Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Dan Jones continued........


Dan Jones was one of the fellows who was with the prophet Joseph Smith when he was killed at Carthage. His name is not mentioned nearly so much as John Taylor's or Willard Richards or Hyrum Smith's, yet he was the man to whom Joseph Smith uttered his last prophecy, in the middle of the bleakest and most forlorn position possible, with literally no hope of the prophecy being fulfilled.

During a disruption (at Carthage), the Prophet got off the bed where he was resting and lay on the floor between John S. Fullmer and Dan Jones and spoke to each of them in turn. He asked Dan if he was afraid to die. Dan answered, "Has that time come think you? Engaged in such a cause [as the gospel] I do not think that death would have many terrors." The Prophet Joseph prophesied, "You will yet see Wales, and fulfill the mission appointed you before you die." Before the year 1844 was over Dan Jones was en route with a prominent entourage of other Church officials toward the British Isles, not only fulfilling the prophecy but further proving his own loyalty to the slain Prophet and the cause he died for.

Later Dan served a second mission and is generally credited with more than 6,000 convert baptisms, the translation of numerous missionary tracts into the Welsh language, and leading the emigration of many of his converts to the Great Basin. After their arrival in the City of the Great Salt Lake, some of those Welsh converts became the nucleus of the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Dan Jones has a long list of accomplishments, most importantly being a strong proponent of the restored gospel. He died firm in that conviction and is buried in the Provo City Cemetery. - Research by Kerry A. Shirts

For those of you who are interested, you may find a longer and more detailed history of Dan Jones, here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Elder Rich,

You have your Dan Jones' mixed up. There was THE Dan Jones, who had visited the Prophet in Carthage (which is what you have recorded). He wasn't in the cell when the Prophet was killed.

The other Dan Jones - the one you show a picture of - is Daniel Webster Jones. Not the same guy.

I just thought you should know. May God bless you for the service you give.

Gwen said...

Dear Anonymous,
Thanks for the picture info. I "grabbed" another picture of Dan Jones and switched it out... I hope it is the right one. If not, please let me know. Thanks !!

Elder Rich's Mom :)