Prophecies of the Saints in the Rocky Mountains

Compiled By Glen W. Chapman (June 1996)

Isaiah wrote, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem'' (Isaiah 2:2-3). The Jerusalem Bible translation makes Isaiah's prophecy even more direct: "In the days to come the mountain of the Temple of Jehovah shall tower above the mountains and be lifted higher than the hills."

The Prophet Isaiah prophesied: ``And [the Lord] will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will [signal] to them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary nor stumble among them" (Isaiah 5:26-27;

D&C

In March 1831, the Lord said that before his second coming to the earth, "Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed" (D&C 49:24-25)

Old Testament

"Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall.... The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren" (Genesis 49:22, 26)

"The Lord hath visited me, and I have obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of my loins, the Lord God will raise up a righteous branch . . and [that branch] shall be carried into a far country; nevertheless they shall be remembered in the covenants of the Lord . . . [who] shall bring them out of darkness into light; out of hidden darkness, and out of captivity unto freedom"

(JST Genesis 50:24-25)

Paulina Eliza Phelps

In 1832, Joseph Smith visited Jackson County once again. While there he gathered the Saints' children together in the home of Lyman Wight and blessed them. Five-year-old Paulina Eliza Phelps received the Prophet's blessing. She recalled, "In blessing me Joseph said that I should live to go to the Rocky Mountains. I did not know at the time what the term 'Rocky Mountains' meant, but I supposed it to be something connected with the Indians. This frightened me for the reason that I dreaded the very sight of an Indian." (Photocopy of a signed affidavit by Paulina Elizabeth Phelps Lyman, witnessed on 31 July 1903 by James Jack, notary.)

Mosiah Hancock

"The Prophet Joseph] came to our home(in Nauvoo) and stopped in our carpenter shop and stood by the turning lathe. I went and got my map for him 'Now he said, 'I will show you the travels of this people.' He then showed our travels through Iowa, and said, 'Here you will make a place for the winter; and here you will travel west until you come to the valley of the Great Salt Lake! You will build cities to the North and to the South, and to the East and to the West; and you will become a great and wealthy people in that land.' "

(Mosiah Hancock Autobiography, Typescript, BYU Library, Special Collections, pp. 28-29.)

Oliver B. Huntington

"When we first went to Nauvoo(1840) the old patriarch Joseph (Sr.) came into our house one day and in a very confidential way, giving us to understand that it was not to be made public' asked a question as to how long we thought the Church would stay in Nauvoo, and went on to say that the Lord had told Joseph the Prophet, that we would stay there just seven years, and that when we left there, we would right into the midst of the Indians, in the Rocky Mountains, as this country, Utah, was then called. This we have seen fulfilled.... from him [H.C. Pender] I learned that Joseph Smith just before he was killed, made a sketch of the future home of the Saints in the Rocky Mts., and their route or road to that country as he had seen in vision; a map or drawing of it. Levi W. Hancock drew a copy of that map, which copy H. C. Pender had seen. He said that Levi W Hancock told him that there was 4 copies of that map taken one of which Brigham Young kept, one was carried by the Mormon Battalion by which they knew where to find the church, or Salt Lake Valley" (Oliver B. Huntington Diary )

Wilford Woodruff

Wilford Woodruff remembered Joseph's prophecy given on the night of the departure of Zion's Camp(1833):

"I want to say to you before the Lord [said Joseph] that you know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and Kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it. It is only a little handful of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America- it will fill the world. It will fill the Rocky Mountains. There will be tens of thousands of Latter-day Saints who will be gathered in the Rocky Mountains, and there they will open the door for the establishing of the Gospel among the Lamanites.... This people will go into the Rocky Mountains; they will there build temples to the Most High. They will raise up a posterity there, and the Latter-day Saints who dwell in these mountains will stand in the flesh until the coming of the Son of Man. The Son of Man will come to them while in the Rocky Mountains." (Millenial Star Vol. 54 (1892), p. 605)

Lorenzo Dow Young

Lorenzo received several blessings from the brethren. Lorenzo recalled that when Hyrum Smith (1836) laid his hands on his head, "the Spirit rested mightily upon him. He was full of blessing and prophecy . . . he said that I should live to go with the Saints into the bosom of the Rocky Mountains, to build up a place there....''

