All About Lehi City, Utah: History, Weather, Population, and More!

All About Lehi City, Utah: History, Weather, Population, and More!

Everything you need to know about Lehi City, Utah: history, city’s name, about Prophet Lehi, and more!

    The beautiful state of Utah consists of delightful towns and cities that are perfect to visit during vacations. The weather, the people, the culture, and the cities — a few of the reasons why “Utah” is a good place to go. There are approximately 68 cities in Utah, and Salt Lake City as the capital and most populous one.

    From Salt Lake City, about 25.59 miles in the south direction, you will find a city that you will surely love. It might be simple, but it is filled with wonderful people.

The Story Behind The City’s Name 

    Some of our friends and tourists are asking questions like “Where does the name Lehi come from?” or “What does Lehi stand for?”. I’m pretty sure that the latter-day saints knew who Lehi is. However, some latter-day saints from other countries are curious about why Lehi City was named after Lehi, the father of Nephi. So I think it’s best if we take a look at the city’s history.

(Photo: utahvalley.com)

    The story unfolds in the fall of 1850 at a place in the northernmost part of the Utah Valley when a group of Mormon pioneers settled in the area now known as “Lehi”.

Lehi City has been known as Sulphur Springs, Snow’s Springs, Dry Creek, and then Evansville — named after David Evans, a local bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Early in 1852, Evans petitioned the Utah Territorial Legislature to incorporate the settlement. On February 5, 1852, “Lehi City” was officially incorporated and became Utah’s sixth oldest town. The legislature also approved Evan’s request to call the new city “Lehi”, named after Prophet Lehi from the Book of Mormon.

But why did he choose the name Lehi?

According to Richard S. Van Wagoner, a non-academic historian who published works on the history of both Utah and the Latter Day Saint movement, Bishop Evans felt that “like the Book of Mormon patriarch of the same name, the colonizers of Lehi had been uprooted on numerous occasions before finally settling in their promised land.” 

The members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are definitely familiar with the story of Lehi and his family. But if you’re one of our friends outside the faith and your heart and mind are open to hearing the story, our friendly missionaries, church members, church leaders, and your Living Scriptures family are happy to help! 

    While you still have the time on your hands, let’s have a quick talk about Prophet Lehi.

Lehi, the Father of Nephi 

Lehi is a Hebrew prophet and the father of Nephi — the author of the first two books in the Book of Mormon. 

(Photo: churchofjesuschrist.org)

The stories in the Book of Mormon begins with Lehi — the vision of the pillar of fire, his family’s journey in the wilderness, and their way to America. In short, Lehi is the first prophet among his people in the Book of Mormon. The first book in the Book of Mormon, First Nephi (1 Nephi), tells us the story of Lehi, his family, and their teachings. 

Lehi and his wife, Sariah, were blessed with six sons — Laman, Lemuel, Sam, Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph. It is also believed that Lehi had daughters, too. On 2 Nephi 5:6, Nephi mentioned that he has sisters, but he didn’t disclose their names and birth orders.

The Life of Lehi

The Book of Mormon tells us the story about the journey of Lehi’s family and friends when they left Jerusalem sometime before the Babylonians captivated the city. They went to the Arabian Peninsula, facing many hardships including the breaking of Nephi’s bow which made it impossible to obtain food, and the rebelling of his two sons, Laman and Lemuel, against him and his son Nephi.

They then traveled in an eastward direction until they reached a fertile coastal region which is the land of Bountiful. The Lord commanded Lehi’s son, Nephi, to build a ship and sail to the “Promised Land”, or the Americas. Shortly after their arrival in the Americas, Lehi passed away. Before his death, Lehi gave important teachings to his children, and he left the leadership of their colony in Nephi’s hands. You can also check out the article “The Story of Nephi (Son of Lehi)”. Please insert the link to the article once posted.

