The life of Joseph Smith Prior to the Publication of the Book of Mormon

1. The Preparation Period 1820-27
Appearances of Moroni

3. What was it like to be in theWhat was it like to be in the
presence of the Father and Hispresence of the Father and His
beloved Son?beloved Son?

4. Abba - Father
• Gal. 4: 6 - 7
• And because ye are sons, God hath sent
forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts,
crying Abba, Father

5. • It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible
gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest
most uninteresting person you can talk to may one
day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you
would be strongly tempted to worship…It is in
light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with
awe and circumspection proper to them, that we
should conduct all our dealings with one another,
all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.
There are no ordinary people. You have never
talked to a mere mortal. Nations cultures, arts,
civilizations these are mortal…next to the Blessed
Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest
object presented to your senses…(CS Lewis, The
Weight of Glory, p.18-19)

7. What is my Heavenly Father
like?• God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man,
and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great
secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who
holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all the worlds
and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,--I
say if you were to see Him today, you would see him like a
man in form --like yourselves in all the person, image, and
very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very
fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction
from, and walked , talked and conversed with Him, as one
man talks and communes with another.
• (The King Follet Discourse-Times and Seasons Aug. 15, 1844--
Joseph Smith)

8. • “During the winter of 1833 we had a number of prayer
meetings in the Prophet’s chamber. In one of those
meetings the Prophet told us, if we could humble ourselves
before God, and exercise strong faith, we should see the
face of the Lord. And about midday, the visions of my
mind were opened, and the eyes of my understanding were
enlightened, and I saw the form of a man, most lovely. The
visage of his face was sound and fair as the sun. His hair a
bright silver gray, curled in most majestic form, His eyes a
keen penetrating blue, and the skin of his neck a most
beautiful white. And He was covered from neck to the feet
with a loose garment, pure white, whiter than any garment I
have ever before seen. His countenance was most
penetrating, and yet most lovely...And while I was
endeavoring to comprehend the whole personage from head
to feet, it slipped from me. But it left on my mind the
impression of love, for months, that I never felt before to

9. Is Heavenly Father Happy?
• I am perfectly satisfied that my Father and my
God is a cheerful, pleasant, lively and good-
natured being. Why? Because I am cheerful
pleasant, lively and good natured when I have His
spirit . That is one reason why I know and another
is – the Lord said through the prophet Joseph
Smith, I delight in a glad heart and a cheerful
countenance. That arises from the perfection of his
attributes. (Heber C. Kimball, JD 4:222; 3 Ne.
28:10; Moses 7:28-32)

11. How long did I live in His house?
• ....Man as a spirit, was begotten and born of
Heavenly Parents, and reared to maturity in the
eternal mansions of the Father; that man is the
offspring of celestial parentage; and that all men
and women are in the similitude of the universal
Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and
daughters of deity.
• (First Presidency 1909, quoted in the Relief
Society Magazine, Dec. 1970, p.884)

12. JSH 1:20-29
• Persecutions
• Life as a youth…

13. • 27 I continued to pursue my common vocations in
life until the twenty-first of September, one
thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, all the
time suffering severe persecution at the hands of
all classes of men, both religious and irreligious,
because I continued to affirm that I had seen a
vision.
• 28 During the space of time which intervened
between the time I had the vision and the year
eighteen hundred and twenty-three—having been
forbidden to join any of the religious sects of the
day, and being of very tender years, and
persecuted by those who ought to have been my
friends and to have treated me kindly, and if they
supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in
a proper and affectionate manner to have
reclaimed me—

14. • I was left to all kinds of temptations; and,
mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell
into many foolish errors, and displayed the
weakness of youth, and the foibles of human
nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers
temptations, offensive in the sight of God. In
making this confession, no one need suppose me
guilty of any great or malignant sins. A
disposition to commit such was never in my
nature. But I was guilty of levity, and sometimes
associated with jovial company, etc., not
consistent with that character which ought to be
maintained by one who was called of God as I had
been. But this will not seem very strange to any
one who recollects my youth, and is acquainted
with my native cheery temperament.

