Ensign Peak

Description

How did the saints come to settle in the Salt Lake Valley? Elder George A. Smith of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and first cousin to the Prophet Joseph Smith, gave the following account:

“The question is frequently asked, ‘How did you ever find this place?’ I answer, we were led to it by the inspiration of God. After the death of Joseph Smith, when it seemed as if every trouble and calamity had come upon the Saints, Brigham Young, who was President of the Twelve, then the presiding Quorum of the Church, sought the Lord to know what they should do, and where they should lead the people for safety, and while they were fasting and praying daily on this subject, President Young had a vision of Joseph Smith, who showed him the mountain that we now call Ensign Peak, immediately north of Salt Lake City, and there was an ensign fell upon that peak, and Joseph said, ‘Build under the point where the colors fall and you will prosper and have peace.’ The Pioneers had no pilot or guide, none among them had ever been in the country or knew anything about it. However, they travelled under the direction of President Young until they reached this valley. When they entered it, President Young pointed to the peak and said he, ‘I want to go there.’ He went up to the point and said, ‘This is Ensign Peak. Now, brethren, organize your exploring parties, so as to be safe from Indians; go and explore where you will, and you will come back every time and say this is the best place. They accordingly started out exploring companies and visited what we now call Cache, Malad, Tooele, and Utah Valleys, and other parts of the country in various directions, but all came back and declared that this was the best spot.”

Source: Journal of Discourses, 13:85).