“And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse.” — Doctrine and Covenants 57:3¹

In a revelation given on July 20, 1831, in Independence, Missouri, the Lord designated Independence as the center place for the city of Zion and identified the location for the temple.² The Saints were instructed to purchase land in the area for an everlasting inheritance. This revelation is now found in Doctrine and Covenants 57.¹ When church leaders were first directed to Independence, many were skeptical of the area, including Bishop Edward Partridge. To them, Independence appeared to be little more than a backwater trading post. However, the Lord revealed to Joseph that it was His chosen place for Zion, and, after being chastened by the Lord, Bishop Partridge humbled himself and stepped in to help build Zion and the Church in Independence, Missouri.³

1. Doctrine and Covenants 57

2. “The Center Place,” Revelations in Context, churchofjesuschrist.org

3. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 12, 129-131; Historical Introduction, Revelation, 1 August 1831 [D&C 58], josephsmithpapers.org