This week: Lesson 33, “President Brigham Young Leads the Saints.”
Subjects covered: Joseph Smith gave the keys to the Twelve Apostles, who then led the Church until Brigham Youn was sustained as President; the Saints received their temple ordinances before proceeding west.
Potential issues:
If you can think of any other issues from this week’s lesson, please comment below so we can add more links.
PLEASE NOTE: This information is a preparatory resource for gospel doctrine teachers to help them formulate answers to questions that might arise during their class. It is not in any way a substitute for the Gospel Doctrine manual, nor should instructors make these topics the focus of class instruction. This information is provided with the understanding that it is an additional resource only.
It’s weird to think of Brigham Young waiting three years to actually become The President of the Church. It would be like having Thomas Monson waiting until November 2011 to reform the First Presidenty take the reigns as President of the Church.
cinepro,
Your comment represents the common fallacy of presentism, in which one tries to understand history through the lens of contemporary beliefs and practices.
After Joseph’s death, the idea that someone would actually replace him in the role of prophet, seer, revelator, and president of the Church was simply unthinkable. Brigham’s course of action only came to him over time, and with the initial opposition of some of his brethren in the Quorum of the Twelve.
Upon further investigation, it appears John Taylor waited an equally long time (3 years) before organizing a First Presidency, and Wilford Woodruff almost as long (~2 years). It was Lorenzo Snow who originated the practice of organizing a First Presidency and taking the reigns as President of the Church shortly after the death of his predecessor.
At risk of betraying my presentist mindset, I will refrain from commenting further.