The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother

Since John was born, I've really gotten into reading. I love to read biographies. I think people are so interesting. Today, I finished The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother. I was amazed at how fast I read it; I was intrigued by the story of the Smith family. It is certainly much about Joseph Smith, but it is in the perspective of his own mother, Lucy Mack Smith, and tells much of her own experience and that of her family. I was so inspired by the faith and testimony of this family and the early Latter-day Saints. I was horrified and heartbroken to read about the persecution of these peaceful and faithful people. As I have read of their sufferings and oppression they endured for the truth, I was humbled and felt so sorry for all the times I have complained about my own comparatively comfortable circumstances. They had to go through it all and suffer privations of every kind as they went through some of the same trials I have experienced. I have never wanted for comfort, food, clothing, shelter, family and friends to help, madical assistance, a warm home and bed. I have never seen the trials they went through, yet many did not ever complain.

 I love that Lucy Mack Smith went by "Mother Smith." She valued her role as a mother as her highest and most divine calling. She was a spunky lady not to be messed with. Many times she was bribed, taunted and threatened to recant her testimony of The Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but she and all the rest of her family were true to the truth. She told one threatening man, "...if you should stick my flesh full of faggots, and even burn me at the stake, I would declare, as long as God should give me breath, that Joseph has got that Record, and that I know it to be true."

My testimony was renewed and strengthened that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of the Lord, chosen in these latter days to restored Christ's true gospel and covenants which were lost after the death of the apostles. I know of a surety that no person would ever suffer such horrors and afflictions and persecution to promulgate a deviously concocted lie. The entire Smith family lived for the truth, they suffered for it, and they died for it, many of them in cold blooded murder. The truth of their witness was sealed in that last testimony. 

I know that their testimony is true, and I have my own testimony of the work. The Lord sends multiple witnesses to teach us of His truths. Today, in my scripture study, it just so happened that I read 2 Nephi 3 in The Book of Mormon which is a prophecy of Joseph of Egypt repeated by father Lehi that the Lord would raise up a seer that would be given great power to bring us to the knowledge of the covenants which the Lord has made to our fathers, and to convince us of the truth of the word of God in the Bible and The Book of Mormon. And his name would be Joseph after his father. I know this prophecy is of Joseph Smith and that the Lord did call him as a seer. I am thankful to him and to all those who have sacrificed so much to bless us with the truth.