Martyrdom Day 175 Years Later

Today marks 175 years since the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in Carthage.  Over the past two days I've worked with a group of people moving and setting up chairs for the ceremonies surrounding this event.  Yesterday it was moving chairs to Carthage.  Over 800 of them!  Today it was moving and setting up 300 chairs in the Smith family cemetery for the Community of Christ.  We've been asked to attend both.  Normally we wouldn't be available to go to the one held by the Community of Christ but we were asked by our district leaders to attend.  Thus a short day for me.

I read the above and look at the murals below and wonder.  By Joseph's own account he was a somewhat sober individual. Yet, he was just a boy.  Youth make decisions that aren't always the best.  Heck, adults do the same thing!  He was called of God.  I have been as well  Many times.  Obviously not as a prophet, but to do things that were difficult.  Every calling has not been easy to accept.  The decision to serve a mission was not made overnight nor was it necessarily an easy one.

What does the mural tell you about the kind of upbringing that Joseph had?

What do you see in Joseph's face?

Elder Oaks said, "The Prophet Joseph had no role models from whom he could learn how to be a prophet and leader of the Lord's people.  He learned from heavenly messengers and from the harvest of his unique spiritual gifts.  He had to rely on associates who had no role models either.  They struggled and learned together, and the Prophet's growth  was extremely rapid."

How did Joseph align himself with the Lord's will?
What do I need to change in my life to align myself to the Lord's will for me?
How will that change help me to represent Jesus Christ?

At times I have struggled in my life to align my will with that of the Lord.  In fact, sometimes I did whatever I wanted to do.  At this time in my life, I wear the Savior's name on my chest every single day.  It has been a privilege to do so.  As a missionary, it seems easier to align my will to His.  In turn representing the Savior has been something I didn't expect.  That's not right.  The feeling was something new and unexpected but wonderful!

I've always had a tender spot in my heart when I hear the account of the martyrdom.  I look at the mural and see a young innocent face that had no idea of the trials that lie ahead.  I am so thankful for the boy who sought an answer to a simple question.  So grateful for his call to be the Lord's prophet in this dispensation.  That reality was witnessed to me last week. I know it!