The Gospel, preached by the first missionaries sent westward from New York, in October, 1830, had taken a firm hold among the honest-in-heart of Northern Ohio. Among those who had embraced the new faith—new, indeed, and wonderful to that generation—were Sidney Rigdon, Edward Partridge and Newel K. Whitney. The Pratts, the Whitmers, and other noted families were already numbered among the followers of the "Mormon" Prophet, and it was Parley P. Pratt, Oliver Cowdery and other Elders who had first brought the Gospel to Kirtland.
The new branch throve so rapidly as to soon eclipse in importance all others; an event no doubt divinely ordered, as the Saints at large, in December, 1830, were commanded to "assemble together at the Ohio."
Late in October, or early in November, 1832, Heber C. Kimball, in company with Brigham and Joseph Young, arrived in Kirtland. They had traveled by team a distance of three hundred miles. Their first meeting with the Prophet, whom they had come so far to see, was on the 8th day of November. Joseph was felling trees in the forest when the party approached. It is related that, on seeing Brigham, he said: "There is a man who will yet preside over this Church."
As to Heber, the heart of Joseph was at once knit with his, in friendship like unto that of David and Jonathan; and this feeling of brotherly love, like a golden chain, uniting these two noble souls, was destined to endure unbroken through time and eternity.
Says Heber: "We saw brother Joseph Smith and had a glorious time; during which Brother Brigham spoke in tongues before Joseph, this being the first time he had heard anyone speak in tongues. He rose up and testified that the gift was from God, and then the gift fell upon him and he spoke in tongues himself. He afterwards declared it was the pure, or Adamic language that he spoke. Soon after this the gift of tongues commenced in the Church at Kirtland generally. We had a precious season and returned with a blessing in our souls."
In the fall of 1833, Elder Kimball disposed of his possessions in Mendon, and settled his affairs preparatory to gathering to the bosom of the Church. He had borne faithful testimony to the inhabitants of the place which had been his home for so many years, but, with few exceptions, they had turned a deaf ear to his warning words. Heber was the only one of his father's household to embrace the Gospel. His brother Solomon, though friendly, and at one time, like Agrippa, "almost persuaded," did not come within the fold.
No sooner was Heber ready to start Zionward, than he was again beset by petty persecutions. This time they were not only malicious, but of an out and out dishonest character. Notwithstanding he had settled all his accounts, and paid every penny that he owed—"unless it was two cents to one man, in a case where change could not be procured"—and left debts owing to him, uncollected, to the amount of "some hundred dollars," attachments were issued at the instance of some of his neighbors, and his goods seized by officers of the law.
Rather than be delayed by a law-suit, in which, owing to religious prejudice, he had little hope of receiving fair treatment, he settled the unjust claims and departed.
His family at this time consisted of himself and wife, and their two children, William Henry and Helen Mar. Judith Marvin, an elder daughter, and Roswell Heber, a younger son—the first and latest born of the household—had died. Brigham Young and his two little daughters went in the same wagon with the Kimball family to Kirtland. They reached their destination about the last of October, or early in November. They first occupied a house belonging to Elijah Smith, uncle to the wife of Bishop N. K. Whitney; but Heber soon had a home of his own, which he continued to share with his friend and brother Brigham, until the latter procured a separate domicile.
It is an interesting fact that Brigham was the builder of Heber's house in Kirtland, he being a carpenter and joiner, as well as a painter and glazier.