Brigham Young

Brigham Young was the single most important voice on earth during his thirty-three years as president of the Church (1844-1877). No other prophet served longer and none except Joseph Smith had a greater affect upon Church Doctrine. 

The Pearl of Great Price was published under his leadership. He led the Church through the exodus from Nauvoo, served as Utah’s first governor for eight years, settled the Saints in more than 200 communities from Canada to Mexico, resisted the invasion of the U.S. Army against Utah, and even endured house arrest in 1871-1872.

Certainly President Brigham Young considered his remarks to be scripture. He once declared: “I say now when they, my sermons, are copied and approved by me they are as good scripture as is couched in this Bible, and if you want to read Revelations, read the sayings of him who knows the mind of God…. I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call it scripture.”
Those reading large sections or from cover to cover will discover a very subtle sarcastic humor in the man that occasionally borders on the hilarious. 

Brother Brigham, as he was called by many, had a good sense of humor. He also was very blunt and outspoken--a quality critical to establishing a “Mormon culture” in a climate of such religious diversity. Appreciation and love for the man only grows.

Know what the Lord had Brigham Young tell the Saints that is not in The Doctrine and Covenants:

• Adam came into Garden of Eden with a celestial body.
• Administering to the sick may be extended to animals.
• How one detects an angel of light from one of darkness.
• The earth is to be the home of the Celestial Kingdom.
• Overeating is one cause of disease.
• Earth when celestialized is to become like a sea of glass or Urim and Thummum.
• Saints are to progress until they can command the elements.
• Specific priesthood keys are needed to create worlds.
• Blood will not be a part of a resurrected body.
• Scattered body parts to be reassembled in the resurrection.
• Move to the Rocky Mountains was designed to hide the Saints from the Civil War.
• Elders are commanded not to drink liquor.
• The poor often scheme to avoid work.