Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith
Prophet, Seer and Revelator

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Elder Parley P. Pratt's mission

Even though John loved teaching about Christ in the Methodist Church, he knew that there was something more he was to preach about. He and the people of his study group examined the Bible carefully. They wanted to find a religion that had apostles, prophets and the gift of the Holy Ghost – exactly the same organization Jesus had set up when He was on the earth. The study group fasted and prayed that God would help them, believing that the true church should have all the blessings Christ gave the early Saints.


The Methodist weren’t happy with this study group. The ministers told the study group that they could still be Methodists, but they couldn’t preach any more. The group continued to meet and fast and pray.

Elder Parley P. Pratt was called on a mission to Canada. Before he left, Heber C. Kimball blessed Elder Pratt that on his mission, “Many [would be] be brought to the knowledge of the truth . . . and from the things growing out of this mission, shall the fullness of the gospel spread into England.”

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Leonora Cannon

Leonora Cannon, a pretty English lady, belonged to the same church study group John did. Leonora had grown up in a privileged family and was chosen to be a companion to the wife of Lord Aylmer, Governor General of Canada. As companion to the governor’s wife, she had attended many social events of the upper class society of Canada. She was refined, very religious and well educated. She and John became friends and enjoyed talking about the Bible. John fell in love with her and asked her to marry him, but Leonora said no. She knew John would always work for a religious cause and wondered if she really wanted that kind of life. Besides, he was twelve years younger than she was.


John was disappointed; age and rank in society didn’t matter to him. He still saw Leonora at study group; she was beautiful. However, a short time later, Leonora had a dream where she saw herself with John. She knew the message came from God. Their courtship blossomed. John was in love and so was she. They were married January 28, 1833.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Coming to America

Finally at the age of twenty-four, John was ready to leave for Canada. He heaved his trunk up on the ship’s deck and stood the near the railing. The crowd on the dock hunched their shoulders against the wind. Dark clouds blanketed the sky. As his vessel sailed out to sea, a great storm arose. Several boats were dashed to pieces in fierce winds, and the crew of John’s ship prepared for their craft to go down any minute. But John wasn’t worried. He knew Heavenly Father wanted him to preach the gospel in America. He had faith he would arrive safely.


John climbed onto the deck at midnight. Lightning crackled, shattering the sky with brightness. Rain and cold pelted him. The wind ripped at his clothes. Everyone else was afraid. But John said, “I felt as calm as though I was sitting in the parlor at home. I believed I should reach America and perform my work.”

Weeks later, John landed safely in New York harbor and then made his way to Toronto, Canada, where his parents lived. There he joined the Methodist Church and began to preach about Christ.