185 years ago today - 1837 January 3

[Wilford Woodruff]

President Z. Coltrin ordained me as a member of the first Seventy & Pronounced great blessings upon my head by the Spirit of Prophecy & Revelation. Some of them I will mention which are as follows: THAT my enemies may Confine me in Prisions & Chains & that I would rend the Prisions & Chains in twain in the name of JESUS CHRIST & that the Lord would give me great Power, Knowledg, & wisdom & faith so that I should heal the sick caus the Blind to see the lame to leap as an heart, the Deaf to hear Stop the mouths of Lions & rase the dead to life & waft myself (as did Philip) from River to river from Sea to sea & from Continant to Continant for the Purpose of Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ & that I should stand before Kings & Princes & that they would send for me to receieve Wisdom Knowledge & instruction at my mouth because they Considered me wiser than themselves in like manner as the Egyptians sought wisdom at the hand of JOSepH. And that God would give me a multiplicity of Blessings that I should Preach to the nations of the earth & to the inhabitants upon the Islands of the Sea & that I should then return & stand upon Mount Zion in the flesh even in Jackson County Missouri at the Cumming of Christ & that I should be cought up to meet him in the Clouds of heaven for he said this was the word of God unto me & Also that I should visit COLUB [Kolob] & Preach to the spirits in Prision & that I should bring all of my friends or relatives forth from the Terrestrial Kingdom (who had died) by the Power of the gospel. These & many other Blessings were Pronounced upon my head, & further Said that I should be annointed & my life sealed unto me & that their would be still greater blessing Pronounced upon my head. I felt much of the Power of God rest upon me in this ordinance & Bear witness of the truth of the above PROCLAMTION.

[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]