Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith
Prophet, Seer and Revelator

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Don Carlos Young, From Truant to LDS Church Architect

Don Carlos Young, son of Brigham Young, skipped school as a young boy to hang out with the teamsters under his father's employment. When Brigham found out, he took Don Carlos out of school and gave him a pair of blind mules to drive. Don Carlos learned to maneuver the team around Salt Lake City in an admirable fashion, delivering ice and dry goods. Later his was trusted to take a load of wheat to Logan, Utah.

After a while, Don Carlos decided he would like to go back to school. This time he applied himself to his studied, graduated from the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah) and studied architecture in the east.

He came back to Utah to work on several successful projects. Because of his expertise, he was appointed LDS Church Architect by Wilford Wodruff, assigned to finish the Salt Lake Temple.

Brigham Young didn't have the advantage of child guidance books
available to us today, but he was wise in his discipline of Don Carlos, and aided his son in becoming the best he could be. Would that we could all be this wise.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Have You Ever Used a Draw Knife?

Have you ever used a draw knife?

We used them a lot several years ago to skin the logs to build our cabin in Idaho.

Brigham Young and other members of the first pioneer company used them to take the bark off the logs so they could lash them together tightly to ferry the wagons across the raging Platte River. Some of the streams were small enough they could float the wagons through the water, but the Platte was so high, the water dashed the wagons to pieces. They found some white pine to make a heavy raft, skinned the logs, lashed them together and got everyone safely across the water.

Hard work and perseverance got the pioneers west. What have you done today to persevere?

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Brigham Young on Joseph Smith



What I have received from the Lord, I have received by Joseph Smith.
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Brigham Young, 345.

I feel like shouting Hallelujah, all the time, when I think that I ever knew Joseph Smith, the Prophet whom the Lord raised up and ordained, and to whom he gave keys and power to build up the Kingdom of God on earth.
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Brigham Young, 343. 

Brigham Young Meeting Joseph Smith