genaut10 ( + + )

"Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. 
He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord's anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with
his own blood."  Doctrine and Covenants Section 135.

“Mormonism was not destroyed by the cruel martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph,
but here was its vitality. The bullet-torn flesh fertilized the soil; the
blood they shed moistened the seed; the spirits they sent heavenward will
testify against them throughout the eternities. The cause persists and
grows.” — President Spencer W. Kimball.

Joseph Smith (1805 to 1844) — In the spring of 1820 in upstate New York, 14-year old Joseph Smith entered a grove of trees, praying to know which of all the churches was right so he could know which one to join.  In response to his sincere prayer, God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph, initiating the Restoration – the latter-day reestablishment of the gospel of Jesus Christ and its doctrine, priesthood authority, and covenants as well as the 1830 organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints.  After this event known as the First Vision, Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet, akin to those of biblical times.  Born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, he was the fifth of 11 children of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith.  After marrying Emma Hale in 1827, Joseph was visited by an angel named Moroni, who revealed the existence of a hidden record on gold plates containing the history of an ancient American civilization.  Through the gift and power of God, Joseph translated the ancient writings and published the Book of Mormon.  Joseph was later visited by other heavenly messengers, including John the Baptist and apostles Peter, James, and John, who restored priesthood authority.  Persecution forced the Church to move to Kirtland, Ohio, during the 1830’s.  There Joseph received numerous revelations for guiding the Church, later compiled and published as the Doctrine and Covenants.  He translated parts of the Bible, wrote the Articles of Faith, introduced doctrines and taught gospel principles.  He called apostles and other leaders, sent the first missionaries to England, established the School of the Prophets, and directed the construction of the Kirtland Temple, the first latter-day house of the Lord.  On April 3, 1836, Joseph and Oliver Cowdery were visited by Jesus Christ and experienced visions in which priesthood keys were conveyed by ancient prophets Moses, Elias, and Elijah.  In 1838, the Church relocated to Missouri, where it faced severe persecution, leading to the 5-month winter imprisonment of Joseph and other leaders at Liberty Jail.  In Nauvoo, Illinois, Joseph directed the construction of the Nauvoo Temple, introduced temple ordinances and baptisms for the dead, organized the Relief Society for women, served as mayor of Nauvoo, led the Nauvoo Legion, received revelations on celestial marriage and the nature of God, and ran as a candidate for president of the United States.  Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were murdered on June 27, 1844, at the Carthage Jail in Illinois.
_____________________________________________________________________
Click here to return to the Miscellaneous General Authority menu page
Click here to return to the Main Menu
_____________________________________________________________________