175 years ago today - Mar 31, 1844

William Clayton, Joseph Smith's personal secretary, writes that his two wives "received their anointing for which I feel thankful . . . my greatest desire is to so live that I may secure for myself and mine the highest degree of exaltation and glory which is possible for me to obtain, and to be with my friend Joseph smith in the eternal world." The "anointing" Clayton speaks of is the endowment. They didn't receive their second anointing until Jan 26, 1846. Joseph Smith signs his petition to the U.S. Government to allow Joseph "the privilege of raising 100,000 [military] volunteers to protect the Texas, Oregon, &c."