Joseph Smith
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Joseph Smith Jr. was born on December 23, 1805 in upper state Sharon, Vermont. His father was Joseph Smith Sr. and his mother was Lucky Mack Smith. He was one of eleven family members. Here is a quick outline of his entire ministry on earth: The Prophet Joseph Smith was fourteen when he received the First Vision and seventeen years old when he received a visit from the angel Moroni. He was twenty-one when he received the gold plates and just twenty-three when he finished translating the Book of Mormon (this was accomplished in less than sixty days). Over half of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were given through Joseph Smith when he was twenty-five or younger. He was twenty-six when the First Presidency of the Mormon Church was organized and thirty years old when the Kirtland Temple was dedicated. He was just over thirty-three when he escaped his imprisonment in Missouri and resumed leadership of the Mormon Saints who were gathering in Nauvoo. The Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred at the young age of thirty-eight. The Prophet Joseph was a mortal man and was subject to sin, pain, and affliction. It is recorded numerous times that those who knew him loved him for his compassion, his approachability, his sense of humor and is determination. Of when he was a teenager, after the First Vision, Joseph wrote, “I frequently fell into many foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God…” this behavior did not include, “any great or malignant sins…a disposition to commit such was never in my nature.”1 When the Prophet was just seven years old he suffered a painful surgery on his leg. Pieces of bone had to be chipped away without the use anesthetic. Because of this affliction, he was on crutches for most the next three years. He did not have a formal education because of the poverty of his family, which required him to work long hours to help put food on the family table. When Joseph married his wife Emma, the first three children they had died at birth. Another child died at birth and another in early childhood. Only four of Joseph and Emma’s nine birth children survived childhood. They also adopted twins, and one of these died as an infant. Joseph’s shortcomings did not end there. In one of the first revelations he recorded in writing and published to the world, he was rebuked by the Lord. The first 116 pages of the Book of Mormon translation were lost because twenty-two year old Joseph listened to the pleadings of Martin Harris. “Behold,” the Lord declared, “how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.” The Lord told Joseph to repent or he would be stripped of his prophetic role. Four later revelations, also published by the Prophet, command him to “repent and walk more uprightly,” speak of his having “sinned”, and rebuke him for not keeping the commandments.2 Throughout his short life and because of his declaration of seeing God and Jesus Christ Joseph Smith was attacked and falsely accused many times. In trying to accomplish the overwhelming tasks of his sacred calling, he also had to labor to provide a living for his family. The Prophet Joseph Smith was called by God to be a prophet and a leader of the Lord’s people. However, there were no handbooks to follow, or any role models to emulate. He learned from heavenly messengers and from the spiritual gifts that were given him from God. He struggled and learned and prayed for guidance, while the Lord blessed him with the ability to uphold the tasks which were to follow. 1 “Book of Mormon”, Joseph Smith – History 1:28
2 “Book of Mormon”, Doctrine and Covenants 3:6; 5:21; 64:7; 90:1; 93:47, Ensign, LDS Church magazine,
What the Prophets have to say about Joseph SmithThis section of the site includes talks by Mormon prophets about Joseph Smith. It is a valuable source of correct principles and official doctrine of the Mormon Church conveyed in a simple language accessible to all people. We invite you to consider these teachings.
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