"At that time, I had not heard about the Saints going to the Rocky Mountains.... After [Hyrum] had finished he seemed surprised at some things he had said, and wondered at the manifestations of the Spirit.(Lorenzo Dow Young, Fragments of Experience, sixth book of Faith Promoting Series, Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office 1881 pp. 42-45)

Joseph Smith

In late August 1842 while at Montrose Iowa Joseph prophesied saying, "I prophesied that the Saints

would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains. Many would apostatize; others would be put to death by our persecutors or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements, and build cities, and see the Saints become a mighty people, in the midst of the Rockv Mountains."

(Recorded by Thomas Bullock HC, 5:85-86)

Anson Call was present when Joseph's prophecy was given and wrote:

"I had before seen him in a vision and now saw while he was talking his countenance change to white; not the deadly white of a bloodless face, but a living, brilliant white. He seemed absorbed in gazing at something at a great distance, and said: 'I am gazing upon the valleys of those mountains.... Oh the beauty of those snow-capped mountains! The cool refreshing streams that are running down through those mountain gorges!' Then, `gazing in another direction, as if there was a change in locality Joseph said 'Oh the scenes that this people will pass through! The dead that will lie between here and there!'

Then turning in another direction as if the scene had again changed Joseph said, 'Oh the apostasy that will take place before my brethren reach that land! But the priesthood shall prevail over all its enemies, triumph over the devil and be established upon the earth, never more to be thrown down!'…

It is impossible to represent in words the grandeur of Joseph's appearance. his beautiful descriptions of this land, and his wonderful prophetic utterances as they emanated from that glorious inspirations that overshadowed him. There was a force and power in his exclamations.... The bodies of Joseph and Hyrum were taken to Joseph's mansion and were exhibited to all who wished to see them. I accordingly took my family and took a view of the bodies of the Prophet and Patriarch and returned home with my family.

The third night I had a dream, or a vision.... I was traveling by myself in a lonely place till I came to a new field about three acres in size. I discovered in the center of the field a nice block house. I went to the door of the house. I discovered Joseph standing in the middle of the floor. I sprang and clinched him by the hand. I threw my arms around him, and kissed him, and said, ''Joseph, I thought you was dead!" He said, "I am." I said, "This is certainly Joseph." He said, "Yes, this is Joseph; take your seat and I will tell you all about it."

I seated myself and then discovered I was in a congregation of Saints whom I was acquainted with. Joseph then said, "Brethren, I have been killed in Carthage Jail, and it will not make any difference with you, if you will do as you are told. I shall continue to govern and control this kingdom as I have hitherto done. The keys of this kingdom were committed to me. I hold them and shall continue to hold them, worlds without end. I am dead, and I am out of the power of my enemies. I am now where I can do you good. Be no longer troubled. Be faithful, be diligent, do as you are told, and you shall see the salvation of God."(Autobiography of Anson Call, BYU Library, Special Collections pp. 6-7, 18-20)

LAST ADMONITION OF JOSEPH THE PROPHET

"A few words of counsel given by the Prophet Joseph Smith on the 22nd day of June, 1844. On this day our General called us out in order and to my astonishment counselled us to give up our arms...

I will say this, You will be called the first Elders of the Church. and your missions will be to the nations of the earth. You will gather many people into the fastnesses of the Rocky Mountains as a center for the gathering of the people, and you will be faithful because you have been true... Our calling is to minister life and salvation to all nations on the earth. Although things appear at the present crisis, by the works of our enemies, that they hold an overruling power over us, but I will liken these things to a wheel of fortune. If we are at this time under the wheel, it is sure to be rolling on, and as sure will the Saints, sometime be on top of this wheel, if they hang on for their fortune in view. If it was not for the tender bonds of love that binds me to you, my friends and brethren, death would be sweet to me as honey. Our enemies are after me, to trust my life to them, by their voucher and honor of the state and that by the Governor and authority of the state of Illinois. I therefore will say to you saints and Elders of Israel be not troubled nor give yourselves uneasiness, so as to make any rash moves or to take any hasty steps in doing any wrong whereby you will be cut short in your calling in preaching the Gospel to this generation, for you will yet be called upon to go forth and call upon the free men from Maine to gather themselves together to the Rocky Mountains; and the Redmen from the West and all people from the North and from the South and from the East, and go to the West, to establish themselves in the strongholds of their gathering places, and there you will gather the Redmen to their center from their scattered and dispersed situation, to become the strong arm of Jehovah..." Excerpts from Diary of John E. Forsgren (Fate of Joseph Smiths Prosecutors)

