Amasa Lyman's Vision of a Heavenly Host

On July 19, 1857, Amasa Lyman preached to a gathering of Saints in the bowery on temple square. He recalled a vision that he had in Nauvoo in 1845:


"When we were in Nauvoo, at the beginning of the last winter we spent in Illinois, about the time the clouds were gathering so thick, and the last storm began to break upon us, we heard the thunders and threatenings of our enemies wherein they stated that we were to be driven away.

"At that time I was confined to my bed with sickness, but I heard the report of the proceedings day after day; but I could not come out to see the face of the heavens, to judge what the issues would be. To get away was impossible with me at that time, and we knew that the longer we stayed the more we should be oppressed by our enemies.

"After I had commenced to recover my health, one morning, while lying in my bed in open day, as wakeful as I am at this moment, the surrounding objects which I could see when in my natural condition all in an instant disappeared, and, instead of appearing to keep my bed, I found myself standing in a place where those acquainted with Nauvoo and the location of the Printing Office, subsequent to the death of the Prophets, will remember. There was a vacant lot in front of the Printing Office; I stood there, and I heard a rumbling noise something like that which attends the moving of a mass of people. I turned round to look in the direction of Main street, and behold! the whole country was filled with one moving mass of people that seemed to be travelling directly to the point where I stood. As they approached somewhat nearer, they seemed not to be travelling on the ground, but somewhat near the altitude of the tops of the buildings.

"At the head of the company were three personages clothed with robes of white, something like those which many of us are acquainted with. Around their waist was a girdle of gold, and from this was suspended the scabbard of a sword, -- the sword being in the hand of the wearer.

"They took their places with their faces directly west; and as they stopped, the individual in advance turned and looked over his shoulder to me with a smile of recognition. It was Joseph; and the others were his two brothers, Hyrum and Carlos.

"I contemplated them for a few moments; but to tell my feelings would be impossible. I leave you to guess them; for it would be futile to attempt a description.
"After contemplating the scene a few moments, I was again in my bed as before, and the vision had disappeared. This was my assurance, in the commencement of our troubles there, that I received of the guardianship that was around us and the protection that we were receiving from the hosts of heaven."
(_Journal of Discourses_, 5:59-60)


Amasa Lyman had been ordained an apostle in 1842 and was part of the first company led by Brigham Young to the Salt Lake valley; he also led a large company west himself in 1848, helping to witness the fulfillment of that vision in Nauvoo.    

*Compiled and written by David Kenison

Zebedee Coltrin's Visions in Kirtland

Zebedee Coltrin was born in 1804 in New York. He joined the Church in January 1831, and was a part of many of the early events in Church history such as Zion's Camp. He was ordained a seventy by Joseph Smith in 1835, and was one of the first seven presidents of the Seventy.
Later, Brother Coltrin was part of the first company to come to Utah with Brigham Young in 1847. He settled with his family in Spanish Fork, and was ordained a patriarch in his later years.

In 1883, Brother Coltrin met with the "School of the Prophets" in Salt Lake City and related to them some of his remembrances of the Prophet Joseph:

"Once Joseph gave notice to the school for all to get up before sunrise, then wash themselves and put on clean clothing and be at the school by sunrise, as it would be a day of revelation and vision. They opened with prayer. Joseph then gave instructions to prepare their minds. He told them to kneel and pray with uplifted hands."

Brother Coltrin then gave an account of the appearance of the Father and Son as given in the minutes of the meeting of the 3rd inst:
Jesus was clothed in modern clothing, apparently of gray cloth. When he saw Him in the Kirtland Temple, on the cross his hands were spiked to the wood and he had around him what appeared like a sheet.
Coltrin had also seen Joseph giving revelation when he could not look on his face, so full was he (Joseph) of the glory of God, and the house was full of the same glory.


About the time the school was first organized some wished to see an angel, and a number joined in the circle and prayed. When the vision came, two of the brethren shrank and called for the vision to close or they would perish; they were Brothers Hancock and Humphries. When the Prophet came in they told him what they had done and he said the angel was no further off than the roof of the house, and a moment more he would have been in their midst.

