Mormon History, Apr 15, 1838

-- Apr 15, 1838
Stephen Burnett writes to former Apostle Lyman E. Johnson (who had been excommunicated two days earlier), "I have reflected long and deliberately upon the history of this church & weighed the evidence for & against it loth to give it up - but when I came to hear Martin Harris state in public that he never saw the plates with his natural eyes only in vision or imagination, neither Oliver [Cowdery] nor David [Whitmer] & that the eight witnesses never saw them & hesitated to sign that instrument for that reason, but were persuaded to do it, the last pedestal gave way, in my view our foundation was sapped & the entire superstructure fell in heap of ruins." Burnett was called by revelation to preach (1)

Stephen Burnett, in a letter, renounces Book of Mormon. (2)

-- Apr 16, 1838
Far West (Efforts halted) Temple; Location: Far West, Missouri; Announcement: 16 April 1838; Notes: Site Dedicated. Cornerstones laid and dedicated 26 April 1839. Efforts discontinued in 1800s. The cornerstones remain, covered in glass, as part of a memorial park at the site. (3)

-- Apr 17, 1838
Far West, Missouri. Joseph Smith received Doctrine & Covenants 114, a revelation instructing David W. Patten to prepare for a mission the coming spring. (4)

[Joseph Smith Prophecy] Patten mission - Apostle David W. Patten will go on a mission "next spring" D&C 114:1 -- Patten died in October 1838, before "next spring". However, LDS belief is that members continue their work after death. (5)

-- (Fri) Apr 20, 1838
Heber C. Kimball returned from England and meets Orson and Parley Pratt in New York. [Heber C. Kimball autobiography] (6)

-- Apr 20, 1838
[Hyde, Orson] Left Liverpool for United States 20 April 1838. (7)

[Lucy Mack Smith] Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde leave Liverpool after baptizing about 1,500 in nine months. (8)

-- Apr 22, 1838
[Lucy Mack Smith] Sophronia Coolbrith Smith, second of Don Carlos Smith and Agnes Coolbrith Smith's three daughters, is born at Norton, Ohio. (8)

-- (Thr) Apr 26, 1838
Church of (Christ of) Latter Day Saints at Far West was re-named "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." The apostate "pure church" group in Kirtland retained the earlier name (or, "The Church of Christ). (6)

-- Apr 26, 1838
Name of the Church â€" The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints â€" was given by revelation. (See D&C 115). (9)

D&C 115: name of the church changed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
-- (10)

Joseph Smith receives Doctrine & Covenants 115. He is told that the church should be known as "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." This is still the official name of the Church today! (11)

Footnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://www.advent-adam.com/jakestand.html
2 - Tidd, N. R., "Mormon Chronology," http://bit.ly/14Qt5F
3 - Wikipedia, List of Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_temples_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints#List_of_temples
4 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith
5 - Wikipedia, Prophesies of Joseph Smith, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecies_of_Joseph_Smith,_Jr.
6 - Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm
7 - Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Seventy's Mission Bookstore, Provo UT, 1985
8 - Anderson, Lavina Fielding, Editor, Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Mack Smith's Family Memoir, 2001, Signature Books
9 - Church News: Historical chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
10 - Kenny, Scott, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml
11 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, United Kingdom, "On This Day," https://www.lds.org.uk/show_oda.php

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