95 years ago today - Oct 31, 1918

[D and C] Doctrine and Covenants 138: A vision, given to President Joseph F. Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 3, 1918. In his opening address at the eighty-ninth Semiannual General Conference of the Church, on October 4, 1918, President Smith declared that he had received several divine communications during the previous months. One of these, concerning the Savior's visit to the spirits of the dead while his body was in the tomb, he had received the previous day. It was written immediately following the close of the conference; on October 31, 1918, it was submitted to the counselors in the First Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, and the Patriarch, and it was unanimously accepted by them.

[Source: Doctrine and Covenants, http://amzn.to/DoctrineandCovenants]

120 years ago today - Oct 31, 1893

[Francis M. Lyman] Had much talk [on the train] with Pres[iden]ts [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith upon seniority in the Apostleship. They do dot agree upon the subject. Bro[ther] C[annon] holds that seniority rests with Apostles who have not been of the Twelve as well as the Twelve. Bro[ther]

S[mith] does not.

[Lorenzo Snow later decides an apostle must be a member of the Quorum of Twelve to have seniority, resulting in Joseph F. Smith becoming the next president of the church rather than John W. Young.]

[Source: Francis M. Lyman, Diary]

175 years ago today - Oct 31, 1838

[Joseph Smith] Far West is surrounded by 2,000 troops, which are soon reinforced by 1500 more troops. The Saints are outnumbered by approximately five to one. However, neither side is eager to begin the battle, and the day is spent in a standoff, with each side trying to decide what to do. In the evening, Col. Hinkle goes out with a flag of truce to meet with the Missourians. Joseph, Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight, and George W. Robinson then go out to meet the flag and are taken prisoner. General Lucas marches them in front of the leering, screaming soldiers, who abuse them greatly. They are forced to sleep on the ground during a rainstorm while the guards mock them, asking Joseph to show them angels and miracles.

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

180 years ago today - Oct 31, 1833 (Thursday)

a mob attacked a branch of the Church, west of the Big Blue, in Jackson County, Mo., destroyed ten houses, and beat several of the brethren in a most brutal manner.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

35 years ago today - Oct 30, 1978

First Presidency announces emeritus status for general authorities due to age, physical infirmity, or other reasons. Members of First Quorum of Seventy are first general authorities to receive this retirement.

[Source: http://www.advent-adam.com/jakestand.html (cached, based on http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies)]

80 years ago today - Oct 30, 1933

[President Heber J. Grant Diary] Serge F. Ballif ... is very very anxious regarding Owen [Woodruff]'s course and so am I. He is connected with the publishing of a paper that is almost Communistic in its nature.

[Source: Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

170 years ago today - Oct 30, 1843

Brigham Young's diary states: "Monday evening Baptized Sisters Cuoub [Auga Adams Cobb] & Hari[e]tt Cook." Two days later Joseph Smith marries these two women to Young. Auga Adams Cobb married Henry Cobb of Boston, Mass., in 1822. She left him five of her seven children to join with the Mormons. Her husband divorced her in 1847- four years after she married Brigham Young.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

175 years ago today - 1838 30 Oct.

[Joseph Smith] Militia attack the Haun's Mill settlement and murder seventeen men and boys. Thomas McBride, the oldest victim, is "cut to pieces with a corn cutter...literally mangled from head to foot." Sardius Smith, one of the youngest victims, begs for his life from a militiaman who put "his rifle near the boy's head, and literally blowed off the upper part of it." Although her son Sardius and husband are dead, Amanda Barnes Smith is preoccupied with one of her surviving sons, because "the entire hip joint of my wounded boy [Alma] had been shot away." She reports obtaining "a vision" from God about the way to care for the injury and tells her son that "the Lord will make you another hip." She would later write: "It is now nearly forty years ago, but Alma has never been the least crippled during his life."

[Source: Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 7: Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power]

175 years ago today - Oct 30, 1838

[Joseph Smith] Haun's Mill Massacre. At about four P.M. approximately 240 men ride up to the small community of Haun's Mill (which has fewer than 15 buildings) and open fire on a flag of truce. Many of the Saints gather in the blacksmith's shop; guns are stuck through the cracks in the logs and fired until most in the building are dead. A few escape across the river into the hills. By the end of the massacre, 1600 rounds of ammunition have been fired at 40 people; 18 or 19 have been killed, and about 15 wounded. Among those killed are boys under 10 and men over 75 years old.As soon as Governor Boggs's exterminating order is received, General Atchison withdraws from the army at Richmond, Mo. At evening a state militia force of about 2,000 approaches and surrounds the city of Far West. They are led by General Lucas. The Saints spend the night building up fortifications and preparing for a massive battle in the morning.