15. • 29 In consequence of these things, I often feltIn consequence of these things, I often felt
condemned for my weakness andcondemned for my weakness and
imperfections;imperfections; when, on the evening of the
above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I
had retired to my bed for the night, I betook
myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty
God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and
also for a manifestation to me, that I might know
of my state and standing before him; for I had full
confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as
I previously had one.
• (Pearl of Great Price | JS-History 1:27 - 29)

16. To Be Healed: Elder Richard G. ScottTo Be Healed: Elder Richard G. Scott
(April 1994)(April 1994)
• Love is a potent healer. Realizing that, Satan
would separate you from the power of the love of
God, kindred, and friends that want to help. He
would lead you to feel that the walls are pressing
in around you and there is no escape or relief. He
wants you to believe you lack the capacity to help
yourself and that no one else is really interested.
If he succeeds, you will be driven to further
despair and heartache. His strategy is to have you
think you are not appreciated, loved, or wanted so
that you in despair will turn to self-criticism, and
in the extreme to even despising yourself and
feeling evil when you are not

17. • . Remember the wisdom of the Lord "is greater
than the cunning of the devil."23 If you have such
thoughts, break through those helpless feelings by
reaching out in love to another in need. That may
sound cruel and unfeeling when you long so much
for healing, but it is based upon truth. Paul taught,
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the
law of Christ."24
• Love comes by learning how to give it to
another in a spirit of trust. If you feel deprived of
love, that is difficult. Yet sustained concern and
support of others will engender their interest and
love. You will feel needed. You become an
instrument through which the Lord can bless
another. The Spirit will let you feel the Savior's
concern and interest, then the warmth and strength
of His love.

28. 1st Visit of Moroni1st Visit of Moroni
(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:30-43
• Joseph’s Description of Moroni...
• In coming back from the dead, Moroni was a
physical being of literal, corporeal, material
reality, He held those heavy gold plates in his
hands. A block of metal measuring seven-by
seven- by- eight inches could weigh anywhere
from 30 to 50 pounds. But Moroni held them in
his hands and turned over the pages with his
fingers. His were flesh and bone hands,
resurrected hands. (Mark E. Petersen, CR, Apr.
1978, p.97)

29. • It was a visitation. Two physical beings
communed together-- with Moroni, a
resurrected person of flesh and bones,
emerging from the veil and paying repeated
and never to be forgotten visits to this
mortal farm boy, Joseph smith. (Mark E.
Peterson, CR Oct.,1983, p.40)

30. • Beauty of a resurrected body -Nothing is more
beautiful than a resurrected being. We know that
in the future, after we have passed through this
life, we will then have our wives and our children
with us. We will have our bodies glorified, made
free from every sickness and distress, and
rendered most beautiful. There is nothing more
beautiful to look upon than a resurrected man or
woman. There is nothing grander that I can
imagine that a man can possess than a resurrected
body. There is no latter-day saint within the sound
of my voice but that certainly has this prospect of
coming forth in the morning of the first
resurrection and being glorified, exalted in the
presence of God, having the privilege of talking
with our Father as we talk to our earthly father.
(LS - 5 Oct. 1900, CR, p. 4)

31. • Resurrected beings dwell in everlasting burnings
-God himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and
blood can not go there, for all corruption is
devoured by the fire . “Our God is a consuming
fire”. When our flesh is quickened by the spirit,
there will be no blood in this tabernacle. Some
dwell in higher glory than others...all men who are
immortal dwell in everlasting burnings...they must
rise just as they die; we can there hail our lovely
infants with the same glory--they differ in stature
and size...p.62
• All your losses will be made up to you in the
resurrection provided you remain faithful
• (TPJS - )

