May 31

1829 – David Whitmer arrived in Harmony, Pennsylvania, with a wagon, and met the Prophet Joseph Smith for the first time. He invited the Prophet Joseph and his wife Emma to live at his father’s home in Fayette, New York, to complete the translation of the Book of Mormon.  The Whitmer family invited the Prophet to stay “free of charge’ and “were anxiously awaiting the opportunity to inquire into these things.’  The Prophet Joseph records, “We accepted the invitation, and accompanied Mr. Whitmer to his father’s house, and there resided until the translation was finished and the copyright secured’ (History of the Church, 1:49).  He obtains a testimony for himself of the Prophet’s divine calling.

1834 – A “brother’ visits Joseph Smith and Zion’s Camp and donates $100 to help the cause.  Asked to join with them, he replied he could not as his business would not allow him to go with them.  The Camp arrived at a small stream about a mile from Jacksonville, where they camped for the night. (History of the Church, 2:77)

      Brigham Young Home - Nauvoo, Illinois

1843 – Brigham Young moves out of his log cabin and into his new brick home in Nauvoo, Illinois. This brick home is now one of the homes that have been restored and is open to the public in historic Nauvoo.

1844 – Mayor Joseph Smith, issued an arrest warrant for Thomas B. Johnson of Iowa for threatening the peace of the City of Nauvoo by declaring he was going to bring troops from the Iowa Territory to Nauvoo.  In the afternoon, he visited “Sister Richards, who was sick.  I administered to her the laying on of hands.’  (History of the Church, 6:423-424).

1933 – President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency is born in Princeton, New Jersey.

1934 – President George Albert Smith is the first Latter-day Saint leader to be awarded the Silver Buffalo, the highest award from the Boy Scouts of America.

1971 – The Visitors Center in Independence, Missouri, is dedicated by President Joseph Fielding Smith.  Even though there were thunderstorms occurring all around the area, the rain held off until the dedication service was concluded and then the rain fell heavily.