Part 1: December 1841

In December 1841 JS engaged in business, church administration, and temple building. In the forepart of the month, a lack of available funds compelled JS to ask for an extension from a set of creditors from whom the had purchased goods on credit to stock a mercantile store in , Ohio, in 1836. He also tried to manage debts that he and other Latter-day Saints had incurred from the purchase of lands that had become , Illinois, their largest creditor being the partnership of , , and . In February 1841 JS had selected church to travel to the eastern to raise funds to make payments on the debt. In July he had learned from Hotchkiss that one agent, , had for unknown reasons left the eastern states without making a payment on the church’s debt as anticipated. In December, JS received information that Galland was in , Iowa Territory, and sent him a letter requesting a meeting in Nauvoo to settle their affairs. Galland assented, but he did not visit Nauvoo until February. Although Galland was unable to satisfy the creditors, JS was able to reach an agreement with Hotchkiss, Tuttle, and Gillet to accept the transfer of a tavern stand in in exchange for a $3,200 credit against a $6,000 payment that was due. In addition to attempting to resolve these debts, in December 1841 JS organized the sale of land near Nauvoo for at least one buyer and readied a new general for business.

Ever since the Saints’ arrival in , JS had made efforts to be involved in state politics. On 20 December he wrote a letter for the Times and Seasons endorsing the Illinois Democratic Party’s nominees for governor and lieutenant governor, and , respectively. Both candidates had encouraged the passage of ’s city charter through the Illinois Senate in 1840.

In addition to participating in business and political affairs, JS continued his spiritual ministry. He preached on at least two occasions and dictated three revelations. The first revelation, dictated on 2 December, directed and to board and care for , whose was on a mission to the Jews in , , , Constantinople, and Palestine. The other revelations, each dictated circa 22 December, appointed and to serve missions. Snider was charged specifically with seeking donations in for the construction of the in and the . These building projects continued to be a priority for JS throughout the period. In addition to raising funds and overseeing construction, on 13 December, JS appointed to serve as the temple recorder. Richards began keeping a record of all donations, including those specifically for the temple, in a book titled “The Book of the Law of the Lord.” The same day, in an open letter, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced that all donations should be made directly to JS as trustee-in-trust for the church.

JS was mindful of church affairs outside of as well. During this month he received correspondence from missionaries in and . He also responded to a letter from church leaders in who were concerned with their city’s status after , who had previously presided over the church in that area, was disfellowshipped in October. Before he was disfellowshipped, Babbitt had urged converts to to Kirtland despite church leaders’ admonition not to allow Kirtland to compete with Nauvoo. In a 15 December letter, JS informed the leaders in Kirtland that though they should not try to entice migrating converts to come there instead of to Nauvoo, they should continue to regard Kirtland as a permanent settlement and establish their own church printing press.

In total, this part comprises six letters to JS, five letters from JS, three revelations, two discourses, a marriage license, a , and a floor plan for JS’s .