Biography of Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith is the founder of the Mormon Church.  He was the first president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Joseph Smith dedicated his life to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  He was president of the Church from Jan. 25, 1832 to June 27, 1844.  He died as a martyr for the Mormon Church at age 38.

Joseph’s Childhood

Joseph Smith was your average 14 year old boy when he was called of God to reorganize Christ’s church.  Joseph grew up in Palmyra, New York with his ten brothers and sisters.  His parents were Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith.  Religion was promoted within his home.  He grew up on his family’s farm and had little schooling.  Both of his parents belonged to Christian denominations.  His mother was orthodox and his father leaned more toward a rationalistic way of thinking.  His parents always encouraged him to read the Bible, pray, and be faithful in God.  They met nightly for family prayer and scripture study.  Although he had faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, he did not know which denomination to join.  Joseph Smith pondered the words found in James 1:5, which say that he who lack wisdom should ask of God.  Joseph did just that.  He went into a grove of trees and prayed to Heavenly Father that he might know which church was true.  Christ and Heavenly Father appeared to Joseph, telling him to join none of the churches and instead restore Christ’s church on earth.  Many were skeptical of Joseph’s claim of seeing God and Jesus Christ.  He was mocked and tormented by many.  But he could not deny what he saw.  Joseph’s parents believed him, supported him, and later joined the Mormon Church.

Joseph’s role, essentially, was to restore the true church of Christ upon the earth.  Mormons believe that shortly after Christ’s death, the church became corrupt.  Prophets became wicked and false doctrine was taught.  The true Church of Jesus Christ had fallen into an apostasy.  During these times, Heavenly Father pulls all powers of priesthood, healing power, and right to proclaim the gospel from the earth and saves it for a later time.  Joseph Smith ended the apostasy, by translating the Book of Mormon and restoring the gospel to the earth.

Restoring the church and bringing forth the Book of Mormon

After he was commanded to restore the gospel to the earth, the Lord sent a heavenly messenger, the Angel Moroni, to instruct him on how he would accomplish such a feat.  Joseph recorded that the Angel Moroni visited him at least twenty two separate times, sometimes staying up all night with him.  The Angel Moroni instructed Joseph Smith to find the gold plates which were buried in the Hill Cumorah, located only a few miles from his home in Palmyra, New York.  The gold plates give the history of the people living on the American continent during the time of Christ.  In 1827, Joseph Smith translated the gold plates from reformed Egyptian to English with the help of his wife, Emma Hale Smith, and Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon.  The gold plates were then published and made available to the masses.  The compilation of the gold plates is known as the Book of Mormon.  Mormons believe that this book was written for our generation to bring souls unto Christ.

Joseph Smith is responsible for translating other ancient scripture.  He translated large parts of the Peal of Great Price, The Old Testament, The New Testament, and the Doctrine and Covenants.  Some wonder how an uneducated, 14-year-old boy was able to translate these books.  Joseph Smith was divinely given the gift of tongues to do this work.  To help him, the Angel Moroni gave him two seer stones, known as the Urrim and Thummim, to help him translate these works.  

Joseph’s Family Life

In 1827, Joseph Smith married Emma Hale.  She was a statuesque woman, tall and slender with brown hair and blue eyes.  Emma Hale was a supportive wife to Joseph, and had a firm testimony in the work he was called to do.  She was strong-willed and hard working.  She, like her husband, dedicated her life to the church.  She held many positions of authority in the church.  She was the first president of the church’s women’s organization, the Relief Society.  She took diction from her husband many times in helping to translate the Book of Mormon.  She endured much trial throughout her lifetime.  Joseph Smith faced a tremendous amount of persecution throughout his lifetime. 

Although the followers of Joseph Smith thought well of him, there were many who saw Joseph as a threat and wanted his life.  He was hated by many.  Threats were also made on Emma’s life and the lives of his children.  His and Emma’s faith was constantly being tried.  The family moved many times, running from mobsters, trying to find a safe haven for Mormons to live in peace.  They moved from New York to Ohio to Missouri to Nauvoo.  There, Smith held a number of leadership roles outside the church as well.  He was elected mayor in 1842.  He later ran for president of the United States two years later.  His resume within the church and outside of the church are extensive.

Joseph’s Death

Throughout his life, Joseph faced much opposition.  Those who hated the Mormons sought his life.  He was jailed many times, most of the time it was illegal.  The last time he would be jailed was with his brother Hyrum in Carthage, Illinois.  He awaited trial.  On June 27, 1844, a group of angry mobsters bombarded the jail, shooting both Hyrum and Joseph to death.  Joseph Smith would die a martyr and his contributions to the Mormon Church would never be forgotten.