The rich history and heritage associated with the Kirtland and Nauvoo properties and artifacts!
This is a video showcasing their importance in preserving the legacy of Joseph Smith and the early leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The acquisitions made by the Church through the purchase in 2024 represent a significant step in safeguarding and honoring the historical roots of the faith, allowing future generations to connect with the past and the foundational events that shaped the church’s trajectory.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the Kirtland Temple, along with various artifacts, manuscripts, and properties in Nauvoo, including homes once owned by Joseph Smith and his family. These properties hold historical significance, with the Smith family homestead serving as church headquarters where many revelations were received. The mansion house in Nauvoo was where Joseph and Hyrum lived briefly before their deaths, and where thousands paid their respects after their passing.
In addition to the properties, the Church acquired a range of historic artifacts and documents through the purchase, such as original manuscripts, portraits of Joseph and Emma, the Liberty Jail door, and personal items belonging to the Smith family. The Red Brick Store in Nauvoo played a significant role in the church’s history, serving as a general store on the main floor and hosting sacred events on the second floor. It was in this building that the Relief Society was organized, temple ordinances were performed, and important council meetings were held.
The Red Brick Store was a place where Joseph Smith spent significant time teaching and preparing the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for their leadership roles. It was where he imparted important instructions and shared his visions for the future of the church. The store also witnessed Joseph’s last speech before his death, where he transferred the responsibility of leading the church to the Twelve Apostles. This pivotal meeting took place in March 1844, just three months before Joseph’s passing.
The transcript highlights the sacred events and discussions that took place in these historical buildings, shedding light on the significant role they played in the development of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The properties and artifacts obtained in the purchase are valuable pieces of history that provide insights into the lives and teachings of Joseph Smith and his family. The Smith Family Cemetery, where Joseph, Hiram, and Emma are buried, serves as a final resting place for these key figures in the church’s history.
Hi, everyone. My name is Tom Pettit. By now, I’m sure that you heard that on March fifth, 2024, that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the Kirtland Temple. Here behind me is a picture of the interior of the temple. In addition to the purchasing of the Kirtland Temple, there was a lot of other things that were included in that purchase, namely artifacts, manuscripts, documents, and also some homes and other buildings in Nauvoo. Now, those homes buildings in Nauvoo were once owned by Joseph Smith, two homes that he and his family lived in, and also the Red Brick store. There’s also a lot of land in Nauvoo that was purchased through this transaction as well. So I’m going to take you on a walking tour around those two homes in the Red Brick store in Nauvoo. And as I’m giving you that walking tour, I’ll go through the list of all the things that were included in this wonderful purchase.
When Joseph and Emma moved to Nauvou in 1839, after the church had purchased all the land of which would become known as Nauvou, there was an existing home on the land, and it was this home or half of this home, the portion that’s made out of logs. Joseph and Emma moved into that portion of this structure in 1839, and this became known as the Joseph Smith and Emma Smith Family Homestead. It also serves as church headquarters because this is where Joseph would conduct the affairs of the church. Many revelations were received here at the homestead, including the revelation to build a temple in Na’vou. Joseph would later construct a summer kitchen on the back side of this home, which still exists today. The white portion of the structure is an addition to the original home. That was added by Joseph Smith III in 1858. If we were to continue looking to the left, we’d see another white picket fence. Just the other side of that fence is the Smith family Cemetery, but I’ll walk you through that and give you an opportunity to see that as well. In August of 1843, the Smith family left the homestead, and they moved across the street to that big, beautiful white home.
That would become known as the mansion house. Now, they’d moved there the end of August of 1843. Joseph and Hyrum would die at Carthage Jell in June of 1844. Joseph only lived in this big white home for less than a year with his family. But Emma continued to live in the home until 1869. When the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum were brought back to Nauvoo from Carthage, they would lay in state here in the mansion home. On the day of the viewing, it’s estimated that over 10,000 people filed through this home in order to pay their respects to the prophet and his brother. When their mother, Lucy Smith, entered the home on that day, she collapsed and she cried out, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken this family? ‘ Later, she would recall, ‘A voice replied, ‘I have taken them to myself that I might have rest. ‘ And then she continued on in her recollection, ‘As I looked upon their peaceful smiling countenances, I seemed to almost hear them say, ‘Mother, we’ve not for us, for we have overcome the world by love. We carried to them the gospel that their souls might be saved.
