March 22

1834 – On his return to Kirtland, the Prophet Joseph arrived and stayed at the home of Vinson Knight in Perrysburg. (History of the Church, 2:45).

1839 – From Liberty Jail, the Prophet Joseph wrote a letter to Issac Galland who owned property at Commerce, Illinois, informing him of the desire of the Church to purchase property as a gathering place for the Saints.

1842 – The Advocate, a newspaper printed in Columbus, Oho, reported on a recent visit by “an observer’ to Nauvoo, Illinois, during the organization of the Masonic Lodge there.  The “observer’ writes, “I saw a people apparently happy, prosperous and Intelligent.  Every man appeared to be employed in some business or occupation. . . . Nauvoo contains, it is said, about seven thousand persons; the buildings are generally small and much scattered.  The Temple . . . will probably, in beauty of design, extent and durability, excel any public building in the state’ (History of the Church, 4:565-566).

1844 – The Prophet Joseph wrote that Nauvoo was cold with snow on the ground, held Mayor’s court, studied German, and met in prayer with the Twelve Apostles at the home of Brigham Young.  He also advised the Seventies to build their meeting hall, “two stories high, and strong enough to stand for a generation’ (History of the Church, 6:271).

1882 – Chester A. Arthur, president of the United States, signs into law the antipolygamy Edmunds Bill.  It defined polygamy as “unlawful cohabitation,’ and made contracting plural marriage a punishable offense, and disenfranchised polygamists.

1885 – The United States Supreme Court annulled the Utah “test oath,’ which prevented polygamists in Utah from voting, thus restoring the voting rights of Utah polygamists.

1928 – Elaine Low Jack, twelfth General President of the Relief Society from 1990-1997, was born in Cardston, Alberta, Canada.

1970 – The first stake in South Africa is organized at Transvaal.  It is the first stake on the African continent.  Also on this date, the first stake in New Hampshire is organized at Merrimack.  In addition, the Mandenville Branch, first branch of the Church in Jamaica, is organized.

1981 – The first stake in Nicaragua is organized at Managua.

2019 – The Church announces that the course of study for seminary will shift from a school year calendar (studying a book of scripture from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year) to an annual calendar (studying a book of scripture from January thru December independent of academic calendars).  Seminary students will study the same book of scripture used for the Come Follow Me curriculum each year.