32. Resurrected Bodies can walk throughResurrected Bodies can walk through
walls...walls...•
Thus we know that resurrected beings, containing
their glory within themselves, can walk as mortals
do on earth; that they can converse and reason and
teach as they once did in mortality; that they can
both withhold and manifest their true identities;
that they can pass with their corporeal bodies
through solid walls; that they have bodies of flesh
and bones that can be felt and handled; that if need
be, and at special times, they can retain the scars
and wounds of the flesh; that they can eat and
digest food; that they can vanish from mortal eyes
and transport themselves by means unknown to us.
(Mortal Messiah, Vol. ,p.285)

33. Moroni’s Message First Visit
• 1. Joseph’s name should be had for good and evil
among all -v.33
• 2. There was a Book deposited of the ancient
inhabitants of America, -v.34
• 3. The Fulness of the Gospel was contained in
the Book as revealed by the Savior to the
ancient inhabitants. -v. 34
• 4. The Urim and Thummim were deposited with
the plates and the possession and use of them
constitutes a “SEER”. -v. 35
• 5. Moroni quotes Old Testament Prophecies

34. • Compare the Saviors instructions (THE FIRST
VISITATION -JSH 1:19, to Moroni’s
instructions and Section 1 THE LORDS
PREFACE) ... they draw near to me with their
lips but their HEARTS are far from me..., they
teach for DOCTRINES the
COMMANDMENTS of me...
• THE SHEMA-(shuh-mah’; Heb. , “Hear You...”)
• By the second century AD the Shema prayer
consisted of Duet. 6:4-9; 11:13-21; (and Num.
15:37-41 cross ref. -D&C 1:16)
•

35. • In Jewish traditional practice, the Shema is
written in the phylacteries and mezuzah. As
a watch word of faith and faithfulness,
recited at death and martyrdom. Jesus
identified the Shema as the first
commandment in the law. (Mark 12:29-
D&C 1:1,2, 11, 14, 2, 37, 38)

36. • A. JSH- Malachi 3, 4 [The return of Christ, the
Covenant, John the Baptist, and Elijah so
modern Israel and the earth can be
prepared for the great and dreadful day]
• X Malachi 1-4 {430 BC} Apostate Israel
is invited to return from the curse to Christ
and the Covenant. The name of the Lord will be
great among the Gentiles while
Israel is apostate.
• X John the Baptist comes before Christ to
prepare the way and to Joseph before he
comes suddenly to the Kirtland Temple
(CHMR, Joseph Feilding Smith)
• X D&C 128:24
• X Moses 1:39
• X D&C 110:11-16
• X Abr. 2:8-11

37. • B. JSH - Isaiah 11 about to be fulfilled (D&C
113)
• X Headings Isaiah 10-13
•
• C. JSH - Acts 3:22-23
• JSH 1:40 He said that the prophet was Christ but
the day had not yet come when “they who would
not hear his voice should be cut off from among
the people,” but soon would come.

38. Description of the Breastplate (Lucy, p.111)
• Soon after this he came in from work one
afternoon, and after remaining a short time, he put
on his great coat and left the house. I was engaged
at the time in an upper room, in preparing some
oil-cloths for painting. When he returned he
requested me to come down stairs. I told him that I
could not leave my work just then, yet, upon his
urgent request, I finally concluded to go down and
see what he wanted, upon which he handed me the
breast-plate spoken of in his history.

39. • It was wrapped in a thin muslin handkerchief, so
thin that I could feel its proportions without any
difficulty.
• It was concave on one side and convex on the
other, and extended from the neck downwards, as
far as the center of the stomach of a man of
extraordinary size. It had four straps of the same
material, for the purpose of fastening it to the
breast, two of which ran back to go over the
shoulders, and the other two were designed to
fasten to the hips. They were just the width of two
of my fingers (for I measured them), and they had
holes in the end of them, to be convenient in
fastening. After I had examined it, Joseph placed it
in the chest with the Urim and Thummim
• (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother [Salt Lake
City: Stevens & Wallis, Inc., 1945], 111.)

