I soon went to Nauvoo—became acquainted with the Prophet—heard him preach and saw him conduct the April Conference of 1840. The power and wisdom that he displayed on this occasion was more evidence . . . I have studied the Gospel as revealed by Joseph Smith and wondered if it were possible for any one unaided by the spirit of God to have revealed such a system of salvation and exaltation for man. My conclusion is in the negative.

I sat and listened to his preaching at the stand in Nauvoo a great many times when I have been completely carried away with his indescribable eloquence—power of expression—speaking as I have never heard any other man speak—I have heard him prophesy many things that have already come to pass, I have seen him translate by the Seers stone. I was present when he received a revelation on priesthood; he blessed me and prophesied that on my head, which has been literally fulfilled; and I have seen him by the aid of the Spirit of the Lord, as a prophet raised up to usher in the dispensation of the fullness of times; besides this, the work and the workings of it, have been made manifest to me by the good spirit. . . .

(“Howard Cory to Martha Jane Lewis, Aug. 2, 1889,” LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah.)

Many who came to know Joseph Smith expressed similar impressions of disbelief that anyone unaided by God could have created a system of religion as complete as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph Smith, furthermore, had very little formal education. At the time of his first vision, he was only 14 and could barely compose a complete sentence. Yet, within a few years’ time, aided by teachers and messengers from heaven, he was so eloquent and wise that he left an impression on all who met him that he truly held the Spirit of God.

Howard Cory also recorded the following:

While thus engaged [as Joseph Smith’s secretary], I had many very precious opportunities great and Small, almost every day, were calling on him, some for one thing, and some for another.—polititians and preachers and of different persuations—some with the view of testing the depth of his knowledge and, if possible, confounding him and putting [him] to shame. Well, what did I discover—that he was equal to every occasion, that he had a ready answer for all questions. I heard him say that God had given him the key of knowledge by which he could trace any subject through all its ramifications.

I had heard it remarked that Joseph Smith was Sidney Rigdon’s cat’s paw: soon after he returned from the East he came to see Joseph, and the thought went through my mind: now I will see, who the cat’s paw is.—well, I did see; after passing the usual compliments, Rigdon said to Joseph:—”When I was preaching in Philadelphia after I had finished my discourse a man stepped up to me and desired me to explain something in John’s Revelation, mentioning at the same time what it was)—”Well, I could not do it, how is it Joseph?” Joseph cited him at once right offhand to a passage in Ezekiel and something in some other book of the old Testament, saying that they explained all about it.” I thought to myself, that don’t look much like Joseph’s being a cat’s paw. [A cat’s paw is a 19th century colloquialism meaning “dupe” or “fool.”]

Not only did Joseph contain the “key of knowledge by which he could trace any subject,” but he also promised this power to all those who sought it. In the Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:5, it reads:

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Though these are not Joseph’s words, he did translate them by the power of God. God is the one whose Holy Spirit enlightened and taught Joseph eternal truths. That same spirit is promised to each of us, to enlighten our minds in all things, if we keep God’s commandments and receive baptism and confirmation by those who are in authority.

Howard Cory recognized Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. Every person today has the same opportunity to recognize a prophet of God in Joseph Smith, and we gain that witness through the power of the Holy Ghost speaking to our hearts, the same way He witnesses of all truth.

This article was written by Doris White, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Resources:

Request a free copy of The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)

Mormon Doctrine

Worship with Mormons

But to me, the most amazing thing about Joseph Smith is that he was an imperfect human being. Sometimes people get a picture of prophets as infallible people who can never make a mistake–which is strange considering such an idea is not found in the Bible. Peter denied Christ three times. Jonah tried to run away so he wouldn’t have to preach to the people of Nineveh. Moses disobeyed God’s instructions on bringing forth water from the rock and was later chastened. Prophets have never been perfect, but God uses them to do some very great things.

Joseph Smith was no exception. He made mistakes, just like every human makes mistakes, but God used him to bring forth His true church on the earth and to establish the last dispensation, the dispensation of the fullness of times. This is truly amazing to me.

I love that Joseph Smith wasn’t perfect. I love that he was the vessel in God’s hands used to bring back the true church. It gives me great hope for myself. That even though I’m not perfect, I can be of use to God in doing good things on earth.

