.
•Joseph Smith’s family – D&C 124:57
Who Should Lead the Church?
• The Twelve were mostly away from Nauvoo,
campaigning for Joseph’s presidential bid.
•Sidney Rigdon returned August 4 and told the Saints
he had a vision that he should be the guardian of the
church.
Who Should Lead the Church?
• The remaining members of the Twelve returned on
August 6.
• Two days later, there was a meeting in the grove
where Sidney Rigdon and Brigham Young both spoke to
the Saints.
Who Should Lead the Church?
• To many, Brigham Young sounded like and looked like
Joseph Smith.
• Later in the afternoon, the Saints met formally and
unanimously voted to sustain the Twelve as the
presiding officers of the church.
Who Should Lead the Church?
• Later, William Smith (a member of the Twelve) said
that he should be guardian of the Church until Joseph III
was of age to lead the church.
•He was excommunicated in 1845.
Who Should Lead the Church?
• Brigham Young was not sustained as President of the
Church until 1847.
Who Should Lead the Church?
• Other groups sprang up: Strangites, Hedrekites, etc.
• Most of these maintained that Joseph was a fallen
prophet.
•If Joseph Smith had fallen, what would the Lord have
done?
Who Should Lead the Church?
• Brigham Young was not sustained as President of the
Church until 1847.
•How does succession work today?
Section 136
• After the martyrdom, the people of Illinois gave the
Mormons a respite in hopes the church would fall apart
on its own.
•Later, sentiment to force the Mormons out became
stronger.
Section 136
• The exodus from Nauvoo began in February 1846.
• Temporary camps were established in Iowa.
• Section 136 was given to Brigham Young in January
1847 as the Saints were preparing to move west.
Section 136
• v.4. Covenant to walk in the ordinances of the Lord.
• v.8. The Saints will provide for the poor, fatherless, etc.
• v.18. Zion shall be redeemed in my own due time.
• v. 39. It was necessary for the Prophet to die.
Section 136
• v.37. Ye are not yet pure; ye can not yet bear my glory; but ye shall
behold it if ye are faithful in keeping all my words that I have given
you, from the days of Adam to Abraham, from Abraham to Moses,
from Moses to Jesus and his apostles, and from Jesus and his
apostles to Joseph Smith, whom I did call upon by mine angels, my
ministering servants, and by mine own voice out of the heavens, to
bring forth my work.
Section 136
• v.28. If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with
music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and
thanksgiving.
Some Counsel
v. 23-25. Cease to contend one with another; cease to
speak evil one of another. Cease drunkenness; and let
your words tend to edifying one another. If thou borrowest
of thy neighbor, thou shalt restore that which thou hast
borrowed; and if thou canst not repay then go straightway
and tell thy neighbor, lest he condemn thee.
Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go
forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on,
on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be
exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing.
D&C 128:22