The Martyrdom of Joseph Smith

             

“ I understand my mission and business. God Almighty is my shield, and what can man do if God is my friend.” (Joseph Smith)

Joseph Smith was commonly known as the man who had restored the gospel upon the earth, but really he did so much more.

He built the foundation of the church, he prayerfully sought guidance because he knew this was not his church but it was Heavenly Father's and Jesus Christ's church.

He understood that The Lord was his foundation and knew that the church must have the same foundation. A few months before Joseph Smith's martyrdom he was revealed revelation as seen in  Doctrine and Covenants 5:22 " And that you be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded you; and if you do this, behold I grant unto you eternal life, even if you should be slain. Then the prophet was blessed with reassurance in Doctrine and Covenants 6:30 "And even if they do unto you even as they have done unto me, blessed are ye, for you shall dwell with me in glory."

In 2nd Nephi 2:27 it says, "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."

There must be opposition in all things. Joseph Smith got his fair share of opposition and he endured to the end with them a better person. Joseph was accused of many things including that he was a false prophet. Joseph reassured the members of the church in conference April 1844 that he" was a not a fallen prophet, that he had never felt more nearer to God than at that time. The next day the leaders of the conspiracy were exposed in the Time newspaper and were excommunicated

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In the late evening of June 22nd 1884 Joseph and Hyrum tearfully bade farewell to their families and left. Before leaving Nauvoo Joseph said  “ I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as summer’s morning. I have a conscience void of offence toward God and all men. If they take my life I shall die an innocent man, and my blood shall cry from the ground for vengeance, and it shall be said of me “He was murdered in cold blood.” The prophet had only one more time to bid his dear family farewell.

As the Smith brothers were riding to carthage the town was full of mobs and riotous people.

June 26th about midnight men surrounded the jail house. The prophet yelled out “ come on ye assassins wereare for you, and would willing die now as daylight!” the mob retreated.

Men disguised in mud and gunpowder approached carthage. Meanwhile the four men in the cell prepared to defend themselves. The men asked John Taylor to sing “A poor wayfaring man of grief”’ At 4pm the prisoners heard noises downstairs and then a shout for surrender and heard four shots. A bullet fired through the door and hit Hyrum in the face and fell, saying; “I am a dead man” Joseph found no safety in the room and tried to escape from the window and was instantly killed.

Even though the prophet was killed his legacy has and will continue to live on in the lives of others and latter day saints. The Lord calls all of us and this was joseph’s call.

Joseph Smith was an amazing man and was one of the best missionaries to bring others to the true gospel. May we all recognize his sacrifice as a blessing and thank our Heavenly father for him and his wonderful and awe inspiring work.