This article was written by Connie, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Joseph Smith was promised that his name would “be had for good and evil among all nations” (Joseph Smith—History 1:33), and that promise certainly continues to be fulfilled today. While some recognize Joseph Smith as a prophet called of God to restore the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth in the last days, other see him as a fake who made a lot of lucky guesses. As archeology continues to reveal ancient documents that corroborate much of what Joseph said, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to discredit him.

Faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often misnamed the Mormon Church) recognize that Joseph was a prophet. They also recognize that the Book of Mormon cannot be proved or disproved by men. While there are powerful archeological findings that seem to disprove occurrences in the Book of Mormon record, there are many other things that Joseph Smith would have had absolutely no way of knowing when the Book of Mormon was “written” unless he received those things through inspiration. The power of the Book of Mormon lies within God’s promise to its reader that if they ask Him in faith whether the record is true, He will manifest of its truthfulness through the power of the Holy Ghost. The witness of the Holy Ghost does not depend upon discoveries of men (which often seem certain only to be disproved years later by another finding), but speaks truth and peace directly to the soul.

Joseph Smith has received a lot of criticism not only for claiming to have translated the Book of Mormon from an ancient record by the power of God, but also for claiming to have translated the Book of Abraham from an ancient papyrus that came into hand of the early Saints. Many things in the Book of Abraham that were not known at the time Joseph translated it, but have been proven accurate after decades of further discoveries and research.

Listed below is a short list of some of the things Joseph could not possibly have known at the time he wrote them down, unless they were made known unto Him by God. These things have been proven accurate today by subsequent findings and are very specific in nature. This list is taken from the article, “How could Joseph know all of this?” by Daniel Peterson, professor of Islamic studies and Arabic at BYU.

Abraham 1:10 references the “plain of Olishem” in the land of Chaldea

Though this name does not occur in the Bible, it does occur in an inscription dating to about 2250 B.C., referencing the same place in what is today northwestern Syria.

Facsimile 1 names four idols

Three of the four names have been confirmed so far by ancient texts.

Facsimile 1, figure 9 identifies the crocodile as the “idolatrous god of Pharaoh.”

The Pyramid Texts of Pharaoh Unas (ca. 2350 B.C.) say, “The King Appears as the Crocodile-God Sobk.” Other areas of this text further verify the accuracy of Pharaoh as a crocodile.

Facsimile 1, figure 12 identifies the angled lines, containing a crocodile, below the lion couch as symbolizing “the firmament over our heads.”

Ancient Egyptians conceived the sky as “a heavenly ocean” where the crocodile swims.

Facsimile 2, figure 6 depicts four figures representing “this earth in its four quarters.”

Ancient texts suggest this is also accurate.

The Book of Abraham attributes extensive astronomical understanding to Abraham, though the Bible does not.

Many post-biblical texts, including Jubilees and the Quran identify Abraham as an astronomer. Josephus portrays Abraham as “a man . . . skillful in the celestial science” and a man who taught astronomy to both Egypt’s priests and to Pharaoh himself.

Abraham 4 records Abraham’s vision of the creation and notes that God organized pre-existing materials rather than creating something from nothing.

Traditional Christian doctrine says that God made the universe from nothing, but this does not appear in the Bible. Rather, Christian thinkers who allowed themselves to be influenced by Greek philosophies and changed the doctrine in the second century. Ancient Jewish writings, however, teach that God created the universe by forming preexistent matter.

Again, Latter-day Saints realize that there is archeological evidence that seems to prove both sides of many debates for the Book of Mormon and the truth that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. It is only by gaining a confirmation through the Holy Ghost, through pure inquiry and seeking truth, that one can gain a true testimony of this work. However, things like this are very compelling. There is no way that Joseph Smith could have known of these things because none of these discoveries had been made during his lifetime.

If you wish to see Peterson’s full list, read his article “How could Joseph know all of this?”

