Jan 28, 1836 - As Joseph Smith is organizing the Twelve Apostles in the assembly room of the Kirtland temple "Pres[ident] Sylvester Smith saw a pillar of fire rest down and abide upon the heads of the quorem . . ." After Sidney Rigdon gives a hosanna shout "Eld[er] Roger Orton saw a mighty Angel riding upon a horse of fire with a flaming sword in his hand followed by five others encircle the house and protect the Saints . . . Pres[ident] William Smith, one of the Twelve, saw the heavens op[e]ned and the Lord's host protecting the Lord's anointed. Pres[ident] Z[ebedee] Coltrin, one of the seven [presidents of the Seventy], saw the Saviour extended before him as upon the cross and crowned with a glory upon his head above the brightness of the sun."

Jan 28, 1849 - Manchester N.Y., resident Lorenzo Saunders deeds about forty-eight acres of his land to Amos Miner. The land contains a hill and cave which was dug by a "money-digging" party under the guidance of Joseph Smith. Miner's heirs hold the property for three generations. Grandson Wallace Miner tells Brigham Young University professor M. Wilford Poulson in 1932, "He [Smith] dug a 40 ft. cave right on this vary farm. . . . He dug in about 20 ft. and the angel told him this was not holy ground, but to move south [to Cumorah]. Martin Harris stayed at this home when I was about 13 yrs. of age [ca. 1856] and I used to go over to the diggings about 100 rods or a little less S.E. [southeast] of this house. It is near a clump of bushes. Martin Harris regarded it as fully as sacred as the Mormon Hill diggings." In 1867 Palmyra resident and childhood acquaintance of Joseph Smith Pomeroy Tucker reports "[f]rom the lapse of time and natural causes the cave has been closed for years, very little mark of its former existence remaining to be seen." In 1893, a reporter from the NEW YORK HERALD, accompanied by Orson Saunders and John H. Gilbert (type setter for the Book of Mormon), visited the cave and reported that "[t]he door jambs leading into the cave are still sound and partly visible, but the earth has been washed down by storms and the opening to the cave nearly filled, so that it cannot be entered at present. The cave remained closed until April 1974 when Andrew H. Kommer, owner of the property, cleared the cave's opening with a bulldozer. At that time the cave was described as "about six feet high at the largest point in the middle and 10-12 feet long," and "carved into a rock-hard clay hillside. . . . The walls and ceiling of the cave appear to have been dug or picked by hand." Today the entrance of the cave is closed and overgrown with foliage. Due to Joseph Smith's association with the hill and cave it is called "Mormon Hill" by local residents and was often confused with nearby "Hill Cumorah" as the place where Joseph got the Gold Plates.

Jan 28, 1842 - Brigham Young writes in his journal, "The Lord having revealed, through Joseph, that the Twelve should take in hand the editorial department of the TIMES AND SEASONS, I bought the printing establishment, for and in behalf of the Church, from brother Ebenezer Robinson, at a very exorbitant price. The reason I paid such a price was, because the Prophet directed the Twelve to pay him whatever he asked. One item of his bill was $800, for the privilege of publishing the TIMES AND SEASONS, or good will of the office." The short revelation given to Joseph Smith is published but not canonized: "Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph, go and say unto the Twelve, that it is my will to have them take in hand the editorial department of the Times and Seasons, according to that manifestation which shall be given unto them by the power of my Holy Spirit in the midst of their counsel, saith the Lord. Amen." Ebenezer Robinson's wife had been spying on Joseph Smith's polygamous activities and reporting them to Emma. Joseph told Robinson to reprove his wife. When Robinson did not, Smith received the revelation which effectively fired Robinson as editor of the TIMES AND SEASONS.

Jan 28, 1844 - Upon waking to a temperature of "15 degrees below Zero" Wilford Woodruff "set a pot of chaircoal in the bedroom to warm it." After shaving and washing and changing his clothes he and wife Phebe are "overpowered" by carbon monoxide from the charcoal: "It made us most sick. We took the coal out. Aired the room. But it made us most sick we had to go to bed upon it. Later that evening Wilford Woodruff and wife Phebe "met with the quorum of the Twelve and others for instruction." They "were both some unwell from the effects of the coal during the day. Yet we had an interesting time." Wilford Woodruff and wife Phebe receive their second anointing in the room over Joseph Smith's store.
Joseph Smith "had some company in the eve from Warsaw &c. Lectured to them on politics, religion, &c."

Jan 28, 1851 - News reaches Salt Lake City that Brigham Young has been appointed territorial governor. "There was great rejoicing in the valley that the Government had given us our Choice for a Governor." A band and an escort go out to meet Brigham Young who was out of the city when the news arrived. They greet him with a ten-gun salute and fireworks.

Jan 28, 1880 - Wilford Woodruff writes in his journal: "I was again wrapped in vision during a good part of the night concerning the destiny of our nation and of Zion. It was strongly manifest to me the duty of the Apostles and Elders to go into our holy places & Temples and wash our feet and bear testimony to God & heavenly hosts against the wickedness of this nation. My pillow was wet with the fountain of tears that flowed as I beheld the judgments of God upon the wicked."

