Wood from the Wagons

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What was the eventual outcome of the wood from the wagons that brought Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball to the Salt Lake Valley?

a.            Made into a table

b.            Made into a head and footboard

c.             Used for firewood

d.            Made into planter boxes

Yesterday’s answer:

C   Hawaii

In 1854 a translation of the Book of Mormon into Ka Buke a Mormona was commenced by George A. Cannon, assisted by William Farrer and two or three educated natives, among them Joseph Bull and Matthew Wilkie. The book was published in San Francisco in 1855. President Brigham Young called all Utah missionaries home in 1858 because of the advancement of Johnston’s army, and native leaders were left in charge of the mission [Hawaiian].

Two years later, Walter Murray Gibson, a man who had traveled extensively, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. After locating temporarily in Utah, he was called on a mission to the South Pacific Islands. While calling upon the Hawaiian group en route and finding many members of the Church there, he made the decision to commence operations among them.

Representing himself as having been sent by President Brigham Young to preside over the saints in Hawaii and after showing them his elder’s certificate, he established himself at Palawai and set up an organization to his own liking. Then, contrary to the order of the Church, he assumed extraordinary authority. Courting the favor of the wealthier among them, he ordained apostles, high priests, bishops, etc., setting them apart to preside over the saints in various parts of the islands. Gibson receive tribute from each of them in the form of money, pearl shells, farm produce, etc. He even charged them for priesthood certificates.

Some of the leading native saints reported this despicable situation to Church headquarters, and President Brigham Young sent apostles Ezra T. Benson and Lorenzo Snow with elders Joseph F. Smith, Alma L. Smith and William W. Cluff to Hawaii to investigate. They arrived at the end of March of 1864, and their investigations led to the excommunication of Walter M. Gibson and the submission of some of his followers to rebaptism and reinstatement as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . .

Since Gibson had defrauded the saints of their property on Lanai, a new gathering place was selected in 1865, and the Hawaiian saints were encouraged to come. Elder George Nebeker purchased for the Church, in the interest of the natives, a new plantation that contained about 6,000 acres.

Lesson Committee, Museum Memories-Daughters of Utah Pioneers, (Salt Lake City, Talon Printing, 2010), 2: 196.