LDS Art - Church History

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	Let's Get Papa Joseph Smith was a prophet, a seer and a revelator. He was also a father and a husband. He delighted in his family and never shirked his responsibilities in the home. He had so little time to spend with them, so he rejoiced in each moment that they did have together. In every culture, in thousands of home, this scene is a common one—a father gently wrestles with his sons. It is easier for me to love the Prophet when I see the soft and gentle side that his children must have brought out in him. And wrestling with his sons must have been an especial treat for someone like Joseph, who loved activity and sport, especially wrestling. (See options...)


	Majesty In Chains (See options...)


	Martin Handcart Burial SETTING: Bitter Creek, Wyoming - - not far from Rawlins, Wyoming The Willie and Martin Companies left Nebraska Territory in late August. Their Desire to go to Zion was very strong, so in spite of the lateness of the season and the long distance, they set out quite ill-prepared. Many of their handcarts were made from wood which was not seasoned. The two companies were separated by about 40 miles when the severe winter storms came early on the high plains. Almost every day deaths occurred in their camps. Little children would trudge all day, only to die around the fires at night. Parents were almost helpless to alleviate the suffering of their children. Burial squads were a daily thing, and several men, after digging shallow graves, were so exhausted and sick that they would die and be buried in the graves they had dug. In the painting, I have pictured my relatives who were in the Martin Company. The woman holding the infant is my great great grandmother, Elizabeth Steele, from Scotland. The baby is James E. Steele, about one year old at that time. Her husband being buried is James Steele. They were converts and had just lately arrived in America in great expectation of a grand future in Zion. James had literally starved to death giving all his food to his children and wife. He died on the windswept plains, hundreds of miles from Zion, but it was in his heart and as the Savior said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (See options...)


	Martin's Cove (See options...)


	Martin's Cove2 (See options...)


	More Than Friends I sorrowed with Emma when I learned she left her family under difficult circumstances to marry the man she loved. It sounds romantic, but in the real world this was a trying decision. Though Emma left her home and parents, she was much loved by Joseph and his family, especially Mother Lucy Smith. She embraced and welcomed Emma as a daughter and willingly cared for her in difficult times. Emma returned that love by caring for Mother Smith in her later years. Looking at their lives and the trials through which each passed, it is easy to see why they were more than friends. (See options...)


	Mormon Wagon Train (See options...)


	My Beloved Emma "What unspeakable delight, and what transports of joy swelled my bosom, when I took by the hand, my beloved Emma – she that was my wife, even the wife of my youth, and the choice of my heart." "Many were the reverberations of my mind when I contemplated for a moment the many scenes we had been called to pass through, the fatigues and the toils, the sorrows and sufferings and the joys and consolations…" "Oh what a commingling of thought filled my mind for the moment, again she is here, even in the seventh trouble, undaunted, firm, and unwavering- unchangeable, affectionate Emma." -Joseph Smith, Jr. 1844 (See options...)


	My Servant Joseph I am continually amazed at how willingly we pass by life’s rare moments of inspiration. Unknowingly we turn away from the quiet glimpses of eternity on our way to somewhere else. It was on my way to somewhere else in my career when I became moved to paint the life of Joseph Smith. Looking back that one decision has had a more profound impact on my life than almost any other. I, along with millions of others believe the words of the Lord, "Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven…" D& C 1: 17. (See options...)


	Narrow Passage (See options...)


	Of One Heart, Emma On The Ice The Saints had fled to Far West hoping for a rest from their enemies, but the growing mob violence resulted in the imprisonment of Joseph Smith at Liberty Jail and the slaughter at Haun’s Mill. Driven from their homes in the dead of winter, the Saints began the long journey to Nauvoo. Emma was among the saints forced to cross the frozen Mississippi River. Can you imagine the faith it must have taken to step on that ice carrying an eight-month old baby and two year old son, while the others clung to her skirts? During those dark days, Joseph wrote, “Oh God Where art Thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?” I thought of the pain and sorrow both Joseph and Emma were laboring under at that moment and realized that for Joseph and Emma, though separated by distance they were truly of one heart. At those times when I feel alone and forgotten I look at this painting and remember that nothing in mortality can place us beyond the reach of divinity. (See options...)


	Of One Heart, Joseph In Liberty Jail The Saints had fled to Far West hoping for a rest from their enemies, but the growing mob violence resulted in the imprisonment of Joseph Smith at Liberty Jail and the slaughter at Haun’s Mill. Driven from their homes in the dead of winter, the Saints began the long journey to Nauvoo. Emma was among the saints forced to cross the frozen Mississippi River. Can you imagine the faith it must have taken to step on that ice carrying an eight-month old baby and two year old son, while the others clung to her skirts? During those dark days, Joseph wrote, “Oh God Where art Thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?” I thought of the pain and sorrow both Joseph and Emma were laboring under at that moment and realized that for Joseph and Emma, though separated by distance they were truly of one heart. At those times when I feel alone and forgotten I look at this painting and remember that nothing in mortality can place us beyond the reach of divinity. (See options...)


