Thomas B Marsh

Thomas B Marsh was in Boston the time the Book of Mormon was being printed.  He had heard about a "gold bible" and went in search of it.  "His curiosity led him to Grandin’s print shop; there he met Martin Harris, who gave him proof sheets of the first sixteen printed pages of the Book of Mormon and then accompanied him to the Smith home in Manchester. Oliver Cowdery spent portions of two days telling him about Joseph and the Restoration. Thomas returned to Massachusetts and taught his family about the new work." (Church History in the Fulness of times, 74-75).

He was then Baptized and sent on a mission to Missouri.  When he returned, the commandment to set up the Quorum of the 12 Apostles was given.  He, along with Joseph Smith, selected those 11 men who would join them.  He was named the President of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles.  In Doctrine and Covenants 31 the Lord calls Thomas "blessed...because of [his] faith in [the Lord's] work.  “As long as Thomas B. Marsh was faithful he was an eloquent speaker. At the time of the troubles in Clay County, Mo., he was elected a member of a committee to lay the grievances of the Saints before the authorities of the State. On that occasion he spoke so impressively that General Atchison, who was present, shed tears, and the meeting passed resolutions to assist the Saints in finding a new location.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 165.) 

But, like many of the leaders of the church, he ended up falling away.  Here is how President Monson describes the story. 

While the Saints were in Far West, Missouri, Elizabeth Marsh, Thomas’s wife, and her friend Sister Harris decided they would exchange milk in order to make more cheese than they otherwise could. To be certain all was done fairly, they agreed that they should not save what were called the strippings, but that the milk and strippings should all go together. Strippings came at the end of the milking and were richer in cream.

Sister Harris was faithful to the agreement, but Sister Marsh, desiring to make some especially delicious cheese, saved a pint of strippings from each cow and sent Sister Harris the milk without the strippings. This caused the two women to quarrel. When they could not settle their differences, the matter was referred to the home teachers to settle. They found Elizabeth Marsh guilty of failure to keep her agreement. She and her husband were upset with the decision, and the matter was then referred to the bishop for a Church trial. The bishop’s court decided that the strippings were wrongfully saved and that Sister Marsh had violated her covenant with Sister Harris.

Thomas Marsh appealed to the high council, and the men comprising this council confirmed the bishop’s decision. He then appealed to the First Presidency of the Church. Joseph Smith and his counselors considered the case and upheld the decision of the high council.

Elder Thomas B. Marsh, who sided with his wife through all of this, became angrier with each successive decision—so angry, in fact, that he went before a magistrate and swore that the Mormons were hostile toward the state of Missouri. His affidavit led to—or at least was a factor in—Governor Lilburn Boggs’s cruel extermination order, which resulted in over 15,000 Saints being driven from their homes, with all the terrible suffering and consequent death that followed. All of this occurred because of a disagreement over the exchange of milk and cream.  (School thy Feelings, November 2009 Enisgn) 

"Regarding this treachery, Joseph Smith remarked that Thomas B. Marsh

“had been lifted up in pride by his exaltation to office and the revelations of

heaven concerning him, until he was ready to be overthrown by the first

adverse wind that should cross his track, and now he has fallen, lied and

sworn falsely, and is ready to take the lives of his best friends. Let all men

take warning by him, and learn that he who exalteth himself, God will

abase.”24 Thomas Marsh was excommunicated 17 March 1839." (CHFT 199)

 "After 19 years of rancor and loss, Thomas B. Marsh made his way to the Salt Lake Valley and asked President Brigham Young for forgiveness. Brother Marsh also wrote to Heber C. Kimball, First Counselor in the First Presidency, of the lesson he had learned. Said Brother Marsh: “The Lord could get along very well without me and He … lost nothing by my falling out of the ranks; But O what have I lost?! Riches, greater riches than all this world or many planets like this could afford.” (School Thy Feelings)

This story shows what pride can do to us.  It will eventually lead to being left alone and being forced to be humble.  So what can we do to remain humble and have the things said of us that Joseph Smith said?  That is the question I'm going to leave you to ponder.  Feel free to comment!

