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
fullness of his gospel to the earth
start at the beginning
Joseph was born on December 23rd 1805 he
was the fifth of eleven children born to
Joseph Smith senior and Lucie Mac 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 a fell upon me
and 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
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 6th 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's 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
you