The Prophet Joseph Smith
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| The
Prophet Joseph Smith |
| "Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844), often referred
to as the Prophet Joseph Smith, was the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
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| Joseph Smith: A Modern Witness of
Christ |
| In 1820, young Joseph Smith prayed to know
which church he should join. In answer to his prayer, God the Father and Jesus Christ
appeared to him. Through him they restored the truth about the plan of God. Joseph Smith
was a prophet and a powerful witness of Christ. Read his story in his own words. |
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| Visions
of Joseph Smith |
| "The Prophet Joseph Smith had his first vision
at the age of fourteen while praying in a grove of trees in western New York (see First Vision). The
appearance of the Lord to him, like that to Saul of Tarsus, was attended by a shining
light from heaven (Acts 9:3). The Lord spoke face-to-face with Joseph and called him to
service. This was the first of a series of visions Joseph Smith received, many of which
were shared with other persons." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
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| Teachings
of Joseph Smith |
| "The written and spoken words of the
revelations to Joseph Smith are clear, direct, and unequivocal, yet his teachings are
difficult to characterize or summarize, since they do not fit easily into traditional
theological categories, and they always presuppose that more can, and probably will, be
revealed by God." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
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| Writings
of Joseph Smith |
| "The Prophet Joseph Smith's writing career
began at age twenty-two when he commenced translation of the Book of Mormon. At his death seventeen years
later, in 1844, he had left a substantial archive for the study of his life and the church
he was instrumental in founding." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
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| Joseph Smith Translation (JST) of the
Bible |
| "Joseph Smith, the first prophet of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, made a "new translation" of the Bible,
using the text of the King James Version
(KJV). This work differs from the KJV in at least 3,410 verses and consists of additions,
deletions, rearrangements, and other alterations that cause it to vary not only from the
KJV but from other biblical texts." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
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| Legal
Trials of Joseph Smith |
| "Joseph Smith believed that his enemies
perverted legal processes, using them as tools of religious persecution against him, as
they had been used against many of Christ's apostles and other past martyrs."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
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| Do Mormons
worship Joseph Smith? |
| No, Latter-day Saints worship God the Eternal Father in the name
of Jesus Christ. We consider Joseph Smith
to be a Prophet of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ similar to those men mentioned in the
Bible like Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, and John. |
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| Carthage Jail |
| "The old jail in the town of Carthage, Illinois, seat of Hancock
County, was the site of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith on June 27, 1844, by a mob
of approximately 150 men. Today it is a historical site of the Church and serves as a
memorial to prophets of God who suffered martyrs'
deaths." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
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| Martyrdom
of Hyrum and Joseph Smith |
| "The violent deaths of the Prophet Joseph Smith at the age of
thirty-eight and his brother Hyrum Smith (age forty-four), Associate President and
patriarch of the Church, dramatically ended the founding period of the LDS Church. On June
27, 1844, they were mobbed and shot while confined at Carthage
Jail in Hancock County, in western Illinois. Climaxing more than two decades of
persecution across several states, this event gave them an enduring place as martyrs in
the hearts of Latter-day Saints." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
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| The Wentworth Letter |
| "John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago
Democrat, wrote Joseph Smith in 1842 to request information about the Church for a friend
who was writing a history of New Hampshire. The "Wentworth Letter" was written
by the Prophet Joseph Smith in response to this inquiry. The letter contains a brief
History of the Church to 1842, including the key events in the restoration of the
gospel." Encyclopedia of Mormonism [Note: The complete
text of the letter is contained within this article.] |
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| King
Follett Discourse |
| The Prophet Joseph Smith delivered the following
discourse before about twenty thousand Saints at the April conference of the Church, 1844,
being the funeral sermon of Elder King Follett. He discusses
a number of gospel subjects, including the being and kind of being God is and the
immortality of the Intelligence of man. |
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| Fulfilled
Prophesies of Joseph Smith |
| Jeff Lindsay discusses some of the prophetic predictions of Joseph Smith. |
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| Civil
War Prophecy |
| "He prophesied on December 25, 1832, that a war
would begin in South Carolina; that the southern states would divide against the northern
states; that the South would seek support from other nations, including Great Britain; and
that the war would lead to the death and misery of many souls. " Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
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| Why
Did Joseph Smith Become a Mason? |
| Elder John A. Widtsoe answers this question |
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| (See Daily Living home page; Church History home page; People in Church
History home page) |
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