Who was Joseph Smith?
He is most well known as the first prophet and President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Latter-day Saints believe that God
called Joseph Smith to restore the fulness of His gospel
to the earth.
Let's start at the beginning.
Joseph was born on December 23, 1805.
He was the 5th of 11 children born to Joseph Smith
Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith.
They were a close-knit family of farmers
who struggled to make a living.
They were often forced to move throughout
the northeastern United States in order to support themselves.
Eventually, the family settled in upstate New York.
The Smith family were devout Christians.
They read the Bible as a family and attended several churches
in the area, searching for one that fit their beliefs.
Yet Joseph was confused by the conflicting teachings.
Joseph loved the Bible and the teachings of Jesus,
but he was confused by the conflicting opinions
of the various churches.
One day while studying the Bible,
Joseph read a verse in the New Testament that said,
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God."
After careful reflection, Joseph decided
to do as the scripture directed.
He would ask God which church he should join.
On a spring morning in 1820, Joseph
went to a grove of trees near his family's farm to pray.
Joseph knelt and prayed.
Joseph said that as he prayed, "I saw a pillar of light
exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun,
which descended gradually until it fell upon me. ...
When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages,
whose brightness and glory defy all description,
standing above me in the air.
One of them spake unto me, calling me by name
and said, pointing to the other--
This is My Beloved Son.
Hear Him!"
Joseph asked the Lord which church he should join.
The Lord instructed him not to join any of them.
That experience, which came to be known as the First Vision,
set in motion what the Apostle Peter referred to
as the "restitution of all things."
That is, Jesus Christ would call Joseph to restore
His true Church to the earth.
Joseph would go on to learn that Christ's true Church--the one
with His authority that He founded during His time
on earth--had been lost from the earth after the martyrdom
of the original Church's leaders.
Three years after the First Vision,
an angel visited Joseph and instructed
him to unearth an ancient record hidden
in a nearby hill, which Joseph translated by the power of God.
This ancient record was the Book of Mormon:
Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
The Book of Mormon contains an account of God's dealings
with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas.
And Latter-day Saints believe it is
scripture, another witness of Jesus
Christ along with the Bible.
The Lord also sent Peter, James, and John to restore His
priesthood--that is, the authority to act in the name
of God.
Joseph Smith also received revelations
from the Lord that taught and clarified eternal principles,
such as the importance of baptism, the need for temples
where we make sacred covenants with God,
and that marriage performed by the restored priesthood
can last eternally, not just until the end
of our mortal life.
On April 6, 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints was officially organized.
And Joseph Smith was sustained as the first elder and leader
of the Church.
So who was Joseph Smith?
Latter-day Saints believe the Lord
worked through Joseph Smith, calling him
as a prophet to reestablish the true Church of Jesus
Christ on the earth.
Latter-day Saints call this the Restoration.
As part of the Restoration, Joseph Smith
received revelation from God, bringing back
lost eternal truths.
By the gift and power of God, he translated ancient scriptures
and clarified the meaning of existing scripture, too.
He also received the priesthood, God's authority
to act in His name.
Joseph Smith accomplished all of this while
facing great persecution throughout his life.
Indeed, from the time of the First Vision to his death
at the hands of an angry mob when he was 38,
Joseph faced great opposition because of His message.
Nevertheless, he never ceased to testify
that Jesus Christ was the Savior of the world
and that His true Church had been restored to the earth.
Joseph Smith was the first in a line of modern-day prophets
who have likewise received revelation and guidance
from God for all His children, even today.
As in ancient times, the Lord's modern-day prophets
teach us of Him and guide His Church on the earth.
Joseph Smith's life and the Restoration
show us how much God loves us.
He wants us to know the truth.
And He wants us to know Him.
Now you know.