Once after returning from a mission, Zebedee Coltrin met Brother Joseph in Kirtland, who asked him if he did not wish to go with him to a conference at New Portage. The party consisted of Presidents Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery and [Zebedee Coltrin. Next morning at New Portage, he noticed that Joseph seemed to have a far off look in his eyes, or was looking at a distance and presently he, Joseph, stepped between Brothers Cowdery and Coltrin and taking them by the arm, said, 'Let's take a walk.' They went to a place where there was some beautiful grass and grapevines and swampbeech interlaced. President Joseph Smith then said, 'Let us pray.' They all three prayed in turn -- Joseph, Oliver, and Zebedee. Brother Joseph then said, 'Now brethren, we will see some visions.' Joseph lay down on the ground on his back and stretched out his arms and the two brethren lay on them. The heavens gradually opened, and they saw a golden throne, on a circular foundation, something like a light house, and on the throne were two aged personages, having white hair, and clothed in white garments. They were the two most beautiful and perfect specimens of mankind he ever saw. Joseph said, 'They are our first parents, Adam and Eve.' Adam was a large, broad-shouldered man, and Eve as a woman, was large in proportion."


(From "Zebedee Coltrin Minutes, SLC School of Prophets," 11 Oct 1883, pp. 66-67; see also _Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah_, p. 816; and Jenson, _LDS Biographical Encyclopedia_, 1:190, 4:697)

Compiled and written by David Kenison

The Angel of Idaho

            This is a true story that took place near Rexburg, Idaho in the year 1907.  It was taken from the personal journal of the great-grandmother of Tamara Stitt from Rexburg.

            The true meaning of Christmas is charity, and charity’s true meaning is the unconditional love of Christ which is that unconditional love of our fellowmen.

            My Grandfather was a rough, tough old trapper who homesteaded what is now called Burnscreek.  It is located about fifteen miles above Heise Hot Springs on the road that is still traveled today.  He trapped furs for a living and sent them East to Boston every fall, and every fall the fur trader in Boston would send him a check for the furs that he had received.   In the year 1900, the fur trader did not have the money to send for the furs.  Being a man of honor he sent his seventeen-year old daughter to grandfather in place of the money, as a mail order bride.  She was to become my Great-grandmother. 

            The reason she kept such a detailed journal was to keep from going crazy.  She wrote of how bad she hated Burnscreek and what a cultural shock it was from Boston.  She never could quite forgive her father for doing such a thing to her.  When she made this entry in her journal she was twenty-four years old and expecting her fourth child.  She wrote:

            “I asked Carl to take the remaining furs to the valley and trade them for the things I had on my Christmas list.  I am somewhat embarrassed at all that I am asking for.  Peppermint, chocolate, and a piece of yard goods to make a Christmas dress for my only baby girl.  Carl heartily agreed to take the furs to the valley and trade them for needed supplies and the items on my Christmas list.  He told me that he would be home early on Christmas Eve morning and would stop and chop down a Christmas tree for the children on his way home.  He left us in fine shape with lots of wood chopped and the only thing to do was go to the barn and milk the old cow. 

            "The first day was delightful!  We made ornaments for the tree that father would bring home, and Christmas pudding.  Late that night a tremendous storm hit the mountain.  It snowed and blew like nothing I have ever seen before.  The storm did not subside until early on Christmas Eve morning.  The wind was still howling but I could hear the old cow bellering in the barn to be milked.  I tried to get the door of the cabin open but after working for over an hour, I decided that something had frozen it shut from the outside.  eHeH

             "I panicked and took the ax from beside the hearth and chopped the hinges off the door and slid the door aside.  I was then in the face of a tremendous ice strip that had fallen off the roof of the cabin.  I took the ax and chopped a hole through it big enough that I might step outside.  I could not believer the devastation that the storm had left, how high the drifts were, and how hard it was still snowing, and how hard the wind was still blowing.  I could still hear the cow in the barn and had empathy for her and knew she had to be milked.  I got less than a few yards when I realized that being with child I dare not go any further because the snow was well above my waist.  I stopped and said a prayer to Heavenly Father that Carl would hurry home early and that the poor cow might forgive me.  I spent the rest of the day waiting for Carl in great anticipation.  I thought of the bad attributes the old boy had but how many good ones he had too.  He is a man of his word.  He loves his family and his children very much, and is always dependable.   That became a great concern when Christmas Eve came and went, and Carl had not returned home. 

            "I was about to put three cranky children to bed when I heard someone outside the cabin.  We all rushed to the door and slid the door aside once again to peer out the little ice hole.  We all anticipated seeing Carl.  My heart sank for there on the other side of the doorstep stood the dirtiest, straggliest, old trapper I had ever seen.  But to my three little ones on Christmas Eve, an old man with red long Johns, a long white beard, a tree in one hand, and a pack over his back was a most welcome sight.  “See mother, Santa did find Burnscreek after all.”  He looked at me and must have felt my great anticipation for where my husband was and felt my hesitation to let him into my house.  He stared straightly into my eyes and said, “Beth, don’t be afraid.  Carl’s at table rock at Spaulding’s trapper cabin with a lame horse.  I was out on snowshoes this night and I told him I was going to check my lines and that I’d stop off and tell you that he was alright, that he’d be home early in the morning and that I would bring you this straggly old tree and this pack that he’d brought from the valley.