In his address in which he refers to the “latitude and longitude” of our position as a Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to by many in the world as the Mormon Church), President J. Reuben Clark stated:

I have set out these matters because they are the latitude and the longitude of the actual location and position of the Church, both in this world and in the eternity. Knowing our true position, we can change our bearings if they need changing; we can lay down anew our true course. And here we may wisely recall that Paul said: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

Like sailors upon the sea we are often tossed to and fro by the tempest of our modern world, and like the sailors, we need to know where we are, to take confidence in our knowledge and experience, and to be able to figure out our course to a safe return to the safe harbor of our Father in Heaven.

Abraham O. Woodruff, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and also the son of LDS Church President Wilford Woodruff once said:

That which is of man must be modified and changed to meet the demands of various ages in which mankind lives, but that which is of God will endure, as the gospel of Jesus Christ, as revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith, has endured the scrutiny of critics, the discoveries and the light of science in our day and time. (Conference Report, October 1901, p.53)

In the Bible, in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 3:15-17 we read these words:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

What is this “hope” that is within each of us? I humbly believe that it has something to do with knowing what we believe, why we believe it, and being willing to unashamedly share those beliefs with all who are seeking to know more about our Mormon beliefs. This “hope” that is within us is what encourages and enables us to want to tell people about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), the “Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)”, and about God’s chosen Prophet of the Restoration of the Gospel, Joseph Smith. We may not be able to quote Joseph Smith’s history verbatim, but we can testify of that which we know about his history and its importance, and through that testimony plant seeds in the hearts of those who are seekers of knowledge of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, that one day, they too may gain a testimony of its truthfulness.

In 1938, President J. Reuben Clark of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave a landmark address to the seminary and institute leaders of the Church at that time in which he refers to the “latitude and longitude” of our position as a Church.

The latitude of our position is our knowledge that Jesus Christ IS the Son of God. The Apostle Peter testifies of this fact as recorded in the Bible, in the New Testament, in Matthew 16:13-16 where we read these words:

When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

In the New Testament book of John, in John 6:69, we read the Apostle Peter’s testimony once again as he declares, “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

It is the longitude of our position that I wish to discuss. The longitude of our position is our knowledge that Joseph Smith IS the Prophet of the Restoration. To better understand this position we need to have an understanding of who the man Joseph Smith was.

President Wilford Woodruff once stated: “No greater prophet than Joseph Smith ever lived on the face of the earth save Jesus Christ.” (JUD, 21:317) Elder Bruce R. McConkie, a modern day Apostle of the Church, once stated:

Who will honor the name of Joseph Smith and accept the gospel restored through his instrumentality? We answer: the same people who would have believed the words of the Lord Jesus and the ancient Apostles and prophets had they lived in their day. If you believe the words of Joseph Smith, you would have believed what Jesus and the ancients said. If you reject Joseph Smith and his message, you would have rejected Peter and Paul and their message. (Ensign, November 1981, p.48.)

Joseph’s wife, Emma Hale Smith, had this to say about Joseph concerning the translation of the Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ):

I am satisfied that no man could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired. For when [I acted] as his scribe, [Joseph] would dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him. . .It would have been improbable that a learned man could do this, and for one so. . . .unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible. (Quoted by Mark E. Petersen, Ensign, November 1977, p.12.)

Concerning the Prophet Joseph Smith’s first vision, President Gordon B. Hinckley stated:

To me it is a significant and marvelous thing that in establishing and opening this dispensation our Father did so with a revelation of himself and of his Son Jesus Christ, as if to say, to all the world that he was weary of the attempts of men, earnest though these attempts might have been, to define and describe him. Strange as it seems, we alone, among all the great organizations that worship God, have a true description and a true definition of him. The experience of Joseph Smith in a few moments in the grove on a spring day in 1820, brought more light and knowledge and understanding of the personality and reality and substance of God and his Beloved Son than men had arrived at during centuries of speculation. (Conference Report Apr 1960).

As I close my remarks, may I reaffirm the recent request and reminder of the First Presidency concerning using the full name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The full name of the Church clearly defines who we are and what we believe. It serves as an invitation for truth-seekers to search further. We are reminded in the “Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)” in 3 Nephi 22:7-8:

Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake. And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.

