Zions Camp Facts about Zion’s Camp : 1. A distance of 900 miles 2. Some made the journey without shoes, (Martin Harris) and some without socks, (Lyman Wight). 3. Most records agree that there were 204 men, 11 women, and 7 children. 4. They did not travel on Sunday. 5. The morning reveille was at 4:00 a.m. 6. Only two of the 204 men deserted and one left without discharge. 7. They traveled miles per day. 8. It began on May 1 st, 1834 and disbanded on June 24 th, The average age was 29 years, the youngest man being 16, the oldest being Joseph Smith said, “We know that angels were our companions, for we saw them (HC, 273).

Reminder: Two Elders were sent from Missouri to Kirtland to inform the prophet of the hardship in Missouri. Joseph Smith had already received the revelation of their troubles before they arrived. Cool stories: 1. John the Beloved 2. Campbell and Owens 3. Cholera, Joseph’s feelings 4. Zelph

Lessons learned from Zion’s Camp:  Sacrifice  Obedience  It prepared them for the exodus to the Rocky Mountains.  It prepared the future 12 apostles.  Helped them to better handle contention.  It prepared the future first quorum of the seventy for service. The mini exodus for the great exodus!

Joseph Smith declared to Brigham Young that if they would go with him in the camp to Missouri and keep his council, I promise you, in the name of the almighty, that I will lead you there and back again, and not a hair on your head, shall be harmed (History of Brigham Young, Millennial Star, 18 th July, 1863, 455).

Zelph As a group of Church members, mostly men, were camped on the Illinois River, Joseph and some of the brethren discovered an ancient burial ground. Joseph writes in his journal: “The brethren procured a shovel and a hoe, and removing the earth to the depth of about one foot, discovered the skeleton of a man, almost entire, and between his ribs the stone point of a Lamanitish arrow, which evidently produced his death. Elder Burr Riggs retained the arrow. The contemplation of the scenery around us produced peculiar sensations in our bosoms; and subsequently the visions of the past being opened to my understanding by the Spirit of the Almighty, I discovered that the person whose skeleton was before us was a white Lamanite, a large, thick-set man, and a man of God. His name was Zelph. He was a warrior and chieftain under the great prophet Onandagus, who was known from the Hill Cumorah, or eastern sea to the Rocky Mountains. The Curse was taken from Zelph, or, at least, in part – one of this thigh bones was broken by a stone flung from a sling, while in battle, years before his death. He was killed in battle by the arrow found among his ribs, during the last great struggle of the Lamanites and Nephities” (Joseph Smith, HC, 2:79-80).