Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
When Joseph Smith first mentioned baptisms for the dead, members of the church were excited to be able to perform this ordinance for their deceased loved ones. Over the next two years, the Lord revealed more about this ordinance (see sections 127 and 128) and is a focus of this video. For the remainder of Joseph's life, this topic was upon his mind more than almost any other subject.
Governor Lilburn Boggs
On July 20, Boggs issued a sworn statement saying that he "believes … that Joseph Smith, commonly called the Mormon Prophet, was accessory before the fact of the intended murder.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_assassination_of_Lilburn_Boggs)
On August 8, Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell were placed under arrest and then ordered to be freed by the Municipal Court of Nauvoo. Joseph Smith goes into hiding.
Semore Brunson was born in Orwell, Vermont. In 1813, at the age of 14, he enlisted in the United States military as a 16-year-old and served during the War of 1812.
In 1823, Brunson married Harriet Matilda Gould. They eventually had seven children.
Brunson was baptized a member of the Church of Christ in early 1831. He served as a missionary in both Ohio and Virginia and then moved to Daviess County, Missouri just south of Far West.
In April 1838 it was Brunson who brought the charges against Oliver Cowdery that led to Cowdery's excommunication.
At Nauvoo, Brunson served as a member of the High Council and as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Hancock County Militia. He also served as one of Joseph Smith's bodyguards.
Wilford Woodruff: “[The Prophet’s] soul was wound up with this work before he was martyred for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ. He told us that there must be a welding link of all dispensations and of the work of God from one generation to another. This was upon his mind more than most any other subject that was given to him.” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer Durham [1946], 156; see D&C 128:1, 18).
President Spencer W. Kimball: "We renew our appeal for the keeping of individual histories and accounts of sacred experiences in our lives-- answered prayers, inspiration from the Lord, administrations in our behalf, a record of the special times and events of our lives. From these records you can also appropriately draw as you relay faith-promoting stories in your family circles and discussions. Stories of inspiration from our own lives and those of our forebears as well as stories from our scriptures an our history are powerful teaching tools. I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to you, each other, your children, your grandchildren, and others throughout the generations." (Kimball, Spencer W., Ensign, January, 1982, p. 4)
Temple Baptismal Fonts:
Elder Neil L. Andersen: “The Prophet Joseph spoke of this work as “a welding link” connecting families together from one generation to another (D&C 128:18). The physical welding link in Joseph’s day was created by softening and melting two pieces of metal in a fiery oven, joining them together while they were still malleable, and then letting them cool and harden into an unbreakable chain. The importance of the powerful, spiritual welding that binds us all together forever is stated clearly in the scriptures: “We without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect” (D&C 128:18).
“In the past this work of finding family names, documenting them, and bringing them to the temple was principally the work of older members of the Church. Why was that? Because it required enormous time and effort. It would often begin with large reels containing microfilmed records. It meant painstaking attention to dates and places, thick historical books with limited availability, and at times remote country cemeteries.
“Our ability to find our ancestors online has emerged only in the past few years, with tremendous advancements in the past few months. The months ahead will bring even more availability.
“While your generation has become extremely devoted to visiting the temple, in the months and years ahead you will be just as outstanding in finding and bringing names to the temple with you.
“I want to challenge each of you to set a personal goal to help prepare as many names for the temple as baptisms you perform in the temple. There is something powerful in searching out those who need temple ordinances, learning who they are, and then being part of their receiving these sacred ordinances. This is how you become “saviors on Mount Zion” (see Obadiah 1:21 and D&C 103:9). There is a joy and satisfaction that is understood only through spiritual feelings. We are linked to our ancestors forever.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2015/02/my-days-of-temples-and-technology?lang=eng)
President Russell M. Nelson: “Elijah’s return to earth occurred at the first temple built in this dispensation, where he and other heavenly messengers, under direction of the Lord, entrusted special keys of priesthood authority to the restored Church:
“With that, natural affection between generations began to be enriched. This restoration was accompanied by what is sometimes called the Spirit of Elijah—a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the divine nature of the family. Hence, people throughout the world, regardless of religious affiliation, are gathering records of deceased relatives at an ever-increasing rate.
“Elijah came not only to stimulate research for ancestors. He also enabled families to be eternally linked beyond the bounds of mortality. Indeed, the opportunity for families to be sealed forever is the real reason for our research. The Lord declared through the Prophet Joseph Smith: “These are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, … they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.” (President Russell M. Nelson, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1998/04/a-new-harvest-time?lang=eng)
Joseph's Teaching Thought:
1.“Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.”
Governor Lilburn Boggs
- Issued ‘Extermination Order’ on October 27, 1838
- The Militia and other state authorities—General John B. Clark, among them—used the executive order to violently expel the Mormons from their lands in the state following their capitulation, which in turn led to their forced migration to Nauvoo, Illinois
- Assassination attempt – May 6, 1842
On July 20, Boggs issued a sworn statement saying that he "believes … that Joseph Smith, commonly called the Mormon Prophet, was accessory before the fact of the intended murder.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_assassination_of_Lilburn_Boggs)
On August 8, Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell were placed under arrest and then ordered to be freed by the Municipal Court of Nauvoo. Joseph Smith goes into hiding.