Additional Resources:

The History of the Mormon Church

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

The Bible in Mormonism

Mormons Answer Hard Questions

With that reminder, our message to the world is that we are not members of Joseph Smith’s Church, nor are we members of Mormon‘s Church. We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We believe that the church that was established anciently by a man of humble beginnings, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, has been restored to its fullness in modern times through another man of humble beginnings, the Prophet Joseph Smith. That is we believe that a young 14 year old farm boy named Joseph Smith did indeed see and speak with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ in the Scared Grove in upstate New York in the spring of 1820. We further believe that this same Joseph Smith was indeed called and blessed of the Lord to be the Prophet of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness.

We stand confidently in the knowledge of our situation, our location in terms of the latitude and longitude of our knowledge. We know where we are, where we need to go, and can chart a course to our ultimate destination.

I bear my testimony that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s true Church. I also testify that Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord, and our Redeemer, is indeed the Son of the Living God. I further testify that I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and an obedient servant of the Lord. Being called of the Lord as His Prophet, he did indeed bring forth the Restoration of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth in its fullness. I have personally read the Book of Mormon in its entirety nine times thus far, and with each reading I gain a renewed assurance of the truthfulness of the Gospel and the love that the Savior has for me. “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” (D&C 76:22).

My witness of Joseph Smith is a foundational point in my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the “Mormon Church” by those of other faiths). Though I never met him or spent time with him personally, I have come to know him through studying the history of the church, much as I’ve come to know the Savior through studying the scriptures.

Joseph was a flawed man with a personality all his own. My reverence for him is very real and personal, because his actions have had a great influence on my life, the lives of many close to me, and of many others out there who have in some way been touched by his message. Elder John Taylor summed up the achievements and influence of this man, after witnessing his death, in words far better than I could ever provide in Doctrine and Covenants 135:3:

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. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!

The influential journey of Joseph Smith began when he was just a boy. At fourteen, he was on a spiritual journey to find the truth, much like the spiritual journey we all undertake at some point in our lives. He lived in a time and place of spiritual revival—Palmyra, New York, in the early 1800s. There were many churches and denominations vying for the “final word,” and young Joseph was confused by all the very different interpretations of simple scriptures, all the discord and contention among people with very different opinions. Who was right? How was he to know which denomination to join?

In his study of the Bible, he came across James 1:5–6: “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. 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.” Following the counsel of this verse, Joseph sought out the Lord in prayer, hoping to gain personal revelation and a better understanding as to where he could find the truth. He certainly did not expect to be privy to what followed. We can read in his own words the account of what Latter-day Saints have come to call “The First Vision” in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith—History 1:15–17:

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When 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!

In the conversation that followed, Joseph Smith was told to join none of the churches, for none of them were true. Each had portions of truthfulness and strived to draw nearer to God, but they all fell short of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Joseph was left with this witness and was persecuted for sharing it. It wasn’t until years later that further visitations from angels prepared him for a restoration of the truth he had sought as a boy. He was led to another book of scripture which written by the ancient people of the Americas as another testament of Jesus Christ, guided through the translation, and blessed with the restored power of God’s Holy Priesthood in order to bring His Church back to the earth.

I have studied Joseph’s story and the scripture he translated by the power of God—the Book of Mormon—and I have sought out my own personal revelation from my Father in Heaven as to whether or not this story is true. The Holy Spirit has testified to me in my heart, mind, and soul that it is true and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His church. Everyone who investigates this church is encouraged to gain a similar witness, as it is one’s personal testimony and conviction that truly determines his or her path and course through life. My witness of Joseph Smith is more than a witness of a flawed boy who was privy to angelic visitations and divine inspiration. It is a witness of God’s love for us, that He will not leave us in darkness, that He will guide us and direct us so long as we seek Him out in faith. Joseph Smith was just a man, but he was a great man who led me to Christ, my Savior and Redeemer, and I am immensely grateful to him for that.

I know that through him the Book of Mormon was translated from the gold plates that he received from the angel Moroni. I know  the Book of Mormon to be an accurate record of some ancient people who lived on this land and that it is another testament of Jesus Christ and that it was translated correctly through the power of God.

