Trivia Correction: The answer to trivia question #3 has been updated from Answer D (Oliver Cowdery) to Answer B (Joseph Smith).*
“He was willing to accept the position knowing, as he did, that Joseph was a true prophet” — Elizabeth Ann Whitney1
In a revelation received on December 4, 1831, Joseph Smith called Newel K. Whitney as a bishop over Kirtland, Ohio. The revelation outlined the duties of a bishop, emphasizing stewardship, accountability, and the management of the Lord's storehouse.2
Whitney's role was to oversee the temporal affairs of the Church in his area, ensuring that the needs of the members were met and that the funds and resources of the Church were handled wisely and according to the Lord's commandments. Newel's calling and the duties of the bishop are now found in Doctrine and Covenants section 72.2
Newel K. Whitney was not the first bishop called in the Church—instead, that fell to Edward Partridge, who was called on February 4, 1831.3
