“But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” — Isaiah 64:8¹

Heber C. Kimball, an early leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was also a skilled potter. He moved to Mendon, New York, in 1820 to learn pottery from his older brother Charles and later took over the business after his marriage to Vilate Murray in 1822. Kimball was known for producing high-quality brownware pottery, including jugs, crocks, and other kitchen items. He abandoned his pottery business to serve the Lord after being ordained to be an apostle. In his sermons, Kimball often compared the process of molding clay to the Lord shaping the lives of the Saints.²

1. Isaiah 64:8

2. “Potter Became Apostle of Jesus Christ,” Church News, May 12, 1990; “Heber C. Kimball’s Tool Chest,” churchofjesuschrist.org