Issac's Doc. Appt

Well, Isaac is now 8 weeks old. He had a well-baby check up on Thursday (Oct. 14th). He weighs 9lbs. 14 oz., and is now 21 1/2 in. long! The doctor said his growth charts are normal, and he is looking great! :) What better news could I get???

He's even started sleeping through the night!!! It's kinda crazy! I wasn't expecting it, and at first wondered if maybe he was sick or something. But he's kept it up, and is not sick...so I'm not going to complain! :)

Sadly, at this doctor's appointment, Isaac also had to get some immunizations. I hate doing that...but whatcha gonna do? He had to get three shots and some drops administered. I held his little legs still while two nurses poked him at the same time (one in each leg). It was so sad to watch his little face go from SO HAPPY and content, to suddenly saying "ouch", and wondering why we were doing that to him. I just wanted to pick him up and snuggle him right away...but they still had to give him one more. Once they were through giving the shots and had put little band-aids on I picked him up and just snuggled him close. He was still crying, but it was a calmer cry, and he stopped crying pretty quickly! I was very proud of him, because he calmed himself down so fast. Of course he cried, but he didn't scream too much. I thought he did really well! I hope it goes that well next time he has to get pricked, too.

I have since taken a few more videos of Isaac. He's so much more interactive now! It's insane!Here's a new one of him...

Other than that, not much is new...I still stay at home with Isaac, and Bryan still spends most of his days at school or work. I enjoy the little time I do get with him on weekends. The rest of the week when I don't get to see him, I spend some time with my sister, Chanel (since she's here in Rexburg going to school) and at a few meetings for my church calling. Overall, life is enjoyable! Hard at times, but when is it not?

Bryan and I got to go to Ward Choir today! Gosh, I've missed that...and my singing voice has gotten a little weaker. :( But now that choir practice is before church instead of after, we can actually go again! I'm hoping to build my voice back up. I love to sing, and I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until today.

I'm so excited that the Holiday season is coming up! I can't wait to spend time with family from both sides. That's the best part! I especially can't wait for Isaac to be able to meet his Aunt and Grandparents on Bryan's side!!! I'm so glad they're going to visit this season.

Well, that's all for today! To be continued... :)

The Three Witnesses

One of the amazing things about of the Book of Mormon is that it follows the Law of Witnesses.  This can be found in 2 Cor. 13:1 ; Deut. 17:6 ; 19:15 ; Matt. 18:15–16 ; John 8:12–29. It's this simple, it takes 2 or more witnesses for God to establish His word on this earth.  He has done so with the Book of Mormon.  Besides Joseph Smith seeing the plates three other men saw them on one occasion and then 8 other men saw them.  I want to focus on the Three Witnesses this week.

Martin Harris Said,

"Do I believe it! Do you see the sun shining! Just as surely as the sun is shining on us and gives us light, and the moon and stars give us light by night, just as surely as the breath of life sustains us, so surely do I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, chosen of God to open the last dispensation of the fulness of times; so surely do I know that the Book of Mormon was divinely translated. I saw the plates; I saw the Angel; I heard the voice of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. I might as well doubt my own existence as to doubt the divine authenticity of the book of Mormon or the divine calling of Joseph Smith."

Quoted in William Harrison Homer, "The Passing of Martin Harris," Improvement Era, Mar. 1926, 470.

 Even though Martin did leave the church for a while, he never denied what he had seen.  Would someone lie about seeing these things, and then die with this lie?  I would say not.  

 Oliver Cowdry said,

I wrote with my own pen the entire book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet as he translated it by the gift and power of God by means of the Urim and Thummim or as it is called by the book holy Interpreters. I beheld with my eye and handled with my hands the gold plates from which it was translated. I also beheld the Interpreters. That book is true. . . . It contains the everlasting gospel and came in fulfillment of the revelations of John where he says [that] he saw an angel come with the everlasting gospel to preach to every nation, tongue and people.

