Tapestry woven by Vilate Kimball, wife of Heber C. Kimball, one of the original Twelve Apostles of this dispensation. According to the story, Vilate went around Kirtland gathering discarded pieces of fabric from women in order to make this piece. Included in this weaving is fabric from Emma Smith, wife of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Two views of Thomas Paine's first edition of his "Common Sense" pamphlet. According to one source, this particular piece is worth in the neighborhood of $2 million.
Two views of a Bible from the 16th century, one of which shows an illustration of a baptismal font, uncannily similar to the baptismal font in LDS temples today.
A Bible with a chain attached to it. If I remember Moon's comments correctly, such Bibles were chained to pulpits in churches in England (?) several centuries ago, so as to prohibit the common man from reading them or taking them home.
Joseph Smith's personal copy of the Book of Mormon (1840 Nauvoo edition). The book below it is actually the case for the real book above it.
Three views of the Prophet Wilford Woodruff's personal copy of the Doctrine and Covenants, including a poem he glued inside the front cover, as well as his glasses and case.
Three views of a handwritten page from an original (Latin?) Bible, circa 1250 AD.
Letter that Phoebe Carter Woodruff (wife of prophet Wilford Woodruff) wrote to her parents and left on the table, announcing that she was leaving Maine to go be with the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio. From her autobiography:
"My friends marveled at my course, as did I, but something within impelled me on. My mother's grief at my leaving home was almost more than I could bear; and had it not been for the spirit within I should have faltered at the last. My mother told me she would rather see me buried than going thus alone out into the heartless world. "Phoebe," she said, impressively, "will you come back to me if you find Mormonism false?" I answered, "yes, mother; I will, thrice." These were my words, and she knew I would keep my promise. My answer relieved her trouble; but it cost us all much sorrow to part. When the time came for my departure I dared not trust myself to say farewell; so I wrote my good-byes to each, and leaving them on my table, ran downstairs and jumped into the carriage. Thus I left the beloved home of my childhood to link my life with the saints of God."
The goodbyes she alludes to are in this letter.
Joseph Smith's first Bible, circa 1825. Notice how small it is. Moon told us it only contains excerpts from the Bible.
Two images of some very old Bible. I believe Moon said it was a first edition of the King James Bible, which would date it to 1611.
Samuel Smith's own missionary copy of the Book of Mormon (1830). Samuel is known as the very first missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was also one of the Eight Witnesses. In this copy, there are asterisks before and after Samuel's name as it appears after the witnesses' testimony. Moon believes Samuel put those asterisks there himself.
Handwritten revelation via the Prophet Joseph Smith, which eventually became Section 11. The penmanship is that of Joseph's older brother Hyrum, to whom the revelation is directed.
Me with Reid Moon.
It was an enjoyable and fascinating evening -- one I will not forget.
