Descendants of Early Saints

   This week we’ve had several visitors who are participating in a family reunion in Kirtland, OH. They are all direct descendants of Benjamin F. Johnson. They said they have more than 800 people attending. Many of the reunion attendees are also visiting our sites here in Palmyra and Fayette, NY. Johnson and his wife Melissa were among the first, if not the first, marriage performed for all eternity. Rather than just “death do us part,” an eternal marriage continues beyond death.

   Here are some other direct descendants we’ve served at the historic sites:

• Hyrum Smith, brother to Joseph and a very important leader in the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ

• Brigham Young, second president of the Church. He has a lot of descendants for obvious reasons.

• Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses who saw the Book of Mormon plates when they were shown to him by the angel Moroni.

• Emer Harris, Martin’s brother, who received the first copy of the Book of Mormon from the printer, E. B. Grandin.

• Sarah Conrad Bunnel, who worked in the Peter and Mary Whitmer home while the Book of Mormon translation from the gold plates was being finished. As the early members of the church were being persecuted wherever they lived, and driven from place to place, Sarah walked the entire distance from Fayette, NY to the Salt Lake Valley.

• Joseph Knight Sr., a very important help in the early days of the church. He brought provisions and paper to Joseph Smith as the translation of the Book of Mormon began and continued.

• Heber C. Kimball, an early convert in Mendon, NY. He later served in the church’s first presidency.

• Rhoda Greene, who first accepted the Book of Mormon and passed it on to her husband John P. Greene, and her brother Brigham Young.

   I’m sure there are others that I don’t remember.

   The people who come here, with pioneer heritage or not, are among the finest people on earth. We feel very fortunate to associate and to serve them here at the historic sites.