How do I know that Joseph Smith saw God and translated the Book of Mormon? I know, because I have prayed and asked God for myself. I just didn’t casually ask if he had seen and done what he said he had, but I made it a matter of humble and sincere pondering, of reading about Joseph, of praying about it, and being willing to accept any answer from God that I received.

I tell you that as surely as the sun will rise and set that he is a true Prophet of God and that he was raised up by God to do a great work in the latter-days, that of restoring the primitive Church of Jesus Christ.

I think of what he accomplished in his short lifetime, and I know that he couldn’t have done it all by himself. He had the help of heavenly angels, as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants. I am truly amazed that God would have chosen a young 14-year-old boy to open up the day that I live in, the Last Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. But he did and I would stand anywhere and testify that Joseph Smith was what he claimed to be, a latter-day prophet of God.

Many Blessings, Mike

Following is a short testament by another great prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley

[Joseph Smith] was a young man, then a poor farm boy with very little education. He had nothing. His parents had nothing. He lived in a rural community, scarcely recognized outside its borders. And yet the angel [Moroni] said to him that ‘he was a messenger sent from the presence of God . . . ; that God had a work for [Joseph] to do; and that [his] name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people’ (Joseph Smith–History 1:33). How could such a thing be? Joseph must have wondered. He must have been absolutely stunned. “And yet it has all come to pass. And far greater will yet come to pass” —Gordon B. Hinckley, “Benediction,” Ensign, Nov. 2005, 103).

When but 14 years of age, this courageous young man [Joseph Smith] entered a grove of trees, which later would be called sacred, and received an answer to his sincere prayer.  There followed for Joseph unrelenting persecution as he related to others the account of the glorious vision he received in that grove.  Although he was ridiculed and scorned, he stood firm.  Said he, ‘I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it’ (Joseph Smith-History 1:25).  Step by step, facing opposition at nearly every turn and yet always guided by the hand of the Lord, Joseph organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He proved courageous in all that he did. Toward the end of his life, as he was led away with his brother Hyrum to Carthage Jail, he bravely faced what he undoubtedly knew lay ahead for him, and he sealed his testimony with his blood.  As we face life’s tests, may we ever emulate that undaunted courage epitomized by the Prophet Joseph Smith (”They Marked the Path to Follow,” Ensign, Oct. 2007, 7-8).

Gratitude and Love by President Henry B. Eyring, 1st Counselor in the First Presidency

The Prophet Joseph Smith is an example and a teacher of enduring well in faith.  I do not worship him, but I thank and love him as the Lord’s prophet of the Restoration.  He has helped me pray with the intent to obey.  I am better able to feast in the word and the love of God. Because of him I feel the Holy Ghost more often in the moments when I try to build the faith of a person in the Lord’s kingdom.  And because of what I know of the Prophet Joseph and the scriptures which were revealed through him, I more often feel the love of god for His children and of His for me when I reach down to lift someone up (”An Enduring Testimony of the Mission of the Prophet Joseph,” Ensign, Nov. 2003, 92).

An Example of Seeking and Receiving by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 2nd Counselor in the First Presidency

The young Prophet Joseph Smith…was a teenager when he studied the scriptures.  During this time a multitude of unanswered questions arose.  He wondered, he pondered, he asked, and he received answers.  Build your testimony the same way: Study the scriptures, increase your knowledge of the gospel, search for answers in the scriptures.  If you have doubts or fears, invest the time and energy to find the answers in the scriptures and in the written words of our prophets.  Contemplate, meditate, ponder, and pray.  Go to our Heavenly Father in prayer; communicate with Him daily.  Draw close to Him, and He will draw close to you.  Ask about your studies of the scriptures, about your feelings and your questions, and He will answer.  He is waiting, He is real, and He is there.  Use the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Believe in the power of prayer.  It takes effort and time.  Be patient; it is worth it.  You can do it.  You are not alone in this; others went through this before (”Making Choices for Eternity,” Ensign, Oct. 2002, 28-29).

