Joseph Smith in Nauvoo

Joseph Smith in Nauvoo

(This is the only new drawing today.)

We members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints consider Joseph Smith to be a great prophet.  He was the instrument in the Lord's hands to restore the true church of Jesus Christ.  We recognize that other Christian churches have much truth.  We respect them and their members for all the good that they do. 

We believe that in 1820, when Joseph was only 14, he was saw a vision and visited with Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.  Joseph was told that the true church was not on the Earth.  .   . but that in time he could be an instrument in the Lord's hands to help restore the True Church of Christ. 

Later, Joseph was visited by an ancient Native American Prophet who eventually brought him gold plates with writing on them.  By the power of God Joseph was able to translate the plates and that translation became The Book of Mormon.  The book is another testament of Jesus Christ and his dealings with His people in the New world, somewhere in North and or South America. 

In our view the restored church has the complete truth and we consider it a restoration of the church that Jesus established on the Earth 2000 years ago.  We have some unique beliefs that the Lord restored to the Earth via Joseph Smith.  For example, we believe that marriage can be eternal.  We believe that Heaven is organized by families.  We are also sealed to our children.  We believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus have physical glorified bodies. 

We believe that we lived with our Heavenly Parents before we came to Earth.  We lived there in our pre-mortal life as Spirit Children of our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.  In Fact, we believe that one day, if we receive the saving ordinances and keep the commandments, we can one day return to live with our Heavenly Parents.  We also believe that we should be kind to everyone and love our neighbor as ourselves.  We try and keep the sabbath day holy. 

We believe that the Lord wants us to save ourselves for marriage.  That is, we believe that the physical or sexual relationship between a man and a woman is powerful and wonderful.  When we make a physical body for one of God's Spirit children in the sacred bond of marriage we are helping with God’s. work. 

Because we believe in the sanctity of marriage we sometimes are accused of being prudes.  If that were true, how do we make all those children?  Latter Day Saints, or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believe that marriage is the highest sacrament.  We don't think sex is just for procreation, but giving the chance for other Spirit Children of our Heavenly Parents to come to Earth is very important.  The sexual union of a married couple is sacred and truly wonderful to us.  It is a bonding experience like no other in mortality. 

During Joseph Smith's day many religions thought that the body was evil and that sex, even in marriage, was kind of a pact with the devil and although they knew it was necessary, it was also considered unclean.  Well, Joseph Smith turned that around and said that the marriage relationship was necessary to our eternal exaltation.   He taught that the body, far from being evil, was necessary for our eternal progression.  And again, he taught that our Heavenly Parents also had physical, glorified bodies. 

Partly because of these teaching, Joseph Smith was arrested in Nauvoo, and then martyred by a mob in 1844 in Carthage, Illinois.  The members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints were forced to leave Illinois and they went clear across the North American Plains to the valleys of the Rocky Mountains. 

Joseph Smith also taught that Jesus is our elder brother.  Lucifer was also one of our elder brothers.  In the premortal life Lucifer rebelled against God and was cast out to Earth.  He took with him 1/3 of the hosts of heaven and he and they became devils.  They did not pass through the veil of forgetfulness that WE all passed through when we were born.  So this is why the devils knew who Jesus was when he came to Earth.  Jesus came to Earth to teach us and to pay the eternal price for our sins because we mortals all sin.  Because of this Atonement of Jesus Christ we all can be forgiven of our sins if we repent and strive to do better. 

To us, the Atonement and resurrection of Christ also means that we will all be resurrected one day and receive the level of glory we were willing to accept.  When we die we go to the Spirit World and wait our resurrection.  While there we teach others about Jesus Christ. 

We Latter Day Saints believe that Peter James and John, original disciples of Jesus, appeared in glory to give Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the priesthood power of God.  Joseph Smith restored the Original Church of Christ and all its ordinances like baptism by immersion, conferring the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and sacred Temple Covenants including Eternal Marriage. 

Many of us have served an 18 month or 2 year mission, when we were young, to teach other people about these truths.  Some of us serve missions when we are elderly too.  So there are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in many countries throughout the world. 

Below are some other drawings of some of the things I mentioned above.  These drawings are from older posts.  All the drawings on today's post can be found in printable form by clicking on the buttons:  .....Religion.... or ....All Printables.....  Remember that newer pictures are at the bottom of the correct list.  

Joseph Smith has his First Vision

Joseph Smith is visites by the Angel Moroni

Jesus in the New World somewhere. . . 
as told in the Book of Mormon

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery get the Melchezidek Priesthood

Joseph Smith restores Christ's Church

Pioneers crossing the Plains and then the Valleys of Wyoming

Handcart Pioneer Family

Temple with Family

Harry in the Spirit World

Together in the Celestial Kingdom

Final Note:  I did not give a comprehensive history of the contributions of Joseph Smith and the church that he established.  If you want to learn more contact missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.