Brother Brigham

1. Brother Brigham Khinckley1@yahoo.com

2. Elder OaksNovember 2004BYU Devotional Deer hunting story “Now, I invite you to think about some seemingly small decisions you are making in your life that would benefit from your asking, “where will it lead?”

3. President Kimball If we live in such a way that the considerations of eternity press upon us, we will make better decisions. (Ensign, Jan 1977, p.3)

4. July 1844 Newspaper headline announcing the death of Joseph and Hyrum: “Thus endeth Mormonism” Why didn’t it? Why Brigham Young?

5. Zion’s Camp "I have traveled with Joseph a thousand miles. . . . I have watched him and observed every thing he said or did. . . . For the town of Kirtland I would not give the knowledge I got from Joseph on this Journey; and then you may take the State of Ohio and the United States. . . . It has done me good . . . and this was the starting point of my knowing how to lead Israel. “ (Salt Lake High Council Record)

6. Kirtland "When I saw a man stand in the path before the Prophet to dictate him, I felt like hurling him out of the way and branding him a fool," he declared (JD 10:363-64). Essentially he did just that during an incident, included in his history, of catching a man loudly denouncing Joseph through the Kirtland streets after midnight. Cowhide in hand, Young jerked the man around and warned him that if he did not stop and let the people sleep, he would whip him on the spot. He declared that they had the Lord's prophet right there and did not need the devil's prophet yelling in the streets

7. Special MeetingAugust 8th, 1844 "The Twelve are appointed by the finger of God! Here is Brigham, have his knees ever faltered? Have his lips ever quivered? Did he ever flinch before the bullets in Missouri? Here are the Twelve, an independent body who have the keys of the Priesthood, the keys of the Kingdom to deliver to all the world. This is true So help me God. . . . You cannot appoint a Prophet, but if you let the Twelve remain & act in their place the keys of the Kingdom are with them, and they can manage the affairs of the Church & direct all things aright."

8. Research into the Transformation of Brigham Young 101 written testimonies of people who say a transformation or spiritual manifestation occurred. Fifty-seven are firsthand documents: personal journals, personal narratives told to a scribe, or first-person testimonies published in Church magazine articles. Forty-two are secondhand testimonies: accounts gleaned from biographies written by family members or from historical compilations." (Lynne Watkins Jorgensen, BYU Studies, vol 36, #4)

9. Benjamin Johnson "I sat in the assembly near to President Rigdon, closely attentive to his appeal to the conference to recognize and sustain his claim as 'guardian for the Church.' And I was, perhaps, to a degree, forgetful of what I knew to be the rights and duties of the apostleship. And as he closed his address and sat down, my back was partly turned to the seat occupied by Apostle Brigham Young and other Apostles, when suddenly, and as from heaven, I heard the voice of the Prophet Joseph. That thrilled my whole being, and quickly turning around, I saw in the transfiguration of Brigham Young, the tall, straight, and portly form of the Prophet Joseph Smith, clothed in a sheen of light covering him to his feet. And I heard the real and perfect voice of the Prophet, even to the whistle, as in years past caused by the loss of a tooth, said to have been broken out by the mob at Hiram. This view or vision, although but for seconds was to me as vivid and real as the glare of lightning or the voice of thunder from the heavens. … I found that others could testify to having seen and heard the same.

10. Result of Aug 8th Meeting The Twelve were sustained to lead the church. What did Brigham Young then set out to do? 1) Finish the temple. Why? 2) Prepare to move the Saints. Why? Brother Brigham simply followed Joseph’s every direction. To the day he died.

11. Question Brigham was accused, in Kirtland, of “blindly following” Joseph Smith. Should we blindly follow Pres. Hinckley?

12. President Benson1980 BYU Devotional To help you pass the crucial tests which lie ahead I am going to give you today several facets of a grand key which, if you will honor, will crown you with God's glory and bring you out victorious in spite of Satan's fury. Soon we will be honoring our Prophet (Pres. Kimball) on his eighty-fifth birthday. As a church we sing the song, 'We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.' Here then is the grand key—Follow the Prophet."

13. D&C 21 4 Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his [the prophet’s] words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; 5 For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith. 6 For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory.

14. Feb 16th, 1847 Illness seized [Brigham] during the night of 16 February and the pre-dawn hours of 17 February, a sickness so severe that he "fainted away, apparently dead for several moments" … Only those who die and go through the veil could know how he felt, he said two weeks later, adding that "I know that I went to the world of spirits" (Stout 1:238). However, it was not given him to immediately remember the details of what he saw there: "All that I know, is what my wife told me about it since." She reported that his first words upon being revived were that he "had been where Joseph & Hyrum was" and that "it is hard coming back to life again'" Revived and returned to his bed, Brigham Young fell asleep and dreamed, and when he awoke, he called for writing materials. "In my dream I went to see Joseph," he wrote. He found him sitting by a large window looking "perfectly natural." Brigham took him by the hand, kissed his cheeks, and asked him why they could not be together as before. Joseph arose from his chair and "looked at me with an ernest and plesent countenence, spoak in his usual way it is all right. I then said to him I due not like to be a way from you. it is wright he replied we can not be together yet, we shall be by en by[.] but you will have to do things with out me a while and then we shall be together again." Brigham then addressed Joseph as his mentor in the priesthood, one who knew the Saints better than he did. if you have a word of councel for me I should be glad to receive it." The counsel was very simple: "be sure to tel[l] the people to keep the spiret of the Lord" (Brigham Young Holograph, 17 Feb 1847). The interview over, Brigham turned and saw Joseph standing in the light "but where I had to go was as midnight darkness." Because Joseph insisted, Brigham "went back in the darkness" and awoke (Stout 1:238). As he described the experience not long afterward, "I have been with Joseph and Hyrum; it is hard to come back to life again.“ (Ron Esplin Discipleship, Joseph Smith and Brigham Young)