They slew us for our testimony and thus placed us beyond their power. Their ascendancy is for a moment. Ours is an eternal triumph. As we walk down the road, down towards a two-story brick building referred to as the Red Brick Store, I’m going to share with you a simplified list of some of the things that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints obtained through the purchase that they made with the Community of Christ on March fifth, 2024. Of course, they purchased the Kirtland Temple and all the things that go along with it. Here in Nauvou, they purchased the Smith family Homestead, which we just saw, the mansion house, which we just saw, the Red Brick store where we’re headed, and also the Nauvou house. With those structural purchases also came some historic artifacts, namely portraits, which were painted of Joseph and Emma in 1842. The Original Door of the Liberty Jail is also included in the purchase. Original manuscripts of six doctrine and covenant sections, seven original letters written from Joseph to his wife, Emma. A History of the Church, the original documents which were written by John Whitmer. Joseph Smith’s Personal Bible, which he had numerous markings made throughout the Bible.
As Joseph Smith worked on the translation of the Bible, there were four main manuscripts of the Old Testament, the original manuscripts, which were obtained through this purchase, as well as five manuscripts of New Testament translations. Joseph Smith’s writing desk was also included in the purchase. As well as the following list, the Nauvoo Temple Sun Stone, two Nauvoo Temple Moonstones, the Nauvoo House Cornerstone, Joseph Smith’s personal writing desk, Emma Smith’s trunk, a rocking chair belonging to Lucy McSmith, two chairs that belong to the Smith family, a walking stick, which Emma used later in her life, a sampler, a bowl, and three ink wells, which were used by the Smiths here In Kirtland, the Temple Visitor Center, or the Visitor Center, which was used by the Community of Christ for the Kirtland Temple, that building was also purchased, as well as three private residences there in Kirtland. Back here in Kirtland, they purchased a lot of homes, the original homes of Hiram and Thankful Clark, the Johnson home, the Marks Home, the Sydney Rigdon Home, the Jonathan Wright Home, the First Hotel, still standing here in Nauvou. Then 17 different lots of empty land here in Nauvoo was also included in the cell.
Now, we get here to the Red Brick store. The Red Brick store has quite a significant place in our church’s history. On the main floor was a general store where dry goods were sold, but it was on the second floor where a lot of sacred historical events took place. I’m going to take you upstairs and show you around that main assembly room in the upstairs floor of the Red Brick store. But a few of the things that took place in that upstairs room were the organization of the Relief Society on March 17, 1842. Here, before the Nauvoo temple was completed, the Lord permitted Joseph to perform temple ordinances in this room. In In addition to those sacred events, this is also where Joseph would meet with his presidency, the first presidency of the church, and also with the quorum of the twelve Apostles. I can only imagine some of the things that they would discuss in those council meetings. It would have included mission assignments, ecclesiastical instruction, the details of building the Nauvoo temple. They would have had to discuss and plan for mob violence, and eventually they’d plan the Exodus West. Now, this is where these topics, among hundreds of others, were discussed in those sacred council meetings.
Here’s a quote from Wilford Woodruff about another sacred event which took place here. Wilford Woodruff said that Joseph Smith, from this room, spent the last winter of his life, some three or four months with the Quorum of the Twelve, teaching them. It was not merely a few hours ministering to them the ordinances of the gospel, but he spent day after day, week after week, and month after month teaching them, and a few others, the things of the Kingdom of God. I remember the last speech that Joseph Smith ever gave us before his death. He stood upon his feet some three hours. The room was filled as with consuming fire. His face was as clear as amber, and he was closed upon by the power of God. He laid before us our duty. He laid before us the fullness of this great work of God. In his remarks, he said, I have had sealed upon my head every key, every power, every principle of life and salvation that God has ever given to any man who ever lived upon the face of the earth. These principles, and this priesthood and power, belong to this great and last dispensation, which the God of heaven has set his hand to establish in the earth.
Now, Joseph continued, I have sealed upon your heads every key, every power, and every principle which the Lord has silled upon my head. I have lived so long up to the present time. I have been in the midst of this people and in the great work and labor of redemption. I have desired to live to see this temple built, but I shall never live to see it completed, but you will. I now roll the burden and responsibility of leading this church off from my shoulders onto yours. Now round up your shoulders and stand under it like men, for the Lord is going to let me rest for a while. That sacred event, that meeting, took place in March of 1844 in the upstairs room of the Red Brick store. Joseph would die just three months later in June. Now we’ll walk down the road back to the Smiths Family Cemetery. As we do, I’ll just let you listen to Na’Vu. Here’s the private Smith Family Cemetery. Most of those who are buried don’t have grave markers. But I’ll take you down and show you where Joseph and Hiram and Emma are buried. As we take a look through this beautiful cemetery, our I’ll remind you of the testimony that John Taylor gave of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, Section 135, where he said, Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world than any other man who ever lived in it.
In the short space of 20 years, he brought forth the Book of Woman, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents. He sent the fullness of the Everlasting gospel, which it contained to the four quarters of the earth, has brought forth the revelations and Commandments which composed this Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men. Gathered many thousands of Latterday saints, founded a great city, and left a Fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people, and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood. And so has his brother Hiram. In life, they were not divided, and in death, they were not separated.
Guest Author
Ryan Combs