40. Moroni’s 1st VisitMoroni’s 1st Visit
(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:41)(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:41)
• D. JSH 1:41- Joel 2:28-31 (The Lords
spirit to be poured out on all flesh)
• God will touch the minds and hearts of
Individuals...

41. • . The Fulness of the Gentiles was soon to
come...
• Times of the gentiles drawing to a close. Speaking
of the overthrow of the Jews and the destruction of
Jerusalem, the Lord said to his disciples: “And
they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall
be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem
shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the
times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall e
signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;
and upon the earth distress of nations, with
perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s
hearts failing them for fear, and looking after those
things which are coming on the earth; for the
powers of heaven shall be shaken.

42. • Moroni said, the times of the gentiles were
about to be fulfilled, today we are living in
the transition period; the day of the gentiles
has come in, and the day of Judah ...is at
hand
• (Joseph Feilding Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation, 3:258)

43. • It is obligatory upon us to see that the House of
Israel have the gospel preached to them; to do all
that is in our power to gather them to the land of
their fathers, and to gather up a fulness of the
gentiles before the gospel can go with success to
the Jews. (DBY-12:113)
•
•

44. • The time has arrived when the God of Abraham,
of Isaac and Jacob, has set his hand again a second
time to recover the remnants of his people...and
with to bring in the Fulness of the Gentiles, and
establish that covenant with them...(TPJS, p.14-
17; see also Rom. 11:12,25; D&C 14:10; 1 Ne.
10:14; 1 Ne. 15:13,14; 3 Ne. 16:4, 5-12; Ether
2:11-12; D&C 14:10; D&C 20:9-10; D&C 45:28-
31)

45. • He quoted many other passages... in 1835
Oliver Cowdery wrote three articles in the
Kirtland Messenger and Advocate the
scriptures appeared in the following order
…

46. 6. V.42...I should not show them
(the plates, breastplate and Urim and Thummim)
to any person...
• Who does get to see the plates?
• Joseph:
• 3 witnesses- Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery,
David Whitmer
• 8 witnesses- Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer,
Peter Whitmer, Jr.., John Whitmer, Hiram Page,
Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, Samuel Smith
• Other Witnesses: Lucy Harris (Dream), Mary
Whitmer (Moroni-Nephi?)

47. 7. Joseph was shown a vision of where the
plates were buried...

48. 8. V. 43 description of resurrected being leaving...

50. 2nd Visit of Moroni2nd Visit of Moroni
(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:44-45)(Sept. 21, 1823; JSH 1:44-45)
• 1..in the midst of meditation...
• 2...he related the very same
things...without variation...
• 3. ..Having done so ...He informed me of
GREAT JUDGEMENTS...
• ...famine sword pestilence...
• 4. ...Lay overwhelmed and astonished...

52. 3rd Visit of Moroni
(Sept. 21, 1823)(Sept. 21, 1823)
• 1. V. 46 ... repeated the same things...
• 2. ...added a caution...Satan would try to tempt
me...to get ...rich...no other object...glorify
God...Motive...
• 47-48
• A.... Left to ponder...
• B....cock crowd...
• C. ...arose and went to the labors of the day...
• D....strength exhausted ...Father told me to go
home
• E. Trying to cross the fence near the orchard he
fell helpless on the ground..

53. 4th Visit of Moroni4th Visit of Moroni
Under the tree by the fenceUnder the tree by the fence
(Sept. 22, 1823)(Sept. 22, 1823)
• 1. V. 49 Comprehensive review of all
visits and a charge to tell his Father
• V. 50 ...I obeyed... He replied...it was of
God ...go and do as commanded...

