The history of the Church, with its many dates, places, and names, can be confusing. Open your scriptures to the Chronological Order of Contents at the

The history of the Church, with its many dates, places, and names, The history of the Church, with its many dates, places, and names, can be confusing. Open your scriptures to the Chronological Order can be confusing. Open your scriptures to the Chronological Order of Contents at the beginning of the Doctrine and Covenants.of Contents at the beginning of the Doctrine and Covenants.

CHURCH HISTORY TIME LINECHURCH HISTORY TIME LINE

Listed below is a simple historical outline of Church history Listed below is a simple historical outline of Church history since 1820. Using a pencil, divide the Chronological Order since 1820. Using a pencil, divide the Chronological Order of Contents in your scriptures into six sections that of Contents in your scriptures into six sections that correspond to these six periods of Church history. Then correspond to these six periods of Church history. Then label each division with the name and dates of the period.label each division with the name and dates of the period.

1.1. Beginnings: 1820–January1831Beginnings: 1820–January18312.2. Two Church Centers: February 1831–March 1839Two Church Centers: February 1831–March 18393.3. Nauvoo: April 1839–1846Nauvoo: April 1839–18464.4. The Church in the West: 1847–1898The Church in the West: 1847–18985.5. Expansion: 1898–1951Expansion: 1898–19516.6. Worldwide Church: 1951–PresentWorldwide Church: 1951–Present


1. BEGINNINGS: 1820–JANUARY 18311. BEGINNINGS: 1820–JANUARY 1831

Below are major events that occurred during the Below are major events that occurred during the BeginningsBeginnings period. These events took place mostly in New period. These events took place mostly in New York and Pennsylvania.York and Pennsylvania.

• First VisionFirst Vision• Publishing of the Book of MormonPublishing of the Book of Mormon• Restoration of the priesthoodRestoration of the priesthood• Organization of the ChurchOrganization of the Church• Missionary work begunMissionary work begun• 39 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants received39 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants received• Church membership reached 680Church membership reached 680

2. TWO CHURCH CENTERS: FEBRUARY 1831–MARCH 18392. TWO CHURCH CENTERS: FEBRUARY 1831–MARCH 1839

• Commandment to pay tithingCommandment to pay tithing• Revelation on the three degrees of gloryRevelation on the three degrees of glory• First bishop calledFirst bishop called• First temple built: Kirtland TempleFirst temple built: Kirtland Temple• Word of WisdomWord of Wisdom• First Presidency organized and Twelve Apostles calledFirst Presidency organized and Twelve Apostles called• 88 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants received88 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants received• Church membership reached 16,460Church membership reached 16,460

Below are major events that occurred during the Two Below are major events that occurred during the Two Church Centers period. These events took place mostly in Church Centers period. These events took place mostly in Kirtland, Ohio, and in Missouri.Kirtland, Ohio, and in Missouri.

3. NAUVOO: APRIL 1839–18463. NAUVOO: APRIL 1839–1846

• Twelve Apostles called to serve missions in British IslesTwelve Apostles called to serve missions in British Isles• Relief Society organizedRelief Society organized• Nauvoo Temple builtNauvoo Temple built• Revelation on temple marriageRevelation on temple marriage• Revelation on work for the deadRevelation on work for the dead• Joseph and Hyrum Smith martyred in Carthage, IllinoisJoseph and Hyrum Smith martyred in Carthage, Illinois• 10 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants received10 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants received• Church membership reached 34,000Church membership reached 34,000

Below are major events that occurred during the Nauvoo Below are major events that occurred during the Nauvoo period. These events took place mostly in Nauvoo, Illinois. period. These events took place mostly in Nauvoo, Illinois.

4. THE CHURCH IN THE WEST: 1847–18984. THE CHURCH IN THE WEST: 1847–1898

• Instructions on how to organize the pioneer camp (D&C 136)Instructions on how to organize the pioneer camp (D&C 136)• Saints arrived in Salt LakeSaints arrived in Salt Lake• Four temples built in Utah: St. George, Logan, Manti, Salt Four temples built in Utah: St. George, Logan, Manti, Salt

LakeLake• Settlements established in western U.S., Mexico, and Settlements established in western U.S., Mexico, and

CanadaCanada• 1 section of the Doctrine and Covenants received1 section of the Doctrine and Covenants received• Official Declaration 1 on plural marriageOfficial Declaration 1 on plural marriage• Church membership reached 267,251Church membership reached 267,251

Below are major events that occurred during the Church in Below are major events that occurred during the Church in the West period. These events took place mostly on the the West period. These events took place mostly on the plains and in Utah.plains and in Utah.

