Latter-day Saint Historian Reflects on Kirtland’s Pivotal, Divinely Orchestrated Events

Mr. Kirtland

After earning a graduate degree from the University of Utah in 1966, Anderson’s career led him to Cleveland, Ohio, where he became a key figure in the Church. He served as a stake president, regional representative and patriarch, among other callings, and was instrumental in developing friendships with Community of Christ and reestablishing the Church in Kirtland, including the Historic Kirtland village.

Anderson is sometimes referred to as “Mr. Kirtland” because of his love, research and writing on the Kirtland era of Church history.

Anderson and his wife, Joyce, lived in Ohio for close to 50 years before recently moving to Utah.

“The circumstances that brought us to Kirtland, I think, were divinely led,” he said.

Why Kirtland Matters

Kirtland, Ohio, was the first gathering place and headquarters of the Church from 1831 to 1838. During this period, many significant events took place:

• All of the priesthood offices found in the Church today were revealed.
• About one-half of the revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants were revealed, far more than any other location, and the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants was printed.
• The School of the Prophets started as part of an educational period for Latter-day Saint leaders.
• Joseph Smith Jr. made his Bible translation and largely translated the Pearl of Great Price.
• More heavenly manifestations occurred there than any other place. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared or were seen in vision four times, and the Savior was seen at least six more times by Joseph Smith.
• The Church’s first temple was built and heavenly messengers restored significant keys.

“Joseph Smith said it was a pentecostal period, in other words, spiritual manifestations, and we had most spiritual manifestations in Kirtland than any other period in our Church history,” Anderson said. “More of the Savior’s direct words went to the world from Kirtland more than anywhere in any other period in the history of the world.”

Another miracle of Kirtland were the members, mainly farmers and working-class individuals, but intelligent and devoted to the Lord and His Prophet.

“They gave everything they had to establish the Church,” Anderson said. “They suffered persecution. They knew it was the Savior’s Church and work, or they wouldn’t have gone through all of the persecution. They literally sacrificed everything going from state to state, following Joseph.”

Returning to Kirtland

The Church’s return to Kirtland took years. Anderson shared one memorable experience of waking up one morning with the spiritual prompting that it was time to inquire about the status of the Johnson Inn, a historic property.

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Anderson did so, and his inspired inquiry resulted in acquiring the property. The process repeated itself with other structures and culminated with the dedication of Historic Kirtland Village by President Gordon B. Hinckley in 2003.

“The Lord opened up each step,” he said. “I was blessed to be part of each one of those and see it. ... The key players were all the brethren who were following the inspiration of the Lord.”

Testimony

Anderson will soon be 88 years old. Half a century of life experiences in Kirtland, including the privilege of working with five Church presidents, and Church history study have solidified his testimony.

“I know He lives because I know His voice and I have felt His presence,” he said. “All the experiences reconfirm what I knew as a boy — that it is the Lord’s work, Joseph was a Prophet, and it is a privilege for us to work in helping build the kingdom.”