54. 5th Visit of Moroni5th Visit of Moroni
(1st at the Hill Cumorah)
Sept. 22, 1823
• (How do think Moroni Felt watching Joseph
unbury the stone box... what might of went
through his mind? (Mark E. Petterson, The
last Words of Moroni, En. Nov. 1978, p. 57)
• What happened to the stone box?
• The cave inside the hill?
• The sword of Laban?
•

56. • JSH 1:51-53
•
• The box in which they laid was formed by
laying stones together in some kind of
cement. In the bottom of the box were laid
two stones crossways of the box, and on
these lay the plates and the other things
with them.(JSH 1:52)

57. • 1. Joseph had thoughts that the translation would
produce wealth... “raise him above the common
earthly fortunes of his fellow man, and relieve his
family form want”.
• 2. He was shocked three times and thrown back...
• 3. He cried out... “Why can I not obtain this
book?”...
• 4. Moroni Appeared... “because he had not
kept the commandments and had yielded to
temptation...”
• 5. Repentant, Joseph humbly sought the Lord in
prayer and was filled with the spirit. A vision was
opened to him..., and the Glory of the Lord
shone round about and rested upon him

58. 55thth
VisitVisit
• ... He beheld the prince of darkness... Moroni
said... “ all this is shown, the good and the evil ,
the holy and the impure, the glory of God and
the power of darkness, that you may know here
after the two powers and NEVER be influenced
or overcome by that wicked one”...Moroni
concluded by warning Joseph that he would not be
allowed to obtain the plates “until he had learned
to keep the commandments of God--not only
till he was willing but ABLE to do it...”

60. 55thth
VisitVisit
• 6. When Joseph returned home he began to
teach his family about what he had learned
and what had happened. He was so tired,
after rehearsing much, Alvin suggested they
go to bed and continue the next day...

61. Lucy records:Lucy records:
• Joseph would occasionally give us some of the
most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He
would describe the ancient inhabitants of this
continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the
animals upon which they rode; their cities, their
buildings, with every particular; their mode of
warfare; and also their religious worship. This he
would do with much ease , seemingly as if he
had spent his whole life among them. (HJS-
Lucy, p.83)

63. 6th Visit of Moroni6th Visit of Moroni
((Sept. 22, 1824)
• 1. ...he fully expected to carry them(the plates)
home with him. Therefore he arrived at the place,
and uncovering the plates, he put forth his hand
and took them up (no shock!) But, as he was
taking them hence, the unhappy thought darted
through his mind that probably there was
something else in the box besides the plates ,
which would be of some pecuniary advantage to
him...he laid them down very carefully, for the
purpose of uncovering the box, lest someone
might happen to pass that way and might get

64. • whatever there might be remaining in it. After
covering it, he turned round to take the record
again, bu t behold it was gone...he was much
alarmed ...he kneeled down and asked the Lord
why the record had been taken from him; upon
which the angel of the Lord appeared to
him...he had disobeyed the angels commandments
to not lay them down until they were deposited in
the chest at home

65. • 2. Joseph permitted to see the plates he tries to
take them and is hurled back... when he wakes
up the angel is gone...(Lucy Mack Smith, History
of Joseph Smith, p. 83-83)
• 3. When he woke up the angel was gone and he
arose and returned to his house, weeping for grief
and disappointment.
• ...As soon as he entered the house my husband
asked if he had obtained the plates. The answer
was, “no Father, I could not get them”.
• His father said, “ Did you see them?”
• “Yes,” replied Joseph, “I saw them, but I could not
take them”. “I would have taken them rejoined his
father with much earnest ness, “If I had been in
your place...” You do not understand the angel
would not let me...

66. • ...we were afraid that he might utterly
fail of obtaining the record through
some neglect on his part. We therefore
doubled our diligence in prayer.

