"Go to the Ohio..."

In 1831 the Prophet Joseph Smith received this revelation for the early saints

“Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high." -Doctrine and Covenants 38:32

Many heeded the call and gathered at the revealed place: Kirtland, Ohio. 

One particular family, Newel K. Whitney and his wife Elizabeth had lived in Kirtland all their lives, they were very humble yet prosperous.

When they heard the Gospel and knew it to be true. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith arrived at their store, shook his hand and declared "thou art the man!...You've prayed me here, now what do you want of me?"

The Whitney's, along with the other saints, started the preparations of 

building a temple. A House of the Lord, the first in this dispensation as 

part of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today. 

"The temple in Kirtland was built by the Saints in their dire poverty. It was erected at great sacrifice."

After hours of labor for members of each family including sacrificing basic needs such as sleep, water and food along with precious ones such as material and fine china the temple was completed, dedicated and glorious revelations and visitations of heavenly messengers unfolded. 

The Saints had put forth their best effort and 

the word, light, truth and hand of the Lord were clearly and powerfully 

made manifest to these converts of new, unshaken faith. 

"The Saints were forced to leave Ohio and their temple, built at so much sacrifice and such a great cost, and move to Missouri where they suffered again..."

In a video depiction shown at the visitors center Sister Whitney 

is confronted by one of her dear friends after hearing from the prophet 

that the saints were to move on to Missouri. She asked distressingly,

 “How we bear to leave our beloved Kirtland?” 

Sister Whitney pulled her back and looked deep into 

her eyes and replied with great strength. 

"The Lord commanded us to build a temple and that we did, we have been taught, endowed and grown and now He has called us to Missouri.” 

Beautiful to me in this conversation is that Kirtland had always been her life, home, and her dreams. Now with the acceptance of the Gospel the Savior and His perfect will became everything. And she would drop her perfectly good well thought out plans to follow Him. Our heavenly Father created something so beautiful out of something so little. 

A small group of priesthood brethren were gathered in a school room 

as Joseph Smith prophesied unto them that this church would grow 

to fill north and south America and the world. The bewilderment 

in their eyes yet the power of the Spirit in that room is hard to 

comprehend. In our day we have seen that come to pass, 

because of the selfless sacrifice of those early latter-day saints. 

  Their story has laid the foundation of legacy of 

strength of faith and character for each of us.

Serving in the Washington Vancouver Mission is the Kirtland of my life. 

It was hard and required great sacrifice, 

but even deeper were the blessings and the joy. 

 I wasn't meant to stay and dwell safely there. 

There are other lands he was to call me to, invitations 

to come unto Christ to extend. 

This was only the beginning of the growth from 

challenges that we would experience. 

I am so grateful for an all knowing Heavenly Father to let me suffer so much in order to reap so many blessings. I'll walk whatever trek He has planned, because I know all along and forever I will always be safe in His hands.