10/17/2018 - Section 116:1

October 17, 2018

Section 116:1

Adom-ondi-Ahman

This section is one sentence long. It was taken from an inspired entry in the Joseph Smith’s journal/history and was placed in the D&C in 1876 under the direction of President Brigha Young. This was in May of 1838. The prophet and several other men “left Far West for the purpose of visiting the north country, and laying off a stake of Zion; making locations, andlaying claim to lands to faciitate the gathering of Saits, for the benefit of the poor, in upholding the Church of God.” Joseph was simply trying to follow the Lord’s commands in having the saints come to Far West and establishing settlements in the areas around Far West. Joseph’s journal states that on the afternoon of Saturday, May 19^th “I went up the rier about half a mile to Wight’s Ferry, accompanied by Presdient Rigdon and my clerk, Gerorge W. Robinson, for the purpose of selecting and alying claim to a city plat near said ferry in Daviess County….which the brethren called ‘Spril Hill’ but by the mouth of the Lord it was named Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said He, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his peple, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet.” (history of the Church 3:34-35)

Joseph Fielding Smith wrote about the importance of this spot and the council that would occur here and that it would be “of the greatest importance to this world. At that time there will be a trasfer of authority from the usurper and impostor, Lucifer, to the rightful King, Jesus Christ. Judgment will be set and all who have held keys will make their reports and deliver their stewardships, as they shall be required. Adam will direct this judgment, and then he will make his report, as the one holding the keys for this erth, to his Superior Officer, Jesus Christ. Our Lord will then assume the reins of government; directions will be given to the Priesthood, and He, whose right it is to rule, will be installed officially by the voice of the Priesthood there assembed. This grand coucil of Priesthood will be composed, not only of those who are faithful who now dwell on this earth, but also of the prophets and apostles of old, who have had direction authority. Others may also be there, but if so they will be there by appointment for this is to be an official council called to attend to the most momentous matters concening the destiny of this earth. When this gathering is held, the world will not know of it; the members of the Church at large will not know of it, yet is shall be preparatory to the coming in the clouds of glory of our Savior Jesus Christ as the Prophet Joseph Smith has said. The world cannot know of it The Stants cannot know of it—except those who officially shall be called into this council—for it shall precede the coming of Jesus Christ as a thief in the night, unbeknown to all the world.” (Way to Perfrection pp 290-92)

There is a definate plan for this world. We knew that before we came here. The scriptures tell us again now that we are here on the earth. I see it as a plan I agreed when I accepted my time to come to earth. We are here to live by faith—which means we must see the world in a normal human way, but we must draw near to the Lord to be able to feel His guidance and the ‘rightness’ of the way we are living. He made sure that faith was fragile and that it would take a steady work on our part to keep that faith strong, and keep our spiritual self open to guidance. He made it easier to do that by giving us commandments. And that, to me, makes it more of a follow-the-dot endeavor. As I keep each commandment, I learn more about what it means to keep that commandment, I develop more spiritual understanding and I feel the spirit more often and more strongly which makes me want to continue on to the “next” commandment. When I do this, I am happier and fuller and so much more comfortable about life and my ability to continue to grow and to learn and to benefit those around me.

10/12/2021 – D&C 116

 The saints had now been given 2 counties in Missouri to settle in. In section 115 v 18, the Lord had told Joseph Smith that with the expectation that many Church members would arrive soon, “other places should be appointed for stakes in the regions round about” Far West. Joseph took several others and they explored areas north of Far West, in Daviess County. The Joseph Smith Papers tell us that one of the places these men looked at was 25 miles north of Far West and was called Spring Hill. This is where Lyman Wight and several other members had settled. On May 19, 1838, Joseph was “selecting and laying claims to a city plot near Wight’s Ferry”. Two of these places were Far West and Adam-ondi-Ahman. Joseph’ s journal for that day indicates on this date the Lord revealed to him that the place they had selected had both historic and future significance. D&C 116 is that revelation: “Spring Hill is named by the Lord “Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said he, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the prophet.” 

Seven years earlier, in D&C 78:15, the Lord had described Himself to be “the Lord God, the Holy One of Zion, who hath established the foundations of Adam-ondi-Ahman.” The Joseph Smith Papers indicate that in March 1832 the prophet taught that the word Awmen, or Ahman, was “the name of God in pure Language”.

This one verse section indicates not only the history of this place, but also the great meeting that will come in the future—which is described in Daniel 7:9-14, 22 when Adam will return to earth. From Teachings: Joseph Smith: Joseph further explained: “I saw Adam in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman. He called together his children and blessed them with a patriarchal blessing. The Lord Appeared in their midst, and he (Adam) blessed them all, and foretold what should befall them to the latest generation. This is why Adam blessed his posterity; he wanted to bring them into the presence of God”

Int was on July 8, 1838, in the revelation recorded in D&C 117:8, that the Lord confirmed that “Adam-ondi-Ahman…[is]the land where Adam dwelt.”

As president of the Church, Brigham Young recalled the following about the significance of Adam-ondi-Ahman: “Joseph, the Prophet, told me that the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri. When Adam & Eve were driven out of the garden, they went to the place we now call Adam-ondi-Ahman, Daviess County, Missouri. There Adam built an altar and offered sacrifices” (in Matthias F. Cowley, Wilford Woodruff: History of His Life and Labors [1909], 481). [Although, as I read through this paragraph some days after I had written this, I found myself changing this last quote—because I didn’t look to see the quotation marks—I added (&Eve; and they). When I realized I had altered the quote, I decided NOT to change it as Adam & Eve were eternal partners, and one of the things eternal partners do, is to lovingly help each other along.