1829 – The Prophet Joseph Smith recommences his translation of the Book of Mormon from the gold plates with Oliver Cowdery as his scribe. Previously, Martin Harris had lost nearly everything that had been translated by the Prophet and those helping him. With the arrival of Oliver Cowdery, the translation progressed rapidly until its completion. Oliver Cowdery wrote: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim, or, as the Nephites would have said, ‘Interpreters,’ the history or record called ‘The Book of Mormon’’ (Endnote, Joseph Smith—History).
1831 – Martin Harris is forced to sell part of his farm to pay E. B. Grandin for the cost of printing the Book of Mormon. The Prophet Joseph works on his revision of the Bible in Matthew.
1834 – The Prophet Joseph Smith met with Bishop Newel K. Whitney, Oliver Cowdery, Frederick G. Williams, and Heber C. Kimball in the council room and prayed for means to reconcile some debts and for Joseph to prevail against Doctor Philastus Hurlbut. (History of the Church, 2:48)
1839 – The prisoners from Liberty Jail, including the Prophet Joseph Smith, continued on their journey from Liberty, across the prairie of Missouri, towards Gallatin where they would be put on trial.
1844 – The Prophet Joseph Smith delivers one of his greatest discourses at what would be his final General Conference. Entitled the King Follet Discourse, it declares that man is immortal, having always existed. As a child of God, man can become like God who was once a man Himself. The Prophet also emphasizes the importance of seeking after our ancestors to bring them the ordinances needed for eternal life. In introducing his topic, the Prophet stated, “If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves’ and then taught, “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today . . . if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form’ (History of the Church, 6:303-305).
1845 – The Saints, gathered in General Conference in Nauvoo, Illinois, vote unanimously to “accept the labors of Joseph Smith as a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator to the nineteenth century, and that we are satisfied that he lived according to his profession, and died a martyr to the truth’ (History of the Church, 7:392).
1860 – The first pony express carrier arrives in Salt Lake City, Utah, on its first trip East from California.
1889 – Wilford Woodruff is sustained as the fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1892 – The statue of the angel Moroni atop the Salt Lake Temple is illuminated with electric lights for the first time.
1930 – President Heber J. Grant was on the cover of Time magazine. He was on the cover for the 100th anniversary of the Church.
1936 – Church Security Program is instituted to assist the poor during the United States Great Depression. It would later become the Church Welfare Program.
1973 – The First Presidency announces the creation of the Welfare Services Department, which brings the existing Church welfare units into full correlation.
1980 – NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw interviews Elder Gordon B. Hinckley and J. Willard Marriott, Jr. on the Today television show.
1996 – President Gordon B. Hinckley is featured in an interview with CBS reporter Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes on U.S. national television.
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