Henry and Catharine Brooks,
November 15, 1844:
The
loss of Br. Joseph and Hyrum has been greatly felt but we have the twelve
apostles to preside in their stead. Br. Brigham Young is president of the
twelve and stands as prophet, seer, and revelator to the Church. He is an
excellent man, and favours Br. Joseph, both in person, and manner of speaking,
more than any person ever you saw looks like another. (Henry and Catharine
Brooks to Leonard Pickell, November 15, 1844, Yale University, as cited in
“Documents of Testimonies of the Mantle Experience,” in Opening the Heavens:
Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820-1844, ed. John W. Welch [2d ed.; Provo,
Utah: BYU Press; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2017], 433)
Wilford Woodruff alluding to the
Transfiguration of Brigham Young in February 1845:
We
found this kind of spirit and feeling upon the Saints on our return to Nauvoo,
truly they were called to mourn, but had by no means lost their faith; but
otherwise, they seemed united together, if possible with a stronger tie, and as
the heart of one man, were ready to carry out every measure of the work of God,
according to the pattern and foundation laid by the prophet who had sealed the
work with his life. On the second day after our arrival, Aug. 8th, 1844, we met
in a special conference, all the quorums, authorities, and members of the
Church, that could assemble in Nauvoo. They were addressed by elder Brigham
Young, the president of the quorum of the twelve. It was evident to the
Saints that the mantle of Joseph had fallen upon him, the road that he
pointed out could be seen so plainly, that none need err therein; the spirit of
wisdom and counsel attended all his teachings, he struck upon a chord, with
which all hearts beat in unison. (Wilford Woodruff, "To
the Officers and Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint in
the British Islands," The Latter-day Saints'
Millennial Star 5, no. 9 [February 1845]:138, emphasis in bold added)