The World of Joseph Fielding: Chapter 7 The Fielding Siblings Arrive in Kirtland; Mercy Marries Robert Thompson Joseph, Mary and Mercy Fielding, along with Robert Thompson and other Canadian immigrants, arrived in Kirtland in late May of 1837, where they were met by the prophet Joseph Smith During the first week of June, Mercy, one week shy of her thirtieth birthday, and Robert Blashel Thompson, then twenty-six, were married by the prophet. Mercy wrote about meeting Joseph Smith for the second time at her wedding. “I again met him at Brother John Gaylord’s house in Kirtland, where a small company of friends had gathered to witness the ceremony of my marriage to Robert B. Thompson, the Prophet performing the ceremony.”1 Joseph Fielding wrote that soon after their arrival, “I . Joseph Smith performed the witnessed there a marriage of my sister Mercy to Brother Robert marriage of Mercy Fielding and Thompson, a Priest in the Church.”2 Robert Blashel Thompson. Mercy wrote: There were present on this occasion several of the Twelve Apostles with their wives, also the aged Patriarch Joseph Smith and his wife–the father and mother of the Prophet–and also my brother Joseph Fielding and my sister Mary. After the marriage ceremony was over we listened with joy and profit to the words of instruction and counsel which fell from the inspired lips of Joseph Smith, each word carrying to our hearts deeper and stronger convictions that we were listening to a mighty Prophet of God. And yet there was not the slightest appearance of ostentation or conscious power on his part; he was as free and sociable as though we had all been his own brothers and sisters, or members of one family. He was as unassuming as a child.”3 During the week following their marriage, Robert and Mercy made plans to return to Canada to serve a mission under the leadership of John Taylor. Before leaving Kirtland, Mercy received her patriarchal blessing at the hands of Joseph Smith’s father in the Kirtland Temple.4 Mary, age thirty-five, lived at the home of Vilate Kimball, the thirty-one year old wife of apostle Heber C. Kimball who was leaving for New York and on to England with Joseph Fielding.5 Mary had desired to accompany her brother and the apostles to England so she could be part of the group which preached the Vilate Murray Kimball and Mary restored gospel to her siblings. However, finances were tight, Fielding became close friends. difficulties were anticipated, and the decision was made for Mary to remain in Kirtland.6 -104- Mary referred to Sister Kimball as “a Christian old friend.” Vilate was kind, gave friendly counsel, and treated Mary as she would her own sister. The two of them occasionally had dinner with Joseph Smith and other Church leaders, including their wives and other leading women.7 Apostasy and Persecution in Kirtland During the few weeks Joseph Fielding was in Kirtland, he encountered the terrible storm of apostasy which John Taylor had seen in March. Joseph, by now forty years old, wrote: On my arrival at Kirtland I was much cast down and troubled. I found the Saints were far from being all righteous. There was great contention among them. .During two or three weeks stopping there I witnessed [several who accused the prophet Joseph]. I forbear to say more, but pray the Lord to guide us in the right way, that His work may proceed and be accomplished.8 Despite this difficult time of apostasy, the missionaries were determined to leave on their missions. On Sunday, June 11th, a scribe wrote for Joseph Smith: That evening [in Kirtland], [I] was engaged in giving some special instructions to Elders Kimball and Hyde, and Priest Joseph Fielding, concerning their mission to England, President Brigham Young came into my house, where we were sitting, accompanied by Dr. Willard Richards, [the two of whom had in the past week] returned from a special business mission to New York, Boston, and other eastern cities.9 Willard Richards Willard Richards was a thirty-three year-old bachelor. He and his older brother Levi had trained as doctors and practiced medicine in Massachusetts. Both brothers had joined the Church in Massachusetts just six months earlier after learning about the Book of Mormon from their cousin Brigham Young. Brigham Young and Willard Richards had left together on a mission to the eastern States in March. Upon their return, they found the missionaries preparing to leave for England. The next day, Monday June 12th, Willard told Hyrum Smith and Sidney Rigdon that he had promised Heber C. Kimball earlier that year that if at all possible, he would accompany him on his mission to England. Hyrum, then bearing