Indian Hostilities and Trechery -- Excitment -- Covetousness -- Consequenses of Obedience and Disobedience -- Policy Towards the Indians -- Walker and His Band -- Vigilance.
delivered in the tabernacle, July 31, 1853 pg 162-172
"...all the powers that have been upon the earth, have been dictated, governed, controlled, and the final issue of their existence has been brought to pass, according to the wisdom of the Almighty. Then my testimony is, IT IS ALL RIGHT." pg 163
-be prepared and take precautions and be consistent
-in trials also remember your blessings
-if you want to live in a great place you need to be willing to pay the price, accept the rules or guidelines, etc.
-if you want to go off on your own you need to be ready for the consequences that may come
-you can't build up the kingdom of God while you're still hungry for the worldly things
"Now I say to you who are fearing and trembling, do not be afraid at all, for it is certian if we should be killed off by the Indians, we could not die any younger; this is about as good a time as can be for us to die, if we all go together, why you know, we shall have a good company along with us; it will not be lonesome passing through the valley, which is said to have a veil drawn over it." pg 164-165
"...I have no fault to find with the Later-day Saints, or with the Elders of Israel upon that subject, for they love to fight a little to well." pg 165
"...I should have more fear in consequence of the ignorant and foolish audacity of the Elders, than their being afraid." pg 165
"If the people of Utah Territory would do as they are told, they would always e safe." pg 165
"I make this apology because it is considered a sin to say devil, and it grates on refined ears." pg 166
-faith without works is dead
"If you will do as you are told, you will be safe continually." pg 167
-prophets don't just give council for the fun of it
"I am aware that the people want to ask me a thousand and one questions.... I have tried to answer them all, in my own mind, by saying, it will be just as the Lord will." pg 168
"The mob only had power to drive the Saints to do their duty, and to remember the Lord their God, and that is all the Indians can do." pg 169
"This people are worldly minded, they want to get rich in earthly substance, and are apt to forget their God..." pg 169
-there will be chastening and trials to help you learn and grow, to be able to get it right
"...you know we could not do without him [the devil]. If there had been no devil to tempt Eve, she never would have got her eyes opened. We need a devil to stir up the wicked on the earth to purify the Saints." pg 170
"The Lord will suffer no more trouble to come upon us than is necessary to bring this people to their senses." pg 172
"I take care of them that help themselves." pg 172
-watch and pray

The Pioneers -- Capabilities and Settlement of the Great Basin -- Exhortation to Faithfulness. delivered at the tabernacle, 1852, at the anniversary of the 24th of July, 1847 pg 144-146
*note: the Mormon pioneers reached the Salt Lake Valley July 24th 1847
"We [the Mormon pioneers] came for the purpose of finding a place to set our feet, where we could dwell in peace. That place we have found." pg 144
-they came for freedom of though and speech and worship.
"There is a very mysterious principle that abides with this people; ... It is that these Latter-day Saints are of one heart and one mind." pg 145
"...I wish here to offer one word of advice and counsel, by revealing the mystery that abides with this people called Latter-day Saints; it is the Spirit of the living God that leads them; it is the Spirit of the Almighty that binds them together..." pg 145
-the Saints risked their lives to cross the plains and they did it for their religion!
"Our lives have been spared, and we are yet upon this planet; and by and by we will celebrate a perfect deliverance from all the powers of earth; and we will keep our eyes set upon the mark, and go forward to victory." pg 146

The Temple Cornner Stones - The Apostleshiop, &c.
delivered in the tabernacle April 6, 1853, at the General Conference pg 131 - 137

"Were it not that our bodies have to be fed and clothed, I would propose that we tarry here a few months, to give all a chance to speak, to exhort, to pray, to prophesy, to sing, to speak in tongues, or to do whatsoever the Spirit should manifest unto them." pg 131
"The salvation we are seeking is for the present, and sought correctly, it can be obtained, and be continually enjoyed." pg 131
"If we are saved, we are happy, we are filled with light, glory, intelligence, and we pursue a course to enjoy the blessings that the Lord has in store for us." pg 131
"I am happy to say that there has been a great deal of faith manifested by the Saints, and, through that faith, the Lord has granted unto us the desire of our hearts, or else the devil has been sent on an errand another way, and has forgotten himself." pg 132
"I do not like to prophesy much, I never do, but I venture to guess, that this day , and the work we have performed on it, will long be remembered by this people... It is a day in which all the faithful will rejoice in all time to come. [speaking about the corner stones for the temple being laid]" pg 132
"I never have cared but for one thing, and that is, simply to know that I am now right before my Father in Heaven. If I am this moment, this day, doing the things God requires of my hands, and precisely where my Father in Heaven wants me to be, I care no more about to-morrow than though it never would come." pg 132
"This I do know - there should be a Temple built here. I do know it is the duty of this people to commence to build a Temple." pg 132
"I scarcely ever say much about revelations, or visions, but suffice it to say, five years ago last July I was here, and saw in the Spirit the Temple not ten feet from where we have laid the Chief Corner Stone." pg 133
"We sometimes look for light, you know, brethren. ...You will tell me you go to the east for light? So we commence by laying the stone on the south-east corner, because there is the most light." pg 133
"-Does a man's being a Prophet in this Church prove that he shall be the President of it? I answer no! A man may be a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and it may have nothing to do with his being the President of the Church." pg 133
"The Keys of the Priesthood were committed to Joseph, to build up the Kingdom of God on the earth, and were not to be taken from him in time or in eternity..." pg 133
-visions and angel visits etc. don't make a person a President, Elder, or Priest
"If you ask me what will prove a man or woman to be a Saint, I will answer you the question. "If you love me," says Jesus, "You will keep my sayings." Could he [Joseph] have built up the Kingdom of God, without first being an Apostle? No, he never could. The keys of the eternal Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God, are comprehended by being an Apostle." pg 134
"All the Priesthood, all the keys, all the gifts, all the endowments, and everything preparatory to entering into the presence of the Father and of the Son, are in, composed of, ... the circumference of, the Apostleship." pg 134-135
-there's a lot of symbolism involved in the temple