Halos: Halos, Light, Shining
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Of the Presidency of the Seventy At one of these meetings after the organization of the school, on the 23d of January, 1833, when we were all togather, Joseph having givan instructions, and while engaged in silent prayer, kneeling, with our hands uplifted each one praying in silence, no one whispered above his breath, a personage walked through the room from east to west, and Joseph asked if we saw him. I saw him and suppose the others did, and Joseph answered that is Jesus, the Son of God, our elder brother. Afterwards Joseph told us to resume our former position in prayer; which we did. Another person came through; He was surrounded as with a flame of fire. He (Bro. C[oltrin]) experianced a sensation that it might destroy the tabernacle as it was of consuming fire of great brightness. The Prophet Joseph said this was the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I saw Him. When asked about the kind of clothing the Father had on, Bro. Coltrin said: I did not discover His clothing for He was surrounded as with a flame of fire, which was so brilliant that I could not discover any thing else but His person. I saw His hands, His legs, his, feet, his eyes, nose, mouth, head and body in the shape and form of a perfect man. He sat in a chair as a man would sit in a chair, but His appearance was so grand and overwhelming that it seemed I should melt down in His presence, and the sensation was so powerful that it thrilled through my whole system and I felt it in the marrow of my bones. The Prophet Joseph said: Brethren now you are prepared to be The Apostles of Jesus Christ, for you have seen both the Father and the Son and know that They exist and that They are two separate Personages. This appearance occured about two or three weeks after the opening of the school. After the Father had passed through, Joseph told us to again take our positions in prayer. We did so, and in a very short time he drew our attention and said to us that Bro. Reynolds Cahoon was about to leave us—and told us to look at him. He (Bro. Cahoon) was on his knees, and his arms were extended, his hands and wrists, head, face and neck down to his shoulders were as a piece of amber—clear and transparent, his blood having apparently left his veins. Upon the attention of the brethren being thus called to Bro. Cahoon, the change seemed to pass away and Joseph said that in a few minutes more Bro. Cahoon would have left us; but he came to himself again. The school room was in the upper room of Whitney's store. School of the
Elder Zebedee Coltrin
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Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner One of the two sisters that saved the printed pages of the Book of Commandments (Doctrine and Covenants). Sealed to Joseph Smith in 1842. She [was] 87 years of age at the time of this talk. Well, my young brethren I can say I never was more surprise in my life than to be called upon to speak to you young men who are called upon to go into the mission field to preach the gospel to the nation of the earth. It is true I have been in the church from the beginning. Just six months after it was organized I joined it. I have been acquainted with all of those who were first members of this church, with all those who saw the plates and handled them; those who even saw the angel Moroni, who came to them. I am well acquainted with every one of them and I have known them from the time that they came to Ohio until their death; and I am the only living witness who was at the first meeting that the prophet held in Kirtland. The Smith family were driven from New York, and a small church had been organized. Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, and Ziba Peterson were members. Well I being anxious, though young, to learn about the plates from those who knew all about it, my mother and I went up to the Smith family the next night after they came to Kirtland. As I went in there were two or three others present. They were all there, the whole Smith family, from the old gentleman and his wife to all his sons and daughters. As we stood there talking to them, Joseph and Martin Harris came in. Said he there are enough here to hold a little meeting. Joseph looked around very solemnly. It was the first time some of them had ever seen him. They got a board and put it across two chairs to make seats. Martin Harris sat on a little box at Joseph's feet. They sang and prayed. Joseph got up and began to speak to us. As he began to speak very solemnly and earnestly all at once his countenance changed and he stood mute. Those who looked at him that day said there was a search light within him, over every part of his body. I never saw anything like it on the whole earth. I could not take my eyes off of him. He got so white that anyone who saw him would have thought he was transparent. I remember I thought I could almost see the bones through the flesh. I have been through many changes since, but that is photographed on my brain. I shall remember it and see in my mind's eye as long as I remain upon the earth. He stood some minutes. He looked over the congregation as if to pierce every heart. He said, “Do you know who has been in your midst this night?” One of the Smith family said, “An angel of the Lord.” Martin Harris said, “I know, it was our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.” Joseph put his hand on Martin’s head and answered, “Martin, God revealed that to you. Yes, Brothers and Sisters, the Spirit of God has been in your midst. The Saviour has been here this night and to tell you to remember it. There is a veil over your eyes for you could not endure to look upon him. You must be fed with milk not with strong meat. I want you to remember this as if it were the last thing that escaped my lips. He has given all of you to me and has sealed you up to everything life that where he is there you may be also. And if you are tempted of Satan say 'get thee behind me, Satan.' These words are figured upon my brain; and I never took my eyes off his countenance. Then he knelt down and prayed. I have never heard anything like it before or since.
Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner
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Thomas Bullock
Heber C. Kimball
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I remember very well the last charge that Joseph gave to the Apostles. We had as little idea that he was going from us as the Apostles of the Savior did that He was going to be taken from them. Joseph talked with us plainly as did the Savior to His Apostles, but we did not understand that he was about to depart from us any more than the Apostles understood the Savior. Now, I have heard of other parties rising up and pretending that the Prophet Joseph Smith gave unto them a charge to lead and direct the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I want to say that it is false; there is not a word of truth in it. When he delivered that charge to the Apostles he was filled with the power of God. His face was clear as amber, and the room was filled with the Spirit of God, like the holy fire. In his address he told us that he had received at the hands of the Almighty God all the keys, and powers, and priesthood, and ordinances and gifts belonging to the dispensation in which we lived. "Now," says he, "I have sealed all these blessings upon your heads, upon you Apostles of the Lamb of God, who have been chosen to bear off this Church and kingdom on on the earth;" and after making this solemn proclamation to us, he said, "Now, you have got to round up your shoulders and bear off this kingdom, or you will be damned." I never shall forget that. All of those Apostles to-day are in the spirit world, excepting myself, and they know that what he said is true; and those of us who have the Spirit of God know that it is true.
President Wilford Woodruff
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The last speech that Joseph Smith ever made to the quorum of the Apostles was in a building in Nauvoo, and it was such a speech as I never heard from mortal man before or since. He was clothed upon with the Spirit and power of God. His face was clear as amber. The room was filled as with consuming fire. He stood three hours upon his feet. Said he: "You Apostles of the Lamb of God have been chosen to carry out the purposes of the Lord on the earth. Now, I have received, as the Prophet, seer and revelator, standing at the head of this dispensation, every key, every ordinance, every principle and every Priesthood that belongs to the last dispensation and fulness of times. And I have sealed all these things upon your heads. Now, you Apostles, if you do not rise up and bear off this kingdom, as I have given it to you, you will be damned." Discourse 1898-04-10, 2, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.
President Wilford Woodruff
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Many spiritual experiences were reported at the Ogden Temple dedication. Following the closing session President Lee's eldest grandson, David Goates, telephoned his grandfather to tell him of his unusual experience. David, his wife, Patsy, and his mother, Helen, all reported having seen a brilliant light at the pulpit whenever the First Presidency members stood to speak in the celestial room of the temple. The light, however, did not envelop the other speakers. L.
President Harold B. Lee
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[This talk contains numerous examples of people who have literally been in the presence of the Lord] A few weeks ago I witnessed President Benson’s radiating power in a sacred room in the Salt Lake Temple when a granddaughter of his was married. As he came into the room, I observed his infirmities of age because he is ninety-four years old. All stood to honor him as the prophet and President of the Church. He brought with him a great spirit of warmth, love, and peace.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
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