We drove from Cincinnati to Hiram Ohio to go to the historic Johnson Farm. This farm was the dream home of John and Elsa Johnson who once lived in a log cabin with over a dozen children. After 10 years, they finally saved up enough to buy this huge farm and build the impressive farmhouse in the 1830’s.
It was here that a local protestant minister brought John and Elsa a copy of the Book of Mormon. They stayed up with the minister into the night reading and by the next morning they wanted to set off for Kirtland to meet the prophet Joseph Smith who had translated the book.
Elsa, whose right elbow was severely affected by arthritis and couldn’t be bent or lifted above her head, was particularly anxious to meet Joseph because she heard of the power of the priesthood he held and the ability to heal the sick. They met the prophet and he asked her if she had sufficient faith in Jesus Christ to be healed. She assured him she did and he blessed her. From that point, her arm worked perfectly and it was a good thing it did for she had a lot of hard work ahead of her. After returning to their farm, the Johnsons spread the good news about what they had found and soon a congregation of 200 people was attending meetings at the Johnson Farm. Joseph Smith came and taught every Sunday morning on the Johnson’s front porch steps. Their home also became lodging for traveling believers. Before long Elsa was making 16 loaves of bread a day for the members of the church who stayed at their home.
When Joseph and Emma didn’t have a place to live, the Johnson’s offered them space in their home. John and Elsa gave up their master bedroom with the best natural lighting for Joseph and Sidney Rigdon to work on the translation of the Bible. It was here that Doctrine and Covenants 76 was given. It is also here where Joseph was taking care of his twin son who had the measles when Joseph was dragged from his bed in the middle of the night by a mob. He and Sidney were beaten, tarred, feathered and left for dead. The farmhouse door was left open and the cold night air came into the house, exposing the children. The frigid air and the measles made a deadly combination for little Joseph Murdock Smith who died five days later. He was the fourth child Joseph and Emma buried.
For Joseph Smith, the Johnson Farm held both sublime manifestations of eternity and the darkest heart-wrenching moments of his life. I think it only fitting that in this place where he and Emma grieved the death of yet another child, God comforted him with the revelation of the Savior’s infinite mercy and grace:
In my opinion there is no greater witness of Jesus Christ than these words by Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24:
"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.”
As for John and Elsa Johnson, God blessed them with abundance and thus they were able to serve Him and His children in ways that no one else could. Their dedication and faithfulness has earned them a significant place in history, and it’s wonderful to see it preserved.
Next we traveled 45 minutes to Kirtland Ohio to see the Kirtland Temple. This was the first temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The saints abandoned it within 3 years when the church experienced some of its darkest hours. A bank failed and dissensions arose, splintering the church into various groups. From here the main body of members who remained faithful moved to Missouri and then to Nauvoo, IL. After Joseph and his brother Hyrum were falsely incarcerated in Carthage Jail, IL and murdered by a mob, the members took their exodus and blazed a trail to the Salt Lake Valley under the direction of Brigham Young.
A small fragment of members chose not to follow Brigham Young. Instead they formed their own church with Joseph’s son Joseph Smith, III as their leader. These people became the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Today they are called The Community of Christ. While the main body of the church continued to grow to over thirteen million members today, the Community of Christ is a significantly smaller group. Yet, they do own the Kirtland Temple and the grounds surrounding it. They also own the copyrights to Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses the standard King James Version with excerpts of Joseph’s translation in the footnotes and the appendix.
I’ve always wanted a copy of Joseph’s translation so when Caleb and I saw it in the gift shop at the Kirtland Temple, we had to have one. It’s broken into two columns with the King James Version on one side and Joseph’s translation on the other. We’re looking forward to digging into it for the treasures we’ll find within its pages.
Of the two locations we visited on Thursday, the Spirit was so thick you could scoop it with a spoon at the Johnson Farm – especially in the room where Joseph was sleeping with little Joseph the night he was attacked and also in the room where Joseph and Sidney received the series of visions that resulted in Doctrine & Covenants 76. Even the grounds themselves had a calming peaceful feeling about them. The minute we stepped out of the car we felt the same Spirit we’d feel at a chapel or a temple. Couple that with the guided tour by the sister missionaries and it was an amazing experience.
There was a marked difference between the farm and the Kirtland Temple. The temple was beautiful and it was wonderful to be able to visit it, but it felt like any other historical building. In comparison with the Johnson farm, there was something missing. The glory of its angelic moments long since past, it has forgotten its purpose -- much like what can happen to any of us who forget the purpose for which God has created us. “Hollow” was the word Caleb used as he leaned over and marked the contrast in this “temple” and those we attend today.
For me, the message of the day was about holy places dedicated to God’s purposes. A farmhouse in the middle of the country can be more sacred than the finest historic temple. Yes, it is the Spirit of God which makes a holy place and it is remaining true to our God-given mission that makes our lives Spirit-filled as well.
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