Jan 28, 1891 - First Presidency and Twelve meet to discuss the sugar business. However Lorenzo Snow "said he felt there were some feelings among the brethren and wanted them settled first, so at it we went. Bros. G.[eorge] Q. Cannon and [Moses] Thatcher poured out what was in them and agreed to forgive each other."

Jan 28, 1894 - Lorenzo Snow "said the Saints would be called to Jackson Co., in 10 or 15 years to build up the Center Stake of Zion".

Jan 28, 1897 - First Presidency and apostles discuss "the subject of building a Temple in Arizona."

Jan 28, 1904 - Mrs. Arthur Brown had calls on President Joseph F. Smith and asks for assistance for an orphanage which she directs. She tells him that of the 2000 children taken care of during the past 19 yrs. 97% were of Mormon parentage and 3% of gentile parentage. Though not in a position to dispute this assertion, President. Smith says that he did not believe it. He requests Apostle Rudger Clawson to ascertain the facts and return and report.

Jan 28, 1956 - DESERET NEWS editorializes in favor of forced removal of polygamous children from their Fundamentalist parents and into monogamous foster-homes. The editorial states that although "separating children from their parents is a heart-breaking and difficult thing to do," in this case it was warranted: "The continued teaching of children to break the law is an extreme provocation. This practice on the part of parents, as much as abandonment or neglect, justifies the state's intervention both for the welfare of the children and of society." The NEWS thought the removal of the children worth the disruption of the home if "the practice of polygamy can be entirely ended among those who still practice it."

Jan 28, 1959 - Apostle Marion G. R0mney writes President David O. McKay that recently published "Mormon Doctrine" by Seventy's president Bruce R. McConkie is discourteous and offensive toward RLDS church, of Christian churches generally, of Catholic church in particular, of Communists, and of evolutionists. R0mney also says the book presumes to declare controversial issues and personal interpretations as "Mormon Doctrine."

Jan 28, 1967 - Church News cover photo and feature-article shows LDS females with nose rings in San Blas islands off coast of Panama.

Jan 28, 1982 - Merlin Olsen is inducted into Pro-Football Hall of Fame. He is also inducted into College Football Hall of Fame. Steve Young, Brigham-s descendant, is National Football League-s MVP (1992, 1994) and Superbowl MBP (1995).
Provo DAILY HERALD story, "Man Faces Trial Over Stabbing Death of Baby". A Logan seminary teacher believed he was commanded by God to sacrifice his infant son and restore him again to life. His insanity plea was accepted and his wife, who deferred to his priesthood authority and did not call 911, was exonerated.

Jan 28, 1984 - Arson destroys LDS meetinghouse in Malboro, Massachusetts.

Jan 28, 1988 - Early in the morning, on the Singer-Swapp compound in Marion, Utah, officers with dogs hide in a nearby building and wait for Addam Swapp to start his morning chores. Emerging at about 8:30 a.m., Swapp and his brother Jonathan are surprised by the hidden lawmen. During the gun battle, Addam Swapp is wounded and police officer Fred House was killed. The remaining family members in the Singer home surrender and the thirteen-day siege which began when Addam Swapp bombed a nearby LDS stake house ends.

If I haven't mentioned this already, I look forward to this posting every night. Lots of interesting things in Mormondom that I've never heard of or ignored from lack of interest.

I think I read that Adams Swapp was released from prison in the last few months. I was working at ZCMI at the time and there was a woman who worked there, same last name, married to a guy who was a distant cousin of the Swapps. She didn't want to talk much about it but was really glad when it was over.

Thanks for the great information

Jan 28, 1904 - Mrs. Arthur Brown had calls on President Joseph F. Smith and asks for assistance for an orphanage which she directs. She tells him that of the 2000 children taken care of during the past 19 yrs. 97% were of Mormon parentage and 3% of gentile parentage. Though not in a position to dispute this assertion, President. Smith says that he did not believe it. He requests Apostle Rudger Clawson to ascertain the facts and return and report.

That's it, the church takes care of "widows and orphans" but only if they can prove it, and after the fact. Eh?

Did Smith not believe that only 3% were non Mormon, or that 97% were non Mormon?
Are there no Mormon orphans?

Teaching children to be polygamists is as bad as abandoning or neglecting them, and thus grounds for removing them from their homes, opined the Deseret News.

A case could be made that teaching your children that ghawd will keep track of their car keys for them is grounds for losing custody.

Jan 28, 1836 - makes me wonder what they had been drinking/eating/smoking!

Jan 28, 1880 - Wilford Woodruff writes in his journal: "I was again wrapped in vision during a good part of the night concerning the destiny of our nation and of Zion. It was strongly manifest to me the duty of the Apostles and Elders to go into our holy places & Temples and wash our feet and bear testimony to God & heavenly hosts against the wickedness of this nation. My pillow was wet with the fountain of tears that flowed as I beheld the judgments of God upon the wicked."

Tears of joy, I suppose.