Joseph Smith, Jr.
Joseph Smith Jr.[1] was the first prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was through him that Christ revealed information on how to restore His Church. After his death, John Taylor wrote,
- 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” (D&C 135:3)
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Joseph Smith Jr. was born in Sharon Vermont to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. At eleven years old Joseph’s family moved to Palmyra, New York. In 1820, Joseph had an experience that changed his life. In answer to a prayer about which church to join he had a vision where he saw Heavenly Father and Christ. They informed him that all of the Churches were wrong and that he should join none of them.
During the night of September 21, 1823 Joseph Smith was visited five times by an angel named Moroni. He told Joseph of ancient records known as the gold plates. On January 18, 1827 Joseph eloped with Emma Hale because her father did not approve of the marriage. That same year in September, Joseph was given the gold plates by the angel Moroni. He was also given the Urim and Thummim, objects that helped in the translation of the Book of Mormon. He then began working on the translation. In February of 1828, Martin Harris who had been helping Joseph in translating, took and lost the first 116 pages of the Book of Mormon. Joseph was instructed by the Lord to continue translating from where he left off and not go back.
On May 15, 1829 John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood. Joseph and Oliver baptized each other as instructed. In that same year Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the Melchizedek Priesthood from the Apostles Peter, James and John.
In June of 1829 Joseph completed the translation of the Book of Mormon, and by March 26, 1830 the first printed copies of the Book of Mormon were available. On April 6, 1830 Joseph officially organized the Church in Fayette, New York. In September of that same year Joseph Smith called the first missionaries to preach to the Native Americans.
In 1831, Joseph received revelation that the Saints should gather in Ohio and in July of the same year he received further revelation that the city of Zion should be built in Independence, Missouri.
On March 18, 1833 the First Presidency of the Church was organized with Joseph Smith as the President and Prophet and Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams as counselors. In December of the same year, Joseph Smith gave the first patriarchal blessings of the restored Church to his parents, three of his brothers, and Oliver Cowdery.
On May 8, 1834 Joseph led Zion’s Camp to help the Saints under attack from the mobs in Missouri. In 1835, the Doctrine and Covenants, which contained all of Joseph Smith’s revelation concerning the Church thus far, were accepted as a standard work of the Church.
On March 27, 1836 the Kirtland Temple was completed and dedicated. Just a few days later on April 3, Jesus Christ, Moses, Elias, and Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple to restore priesthood keys. From December 1838 until April 1839 Joseph Smith was held in Liberty Jail in Missouri on exaggerated charges.
Revelation to build the Nauvoo Temple and begin baptisms for the dead was received on January 19, 1841. In 1842 before the temple was completely finished, Joseph Smith received his endowments.
By 1844 trouble was escalating between the Saints and their neighbors and Joseph and Hyrum turned themselves over to government officials. Joseph and his brother Hyrum were sent to Carthage Jail, where on June 27, 1844 both were killed by a mob.
