In fact the man who was to become a First Counselor to FOUR different Mormon "prophets" -- George Q. Cannon, claimed that Brigham was "changed" in their very presence on Aug. 8, and that they knew them that Brigham was the one to lead them.
Except it didn't happen that way. Young, @ the Aug. 8 meeting, was one of a GROUP of men selected to lead...and diaries later revealed no "transfiguration" was accorded/recorded for Brigham!
From the article: Some who later claimed to have witnessed the transfiguration were not actually in Nauvoo on August 8, 1844. John D. Lee said he saw and heard a strong resemblance in Brigham Young to Joseph Smith “at that time,” but he did not arrive in Nauvoo until August 20. In 1869 Orson Hyde, an apostle of the Mormon Church, described the famous August 8 meeting and his participation in it. He said, “We went among the congregation…he [Brigham] spoke, and his words went through me like electricity…This is my testimony; it was not only the voice of Joseph, but there were the features, the gestures and even the stature of Joseph before us in the person of Brigham.” (Journal of Discourse 13:181) Mr. Hyde’s testimony is astonishing – because he was not in Nauvoo on August 8, but rather arrived in the city five days later.
From the article: Mr. Van Wagoner sums up, “Apostles Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, and Wilford Woodruff, all of whom made 8 August 1844 entries in their diaries, make no reference to an epiphany. Such an event, had it truly transpired, would have stood at the apogee of world history, a physical metamorphosis unsurpassed except for the transfiguration and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet neither the Times and Seasons nor the Nauvoo Neighbor, local newspapers owned by the church, mention such a wonder. Neither do the 1844 and 1845 accounts of Jedediah Grant and Orson Hyde, specifically written to refute Sidney Rigdon’s robust challenge to the Quorum of Twelve’s succession claims.”
The resulting confusion threw the prophetic transition (and all his various widows and ‘concubines’) into turmoil.
[”In the summer of 1831 the Johnson family took Joseph and Emma Smith into their home as boarders, and soon thereafter the prophet purportedly bedded young Marinda. Unfortunately, the liaison did not go unnoticed, and a gang of indignant Ohioans—including a number of Mormons—resolved to castrate Joseph so that he would be disinclined to commit such acts of depravity in the future.” -Jon Krakauer, “Under the Banner of Heaven”]
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The resulting confusion threw the prophetic transition (and all his various widows and ‘concubines’) into turmoil.
[”In the summer of 1831 the Johnson family took Joseph and Emma Smith into their home as boarders, and soon thereafter the prophet purportedly bedded young Marinda. Unfortunately, the liaison did not go unnoticed, and a gang of indignant Ohioans—including a number of Mormons—resolved to castrate Joseph so that he would be disinclined to commit such acts of depravity in the future.” -Jon Krakauer, “Under the Banner of Heaven”]
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The author conveniently forgot the Smith family. There was brother Samuel Smith, one of the eleven witnesses to the Book of Mormon who died of poisoning (or typhus, depending on whom you believe) three days after assuming the throne; and brother William Smith, crazy in his own right to the point where he would be bounced from Mormon sects at least five times (my count); and Joseph Smith III, who would go on to successfully lead the RLDS sect for about 60 years.
The author also conveniently forgot His Royal Highness, King James J. Strang. His Majesty had documents showing that he was Joseph Smith's official Designated Successor. The King was backed by both the Smith Family and Rigdon after each failed to gain the throne. Perhaps the author's omission was the result of the fact that Strang was nuttier than a fruitcake; perhaps it was the result of the additional plates that Strang found on the "Hill of Promise" in Wisconsin -- plates which led to additional Mormon scripture titled, "The Law of the Lord," after they were translated with the aid of Urim and Thumum. His Excellency came within an eyelash of gaining the throne.
The author also conveniently forgot the "Succession Crisis," a two and half year civil way (as per the historian Hubert Bancroft) which ultimately led in large part to the exodus to Utah.
Other than that, not a bad account.
JESUS: Hey Smith! Remember that boast you made about doing more than even I had done to hold the 'church' together?
JOSEPH SMITH: Where am I?
JESUS: Don't you remember? A few seconds ago you were in that jail.
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh; yeah; but where am I NOW?
JESUS: Don't you remember? Does bang - bang ring a bell?
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh; yeah - that crummy gun I had was about USELESS!
JESUS: I hope you left instructions on how to hold your church together.
JOSEPH SMITH: Dang! I knew there was SOMETHING I was forgetting!
JESUS: Looks like there's a power struggle going on down there.
JOSEPH SMITH: Yeah; there was always SOMEone who wanted the power that I held - especially over the LADIES - wink wink.
JESUS: No need to worry about that now; remember what my friend Matthew wrote down?
JOSEPH SMITH: This? “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:30)
JESUS: That's it.
JOSEPH SMITH: I thought that was mistranslated.
JESUS: Nah - it was right.
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh well; it was fun while it lasted. My buds will still get it on with the girls.
JESUS: Uh; I'm sorry; in just a few more years; your followers will cavein to the United States government and abandon the 'Eternal Covenant' that you came up with.
JOSEPH SMITH: ME!? YOU are the one that told me to do that!
JESUS: Sorry; but you must have mistranslated what I told you. What part of Do NOT commit ADULTERY did you not understand?
JOSEPH SMITH: mumble....
JESUS: What did you say?
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh, nothing.
JESUS: Well; it was interesting talking to you; but now I must get back to perparing a place for those who believe in Me.
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh, yeah; the Celestial Kingdom.
JESUS: No...
JOSEPH SMITH: The Telestial one?
JESUS: Nope.
JOSEPH SMITH: SUREly not the TERRESTRIAL one!!
JESUS: Nope. Didn't you read that the mind of man had NOT conceived of it? Paul wrote it down in 1 Corinthians 2:9.
JOSEPH SMITH: I thought that was mistranslated.
JESUS: No; it wasn't.
JOSEPH SMITH: You SURE?
JESUS: Yes. Now I must be going: what did you say your name was again?
JOSEPH SMITH: Joseph Smith.
JESUS: Hmmmm. According to my Heavenly FAITHbook, you didn't sign in as one of my friends - sorry, I never knew you.
JOSEPH SMITH: But....
Did he LIGHT up? like an ANGEL??