            "I brought him into the cabin and fed him stew from my fire.  He helped set up the tree and helped the children decorate it.  I judged him to be of fine character because he could recite the story of Christ’s birth by heart from the bible.  He carried the children to bed and helped put out the meager Christmas gifts.  Carl was a master carver, and had carved teams of twelve horses and sleighs for the little boys, and doll house and furniture for our little girl.  The old trapper chopped more firewood and milked the cow.  I asked if he was not anxious to get on his way and be with his own family his night.  He told me he had no family of his own, but he thanked me sincerely for letting him spend such a wonderful Christmas Eve with my family.  He then asked if he might spend the night in the barn and he would lave early in the morning to go on the Black Canyon to check his traps.  I told him only on one condition, that he would join us in the morning for Christmas breakfast.  He heartily agreed.  He thanked me once again and retired to the barn.

            "This was the first chance I had had to look into the old, worn leather pack that had been sent by Carl.  I went to bed a very happy woman, for there inside the bag was peppermint, chocolate, and a little piece of yard goods.  I awoke the next morning to the gleeful sounds underneath the tree and it was late morning before I realized that the old trapper had not joined us.

           " Just as I was going to the barn to holler at him I saw Carl coming over the horizon.  We all gathered at the front door to welcome father home and all were in wild anticipation to tell him, “Guess who we have locked in the barn in Burnscreek, Idaho?”  Carl looked stern and tired and sent the children in the house, and asked who was in the barn.  “Well Carl,” I said, “It is just the old trapper who came last night and brought me the tree and the pack and to tell me that you would be home early this morning.”  He said, “Beth, I never even made it to the valley.  I only made it as far as Table Rock when the storm hit, and I went to the Spaulding’s cabin and tired my horse to a tree.

            “An old trapper had tried to water his horse at the river (south fork of the Snake River) and fell through the ice.  It took three of us to fish him out, we could tell he was a gone, but we took him into the cabin and rolled him in blankets, and laid him by the fire and stayed with him until early on Christmas Eve when the storm broke.  We hesitated and pondered what to do, but all three of us were anxious to return home to our families on Christmas Eve, so we stoked up the fire a little, wrapped him a little tighter, and left him lying in front of the fire.  We saddled up our horses and started down the trail, but I got less than a few hundred yards when a feeling came over me that I could not leave that old man alone on Christmas Eve to die.  I sent the other men on and I returned to the old boy where I held his head in my lap.  Once in a while when he would regain consciousness I would tell him about you and the children and how much I loved you, and how disappointed you’d be that I never made it to the valley to get the peppermint, the chocolate, and the little piece goods of yardage that you’d so desperately wanted for Christmas.  Early on Christmas Eve night the old boy died in my arms, but it was too late for me to go to the valley and come home so I waited until morning.

  

            "At this particular moment I couldn’t understand what was happening as I ran to the barn to show Carl that there was an old boy in the barn.  So Carl followed, but there was no one in the barn and there was no snowshoe tracks either.  I stopped and pondered and prayed.  I got a wonderful, peaceful feeling as I told Carl, “I read in the Bible once that when you show charity to a fellow man Heavenly Father sometimes lets you entertain an angel in your home.  I told Carl that I thought I had had an angel under our roof last night.  He scoffed at me and told me there had been no angel in his home.  So I took him by the hand and led him in to the Christmas tree and pulled out an old worn leather saddle bag and inside showed him a small bit of peppermint, chocolate, and a little piece of yard goods."

            Ironically enough, sixty years later great grandmother was at my parents home when she died on Christmas day.  I was just a little girl and she left me her diary, this story, a little piece of yard goods wrapped in white tissue paper, with a yellowed note that said it should never be used because it was fabric from an angel, and to remember that true charity and the true love of Christ was to be shown three-hundred and sixty five days a year.  Charity is one of the most important traditions that we can establish.  It is sometimes hard to receive, but it is the greatest gift of all!

Joseph Smiths Early Struggles to Guard the Plates

When the word started to get around Palmyra that Joseph Smith had "gold plates", persecution immediately began. Joseph's parents learned of a plan to get the plates; a "conjuror" was summoned to help find them, and vowed to have the plates "in spite of Joe Smith or all the devils in hell." Joseph was working at a nearby town digging a well; his wife determined to warn him of the plan, and started off on horseback to find him.

