I will give a brief summary of Joseph Smith, who he was, and what we believe about him. If you'd like more detailed information, visit here, or here. And for his story in his own words visit this page.
Joseph Smith was born in 1805 in Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont, to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. As was common on those days, he was part of a large family. When he was 11 years old his family moved to Palmyra, New York and later to a farm in nearby Manchester, New York.
"Some time in the second year after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, "Lo, here!” and others, “Lo, there!” Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist.
For, notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued—priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions." (taken from the above mentioned story in his own words.)
Four of his family members (mother, 2 brothers, and a sister) joined the Presbyterian church. Joseph himself felt partial to the Methodist church. He felt some desire to join them, but there was so much confusion and contention among the different sects that he felt he could not determine which was right. In the midst of his own inner confusion, he one day read James 1:5 which says,
"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." (Italics his)Here is his beautiful expression of how he felt upon reading this scripture..."Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture."
And so he determined to pray to God so that he might know for himself which sect he should join. The description of what transpired is so beautifully told in his own words that once again I will provide a quote as my description could never capture the feeling of these amazing events.
"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!
My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” (His detailed story can be found here)
From that time forward Joseph became ridiculed and persecuted for telling the story of this vision. The religious leaders of the day excited "a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling" against him.
Again, in his words, "However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.
So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For 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; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation."
Members of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints are encouraged to read his story, to pray to God and ask Him if it is true. Just as we are encouraged to do for every other thing. I have done this myself. I don't think I'll ever forget the day, when I was 19, that I got down on my knees and prayed to my Father in Heaven and asked Him if this church truly was the same organization put in place when Jesus Christ Himself was on the earth, and restored through Joseph Smith, Jun. and if his story was true. The first feeling I had following that question was a rush of excitement, but immediately followed by a warm, peaceful feeling such as I had never felt before.
Mormons all over the world have felt similar feelings when they do as I did and ask for themselves. We don't believe that Joseph Smith is God. We do believe that he saw God and Jesus Christ and that under their direction he reorganized the church as it was set up by Jesus Christ Himself. We believe Joseph was a prophet of God. He sacrificed a great deal to do the work that he was given by God to do. Even his life. We revere him and honor him by telling his story to others, by praying to know for ourselves, and by following his example once we obtain our answer. He faced many vile persecutions. He was falsely arrested and imprisoned (more than once), he was tarred and feathered, he was taken from his home in front of his wife and children, he feared for his life almost continually, and eventually was killed, along with his brother, by a mob. He is a martyr, a prophet, and a great man. But he is not God and we do not worship him.