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

60 years ago today - Oct 29, 1953

President McKay mentioned another matter which he said is one of great importance, and that is the new method of presenting the Endowment in our Temple that will be constructed in Europe. There will be no change in the endowment ceremonies but instead of having the members move from one room to another, we will bring the rooms to the people.20 He explained that that involves a great deal of study and preparation, and it will all have to be done here, undoubtedly in this [Salt Lake] temple before we introduce it there. The First Presidency feel that a committee should be appointed, who will be recommended by the Temple Committee, and will meet later, and probably Brother [Richard L.] Evans, assisted by Brother Gordon B. Hinckley, and some other specialists could be studying the modern use of the radio and television, and Brother Evans could render excellent service in that connection, and it would perhaps be well to have him here to partake of the spirit of this Council.

[Source: Minutes, meeting of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve, Oct. 1, 1953, included in David O. McKay diary, Oct. 29, 1953; as quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

90 years ago today - Oct 29, 1923

I spent the day at the Temple. Jos[eph] F. Smith Jr. & Stephen L. Richards spent two hrs. with me in the Temple going over the Temple ordinances, considering proposed changes.

[Source: George F. Richards diary, Oct. 29, 1923 as quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

115 years ago today - Oct 29, 1898; Saturday

Bro[ther] [Heber J.] Grant told me how Rudger Clawson was called to the Apostleship. The Apostles

handed in names to fill vacancy. The Presidency considered these names. It is thought that his name was not mentioned by the Apostles. Pres[ident] [Lorenzo] Snow suggested Bro[ther] Clawsons name and said it was the will of the Lord and all united in accepting him. I can readily see that if the Prophet of the Lord suggests a man to fill any vacancy, it is the will of the Lord, yet I am in doubt that a direct revelation was given.

[Source: J. Golden Kimball, Diary]

125 years ago today - Monday, Oct 29, 1888

[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] It was learned our brethren were withdrawing from the church in Idaho in order to vote. After consideration it was concluded we could do nothing and they better go on and vote.

[Source: Jean Bickmore White (editor), Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1990, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith]

5 years ago today - 10/28/2008

[Same-Sex Marriage] A surge of donations from Texas, New Mexico, Idaho and Illinois begins flooding into protectmarriage.com's bank accounts following a $1,000,000 donation by Mormon Alan Ashton (who contributed a sum to match Bruce Bastian's $1,000,000 earlier donation to the No on 8 side). [Ashton and Bastian both made their millions together at Word Perfect corp.]

Some videos published at mormonsformarriage.com and YouTube are taken down at the request of the video authors who had been asked by their bishop to remove them from the web.

[Source: Mormons for Marriage: A Prop 8 Timeline, http://mormonsformarriage.com/?page_id=68]

120 years ago today - Oct 28, 1893

Bertha Stone (Reeder), later the fifth general president of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association (predecessor to the Young Women organization), is born in Ogden, Utah.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

120 years ago today - Oct 28, 1893

[Apostle Marriner W. Merrill Diary] Went to Franklin in the forenoon and attended a meeting in Richmond at 2 p. m.; Brigham Young, F. M. Lyman, and President Orson Smith of Logan were present. I was adjudged in the wrong for sustaining the counsel of the First Presidency of the Church in an address to the Saints last March.

[Source: Notes from the Miscellaneous Record Book, 1886-1906: Selected diary notes from the journal books of Marriner Wood Merrill, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

180 years ago today - Oct 28, 1833

[Joseph Smith Diary] ... [We] had a good meeting. One of the sisters got the gift of toungues which made the Saints rejoice. May God incre[a]se the gifts among them for his Son's sake.

[Source: Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1832-34, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]

1913, 100 years ago this year.

[Joseph F. Smith] YWMIA adopts the Campfire Girls summer program; 1914, replaced with year-round Beehive Girls program.

[Source: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, Salt Lake City, Utah]

175 years ago today - Oct 27, 1838

[Joseph Smith] A funeral is held for David Patten. Joseph testifies, "There lies a man that has done just as he said he wouldâ€"he has laid down his life for his friends." Governor Boggs's exterminating order is issued. Hearing the many rumors of the destruction and insurrection of the Saints, Boggs orders that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary for the public good. Their outrages are beyond all description."

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

175 years ago today - Oct 27, 1838

Governor Boggs issues an executive order, also known as the "Extermination Order", revoked in 1976 by then Missouri Governor Christopher S. Bond.

[Source: Wikipedia, 19th Century (Mormonism), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century_(Mormonism)]