A Walk with the Prophet Joseph Smith by Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

At times in my life, during some deliberate and all too brief monents of reverie, study, and research, I have walked with the Prophet Joseph Smith–starting with him in Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont, thence on to Palmyra, to Kirtland, to Far West, later to Liberty, and ultimately from Nauvoo to Carthage.  It was thrilling to journey through the pages of early Church history, the remarkably well-documented biography of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  I commend this practice to all who esteem and honor this great man and prophet.  In this way we can see him in moments of despair, but also in moments of exaltation. We can stand with him in an hour of triumph and yet see him weeping when he was bereft of loved ones, or in times of deep sorrow when friends turned from him–even his brethren, his close counselors.  We can catch moments when he was jumping, or wrestling, or pulling sticks in good-natured fun; or join him where, as the master of an elegant home, he was sought out by the great of the world; or see him in a general’s uniform as a public figure, even a presidential candidate.  Looking a little deeper into his countenance and his activities, we can see him, for instance, step forth in steadfastness to rebuke and correct, and at times see him humbled and corrected by the Almighty in the work he was assigned to do (Things of the Soul [1996], 34-35).

Trust in the Lord by Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Lord needed a strong, vigorous young man who would be teachable.  He needed someone he could mold into the leader who could bring forth the restoration of the gospel.  The one foreordained for this great assignment was Joseph Smith.  Out of weak things of the earth, the Lord created one with power and strength.  Few prophets have come from more humble beginnings than those of the Prophet Joseph Smith…Joseph Smith developed a great reliance on the Lord, trusting in him and gaining exceptional spiritual strength so he could use the gifts the Lord would give to him to organize the Church (”By the Hands of His Prophets,” Ensign, Aug. 1998, 50, 51).

The Reality of God’s Love by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, literally appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith in April 1820.  While this may be relatively unknown in the annals of history, yet it constituted an epochal event in the history of humanity–a profound demonstration of the love of God for all of His children (”Combatting Spiritual Drift–Our Global Pandemic,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 104).

A Reliance on Spiritual Gifts by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Overarching the Prophet Joseph’s entire ministry was his comparative youth, his superficial formal education, and his incredibly rapid acquisition of knowledge and maturity. …The Prophet Joseph had no role models from whom he could learn how to be a prophet and leader of the Lord’s people.  He learned from heavenly messengers and from the harvest of his unique spiritual gifts.  He had to rely on associates who had no role models either.  They struggled and learned together, and the Prophet’s growth was extremely rapid (”Joseph, the Man and the Prophet,” Ensign, May, 1996, 71, 72).

Peace and Happiness in this Life by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Those who have an unwavering testimony that Joseph Smith is a prophet of the living God know that he, in fact, received revelation from God.  They know that those revelations contain all the instruction necessary for us to find peace and happiness in this life (”What Came from Kirtland,” BYU Devotionals & Fireside Speeches, 1995, 50).

Never Giving Up by the late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Apostle

The answer to [Joseph’s] prayer filled him with light and direction.  Our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son appeared to him.  Their direction swept away the thick darkness that had seized him and threatened to destroy him.  It forever swept away his confusion.  From that moment until his martyrdom nearly a quarter of a century later, Joseph Smith committed himself to the path shown him by the Father and the Son.  Consider how painful his days were.  Consider the suffering and the persecution he had to endure.  Yet he continued, step by step, never giving up, never doubting that if he only did what he could, his Heavenly Father would make up the rest (”One Step after Another,” Ensign, Nov. 2001, 27).

A Book of Truths by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Try reading the Book of Mormon….Discover for yourself that it is true.  As you read each page ask, ‘could any man have written this book or did it come as Joseph Smith testified’?  Apply the teachings you learn.  They will fortify you against the evil of Satan.  Follow Moroni’s counsel.  Sincerely ask God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, with real intent, if the teachings of the Book of Mormon are true (see Moroni 10:3-5).  Ask with a desire to receive a confirmation personally, nothing doubting.  There has to be an explanation of that book you can hold in your hand.  I know that you can receive a spiritual confirmation that it is true.  You will then know that Jesus Christ lives, that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church…You will confirm that the Savior guides His Church through a living prophet.  These truths will become a foundation for your productive life (”Realize Your Full Potential,” Ensign, Nov. 2003, 42, 43)l.

• Joseph Smith Jr.-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith
• Joseph Smith

Faust, James E. This is Our Day. Ensign. May 1999.