Lehi’s life was dominated by dreams and visions which play a big role in our lives today. Some of them are:

    1. Lehi was called by the Lord in a vision in which he sees Christ and the twelve apostles. (1 Ne. 1:6–14)
    2. In another prophecy, Lehi foretells the Babylonian captivity, the ministry of the Messiah, and the preaching of the gospel to the gentiles. (1 Ne. 10:3–14)
    3. The journey of Lehi’s group into the wilderness was commanded in a dream. (1 Ne. 2:1–3)
    4. Lehi was commanded to send his sons back to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of Laban and later to persuade Ishmael and his sons and daughters to join them. (1 Ne. 3:2–4, 1 Ne. 7:1–2)

 

  • Lehi sees a vision of the tree of life. (1 Ne. 8)

 

The best way to know the story of Lehi and his family is by reading the Book of Mormon and by watching the Animated Book of Mormon Stories available here at Living Scriptures Streaming!

Claim your free one month now!

The Book of Lehi

Joseph Smith, the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, began with the Book of Lehi when he was translating the Book of Mormon. The Book of Lehi was a record that prophet Mormon had abridged from the plates of Lehi. After Joseph Smith had the 116 pages of manuscript that contains the translation from the Book of Lehi, he gave the manuscript to Martin Harris — Joseph Smith’s scribe in the translation of the Book of Mormon. 

The 116 pages of the manuscript were lost. Joseph Smith didn’t retranslate what Martin Harris had lost because he said that if he did translate it again, “evil men would alter the manuscript and they will say that he has lied in his words, he has no gift, and he has no power.” (D&C 10: 17-18, 30)

Joseph Smith had been divinely ordered to replace the lost records with Nephi’s account of the same events — which are now the first six books of the Book of Mormon.

Lehi City’s Population

How many people live in Lehi? As of 2018, there are roughly 66,000 people enjoying the beautiful city of Lehi. And as months go by, there are more people moving into the city. We shouldn’t be very surprised though. If I have the chance to move to Lehi, I definitely won’t hesitate.

Climate and Weather in Lehi

    On average, the US gets 38 inches of rain per year, and Lehi City gets 15 inches of rain per year. The US gets 28 inches of snow per year, and Lehi City gets 33 inches of snow per year. On average, there are 205 sunny days per year in the US, and Lehi City’s average is 228 sunny days per year. On average, Lehi City also gets some kind of precipitation 80 days per year. Not bad, eh? 

(Photo: lehi-ut.gov)

    The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Lehi is 7.2 (10 being the best), making Lehi City more comfortable compared to other places in Utah. The most enjoyable months in Lehi are September, June, and May, while the least comfortable months are December and January. (Source: bestplaces.net)

And to keep you updated about the current weather in Lehi City, you can check out the updates from The Weather Channel by clicking here.

Hotels and Restaurants in Lehi

    Being one of the most visited cities in Utah, Lehi City is full of great hotels and affordable restaurants. Being a tourist in Lehi, both food and accommodation won’t be a problem… ever!

    Some of the popular hotels in Lehi are:

  • Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lehi – Thanksgiving Point
  • Hyatt Place Salt Lake City/Lehi
  • Courtyard by Marriott Lehi at Thanksgiving Point
  • Days Inn by Wyndham Lehi
  • Staybridge Suites Lehi – Traverse Ridge Center
  • Best Western Timpanogos Inn
  • Hampton Inn Lehi – Thanksgiving Point
  • Comfort Inn Lehi – Thanksgiving Point Area
  • SpringHill Suites Lehi at Thanksgiving Point

    Or you can visit booking.com, hotels.com, agoda.com, and expedia.com to check out the best hotels in Lehi. You can also check out the must-visit restaurants in Lehi City by visiting tripadvisor.com, yelp.com, and zomato.com.

“What is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints?”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a nontrinitarian, Christian restorationist church founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 — yes, around 200 years ago. Followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider it to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah in the United States after moving to the desert state in the 1850s. Started with just six members in the United States on April 6, 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints now has over 16 million members, most of which are based in the United States, and 65,000 full-time volunteer missionaries (and counting!).

