Joseph Smith had moved from New York to Kirtland, Ohio. He asked the Saints who were still living in New York to move to Ohio, and they obeyed him.

Jesus told Joseph that the Saints in Ohio should share their land with the Saints from New York. Leman Copley had a lot of land, and he promised to share it. Some of the Saints from New York moved onto the land.

Doctrine and Covenants 48:2

But Leman Copley didn’t keep his promise. He decided he didn’t want the Saints from New York to have his land. He made them move, and they had nowhere else to live.

Doctrine and Covenants 54, section heading

Newel Knight was the leader of this group of Saints. He didn’t know what to do, so he went to ask Joseph Smith for help.

Doctrine and Covenants 54, section heading

Joseph prayed, and the Lord told him that this group of Saints should go to Missouri.

Doctrine and Covenants 54:7–9

Before these Saints left Kirtland, a conference was held. It lasted three days. The Lord gave some important revelations to Joseph Smith.

The Lord told Joseph to ordain the first high priests in the Church. High priests have the Melchizedek Priesthood. Many leaders of the Church were ordained high priests.

Doctrine and Covenants 52, section heading

The Lord said some of the men should go on missions to Missouri. They were to preach the gospel on the way. When the conference was over, the missionaries left for Missouri.

Doctrine and Covenants 52:9–10

The Lord told Joseph that the next conference of the Church would be held in Missouri. He told Joseph and his friends to go there. Jesus promised to show them where to build the city of Zion.

Doctrine and Covenants 52:1–5 (see also D&C 42:62)