100 years ago today - Feb 29, 1912; Thursday

[General] The following is an account of the regular meeting of the First Presidency and the Council of Twelve Apostles held this morning at the Temple commencing at 10:30.

There were present: Pres[iden]ts. Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose, Francis M. Lyman, Elders Heber J. Grant, Hyrum M. Smith, George F. Richards, Orson F. Whitney, David O. McKay and James E. Talmage. ...

A letter was read from Pres[iden]t. Andrew Jenson, reported the purchase of the Bergen [Norway] property. ...

[Source: First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]

80 years ago today - Feb 29, 1932

[President Heber J. Grant Diary] Alonzo E. Hyde called in regard to President John Taylor's silver watch which I loaned to Mrs. Gordon T. Hyde. This is the watch that President Taylor wore at he time of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his Brother Hyrum in Carthage, and which saved his (Brother Taylor's) life. I loaned this watch to Florence Hyde to show to some of her friends and she hasn't returned it. I promised to have it kept safely at the Bureau of Information.

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

120 years ago today - Feb 29, 1892

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 29 The last day of winter I received 4 Letters. I had an interview with Franklin S Richards who had Just returned from Washington. He gave me a History of Affairs out there.

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

170 years ago today - Feb 28, 1842

[Joseph Smith] A man sends Joseph a note stating that Joseph has been honest and fair in his financial dealings with the man. Joseph immediately publishes the rare but welcome compliment in the Times and Seasons.

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

70 years ago today - Feb 28, 1942

[General] It was announced that due to World War II, the Relief Society general conference scheduled for April, which had been planned to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the founding of the Relief Society, along with centennial celebrations in the stakes, would not be held. Rather, celebrations were to be held on the ward and branch level.

[Source: Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html]

30 years ago today - Feb 28, 1982.

[General] At a meeting of the B. H. Roberts Society, James L. Clayton of the University of Utah denounces the archival restrictions and challenges Elder Packer's position: "Selecting only those topics and historians that are comfortable in order to lead the membership more easily into the promised land is, to put it bluntly, intellectually and morally irresponsible from the historians' point of view."

[Source: Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]

140 years ago today - Feb 27, 1872

[General] LDS MILLENIAL STAR editorial, "Motherhood of God," repeats a child's question: "Why don't you tell me about the Heavenly Mother? Don't SHE give us anything?" Editorial speaks of those who "yearn to adore her" and expresses approval of praying to "Father and Mother God." Editorial conclusion: "When we draw nearer the Divine Man, lo! we shall find a Divine Woman smiling upon us...In the Father's many mansions, we shall find her and be satisfied."

[Source: Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower]

170 years ago today - Feb 27, 1842

[Joseph Smith Journal] [Engaged in Counselling the Saints.]

[Source: Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet's Record: Journal, ca. 1841-43 'The Book of the Law of the Lord', http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]

180 years ago today - Feb 27, 1832

[Uncannonized Revelation] Revelation for Lincoln Haskin to preach the gospel. Hiram, Portage County, Ohio, 27 February 1832. ("Kirtland Revelation Book," p. 10)

[Source: Cook, Lyndon, Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Appendix B, Uncanonized Revelations Received by Joseph Smith (1831-44), http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith]

20 years ago today - Feb 26, 1992

[General] A BYU DAILY UNIVERSE editorial criticizes a recent memo from the sociology department to University president Rex E. Lee. The editorial upholds the concept of a ban on BYU faculty speaking at unauthorized symposia such as the Sunstone Symposium. "In this case, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said where it doesn't want research being presented. Is it a case of limited academic freedom? Yes, but any university or organization can limit expression to accomplish its institutional purpose." Professors Edward Kimball (son of Spencer W. Kimball) and Eugene England write a response rebutting the three major points of the editorial.

[Source: Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower]

100 years ago today - Feb 26, 1912; Monday

[General] Attended a four hours meeting of special committee of the Twelve consisting of Elder Heber J. Grant, Elder Hyrum M. Smith, and myself.

[Source: James E. Talmage, Diary]

175 years ago today - 26Feb37

[Joseph Smith Sermon] Kirtland, Ohio 26 Sunday President Joseph Smith Jr again addressed the Congretation of the Saints in the power and spirit of God.

[Source: The Parallel Joseph, http://www.boap.org/LDS/Parallel/]

150 years ago today - Feb 25, 1862

[General] During the Civil war Brigham Young writes: "The South at this time is being worsted. The sympathies of our brethren are divided some for the Union and some for the South, but the South gets the greatest share. The wise among us read the programme of the war in the revelations of Joseph and the escapes and reverses of our common foe never leads us to the conclusion that peace will again be restored among the enemies of truth and workers of unrighteousness whether belonging to the North or South."

[Source: Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower]

130 years ago today - Feb 25, 1882

[General] After a bitter dispute between George Q. Cannon (who won a decisive victory) and Liberal Party candidate Allen G. Campbell over who was allowed to represent Utah territory in the House of Representatives, both are denied the position. George Q. Cannon's practice of polygamy was the deciding issue and re-sparks national controversy on the topic.

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

30 years ago today - Feb 25, 1982.

[General] Jack and Linda Newell accept the editorship of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, effective that summer. I agree to be associate editor.

[Source: Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]

50 years ago today - Feb 24, 1962

[General] CHURCH NEWS reports that 3,500 teams and 50,000 players are involved in all-church basketball tournament. For final playoffs teams come to Salt Lake City from throughout United States, Canada, and Mexico. Basketball is most popular of all-church team sports which also includes softball and volleyball. However, from 1958 to 1971 more than thirty stakes have been organized outside North America, and their youth obviously cannot participate in such tournaments. Also many less affluent, outlying stakes in North America cannot. In 1971 church headquarters ends "all-Church" sports competitions.

[Source: Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower]

170 years ago today - Feb 24, 1842

Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith wrote a note of authorization for Ebenezer B. Robinson.

[Source: BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://byustudies.byu.edu]

75 years ago today - Feb 24, 1937

[General] Hilton A. and Hazel Robertson arrive in Hawaii to reopen the Japanese Mission (the mission in Japan had been closed in 1924). From this beginning, many Japanese converts in the Hawaiian Islands are prepared to reopen the island of Japan following World War II.

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

150 years ago today - Feb 23, 1862

[General] Brigham Young preaches "The idea that the Lord our God is not a personage of tabernacle is entirely a mistaken notion. He was once a man. Brother Kimball quoted a saying of Joseph the Prophet, that he would not worship a God who had not a Father; and I do not know that he would if he had not a mother; the one would be as absurd as the other. If he had a Father, he was made in his likeness. And if he is our Father we are made after his image and likeness. He once possessed a body, as we now do; and our bodies are as much to us, as his body to him."

[Source: Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower]

100 years ago today - Feb 23, 1912

[Temple] No sealing can be done in behalf of children born under the covenant of the Priesthood where the parents of such children separate with just cause, that is, without either the father or the mother breaking the covenant through transgression as in the case of yourself and husband, but children, after they mature through age and understanding, may choose for themselves as between their father and mother. [Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, and Charles W. Penrose to Sarah Whitaker, Feb. 23, 1912]

[Source: Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]