The church has established more than 30,000 congregations and built about 170 temples worldwide, which are being constructed or presently in use. Did you know, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints usually feel something deep in their hearts whenever they look at temple pictures? (Most members even cry once they enter the temple gates!)

“What Is the Story Behind the Church Name?”

In the Book of Mormon, when Jesus Christ visited the Nephites, He taught that the Church should be called after His name. ”And they who were baptized in the name of Jesus were called the ​​​church​ of Christ.” (3 Nephi 26:21​) In the New Testament, Paul refers to early Christians as saints. (See Ephesians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1)

We call ourselves “Latter-day Saints” because of the strong belief that we are currently living near the time of the second coming of Jesus Christ. So if the early Christians were called “saints”, the members in today’s era are called “latter-day saints”.

“Who is the Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?”

Jesus Christ is the one and only leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and no one can ever replace him. He is the head of His church right from the very beginning. And under His leadership, the prophets and apostles spearhead the mission of the Church.

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20)

Jesus Christ is on the top, followed by the Living Prophet (also called the “President of the Church”) who directly receives God’s orders through revelation. The prophet will choose his two counselors, forming as the “First Presidency”, followed by the “Quorum of the Twelve Apostles”. Yes, we are so blessed to have a living prophet!

The prophet is honored by all, but not worshipped. As true Christians, we only praise, worship, and bow to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

The History of the Church: “How Did It Start?”

The story of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unfolds in the spring of 1820 — when two heavenly beings appeared to a little boy named Joseph Smith.

Joseph Smith: The Founder

Joseph Smith was confused by the conflicting claims of various faith, so he went to read the Bible for guidance. The “Ask of God” verse (See James 1:5) lead him to pray in the Sacred Grove, where he experienced the “First Vision”.

Joseph knelt in the woods near the farm. It was the first time in his life to pray… vocally. In the most dramatic revelation since biblical times, “Two Personages” — presumably God the Father and Jesus Christ — appeared to the young boy and gave him instructions. He was commanded not to join any of the existing churches, and that God would restore to earth the Church originally organized by Jesus Christ. (See JS—H 1:1)

Ten years later, after a series of revelations and visitations, Joseph Smith officially organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 6 April 1830, calling it a restoration of the early Christian church.

The Book of Mormon

Joseph experienced a visitation from angel Moroni — an ancient prophet who had lived and died in the Western Hemisphere centuries earlier. Joseph claimed that the angel directed him to a hill near his home in Palmyra, New York where the golden plates are buried in the ground.

The religious history of an ancient American civilization, between 2200 B.C. and A.D. 421, was engraved on the plates. Aside from Joseph Smith, there were at least 11 witnesses who saw the plates in 1829, and another 3 claimed that they have been visited by an angel, too.

After four years, Joseph Smith was permitted to translate the record. Named for one of the ancient American prophets — Prophet Mormon — The Book of Mormon was first published in 1830, the same year when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded.

Let us remember Joseph Smith with “Praise to the Man” and more on Living Scriptures Streaming. Simply follow this LINK and start your free month today! livingscriptures.com/joseph-smith

“Why Is the Temple Important for Latter-day Saints?”

Temples are literally houses of the Lord. These are the holy places where members make sacred covenants with God, receive instructions, perform sacred ceremonies and ordinances, and worship Jesus Christ. Moreover, the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledge the temple as a sacred place to commune with God and understand His will, seek God’s aid, and receive personal revelation. I’m telling you, just by looking at the temple pictures, members can feel something different.

The Lord has commanded His people to build temples, that’s why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is working to build temples all over the world. This will make temple blessings accessible to God’s children here, there, and everywhere.

