Doctrine and Covenants 41

In late January 1831, Joseph and Emma Smith left New York to travel nearly 300 miles by sleigh to Kirtland, Ohio. When Joseph and Emma arrived in Kirtland, they stopped in front of the Gilbert & Whitney Store:

“[Joseph] springing up the steps walked into the store and to where the junior partner was standing. ‘Newel K. Whitney! Thou art the man!’ he exclaimed, extending his hand cordially, as if to an old and familiar acquaintance. ‘You have the advantage of me,’ replied [Newel K. Whitney], as he mechanically took the proffered hand, ‘I could not call you by name as you have me.’ ‘I am Joseph the Prophet,’ said the stranger smiling. ‘You’ve prayed me here, now what do you want of me?’” (History of the Church, 1:145–46).

Joseph explained that he had previously received a vision in which Newel was praying for him to go to Kirtland. The Whitneys received Joseph and Emma Smith with kindness, and Joseph and Emma lived with them for a time. (See History of the Church, 1:146; see also Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual, 2nd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 90–91.)

Doctrine and Covenants 41:11

Edward Partridge’s willingness to “leave his merchandise” (D&C 41:9) and spend his time building up the Church is confirmed in the following account:

“Partridge’s daughter later recalled that after this revelation was dictated, her father sold his property and ‘realized but little’ from the transactions. She added, ‘My fathers course in joining the mormon religion and sacrificing his property caused his friends of the world to think him insane. They could not see what there was in religion to make a man give up all worldly considerations for it’” (Documents, Volume 1: July 1828–June 1831, vol. 1 of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers [2013], 244).

Edward Partridge and Sidney Rigdon had journeyed to New York to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith. “According to Philo Dibble, Partridge also went in behalf of others. [Philo Dibble] was told by a neighbor, ‘We have sent a man down to York State to find out the truth of this work, and he is a man who will not lie.’ [Dibble, “Philo Dibble’s Narrative,” p. 77.]” (Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual, 2nd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 82). Joseph described Edward as “a pattern of piety, and one of the Lord’s great men” (in History of the Church, 1:128).

Doctrine and Covenants 41:12

Elder Neal A. Maxwell:

“Each day we decide the degree of our discipleship” (“My Servant Joseph,” Ensign, May 1992, 39).