[Joseph Smith] Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith spoke about the parable of the vine and its branches at a meeting with the Twelve Apostles in his home. (1)
-- Dec 22, 1841
[Joseph Smith] Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith received the first supply of groceries for his store in 13 wagonloads that had been detained in St. Louis, Missouri. (1)
-- Dec 24, 1841
[Joseph Smith] Nauvoo, Illinois. In the evening, Joseph Smith consulted with President [Brigham] Young and Bishop [Newel] Whitney about establishing an agency in England for the cheap and expeditious conveyance of the Saints to Nauvoo. (1)
-- Dec 26, 1841
[Joseph Smith] Nauvoo, Illinois. At a public meeting of the Saints in his home, Joseph Smith explained that the gift of tongues is the ability to hear and preach the gospel in a different language. (1)
-- Dec 27, 1841
[Joseph Smith] Nauvoo, Illinois. In a meeting with the Twelve Apostles, Joseph Smith discussed seer stones and showed his seer stone to the brethren. (1)
-- Dec 28, 1841
[Joseph Smith] Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith baptized Sidney Rigdon for and in behalf of Elder Rigdons parents. The Prophet also baptized Reynolds Cahoon and others. (1)
-- Dec 30, 1841
[Lucy Mack Smith] Applying for membership at the second meeting of Nauvoo's Masonic lodge are Joseph, Willard Richards, Brigham Young, Sidney Rigdon, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, and others. They are admitted formally on 15 March 1842. (2)
-- 1841
[Membership] Church Membership at end of year: 19,856
New Converts : 2,991
Percent Change from previous year: 17.73% (3)
[Deseret] Capt. John Bartleson leads first wagon train of settlers across Utah to California. (4)
-- During 1841-1854
* Willard Richards -- primary scribal author for this period. Writings used in assembling The History of the Church (often cited as HC) (originally entitled History of Joseph Smith; first published under the title History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; nicknamed Documentary History of the Church or DHC) (5)
-- During 1841
[John Taylor] Returns to the United States with several of the other Apostles. (6)
[OREGON TRAIL] For twenty five years, as many as 650,000 people may have pulled up stakes and headed for the farms and gold fields of the West. No accurate records exist of traffic on the great overland trails of that era, and some believe the figure may have been as low as 250,000 people. However, estimates have been slowly creeping upwards over the years, and it now seems that something like half a million people headed west from the 1840s through the Civil War. It is generally agreed that Oregon was the destination for about a third of the emigrants, California for another third, and the remainder were bound for Utah, Colorado, and Montana. This was the last of the so-called Great Migrations. It lasted until the coming of the railroads. (7)
[OREGON TRAIL] The first emigrant party, the Bidwell-Bartleson party, heads for California with 100 farmers and their families. En route, some of them change their minds and opt for Oregon, instead. (7)
Footnotes:
1 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith
2 - Anderson, Lavina Fielding, Editor, Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Mack Smith's Family Memoir, 2001, Signature Books
3 - Wikipedia, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Membership History, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints_membership_history
4 - History to Go, Pioneers and Cowboys, http://historytogo.utah.gov/timeline/pioneersandcowboys.html
5 - Wikipedia, History of the Church, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Church
6 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, Salt Lake City, Utah
7 - Clackamas Heritage Partners, http://www.historicoregoncity.org/HOC/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=107Itemid=75
Mormon History Timeline /Chronology
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