	Oh Father, Oh Father Sunday, October 19,1856, Between the Last Crossing of the Platte and Red Buttes, Martin Company, Heber R. McBride Journal. We had to ford all the rivers but one and that was the Loupe Fork of the Platte but the evening we crossed the Platte for the last time it was very cold and the next morning there was about 6 inches of snow on the ground and then what we had to suffer can never be told. Father was very bad this morning-could hardly sit up in the tent we had to travel that day through the snow. I managed to get Father into one of the wagons that morning and that was the last we ever saw of him alive we only made one drive as it began snowing very hard when we camped the snow was getting deep and my sister and me had to pitch our tent and get some wood but that was handy as there was plenty of dry willows on the bank of the river. After we had made Mother as comfortable as we could we went to try and find Father but the wind was blowing so bad that we could not see anything and the wagons had not got into camp and it was then after dark so we did not find him that night and the next morning the snow was about 18 inches deep and awful cold but while my sister was preparing our little bite of breakfast I went to look for Father and at last I found him under a wagon with snow all over him and he was stiff and dead. I felt as though my heart would burst. I sat down beside him on the snow and took hold of one of his hands and cried oh Father, Father. There we was away out on the Plains with hardly anything to eat and Father dead and mother sick and a widow with 5 small children and not able to live from day to another. After I had my cry out I went back to the tent and told Mother. Now to try and write to tell the feelings of Mother and the other children is out of the question. Now we were not all the family that was called upon to mourn the loss of a Father this morning for there was 13 men dead in camp. The men that was able to do anything cleaned [oft] the snow and made a fire and thawed out the ground and dug a big hole and buried them in one grave some side by side and on top of one another-any way to get them covered for I can assure you that the men had no heart to do any more than they had to. We never knew how Father died whether he died in the wagon and was lifted out or he got out himself and fell down exhausted and froze to death. I don't know how many days we had to layover for the snow was so deep that we could not pull our handcarts through and there we were in a starving condition and the oxen that pulled the wagons began dying but everyone [the oxen] that died was devoured very quickly and us little boys would bet strips of rawhide and try and eat it all. The [only] way they could do anything with it was to crisp it in the fire and then draw a string of it through our teeth and get some of the burnt scales off that way and then crisp it again and repeat the operation [till] we would get tired. (See options...)


	Oh, My Poor Dear Brother Hyrum This is the first painting I did of the Prophet Joseph Smith. When I started this painting I thought I knew who Joseph Smith was. Looking back, I realize I knew things about him, but I did not know him. I started seeing the human side of Joseph when I understood he cared more for his brother’s life than his own. When Joseph decided to return to Carthage and stand trial, Hyrum insisted on coming with him. Joseph must have known he was going to die; I am sure he wanted to protect Hyrum. But Hyrum followed Joseph in death just as he had followed him in life. Of this moment John Taylor said: “Immediately, when the ball struck him, [Hyrum] fell flat on his back, crying as he fell, ‘I am a dead man!’ He never moved afterwards. I shall never forget the deep feeling of sympathy and regard manifested in the countenance of Brother Joseph as he drew nigh to Hyrum and leaning over him exclaimed, “Oh! My poor, dear brother Hyrum!” What a price was paid for the gospel. May we never forget. (See options...)


	Patience Loader's Home The Home of Patience Loader, a member of the Martin/Willie hand cart companies. (See options...)


	Praise To The Man DVD (See options...)


	Preparing A Prophet (See options...)


	Red Brick Store In Nauvoo (See options...)


	Rescue At The Sweetwater In 1856 the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies became stranded in the high plains of Wyoming, due to early snowstorms and food shortage. President Brigham Young mounted a large rescue effort of many wagons loaded with food and supplies. Many of these wagons turned back convinced that it was impossible, and they themselves were in jeopardy of dying. A small number of these wagons persisted in the attempt however, and found the Martin Company in early November on the Sweetwater River near Devil's Gate. These few wagons could not carry the hundreds of starving, freezing immigrants, and they faced this river crossing in such a weakened condition, that to wade the icy water, which was waist deep and about 100 feet across, would have killed most of them. Three, maybe four, young men of the rescue party, about eighteen years of age, saw what must be done. They volunteered to do the impossible. They spent most of the day carrying these people across the ice-choked stream, on their shoulders and in their arms. This act of pure charity and true heroism proved to be a sacrifice of great cost. The exposure and exertion these young men experienced that day was so great that in later years they all died from the effects of it. Because of their acts of charity they saved the lives of over 300 of these people. Brigham Young wept as a child when he heard what these young men had done, and said that "that act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant, and David P. Kimball and everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end." The example of these young men will always touch our hearts and strengthen our resolve. (See options...)


	Rescue Riders This is a painting of the men who went out in search of the Willie and Martin Handcart companies. They were the first sign of rescue to the wearied travelers. The urgency of the situation is portrayed in the speed of the horses and expressions of the riders. Joseph A. Young is portrayed as the rider on the far left. I had the opportunity to stand on the snowy ground where this event took place. It was during a re-enactment of the rescue. As I saw the wearied people struggle through the snow for merely minutes, I visualized what it must have been like for the faithful pioneers. I wanted to run to help them. This painting is a representation of that feeling. (See options...)