In the fall of 1831 in Ohio, Joseph Smith received revelations about forgiveness, consecration, and prayer. Building a Zion community was foremost in the minds of the Saints, and these revelations helped them know what the Lord expected of them.
“Thou Art the Man: Newel K. Whitney in Ohio,” Mark L. Staker, BYU Studies 42, no. 1
In D&C 64:26, the Lord tells Joseph Smith that Newel Whitney and Sidney Gilbert should not sell their store. In the early 1820s, Newel K. Whitney set up his first store in Kirtland, Ohio, in a little log cabin. From such humble beginnings he created a thriving business that would later become central to the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“‘The Testimony of Men’: William E. McLellin and the Book of Mormon Witnesses,” Mitchell K. Schaefer, BYU Studies 50, no. 1
William E. McLellin was taught the gospel by David Whitmer, and so was interested in the Three Witnesses’ testimony. In 1833, he interviewed the witnesses, and later (about 1871) recorded his interviews. This short article tells of his conversion and presents this record. For more on McLellin, see Joseph Smith Papers, William Earl McLellin.
“Becoming Zion: Some Reflections on Forgiveness and Reconciliation,” Deidre Nicole Green, BYU Studies Quarterly 60, no. 1
A Zion community, which must be unified and just, requires reflective and conscientious practices of forgiveness and reconciliation. Deidre Green looks at the Saints’ goal of Zion, reconciliation, and specific histories of Rwandan and South African women to see how full, restorative forgiveness serves justice as much as it serves love and mercy.
“Singular and Plural Address in the Scriptures,” James R. Rasband, BYU Studies, Vol. 41, no. 2
The commandment to tithe is given to a group, and disciples have a collective responsibility. The message is not that individuals will necessarily receive financial rewards for tithe paying but that every individual has an obligation to the Lord and to his kingdom to pay tithing so that his people as a whole will prosper.
Historical Context and Background, by Steven C. Harper and Casey Paul Griffiths, at Doctrine and Covenants Central
As always, we recommend the resources at Doctrine and Covenants Central. Here are backgrounds telling what was going in the Church that prompted these revelations: D&C 64, D&C 65, D&C 66.
