Joseph Smith
When Joseph Smith was fourteen years old, he was very interested in religion. Throughout the area where he lived, many people were equally interested in the subject, and there were many revivals and conversion efforts going on. Joseph was uncomfortable with the contention this created. He was also confused by the differences in doctrine between the various churches. They each taught very different things, but each claimed to be teaching God’s truth. Joseph didn’t see how this could be true. How could two conflicting ideas both be true?
One day he was studying the Bible when he found an important scripture. James 1:5 offered both advice and a promise:
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Joseph Smith took this scripture at face value and went into the woods near his home to pray and ask God for the wisdom he sought, which was to know which church to join. Satan made a desperate attempt to stop the prayer and the restoration that would ultimately result from it, but he can’t be where God is, and so when Joseph saw a light in the sky descending toward him, Satan fled. Righteousness always wins out over evil in the end.
God and Jesus were in the light, and they stood in the air, above Joseph Smith. God introduced Jesus Christ as his Son, and instructed Joseph to listen to Him. Joseph was told to ask his question, which he did and Jesus told him not to join any of them at this time, because none of them held the complete truth.
Joseph honored this request, although he felt it made it harder for him to live the gospel as well as he might have otherwise. However, he did the best he could and eventually, God sent an angel named Moroni to begin tutoring him. Moroni taught him eternal truths and helped to prepare him to lead the restoration. He also gave him guidelines to help him mature into a man, old enough and mature enough to cope with the trials ahead.
Once Moroni felt Joseph was ready to start his life’s work, he was allowed to obtain the plates that Moroni, while living his mortal life in ancient times, had hidden away in the Hill Cumorah when his people had been killed and his own life was in danger. Joseph took the plates and was instructed to translate them into English. He was not educated, and so he used scribes to write what he dictated. The translation was done through the power of the Holy Ghost, although he was instructed to study it all out himself and do what he could on his own. Many Mormons since then have learned a second language by reading the Book of Mormon, and have gained a small understanding of how this might work.
When the book was translated, it was published as The Book of Mormon. Mormon was the father of Moroni. The church was formally organized and grew quickly from the initial six people who attended the first meeting. However, persecution was strong from the beginning, and Joseph’s own life was ended at a young age when assassins murdered him, leaving his wife and young children to face life alone.
It was assumed that murdering the young prophet would end the church, but it did not. Under the brilliant leadership of Brigham Young, the church continued to grow and today is found throughout the world with millions of members.