Temples Near Me

Hundreds of temples were built over the world, and the church keeps building more from time to time. To check the nearest temple, please follow the link below:

          Find a Temple churchofjesuschrist.org

Churches Near Me

And because there are thousands of meetinghouses and wards globally, I’m pretty sure that you’ll find at least one near you:

          Find a Meetinghouse or Ward churchofjesuschrist.org

“Do Latter-day Saints Read the Bible?”

Yes, absolutely. Some people might say “The Book of Mormon replaces the Bible.” — No! And we never do that. The Book of Mormon is the second witness for Christ. It gives us a better understanding of the Gospel and validates more biblical stories. It is true that the Book of Mormon is the “keystone” of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t believe in the Bible. Why would we do that?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members read the Book of Mormon, The Holy Bible, together with The Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, and more! You’re right, we love reading!

For further explanation of the Book of Mormon, please read the article “Book of Mormon Stories: A New Way to Feast on The Scriptures” by following this LINK: livingscriptures.com

You can also watch the Complete Animated Book of Mormon Stories only here at
Living Scriptures Streaming!

“There Are So Many False Teachings Online. What Should I Trust?”

That is a good question. Yes, we know that you can find billions of information online. That’s helpful if you’re looking for product reviews or reading movie critiques. However, when it comes to studying the scriptures and wanting to know more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or any other organization, it is hard to trust the internet. Really, really hard.

But don’t worry, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have numerous official websites, pages, apps, and more so that you won’t struggle looking for CORRECT information online.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official Websites

There are a couple of official websites managed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can find one easily on the internet just by typing “latter-day saints”. Here are some of the most-visited church websites.

  • LDS.org (or churchofjesuschrist.org)

Here you can research conference talks and keep updated with the recent Church news as well as find many Church resources, manuals, and magazines. Go to this link: churchofjesuschrist.org

  • Mormon.org (or comeuntochrist.org)

This website is recommended for both members and non-members who want to learn more about the church. Link: comeuntochrist.org

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Newsroom

Kind of like your daily newspaper, here you can read the recent events and happenings about the church and the people. You can visit the lds.org and look for the newsroom, or simply follow this link: newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Blog

Sure thing that everyone loves to read blogs. How about reading church blogs instead of “how to take a good selfie” or “how to be popular” articles? churchofjesuschrist.org/blog

The Official Church Social Channels

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we should be thankful that Social Media platforms allow us to spread positive thoughts and kind words in just a click.

Facebook Page:
facebook.com/churchofjesuschrist

Facebook Group:
facebook.com/groups/churchofjesuschristinspirationandnews

Instagram:
instagram.com/ChurchOfJesusChrist

Twitter:
twitter.com/churchnewsroom

Youtube:
youtube.com/churchofjesuschrist

The Latter-day Saints Mobile Apps

And because almost everyone owns a smartphone, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has official and non-official mobile apps available at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Check out this article: “LDS Apps: 10 Apps Every Member of The Church Must Know”

          LINK: livingscriptures.com

The Living Scriptures Streaming

Are you looking for illustrated scripture stories? Documentaries? Faith-based movies? Latter-day-saints-produced comedies and dramas? Inspirational films? Values-based kid’s shows? You don’t need to browse the internet. All you have to do is to visit livingscriptures.com and claim your free one month now!

Conclusion

There are so many conflicts when it comes to faith and religion. Not everyone believes in what we believe is true, and we also don’t believe in what they believe is true. (Did I make it too straightforward?)

Instead of fighting over what’s right or wrong, a believer should encourage non-believers to open up their hearts and, at least, try to hear the word of God, the Gospel, the scriptures, and the stories of the Book of Mormon

Do you remember how Jesus Christ tried so hard to spread the word of God, even if non-believers hate Him so much? Do you remember the sacrifices He made just to preach the Gospel, even if He knows that many people don’t believe Him? That’s what we all should do. Even though we know that some might never believe us, we still hope that one way or another, their hearts will open up. It’s never late, people can help people… you can help people.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
(James 1:5)

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