the title of Assistant President of the Church, and Sydney Rigdon, the first counselor in the First Presidency, “set their hands upon his head and set him apart for the English Mission,” as Joseph Smith was not feeling well.10 Willard Richards was one of the original seven missionaries to England. -105- After the fact, Parley P. Pratt wrote: At length, Joseph Fielding, Isaac Russell, John Goodson and John Snider, of the Canada Elders, were selected for a mission to England. Elders H. C. Kimball and Orson Hyde, of the quorum of the Twelve, were selected to go at the head of the mission, and Elder Willard Richards was appointed to accompany them.11 Four of these missionaries were leaving for New York City from Kirtland, with three of the Canadian missionaries departing from Toronto. Arrangements had been made for the members of the British Mission to meet in New York City on June 21st before sailing to Liverpool. They took hundreds of copies of the newly published Book of Mormon with them. Joseph Fielding wrote: I fully believed that this was the work the Lord designed me for, as well as others of my family. It was told me in my patriarchal blessing that I was a literal descendant of Joseph, that if I were faithful the Priesthood should be conferred upon me. Of course my father’s family were of the same tribe, and I hoped they would all come to the same Priesthood or be connected with it. This was my highest ambition. I prayed much that the Lord would prepare my brethren to receive the truth in its fullness as I had received it.12 The departing missionaries called upon the prophet before leaving Kirtland, but Joseph Smith was so ill that he could not lift his head from the pillow.13 However, he had previously spoken with them about their labors: My instructions to the brethren were, when they arrived in England, to adhere closely to the first principles of the Gospel, and remain silent concerning the gathering, the vision, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, until such time as the work was fully established, and it should be clearly made manifest by the Spirit to do otherwise.14 Joseph Smith’s admonition focused on teaching faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. He specifically told these missionaries not to begin teaching about the gathering, which ultimately would bring thousands upon thousands of British converts to Utah. He also asked them not to teach “The The prophet Joseph Smith asked the departing British missionaries not Vision.” This vision, revealed in to teach of the 1832 revelation given to him and Sidney Rigdon about 1832, was received by Joseph Smith the three heavens. -106- and Sidney Rigdon in the home of John Johnson in Hiram, Ohio while in the presence of several other people.15 The 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants included this revelation as section XCI where it was simply titled, “A Vision.”16 Today this revelation is included in the Doctrine and Covenants as Section 76 and describes three kingdoms of glory. Heber C. Kimball Elder Kimball was nearly thirty-six when he received the call from Joseph Smith to lead the mission to England. He was almost overwhelmed with this responsibility and wrote: [To] preach in that land, which is so famed throughout Christendom for learning, knowledge and piety, the nursery of religion, and to a people whose intelligence is proverbial . However, all these considerations did not deter me from the path of duty; the moment I understood the will of my Heavenly Father, I felt a determination to go at all hazards, believing that He would support me by His almighty power.17 Elder Kimball was born in Vermont of parents whose ancestors had emigrated from England during the time of the Winthrop Fleet of 1630. His father was thirteen years old at the end of the Revolution in which his father, Heber’s grandfather, had been a soldier. As a result young Heber grew up regaled with war stories by his Heber C. Kimball and Joseph father. At the age of nineteen, Heber apprenticed with an older Fielding remained close friends brother to learn the potter’s trade, and within two years he had throughout their lives. established his own business in Mendon, New York, twenty miles from Palmyra. In 1822, Heber married Vilate, who was just sixteen. On the night of September 27th, 1827, Heber, his wife, and a guest, Fanny Young, with their neighbors, witnessed a vision in the night sky where they saw an army marching. The vision was so clear that they could see individual soldiers who carried muskets, bayonets and knapsacks, and who wore caps and feathers as the American soldiers had during the Revolution.