"There can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from the home, and every effort made to sanctify and preserve its influence is uplifting to those who toil and sacrifice for its establishment... There is no happiness without service and there is no greater service than that which converts the home into a divine institution, and which promotes and preserves family life."
Joseph F. Smith, the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, was born to Mary Fielding and Hyrum Smith. Mary and Hyrum were married after Hyrum's second wife, Jerusha Barden, died. Jerusha and Hyrum had 5 children together and Mary looked after them as if they were her own. Joseph was born November 13, 1838. He was born while Hyrum was being held under false pretenses in Liberty Jail along with Joseph. In the winter of 1838-1839, many of the Saints (along with Mary and Jospeph) were driven out of Missouri and traveled 200 miles to Nauvoo. Joseph spent 8 years of his early childhood in the city the Saints built and called home. Being a nephew to the Prophet Joseph Smith he often played with his uncle and heard of the revelations he would receive from the prophets mouth. He had a great sense of loyalty to the prophet as well as a deeply rooted love. Speaking of the Prophet Joseph, Joseph F Smith said this,
"O, he was full of joy ; he was full of gladness; he was full of love...And while he could play with the children and amuse himself at simple, innocent games among me, he also communed with the Father adn the Son and spoke with angels, and they visited him, and conferred blessings and gifts and keys of power upon him."
At age 5, Joseph and Hyrum Smith were assassinated in a violent crime in Carthage Jail. The boy Joseph F Smith witnessed the affect that the news had on the Saints and never forgot the cloud of sorrow that hung over them.
In 1846, the Saints were forced out of Nauvoo, ferried across the river, and camped under trees as they watched their beloved city was under gun fire. In 1848, age 9, Joseph F Smith drove a team of ox into the Salt Lake Valley. Time and time again, Joseph F Smith watched as his mother worked, labored, prayed, and relied on the Lord for peace and comfort. She was his rock. Mary died when she was 51. Joseph F Smith was just 13 years old. Although he had a rough 18 months following he wrote to a friend saying that he would never be friendless nor forget the kindness from his aunt, Brigham Young, Heber C Kimball, and George A Smith (his father's cousin). Speaking of the men Joseph F stated, "These were men whom I learned to love as I loved my father, because of their integrity and love of the Truth."
At age 15, six weeks before his 16th birthday, he accepted a mission to Hawaii. At a young age he was given the responsibility of presiding over different parts of the mission. He left Hawaii in 1857. He also was a missionary in England 1860-1863, a 2nd mission in Hawaii in 1864 and later that year returned to Salt Lake where he was employed in the Church Historian Office under the direction of Elder George A Smith.
At age 28, Joseph F Smith was ordained an apostle of the Lord. He gave great and powerful sermons many which counseled the Saints to forgive those that persecuted them.
October 17, 1901, 1 week after Lorenzo Snow passed away, Joseph F Smith was ordained the president of the Church. During his ministry church ministry nearly doubled, most being in the Western United States. He felt a deep connection to the Saints in distant countries and counseled all Saints where'er they be to be good citizens. He counseled them to be in the world but not of the world. One of his main efforts was on the priesthood. He announced in April 1908 that "new efforts were under way for the benefit and advancement of those who are associated with the various quorums of the Priesthood. Many of the standard duties today of the Aaronic Priesthood were started under the direction of President Smith. He put more emphasis on home teaching. Joseph F. wanted the church's visitors to have a place to receive accurate information and therefore created the first Visitor Center but the church quickly received 150,000 visitors and therefore built another visitor center to accommodate. With all of these accomplishments, one of his best known is D&C 138.
On October 3, 1918 the prophet was reflecting the scriptures and had this manifestation of when the Savior visited the dead during his 3 days before the Easter morn.
Joseph F Smith was the last prophet of God to have personally known Joseph Smith his uncle. Joseph F Smith died November 19, 1918 at the Beehive House in Salt Lake.
