THIS IS THE BEST YET FROM YOU HAZEL, PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOU ARE LDS.
I HAVE OTHER THINGS ABOUT JOSEPH SMITH YOU MAY NOT HAVE THAT I HAVE
COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS.
THIS IS FROM A BOOK (MY LIFE'S REVIEW), BY BENJAMIN F. JOHNSON. A
CLOSE FRIEND
TO THE PROPHET, THIS IS FOUND IN CHAPTER 6.
92 - I was now selling goods, keeping a tavern, and doing all the Church
business for that town, which was second only to Nauvoo, and I was
growing not a little into the idea of getting rich. Yet I did not forget
that I was an elder, and not only took part in our meetings at home, but
as often as I found opportunity I would preach in the surrounding
country to the outside community. The Prophet often came to our town,
but after my arrival, he lodged in no house but mine, and I was proud of
his partiality and took great delight in his society and friendship.
When with us, there was no lack of amusement; for with jokes, games,
etc., he was always ready to provoke merriment, one phase of which was
matching couplets in rhyme, by which we were at times in rivalry; and
his fraternal feeling, in great degree did away with the disparity of
age or greatness of his calling.
93 - I can now see, as President George A. Smith afterwards said, that I
was then really "the bosom friend and companion of the Prophet Joseph."
I was as welcome at the Mansion as at my own house, and on one occasion
when at a full table of his family and chosen friends, he placed me at
his right hand and introduced me as his "friend, Brother B. F. Johnson,
at whose house he sat at a better table than his own." Sometimes when at
my house I asked him questions relating to past, present and future;
some of his answers were taken by Brother William Clayton, who was then
present with him, and are now recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants;
the one as to what the Lord told him in relation to seeing his face at
85 years of age; also the one as to the earth becoming as a sea of
glass, molten with fire. Other questions were asked when Brother Clayton
was not present, one of which I will relate: I asked where the nine and
a half tribes of Israel were. "Well," said he, "you remember the old
caldron or potash kettle you used to boil maple sap in for sugar, don't
you?" I said yes. "Well," said he, "they are in the north pole in a
concave just the shape of that kettle. And John the Revelator is with
them, preparing them for their return." Many other things of a public or
private nature I might here record, but will only note one or two, those
pertaining to our own family.
I'M NOT SURE WHY JOHNSON SAID 9 1/2 TRIBES, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE IS
10.
I JUST FINISHED YOUR SECOND MESSAGE THAT'S GOOD TOO, BUT I HAVE SOME
ALTERNATIVE THEORIES ON THE FIRMAMENT AND INNER SUN THAT FIT THE LAWS
OF NATURE AND PHYSICS BETTER AND FIT THE GOSPEL TEACHINGS MORE
HARMONIOUSLY. DO YOU WANT TO HEAR THEM?? I TO HAVE A TESTIMONY OF
JOSEPH SMITH.
I JUST REMEMBERED, I WAS BAPTIZED ON JULY 3 AND CONFIRMED ON JULY 5, 43
YEARS AGO THAT
IS A STORY IN ITS SELF THAT BOARDERS ON MIRACULOUS. DO YOU WANT TO HEAR
THAT TOO??
STILL NOT SHOUTING ......... BOB
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