Joel Hills Johnson — Vision of the Spirit World

In 1874, Joel Hills Johnson recorded a significant vision in his journal. The vision, which he noted began by 'finding' himself in a specific spiritual state or location, involved a detailed view of the spirit world and the condition of those who had passed away. This experience occurred during his time in Southern Utah, where he was actively involved in the settlement of Johnson and Enoch. The vision provided him with profound insights into the afterlife and the necessity of temple work, reinforcing his lifelong commitment to the LDS faith and the redemption of the dead.

Recording note: The account as given here comes from a Daughters of Utah Pioneers history submitted by Gayle C. Morris. Johnson's journals (covering 1861–1882) are housed in the Church History Library and cataloged by Scripture Central, but no public verbatim text of the vision has been located, so no excerpt is reproduced here. Johnson (1802–1882), the Latter-day Saint missionary and hymnwriter of “High on the Mountain Top,” founded the settlement of Johnson in Utah's Long Valley.