Elder George A. Smith recalled, "After the death of Joseph Smith, when it seemed as if every trouble and calamity had come upon the Saints, Brigham Young . . . sought the Lord to know what they should do, and where they should lead the people for safety, and while they were fasting and praying daily on this subject. President Young had a vision of Joseph Smith, who showed him the mountain that we now call Ensign Peak, immediately north of Salt Lake City, and there . . . an ensign [flag] fell upon that peak, and Joseph said, 'Build under the point where the colors fall and you will prosper and have peace.' " (George A. Smith, JD, 13:85-86, 20 June 1869)

Brigham Young wrote, "I told the brethren I dreamed of seeing Joseph, the Prophet, last night and conversing with him.... [We] conversed freely about the best manner of organizing companies for emigration, and so forth."

Joseph paid Brigham a second Winter Quarter visit just one month later

I . . . said to him: "Why is it that we cannot be together as we used to be, You have been from us a long time, and we want your society and I do not like to be separated from you." Joseph rising from his chair and looking at me with his usual, earnest, expressive and pleasing countenance replied, "It is all right." I said, 'I do not like to be away from you.' Joseph said, 'It is all right; we cannot be together yet; we shall be by and by; but you will have to do without me a while, and then we shall be together again.'

I said, 'Brother Joseph, the brethren you know well, better than I do; you raised them up, and brought the Priesthood to us . . . if you have a word of counsel for me I should be glad to receive it.'

Joseph stepped toward me, and looking very earnestly, yet pleasantly said, "Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach you what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the Kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They Can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, strife and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the spirit of the Lord they will go right. Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit of the Lord; and if they will, they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world. Our Father in Heaven organized the human family, but they are all disorganized and in great confusion. Joseph again said, "Tell the people to be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and follow it, and it will lead them just right." This counsel Joseph repeated three times, adding greater emphasis each time." (HC, 6:528-30, 23 Feb. 1847)

Wilford Woodruff

"On the 24th(July 1847) I drove my carriage, with President Young lying on a bed in it, into the open valley, the rest of the company following. When we came out of the canyon into full view of the valley, I turned the side of my carriage around, open to the west, and President Young arose from his bed and took a survey of the country. While gazing on the scene before us, he was enwrapped in vision for several minutes. He had seen the valley before in vision, and upon this occasion he saw the future glory of Zion and of Israel, as they would be, planted in the valleys of these mountains. When the vision had passed, he said: "It is enough. This is the right place. Drive on " So I drove to the encampment already formed by those who had come along in advance of us. " (Wilford Woodruff as quoted in Utah Pioneers p. 23.)

David John, a Welshman, received a powerful revelation that changed his life forever David's life changed forever when, toward the end of January 1856(In Wales) , he had a most remarkable dream. He wrote:

" I dreamt that I saw an angel of the Lord. After he had talked a little with me, he placed his right hand on my left shoulder. His eyes were of a dark brown color, but full of glory. His voice was clear, but full of power and authority. While in his presence I beheld very high mountains. He told me that they were the everlasting hills, over or by which the Latter-day Saints were going to their gathering place. ''Why,' said he, 'are you spending your time in vain here? How is it you will not join the Church of Christ and spend your time there?' …'Look,,' said he, 'on thy right hand.' I looked, and there beheld a large and very extensive valley the most beautiful land I ever saw. We were standing on one side of it, which was flat. On the side we stood, were high and beautiful trees. Under the shadow of one of them we stood from the heat of the sun, which was very powerful. On the other side were mountains or hills, but not very high. Those extended to the extremity of the valley. The beauty and glory of the valley . . . was beyond description 'Oh, my God,' I exclaimed, 'I never knew that such a beautiful scene as this belonged to our earth. 'This, said the angel, 'shall be thy inheritance and thy seed after thee forever, if thou wilt obey the commandments of God and do right in the flesh.'…He` also said: 'Thou wert foreordained before the foundation of the world to come forth in this age to assist to build the Kingdom of God upon the earth, and now the time is up. If thou wilt obey the commandments of God, thy days shall be long on the earth; if not, thy days shall be short, says the Lord!'

David John labored in various capacities as a missionary for five years, when he was released to emigrate to Utah. In the West he .served in several positions of responsibility before being set apart as president of the Utah Stake in 1901. His dream or vision had been fulfilled to the letter.(Jensen, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, Vol. 1.pp. 489-91.)