Dearest Brothers and Sisters,

I hope that you are well and that the summer months have brought with them not just warmer weather but also an increase in joy for you and your families. In our home, we are enjoying some precious time together as a family this summer, with our oldest two children home from college and from missionary service.

As we look at the world around us the only word that adequately describes it is commotion. Prophets and the Lord himself have described our time as one when "the whole earth shall be in commotion" (D&C 45:26) and “all things shall be in commotion” (D&C 88:91). This commotion is seen in wars and natural disasters, in contention and disagreement, in so many ways that fulfill the prophecy that “peace shall be taken from the earth” (D&C 1:35). Most concerning of all is the spiritual commotion that so many are experiencing.

Much of the commotion we face is out of our control, there are some things that we can control. Our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, gave us such timely counsel: “My call today, dear brothers and sisters, is to end conflicts that are raging in your heart, your home, and your life.” How do we end spiritual commotion in our lives and find peace in these difficult times?

The answer lies in He who calmed the seas, He who is the Prince of Peace. Jesus Christ is the key to peace in our lives.

When the Savior and his disciples were on the sea of Galilee, “there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship.” When his disciples cried out to him fearing for their lives, Jesus “arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (see Mark 4:37-41).

In our lives, as the winds beat upon us and we feel overwhelmed, we can call upon our Father in Heaven and rely upon our Savior, Jesus Christ, to arise, to rebuke the wind, and to speak peace to our souls. One of the ways we can realize that peace most discernably is by worshipping in the House of the Lord. “Everything in the temple points us to Jesus Christ. As we participate in temple ordinances, we are assured that He is mindful of us. He is involved in our lives and He is dedicated to our eternal happiness” (see Draw Nearer to Christ). The Columbus Ohio Temple is nearly complete and we will be blessed to have an open house and dedication later this year. Construction continues on the Pittsburgh temple. And of course, we are all excited about the coming of the Cleveland Ohio Temple! Opportunities to worship and serve in temples continue to increase.

Now is the time to awake this source of peace in our lives! If you have been waiting to renew your temple recommend, or if you have been delaying getting things in order to qualify for a recommend, do it today! If you feel that you need to, as the disciples, awake the Savior “saying, Lord, save us: we perish” (Matthew 8:25), I invite you and urge you to find Him in the temple.

Our stake vision simply summarizes our desires to rely upon and call upon Jesus Christ to be a sure anchor and source of peace in our lives. Our desire is that we be a people founded upon the rock of Jesus Christ. Our goal for the Kirtland Ohio Stake can be expressed in a single statement:

As daughters and sons of God, united as disciples of Jesus Christ, we strive to establish Jesus Christ as the foundation of our lives by understanding, making, and living sacred covenants, and by inviting family, friends, and neighbors to do the same.

May God bless you, my dear brothers and sisters. I pray that you may found your lives upon Jesus Christ and in doing so, even amidst the storms of life, you will find Peace.

President Nathan L. Johnson

The Power of Spiritual Momentum

By President Russell M. Nelson

President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

"We are followers of the Prince of Peace. Now more than ever, we need the peace only He can bring. How can we expect peace to exist in the world when we are not individually seeking peace and harmony? Brothers and sisters, I know what I’m suggesting is not easy. But followers of Jesus Christ should set the example for all the world to follow. I plead with you to do all you can to end personal conflicts that are currently raging in your hearts and in your lives.

"We have never needed positive spiritual momentum more than we do now, to counteract the speed with which evil and the darker signs of the times are intensifying. Positive spiritual momentum will keep us moving forward amid the fear and uncertainty created by pandemics, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and armed hostilities. Spiritual momentum can help us withstand the relentless, wicked attacks of the adversary and thwart his efforts to erode our personal spiritual foundation.

"My dear brothers and sisters, with all the pleadings of my heart, I urge you to get on the covenant path and stay there. Experience the joy of repenting daily. Learn about God and how He works. Seek and expect miracles. Strive to end conflict in your life.

"As you act on these pursuits, I promise you the ability to move forward on the covenant path with increased momentum, despite whatever obstacles you face. And I promise you greater strength to resist temptation, more peace of mind, freedom from fear, and greater unity in your families."

Save the date and join us for our annual Stake Day of Service on Saturday, September 10, 2022. We will join forces with community organizations and volunteers all across the country as we unite in living the second law of the Gospel, to love and serve our neighbors.

We will have multiple projects going on that day in locations around the stake. More details will be shared as we get closer to the date.

Everyone has something to share, everyone has something to gain.

KIRTLAND, Ohio – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently began restoration on the home, and store, of the church’s first prophet, Joseph Smith. The construction phase began in the home on May 2.

The site is situated on the west side of Chillicothe Road (Ohio 306), immediately north of the Kirtland Temple and the historic Kirtland North Cemetery. The home was the first to be built for Joseph and Emma Smith in 1833.

Smith organized what has become a world-wide church in the small village of Fayette, NY, near where he was raised. Smith gained a small following in the 1820s while translating a set of gold plates – containing the scriptural account of ancient inhabitants on the American continent, visited by Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. The plates had been buried in a hillside near the Smith farm in Upstate New York.

The main body of the church moved to Kirtland in 1831. The Western Reserve town served as church headquarters for the next seven years. Ohio is home to nearly 65,000 members of the church today.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has restored or reconstructed six historic structures in Kirtland -- including the Newel K. Whitney store, a sawmill, ashery, a schoolhouse, the Johnson Inn, and the Whitney homestead -- just down the hill from the Smith residence. Historic Kirtland was dedicated in 2003. The restored village is currently operating year-round for guided tours out of the visitor’s center.

The church obtained the Smith property in 2012 and conducted extensive archeological and architectural research to determine which parts of the structure are original to the home and which parts had been added later.

During, what is expected to be a nearly two-year restoration project, all post-1833 materials will be carefully removed. The existing two-story structure will be returned to its original 1.5-story configuration. In addition, a large rear wing will be removed, and a smaller rear wing will be built in its place. The existing front porch, which was added after the Smith family lived there, has been removed.

Smith lived in the home – along with his wife, Emma, and three small children, one of whom was born in the home – from 1833 to 1838 when the church continued its journey westward. Smith oversaw the construction, and dedication, of the nearby Kirtland Temple while living in the home.

The site includes two parcels – the one to the south, which is occupied by the Smith home, while the northern parcel was home to the Prophet’s parents, Joseph Smith Sr., and Lucy Mack Smith. The elder Smiths’ home does not survive, but plans call for a historical marker to mark its location

In addition to the residence, a small store, which was owned and operated by Smith, currently sits across Chillicothe Road from the homestead, and will also undergo an exterior renovation only.

The store was designed by architect Truman O. Angell, who later became the church’s official architect. Angell would later design the iconic Salt Lake Temple.

The anticipated completion of the project is June 2023, pending any major supply chain issues. Dedication of the site is expected to be in the fall that same year.

After the dedication, guided tours of the home will be available by reservation only.

By Brenda Jackson, Kirtland Stake Media Specialist