Joseph kept the Urim and Thummim constantly about his person, by the use of which he could in a moment tell whether the plates were in any danger. Just before Emma rode up to Mr. Wells', Joseph, from an impression that he had had, came up out of the well in which he was laboring and met her not far from the house. Emma immediately informed him of what had transpired, whereupon he looked in the Urim and Thummim and saw that the Record was as yet safe; nevertheless, he concluded to return with his wife as something might take place that would render it necessary for him to be at home where he could take care of it.

He then told Mrs. Wells that business at home rendered it necessary for him to return. To this she did not agree at first, but finally consented. She then sent a boy for a horse, which Joseph mounted in his linen frock, and with his wife by his side on her horse decorated as before with a hickory withe around his neck, he rode through the village of Palmyra, which was on the way home.

On arriving at home he found his father pacing the ground near his door in great anxiety of mind. Joseph spoke to him, saying, "Father, there is no danger -- all is perfectly safe -- there is no cause of alarm."
When he had taken a little refreshment, he sent Carlos, my youngest son, to his brother Hyrum's, to have him come up immediately as he desired to see him. When he came, Joseph requested him to get a chest, having a good lock and key, and to have it there by the time he (Joseph) should return. And after giving these instructions, Joseph started for the plates.

The plates were secreted about three miles from home, in the following manner: Finding an old birch log much decayed, excepting the bark, which was in a measure sound, he took his pocket knife and cut the bark with some care, then turned it back and made a hole of sufficient size to receive the plates, and, laying them in the cavity thus formed, he replaced the bark; after which he laid across the log, in several places, some old stuff that happened to lay near, in order to conceal as much as possible the place in which they were deposited.

Joseph, on coming to them, took them from their secret place, and, wrapping them in his linen frock, placed them under his arm and started for home.
After proceeding a short distance, he thought it would be more safe to leave the road and go through the woods. Traveling some distance after he left the road, he came to a large windfall, and as he was jumping over a log, a man sprang up from behind it and gave him a heavy blow with a gun. Joseph turned around and knocked him down, then ran at the top of his speed. About half a mile farther he was attacked again in the same manner as before; he knocked this man down in like manner as the former and ran on again; and before he reached home he was assaulted the third time. In striking the last one, he dislocated his thumb, which, however, he did not notice until he came within sight of the house, when he threw himself down in the corner of the fence in order to recover his breath. As soon as he was able, he arose and came to the house. He was still altogether speechless from fright and the fatigue of running.

After resting a few moments, he desired me to send Carlos for my husband, Mr. Knight, and his friend Stoal, and have them go immediately and see if they could find the men who had been pursuing him. And after Carlos had done this, he wished to have him sent to Hyrum's, to tell him to bring the chest.

I did as I was requested, and when Carlos arrived at Hyrum's, he found him at tea with two of his wife's sisters. Just as Hyrum was raising a cup to his mouth, Carlos touched his shoulder. Without waiting to hear one word from the child, he dropped the cup, sprang from the table, caught the chest, turned it upside down, and emptying its contents on the floor, left the house instantly with the chest on his shoulder.

The young ladies were greatly astonished at his singular behavior and declared to his wife -- who was then confined to her bed, her eldest daughter, Lovina, being but four days old -- that he was certainly crazy.

His wife laughed heartily and replied, "Oh, not in the least; he has just thought of something which he has neglected; and it is just like him to fly off on a tangent when he thinks of anything in that way."
When the chest came, Joseph locked up the Record, then threw himself upon the bed and after resting a little, so that he could converse freely, he arose and went into the kitchen, where he related his recent adventure to his father, Mr. Knight, and Mr. Stoal, besides many others who had by this time collected, with the view of hearing something in regard to the strange circumstance which had taken place. He showed them his thumb, saying, "I must stop talking, father, and get you to put my thumb in place, for it is very painful."

I will here mention that my husband, Mr. Knight, and Mr. Stoal went in pursuit of those villains who had attempted Joseph's life, but were not able to find them.
When Joseph first got the plates, the angel of the Lord stood by and said:
"Now you have got the Record into your own hands, and you are but a man, therefore you will have to be watchful and faithful to your trust, or you will be overpowered by wicked men; for they will lay every plan and scheme that is possible to get it away from you, and if you do not take heed continually, they will succeed. While it was in my hands, I could keep it, and no man had power to take it away! but now I give it up to you. Beware, and look well to your ways, and you shall have power to retain it, until the time for it to be translated."

(Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, pp. 105-110)


(Compiled and written by David Kenison)