Mormon History Movie: How Rare a Possession: The Book of Mormon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75D5UEPwP-YThis movie depicts the scenes of Parley P. Pratt finding the Book of Mormon which were also presented as a separate movie.  This version adds another story; that of Vincenzo di Fancesca, and Italian pastor of the 20th Century.  He toured the United States, and became a preacher, with a gift for preaching.  He found a book, which was old and the Title of the book and title page had both been lost.  This was the Book Of Mormon, unbeknown to him.  He read the book, and became convinced of its veracity through prayer and the Holy Ghost.  He began preaching from the book.  He shared stories of special meaning--Nephis's vision of the Virgin Mary, King Benjamin's discourse on service, an other significant stories.  He actually became quite successful preaching.  However the brotherhood of the faith censored him, telling him to burn the book or be expelled.  He couldn't burn the book, as he was convinced of its truth.  He served in WWI.  Even during the war he was disciplined for preaching from the book.  It wasn't until after the war, he discovered the book's origin as the Book of Mormon.  Made efforts to be baptized, but politics prevented him from meeting with anyone who could baptize him.  This story documents his struggle.  WWII got in his way.  It wasn't until after the war that he was finally able to fulfill this goal.  He was by then an old man. 
In his study of the book, the movie also portrays important scenes form the Book of Mormon.

Mormon Historical Movie: Parley P. Pratt Finds the Book of Mormon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKbbghDl7f8

This movie tells the story of a spiritual man in the year 1830.  Parley Pratt had a sense that he needed to be a teacher of the gospel, and leave his home.  In his journey, on his way to Albany, New York, he felt impressed to stop to teach.  As a result of this stop, he found the Book of Mormon, which he could not put down.  Eating and sleep seemed a burden to him.  He then traveled to Palmyra, to meet the translator.  He found Hyrum Smith at the home.  Again the spent the night talking about the restoration.  He had found something with more worth to him than his property or many properties would have been

Lead-up to WWII, Rhineland, Czechoslovakia and Neville Chamberlain

There were two events leading up to WWII, if there had more a show of force, maybe war could have been avoided.  After WWI, with the treaty of Versailles, Germany had been hemmed in, as being blames as the primary cause of the war.  Several areas were ceded from Germany, and The Rhineland, though not ceded was suppose to not be militarized.  It was sort of a neutral buffer zone between Germany and France.  The first aggressive act by Germany or the Nazis was moving in with military force into this area.  Many of the military people did not think it could be done, that England and France would not allow it.  At this time France and the British had greater military strength than Germany.  The instructions from Hitler were to try the waters, but to turn back if there was armed resistance.  However there was no resistance, and with this the German morale increased and they gained confidence to make other demands.
German also began to rearm, using conscription, and expanding beyond 100,000 soldiers allowed by the Versailles Treaty.
Another thing leading up to armed conflict was the political annexation of Austria by Germany.  Germany threatened the Chancellor of Austria to resign, or be invaded.  He resigned and a Nazi Chancellor was installed, and Austria and Germany combined. 
The next threat was that Germany started making demands to expand into Czechoslovakia where over 2 million Germans resided.  This was a sore point of negotiation.  Czechoslovakia was prepared to defend her freedom and territory.  However in the Munich Treaty, England and France capitulated, and gave the territory to Germany for as Chamberlain said "Peace in out time."  Czechoslovakia did not participate in the conference, but capitulated, and much of the country was controlled by Germany.  Poland claimed other chunks, and Slovakia declared her independence. 
So again, in the name of peace, Nazi Germany was able to expand, gain more power, and prepare for war.

Mormon Historical Movie: Endowed with Power

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-126-endowed-with-power?category=doctrine-and-covenants/section-120-church-history

This movie tells the story of the Nauvoo Temple, and the people who showed up at the temple just before the Saints had to abandon it because they were being forced out of Nauvoo in February of 1846.  Brigham Young advices the people to leave the temple, to go home, and prepare to cross the Mississippi River.  However, many had not had the opportunity to complete their temple work.  Brigham Young left the temple, thinking the people would follow his example and leave.  However they lingered.  He was then moved with compassion upon them.  The temple was open all night, as additional Saints were able to participate in the blessings of the temple.  The temple was open all night, and 295 persons received ordinances. 
The movie jumps forward forward to the laying of the corner stone for the Salt Lake Temple in 1853.  At this meeting, Brigham Young instructs the people of the need for temple work.
Excerpts from Howard W Hunter's talk on temple work is then presented.  "It does matter where you marry, and by what authority you are pronounced man and wife.  All of our efforts...lead to the holy temple..."  Then are presented several testimonies of members of the Church, and the blessing the have received from the temple. 

History of the Logan Tabernacle

In 1864 Heber C. Kimball told the Saints in Cache Valley to build a tabernacle.  In 1873 Brigham Young told them to build it larger.
http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-06-004-a-look-back-the-logan-tabernacle?lang=eng
A Look Back: The Logan Tabernacle

They began building in 1864 and completed the work in 1891 when it was dedicated by Wilford Woodruff.  Its final dimensions are 65 feet by 130.
However the building was used before this dedication date.  I wrote a blog post about the debate held in the basement of the tabernacle in 1889 between Joseph Smith III of the Josephite Church and Apostle Thatcher of the Utah Church. 
http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2013/01/joseph-smith-iii-visits-cache-valley.html
This building is a monument to pioneer character.  Even more remarkable is that the Logan Temple was built at the same time, with even greater sacrifice.  However the buildings had different purposes. 

Mormon Historical Video: Organization of the Church

This is a short video  shows a historical depiction of the events around the reestablishment of the Church in the Peter Whitmer home April 6, 1830.  It includes the events leading up to the restoration, including the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the First Vision.  The original movie was produced by the Church in 1982.  The original is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4B_BTjpG8o&list=HL1380777606

 It truly was a marvelous day.  It included voting to accept Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as their spiritual leaders, baptisms of all now that they were baptized into the church, the sacrament for the first time in this dispensation, confirmations and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and priesthood ordinations.  President Kimball's message from the 150 year anniversary is provided at the end of the video.  He was addressing the church from the Peter Whitmer home.  The Church which started with six members, as per the law of the state of New York, then numbered millions. 

Mormon Historical Movie: Restoration of the Priesthood (1982)

This is part of a series of Church History movies I am viewing.  This movie tells the stories of the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods.  In 1839, as Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery translated the Book of Mormon, they came across scripture talking of the need for baptism.  However, at that time they did not have the authority to baptize, so they took to nearby woods to pray.  They were close to the Susquehanna River.  John the Baptist appeared to them, and confirmed the priesthood on them. They then baptized each other in the river.  This movie also presented Peter James and John and the restoration of the higher priesthood.  It concludes with Boyd K. Packer talking about the importance of having the proper authority.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4B_BTjpG8o
The first ten minutes of this movie show the same video minus the Boyd K. Packer addition.