Ever wonder how a simple travel detour can completely change the course of history? In 1830, four missionaries bound for the western frontier made what seemed like a small decision to stop in Ohio along the way. Little did they know that this unplanned visit would transform a quiet frontier region into the beating heart of the early Restoration.
Called and Directed: Kirtland Missionaries
In October 1830, a revelation called Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Parley P. Pratt, and Ziba Peterson to undertake a mission "into the wilderness among the Lamanites." Their assignment was clear: preach the restored gospel to Native American tribes near Missouri’s border, whom they believed were descendants of Book of Mormon peoples.
Before setting out, these four men—handpicked by revelation—signed a covenant. Oliver Cowdery, who had served as Joseph's scribe and witnessed the gold plates, promised to lead humbly, while the others pledged to support him. Their journey began with a stop among the Seneca Nation near Buffalo, New York, where they left copies of the Book of Mormon but saw no baptisms.
The missionaries then continued westward. Parley P. Pratt, a recent convert, wanted to visit his former pastor, Sidney Rigdon, in Mentor, convincing the group to take a route through Ohio. This small detour would profoundly shape the early Church's development.
A Preacher's Conversion: Sidney Rigdon and Rigdon's Congregation
In October 1830, Sidney Rigdon—a skilled speaker and fiery Campbellite preacher with a congregation near Kirtland, Ohio—received unexpected visitors: former student Parley P. Pratt and three other missionaries bound for Native American territories. Though initially skeptical, Rigdon allowed Pratt to preach to his flock about the newly published Book of Mormon and promised to read it for himself.
For two weeks, Sydney and his wife Phebe wrestled with the book's claims. Eventually, as they became convinced of its truthfulness, Phebe declared, "I have counted the cost, and … it is my desire to do the will of God, come life or come death.”
In November 1830, Sydney and Phebe Rigdon were baptized in an icy Ohio stream, along with dozens of their congregation members. Within weeks, over 100 of Rigdon's former followers joined the Church.
Rigdon's reputation as a respected preacher lent crucial credibility to the young movement. By December, he was traveling to New York to meet Joseph Smith—building a relationship that would shape the Church's Kirtland era and beyond. Rigdon's congregation also significantly bolstered Latter-day Saint numbers and led to Kirtland becoming a central gathering place for the Saints.
Divine Hospitality: Lucy Diantha Morley and Morley Farm
When the four missionaries arrived at a farm near Kirtland where fifteen-year-old Lucy Diantha Morley was working, their host refused to listen to their message or offer hospitality. Lucy boldly intervened: "Gentlemen, my father lives a mile from here. He never turns anyone hungry from his door."
This simple invitation led the missionaries to the Morley Farm, where her parents, Isaac and Lucy Morley, welcomed them warmly.
The Morleys’ 80-acre farm was no ordinary homestead. For years, Isaac and Lucy had hosted a communal "common stock family" of Christians seeking to live the New Testament ideal of having "all things common." When the missionaries testified of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith’s visions, the Morleys recognized the truth instantly. That very evening, 17 members of their community—including the Morley family—were baptized.
Lucy Diantha’s simple act of kindness ignited a chain reaction:
Within weeks, dozens of converts joined the Church around Kirtland, with the Morley Farm as their center.
The farm became a place of revelation as Joseph received 13 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants while living there with Emma.
Lucy and her sister later cared for Emma after the tragic loss of the Smiths’ newborn twins.
Kirtland: A New Center of the Restoration
What began as a detour quickly became a crucial turning point in Church history. Within months of the first baptisms among Sidney Rigdon's congregation and at the Morley Farm, Kirtland transformed from a quiet frontier town into the beating heart of the Restoration.
In December 1830, a revelation instructed the Saints to "go to the Ohio," and Kirtland was established as a gathering place. Converts arrived by the hundreds, revelations flowed, and eventually, the first temple of this dispensation would rise on Ohio soil.
Learn more (and get your own set of cards) at churchhistorycards.com.
Bonus Trivia
*Answers in footnotes
1. What did the missionaries give to Sidney Rigdon?[1]
A. A Priesthood blessing B. The Book of Mormon C. The Lectures on Faith D. A pamphlet about the First Vision
2. What religious movement did Sidney Rigdon’s congregation follow?[2]
A. Oneida B. Quaker C. Campbellite D. Shaker
3. What year did the Morley Farm begin their communal “common stock family” arrangement?[3]
A. 1805 B. 1811 C. 1829 D. 1831