Journal of Reuben Miller, 1848, or Millennial Star, Aug. 20, 1859, 544.

 Oliver left the church in Kirtland and returned after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph.  He also never denied what he had seen and heard.


 David Whitmer had a rumor going around that he had denied the Book of Mormon after he had Left the Church.  So he had this written to prove that he had not.

Unto all Nations, Kindreds, Tongues and People, unto whom these presents shall come: ... I wish now, standing as it were, in the very sunset of life, and in the fear of God, once [and] for all to make this public statement: That I have never at any time denied that testimony [of the Book of Mormon] or any part thereof, which has so long since been published with that book, as one of the Three Witnesses. Those who know me best well know that I have always adhered to that testimony. And that no man may be misled or doubt my present views in regard to the same, I do again affirm the truth of all my statements as then made and published. "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear;" it was no delusion; what is written is written, and he that readeth let him understand. "And if any man doubt, should he not carefully and honestly read and understand the same before presuming to sit in judgment and condemning the light, which shineth in darkness, and showeth the way of eternal life as pointed out by the unerring hand of God?" In the Spirit of Christ, who hath said: "Follow thou me, for I am the life, the light and the way," I submit this statement to the world; God in whom I trust being my judge as to the sincerity of my motives and the faith and hope that is in me of eternal life. My sincere desire is that the world may be benefited by this plain and simple statement of the truth. And all the honor to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen!

(Signed) DAVID WHITMER SEN

 

Joseph Smith related this experience when Moroni showed them the Plates.


“Not many days after the above commandment was given, we four, viz., Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and myself, agreed to retire into the woods, and try to obtain, by fervent and humble prayer, the fulfilment of the promises given in the above revelation—that they should have a view of the plates. We accordingly made choice of a piece of woods convenient to Mr. Whitmer’s house, to which we retired, and having knelt down, we began to pray in much faith to Almighty God to bestow upon us a realization of these promises.
“According to previous arrangement, I commenced by vocal prayer to our Heavenly Father, and was followed by each of the others in succession. We did not at the first trial, however, obtain any answer or manifestation of divine favor in our behalf. We again observed the same order of prayer, each calling on and praying fervently to God in rotation, but with the same result as before.
“Upon this, our second failure, Martin Harris proposed that he should withdraw himself from us, believing, as he expressed himself, that his presence was the cause of our not obtaining what we wished for. He accordingly withdrew from us, and we knelt down again, and had not been many minutes engaged in prayer, when presently we beheld a light above us in the air, of exceeding brightness; and behold, an angel stood before us. In his hands he held the plates which we had been praying for these to have a view of. He turned over the leaves one by one, so that we could see them, and discern the engravings thereon distinctly. He then addressed himself to David Whitmer, and said, ‘David, blessed is the Lord, and he that keeps His commandments;’ when, immediately afterwards, we heard a voice from out of the bright light above us, saying, ‘These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear.’” ( History of the Church, 1:54–55.)
Joseph Smith then concerned himself with Martin Harris, who had departed from them: “I now left David and Oliver, and went in pursuit of Martin Harris, whom I found at a considerable distance, fervently engaged in prayer. He soon told me, however, that he had not yet prevailed with the Lord, and earnestly requested me to join him in prayer, that he also might realize the same blessings which we had just received. We accordingly joined in prayer, and ultimately obtained our desires, for before we had yet finished, the same vision was opened to our view, at least it was again opened to me, and I once more beheld and heard the same things; whilst at the same moment, Martin Harris cried out, apparently in an ecstasy of joy, ‘’Tis enough; ’tis enough; mine eyes have beheld; mine eyes have beheld;’ and jumping up, he shouted, ‘Hosanna,’ blessing God, and otherwise rejoiced exceedingly.” ( History of the Church, 1:55.)

It's so important that we understand that God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  If He had a commandment in the Bible,  then that same commandment would carry to now.  Ask yourself, if you were God and would give a commandment to the word in the olden days, would you do the same?