Semore Brunson was born in Orwell, Vermont. In 1813, at the age of 14, he enlisted in the United States military as a 16-year-old and served during the War of 1812.
In 1823, Brunson married Harriet Matilda Gould. They eventually had seven children.
Brunson was baptized a member of the Church of Christ in early 1831. He served as a missionary in both Ohio and Virginia and then moved to Daviess County, Missouri just south of Far West.
In April 1838 it was Brunson who brought the charges against Oliver Cowdery that led to Cowdery's excommunication.
At Nauvoo, Brunson served as a member of the High Council and as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Hancock County Militia. He also served as one of Joseph Smith's bodyguards.
Wilford Woodruff: “[The Prophet’s] soul was wound up with this work before he was martyred for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ. He told us that there must be a welding link of all dispensations and of the work of God from one generation to another. This was upon his mind more than most any other subject that was given to him.” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer Durham [1946], 156; see D&C 128:1, 18).
President Spencer W. Kimball: "We renew our appeal for the keeping of individual histories and accounts of sacred experiences in our lives-- answered prayers, inspiration from the Lord, administrations in our behalf, a record of the special times and events of our lives. From these records you can also appropriately draw as you relay faith-promoting stories in your family circles and discussions. Stories of inspiration from our own lives and those of our forebears as well as stories from our scriptures an our history are powerful teaching tools. I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to you, each other, your children, your grandchildren, and others throughout the generations." (Kimball, Spencer W., Ensign, January, 1982, p. 4)
Temple Baptismal Fonts:
- “Instituted as a similitude of the grave” (128:13)
- “In the likeness of the resurrection of the dead in coming forth out of their graves;” (128:12)
- “In a place underneath where the living are wont to assemble” (128:13)
- 12 oxen are symbols for twelve tribes of Israel
- Each ox is different.
- In ancient Israel, the ox was symbolic for strength and power (see Num. 23:22, n. 22a; Num. 24:8)
- The bull and wild bull symbolize the people of Joseph as represented by his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh (see Deut. 33:17) [see https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1993/03/i-have-a-question/why-are-oxen-used-in-the-design-of-our-temples-baptismal-fonts?lang=eng]
Elder Neil L. Andersen: “The Prophet Joseph spoke of this work as “a welding link” connecting families together from one generation to another (D&C 128:18). The physical welding link in Joseph’s day was created by softening and melting two pieces of metal in a fiery oven, joining them together while they were still malleable, and then letting them cool and harden into an unbreakable chain. The importance of the powerful, spiritual welding that binds us all together forever is stated clearly in the scriptures: “We without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect” (D&C 128:18).
“In the past this work of finding family names, documenting them, and bringing them to the temple was principally the work of older members of the Church. Why was that? Because it required enormous time and effort. It would often begin with large reels containing microfilmed records. It meant painstaking attention to dates and places, thick historical books with limited availability, and at times remote country cemeteries.
“Our ability to find our ancestors online has emerged only in the past few years, with tremendous advancements in the past few months. The months ahead will bring even more availability.
“While your generation has become extremely devoted to visiting the temple, in the months and years ahead you will be just as outstanding in finding and bringing names to the temple with you.
“I want to challenge each of you to set a personal goal to help prepare as many names for the temple as baptisms you perform in the temple. There is something powerful in searching out those who need temple ordinances, learning who they are, and then being part of their receiving these sacred ordinances. This is how you become “saviors on Mount Zion” (see Obadiah 1:21 and D&C 103:9). There is a joy and satisfaction that is understood only through spiritual feelings. We are linked to our ancestors forever.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2015/02/my-days-of-temples-and-technology?lang=eng)
President Russell M. Nelson: “Elijah’s return to earth occurred at the first temple built in this dispensation, where he and other heavenly messengers, under direction of the Lord, entrusted special keys of priesthood authority to the restored Church:
- Moses committed the keys of the gathering of Israel;
- Elias committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham; and
- Elijah came to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the children to the fathers.
“With that, natural affection between generations began to be enriched. This restoration was accompanied by what is sometimes called the Spirit of Elijah—a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the divine nature of the family. Hence, people throughout the world, regardless of religious affiliation, are gathering records of deceased relatives at an ever-increasing rate.
“Elijah came not only to stimulate research for ancestors. He also enabled families to be eternally linked beyond the bounds of mortality. Indeed, the opportunity for families to be sealed forever is the real reason for our research. The Lord declared through the Prophet Joseph Smith: “These are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, … they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.” (President Russell M. Nelson, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1998/04/a-new-harvest-time?lang=eng)
Joseph's Teaching Thought:
1.“Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.”