68. 7th and 8th Visit of Moroni7th and 8th Visit of Moroni
(Sept. 22, 1825, 1826)(Sept. 22, 1825, 1826)
Instructions and tutoring of JosephInstructions and tutoring of Joseph

69. 9th Visit of Moroni9th Visit of Moroni
Winter 1827
• 1. Moroni met Joseph at the hill and said the time
had come for the record to be brought forth.
• 2. As I passed by the Hill Cumorah, where the
plates are, the angel met me and said that I had not
been engaged enough in the work of the Lord; that
the time had come for the record to be brought
forth; and that I must be up and doing and set
myself about the things which God had
commanded me to do.(Lucy, HJS., p.100)
•

70. Joseph Marries Emma Hale
• JSH 1:55-58
• 1827 Jan. 18 Marriage of Joseph and Emma Hale
South Bainbridge, NY
• (Eloped)
• I have been very lonely ever since Alvin died
and I have concluded to get married, and if you
have no objections to my uniting myself in
marriage with miss Emma Hale, she would be
my choice in preference to any other women I
have ever seen.(Lucy Mack Smith, History of
Joseph Smith, p.93)

71. 1010thth
VisitVisit
(Sept. 22 Joseph Receives the Plates-
Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith,
p.102-110)

72. Mendon -Vilate Kimball, September 22, 1827 A
Scene in the Heavens
• On the night of the 22nd of September, 1827,
while living in the town of Mendon, after we
retired to bed, John P. Green, who was then a
traveling reformed Methodist preacher, living
within one hundred steps of our house, came and
called my husband to come out and see the sight in
the Heavens. Heber awoke me and sister fanny
Young (sister of Brigham), who was living with us
, and we all went out of doors.

73. • It was one of the most beautiful starlight
nights , so clear we could see to pick up a
pin. We looked to the eastern horizon, and
beheld a white smoke arise towards the
Heavens. As it ascended, it formed a belt,
and made a noise like the rushing of the
wind, and continued southwest, forming a
regular bow, dipping in the western horizon

74. • After the bow had formed, it began to widen out,
growing transparent, of a bluish cast. It grew wide
enough to contain twelve men abreast. In this bow
an army moved, commencing from east and
marching to the west . They continued moving
until they reached the western horizon. They
moved in platoons, and walked so close the near
ranks trod in the steps of their file leaders, until
the bow was literally crowded with soldiers.

75. • We could distinctly see the muskets, bayonets, and
knapsacks of the men, who wore caps and feathers
like those used by the American soldiers in the last
war with Great Britain. We also saw their officers
with their swords and their equipage, and heard
the clashing and jingling of their instruments of
war, and could discern the form and features of the
men. The most profound order existed throughout
the entire army. When the foremost man stepped,
every man stepped at the same time. We could
hear their steps. When the front rank reached the
western horizon, a battle ensued, as we could hear
the report of arms and the rush.

76. • None can judge of our feelings as we beheld this
army of spirits as plainly as ever armies of men
were seen in the flesh. Every hair of our head
seemed alive.
• We gazed upon this ... for hours, until it began to
disappear.
• After we became acquainted with Mormonism, we
learned that this took place the same evening that
Joseph Smith received the records of the Book of
Mormon from the Angel Moroni, who had held
those records in his possession.

77. • Father Young and John P. Green’s wife (Brigham
Young’s sister Rhoda), were also witnesses of this
marvelous scene.
• Frightened at what we saw, I said, Father Young ,
what does all this mean? He answered, why it is
one of the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.
The next night a similar scene was beheld in the
west, by the neighbors, representing armies of
men engaged in battle.
• (Edward W. Tullidge, The Women of
Mormondom, pp.107, 108, 109)
•

78. Sept.22 1827
Joseph entrusted with the Golden Plates
• Because of attempts to steal the record (Willard
Chase) Joseph kept the
Urim and thummim constantly on his person
(Lucy, 107).
• Golden toothpick- David Whitmer...
• Don Carlos goes for Hyrum who ...dropped his
cup sprang from the table
and emptied the chest put it on his shoulder
and ran...(Lucy, p.108-9)
•