On April 6, 1830, the Lord commanded Joseph Smith that "there shall be a record kept among you" (D&C 21:1). This volume highlights the product of those efforts, including histories written in Joseph's own hand. It features all of the known histories authored by Joseph Smith, whether written personally by him or by his close associates under his immediate supervision,and include the history penned in 1832 by Joseph Smith with assistance from scribe Frederick G. Williams, the history written from 1834 to 1836, three documents related to the effort to produce the manuscript that later became the History of the Church, an article published in 1839 recounting the conflicts between Latter,day Saints and other residents of northwestern Missouri, and two articles from the 1840s that give an overview of early Church history. These eight histories provide several early, important accounts of Joseph Smith's foundational religious experiences, including the First Vision and the visits of the angel Moroni. They also chronicle important events and developments in early Church history. As with all other volumes of The Joseph Smith Papers, these documents have been transcribed and annotated according to the highest standards of documentary editing and include invaluable introductory material.