5. EXPANSION: 1898–19515. EXPANSION: 1898–1951

Below are major events that occurred during the ExpansionBelow are major events that occurred during the Expansion period. These events took place in Utah and throughout the period. These events took place in Utah and throughout the world.world.

• Missionary work expanded in Asia, South Africa, Missionary work expanded in Asia, South Africa, Central and South America, the Pacific, and Central and South America, the Pacific, and other other locations.locations.• Welfare program established worldwideWelfare program established worldwide• An Apostle, Elder David O. McKay, visits members An Apostle, Elder David O. McKay, visits members throughout the world.throughout the world.• Revelation on the redemption of the dead (received Revelation on the redemption of the dead (received in 1918 and published in 1979 as D&C 138).in 1918 and published in 1979 as D&C 138).• Church membership reached 1,147,000.Church membership reached 1,147,000.

6. WORLDWIDE CHURCH: 1951–PRESENT6. WORLDWIDE CHURCH: 1951–PRESENT

• Additional Quorums of the Seventy organizedAdditional Quorums of the Seventy organized• Large and small temples built worldwideLarge and small temples built worldwide• Continued expansion of missionary workContinued expansion of missionary work• Official declaration on the priesthood announced, 1978Official declaration on the priesthood announced, 1978• Two Quorums of the Seventy organized as General Two Quorums of the Seventy organized as General

AuthoritiesAuthorities• ““The Family: A Proclamation to the World” given in 1995The Family: A Proclamation to the World” given in 1995• Church membership reaches nearly 14,000,000Church membership reaches nearly 14,000,000

Below are major events that occurred during the World-Below are major events that occurred during the World-wide Church period.wide Church period.


Why were so many revelations received and recorded in the Why were so many revelations received and recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants during the early historical periods?Doctrine and Covenants during the early historical periods?

What evidence can you think of that shows that the Lord What evidence can you think of that shows that the Lord continues to give revelation to His prophets today?continues to give revelation to His prophets today?



• Inspired messages from General Authorities at general Inspired messages from General Authorities at general conference and other occasionsconference and other occasions




• ““The Family: A Proclamation to the World”The Family: A Proclamation to the World”




• ““The Family: A Proclamation to the World”The Family: A Proclamation to the World”• Missionary work and temple building around the worldMissionary work and temple building around the world




• ““The Family: A Proclamation to the World”The Family: A Proclamation to the World”• Missionary work and temple building around the worldMissionary work and temple building around the world• LDS editions of the scripturesLDS editions of the scriptures




• ““The Family: A Proclamation to the World”The Family: A Proclamation to the World”• Missionary work and temple building around the worldMissionary work and temple building around the world• LDS editions of the scripturesLDS editions of the scriptures


These principles and many others testify that prophets guide the These principles and many others testify that prophets guide the Church in our day as much as they did in other times.Church in our day as much as they did in other times.


President Boyd K. Packer said: “When I President Boyd K. Packer said: “When I was a young seminary teacher, I thought, ‘I was a young seminary teacher, I thought, ‘I missed the days of the great revelation in missed the days of the great revelation in the Church when the Prophet Joseph the Church when the Prophet Joseph Smith and those who followed him were Smith and those who followed him were receptive to constant revelation and receptive to constant revelation and instruction from the Almighty.’instruction from the Almighty.’

““In due time (and it takes time), I came to In due time (and it takes time), I came to realize that we now live in a more intense realize that we now live in a more intense period of revelation than it was then. The period of revelation than it was then. The Lord is close to us and is revealing Himself Lord is close to us and is revealing Himself to us as the great work of the Restoration to us as the great work of the Restoration moves forward” (Boyd K. Packer, moves forward” (Boyd K. Packer, Mine Mine Errand from the Lord: Selections from the Errand from the Lord: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Boyd K. PackerSermons and Writings of Boyd K. Packer [2008], 137).[2008], 137).President Boyd K. PackerPresident Boyd K. Packer

Documents

The history of the Church, with its many dates, places, and names, can be confusing. Open your scriptures to the Chronological Order of Contents at the