TODAY IN CHURCH HISTORY: 08 May

[Hemidakota]

1831 - Joseph and Emma Smith adopt the twins of John and Julia Murdock. They had lost twins of their own at birth on April 30th. The next day, John and Julia Murdock delivered twins and Sister Murdock died within a few hours from childbirth leaving five small children. Joseph asked Brother Murdock if they could adopt the twins. Brother Murdock agreed and Emma took them into her home and her heart. They were named Joseph and Julia. Little Joseph died as a result of mob action in March 1832, Julia was raised by Joseph and Emma and was with Emma in 1879 when Emma died. Julia lived to be forty-nine and died from cancer in 1880, one year after Emma died and is buried in Nauvoo, Illinois.

1834 - After rendezvousing in New Portage, Ohio, Zion's Camp began the journey to Jackson County, Missouri, to relieve the Saints there. They traveled 12 miles and spent the night in "a beautiful grove at Chippeway" (History of the Church, 2:65).

1844 - The Prophet Joseph "went before the Municipal Court on the case, 'Francis M. Higbee versus Joseph Smith.'" A warrant had been served to the Prophet on May 6th issued by the Circuit Court of Carthage on a complaint by Francis Higbee and the Prophet had obtained a writ of habeas corpus from the Nauvoo Municipal Court to avoid the unfriendly court in Carthage. The Prophet attended the theater in the evening. (History of the Church, 6:357-361.)

1899 - While visiting St. George, Utah, President Lorenzo Snow receives the revelation placing renewed emphasis on the payment of tithing by members of the Church who had been neglecting it for some time. He stated, "the time has now come for every Latter-day Saint . . . to do the will of the Lord and pay his tithing in full" (Messages of the First Presidency, 3:312). The result was the deliverance of the Church from the debts and financial problems that had plagued the Church as a result of the polygamy persecutions of the previous five decades.

1988 - First meeting house is dedicated in the Bahamas on Nassau's New Providence Island.

1999 - The Brigham Young University men's volleyball team wins the NCAA national title for the first time.