The rapid growth of the Church in 1830 and 1831—especially the rush of new converts coming to Kirtland, Ohio—was exciting and encouraging to the Saints. But it also presented some challenges. How do you unify a quickly expanding body of believers, especially when they are bringing with them doctrine and practices from their previous faiths? For example, when Joseph Smith arrived in Kirtland in early February 1831, he found new members sharing common property in a genuine attempt to imitate the New Testament Christians (see Acts 4:32–37). [Read More]
