Friday, June 27, 1969

History was being made yesterday afternoon as the message of the gospel was preached openly in the streets of Rio de Janeiro. A street meeting, to our knowledge the first ever in the city, was held in Praça Tiradentes with the eight elders from the Headquarters and Jardim Botânico Districts participating.

To attract attention, one elder would begin going through the Book of Mormon lesson and the Joseph Smith story, in that order, giving it in English. A second elder would translate into Portuguese. The remaining six elders with copies of the Book of Mormon in hand mingled among the people that would gather, offering explanations, answering questions, selling the Book of Mormon. In addition, large posters depicting the Restoration and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon were displayed on two separate stands or frames built for that purpose.

The meeting was counted a success, although better praças might have been picked with a better flow of pedestrian traffic. But it took quite a bit of maneuvering to obtain permission for even this meeting. Eleven copies of the Book of Mormon were sold in about one hour and a half. Rain, which had been threatening for some time, finally drenched the elders and the exhibit.

Participating in the street meeting were Elders Michael Knight, Ray Carter, Kirk Marsh, and Gary Jensen (all from Jardim Botânico), and Elders Dorrell Henderson, Phillip N. Richins, Monte Stewart, and Dean Cleverly (from Headquarters).

Exactly 125 years ago today the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, the Patriarch, were assassinated at the hands of a mob in Carthage Jail, sealing with their lives a testimony that the world cannot impeach. The world has tried, but the work set up by the Lord through the instrumentality of the Prophet is spreading forth. The gospel, as prophesied by Joseph Smith, will penetrate every continent, be preached in every nation, spread through every city and hamlet, touch every heart.

From the inspired announcement of the martyrdom: "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. . . . He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated! . . . The Testators are now dead, and their testament is in force" (D&C 135:3, 5).