“Chapter 32: The Church of Jesus Christ in Kirtland: 1833–1834,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories (2002), 123–25
“Chapter 32,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 123–25
Chapter 32
The Church of Jesus Christ in Kirtland
1833–1834
The Lord said that Joseph Smith should have men to help him lead the Church. These men would be Joseph’s counselors. The Lord revealed that Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams should be these counselors.
In March 1833, Joseph Smith ordained his counselors at a sacred meeting in Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph and his counselors were the First Presidency of the Church.
Today the living prophet is the leader of the Church. He and his counselors are the First Presidency of the Church.
Jesus told Joseph Smith that the Saints should build more Church buildings. The most important building would be a temple in Kirtland. The Saints also needed to build a printing shop and a place for the First Presidency to work.
The Saints obeyed the Lord and started to build the Kirtland Temple. It was hard work, and all the Saints needed to help.
As more people joined the Church, Jesus told Joseph Smith to choose more leaders. He said Joseph’s father should be the patriarch for the Church. A patriarch gives special blessings to the Saints. Today there are patriarchs in most stakes of the Church.
Jesus also told Joseph to choose twelve men to serve on a high council. High councilors hold the office of high priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood. One of their assignments is to help work out problems that might arise in the Church.
In February 1834, Joseph Smith organized the first stake of the Church. A stake is many members of the Church who live in the same area. All the Saints in Kirtland were in the first stake.
Today the Church has thousands of stakes.