Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016 – Fast & Testimony Meeting

This morning’s Fast & Testimony Meeting was very special. This will be the last testimony meeting the YPM’s (Young Performing Missionaries) will attend here in Nauvoo before they go home Aug. 15th. That meant it was a wonderful meeting as a lot of them bore their beautiful testimonies.

One of the testimonies was born by the wife of the Nauvoo Brass Band’s director. She pointed out a very little known fact that I found very interesting.  She said that Emma, the wife of the prophet, is one of the primary reasons that we have the Historic Nauvoo we have today. Emma stayed behind and did not immigrate to Utah. Some people have been critical of her for this but if she hadn’t stayed behind the church probably wouldn’t have this Historic Nauvoo today. As the saints left Nauvoo, many of them couldn’t find buyers for their property, so they deeded their homes and farms over to Emma and she kept the property in her name and in the Smith family.

In her testimony, the wife of the Nauvoo Band Director quoted from the Doctrine and Covenants. In D&C 124:59-60 the Lord commanded the Nauvoo House to be built as a home for the Prophet Joseph and his family and: “. . . let my servant Joseph and his seed after him have place in that house, from generation to generation, forever and ever. . .” That commandment from the Lord was fulfilled and were it not so, we wouldn’t have Historic Nauvoo today. I had no idea.

The Nauvoo House will be a place for the Smith family “from generation to generation, forever and ever.” We have much to thank Emma Hale Smith for. Emma was a strong pioneer woman that loved, supported and sustained her husband. She endured more hardship, suffering and heartache than most other woman in the early days of the church. She was strong, loyal, compassionate and loving; a great example to us all. We can thank Emma, at least in part, for what we have here in Nauvoo.