[SOUNDS OF VOICES AND GUN SHOTS]

It was the fall of 1838, with persecutions against the Mormons becoming even more severe and intense than in months before. Mob violence was vicious, and the air rang with cries of strife and hatred. The life of the Prophet Joseph Smith was in danger, as well as that of his brother and constant companion, Hyrum. During the height of this persecution, Hyrum was seized and taken from his home with hardly an opportunity to say goodbye to his wife, Mary. Hyrum was dragged off to jail and court trial, where he and Joseph were illegally sentenced to die. Twelve days later, Mary Fielding Smith gave birth to a son, whom they named Joseph Fielding, generally known as Joseph F. Smith. Hyrum saw his infant son for the first time when the child was three months old. These were trying times indeed for the whole Smith family. At one time, a group of enemies of the Church ransacked the home, while the mother lay critically ill, and stole papers and other valuables belonging to Hyrum, who was still in jail. Joseph F. later wrote of this incident in his diary: "I, being an infant and lying on the bed, was entirely overlooked by the family during the fright. When the mob entered the room where I was, a mattress was thrown on top of me, completely smothering me up. When thought of and discovered, my existence was supposed to have come to an end, but subsequent events have proved their suppositions erroneous, however well founded." Mary Smith soon moved her family from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois, hoping to find friendlier surroundings. Then Hyrum moved his family a few weeks later to Nauvoo, the City of the Saints. However, persecutions increased even more, until the climax came five years later at Carthage Jail, with the Martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum. Joseph F. was a lad of only six when his father was killed. The fatherless and poverty-stricken family remained at their home in Nauvoo for nearly two years. But again, mob harassment drove the Saints from their homes. For Mary Fielding Smith, this was a time of many hardships and demands on her strength. She relied heavily on Joseph F. to do a man's work, in spite of his tender years. It was Joseph F. who drove his mother's team across Iowa to Winter Quarters when he was only eight years old. And then, at the age of 10, he drove two yoke of oxen more than 1,000 miles across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley. He was extremely sensitive to the hardships placed upon the leaders of his ox team Tom and Joe, which he had raised from calves. He recounted with deep emotion the circumstances: "Many times while traveling sandy or rough roads, long thirsty drives, my oxen lowing with the heat and fatigue, I would put my arms around Tom's neck and cry bitter tears. That was all I could do. Tom was my favorite and best and most willing and obedient servant and friend." Four years after entering the Salt Lake Valley, another great sadness came to Joseph F.-- his beloved mother died. Of Mary Fielding Smith, Joseph remarked: "The strongest anchor in my life, which helped me to hold to every principle, was the love of my dear mother." But Joseph F. was accustomed to caring for himself. He had worked as a teamster, herd boy, plow boy, irrigator, harvester, wood hauler, thresher, winnower. Responsibilities had matured him early. He was only 15 when he received his first mission call to Hawaii. At 16 he presided over the branch on the island of Maui. But physical hardships, discouragement, and illness almost overwhelmed him during his early months in Hawaii. He recalled: "I was very much oppressed. I felt as if I was so debased in my condition of poverty, lack of intelligence and knowledge, just a boy, that I hardly dared look a man in the face." One night after praying for relief from his afflictions, he was blessed with a comforting experience, which increased his spiritual insight. He dreamed that he participated in some events with his parents with President Brigham Young and the Prophet Joseph Smith. At one point, he touched the Prophet and felt his warmth. "When I awoke that morning, I was a man. There was not anything in the world that I feared. That vision, that manifestation and witness that I enjoyed at that time has made me what I am, if I am good or clean, or upright before the Lord. That has helped me through every trial and through every difficulty." He won the lifelong devotion of the natives through his love and concern for them during his almost four years in the islands. Two years later, he was called to serve a mission in England, leaving behind his bride of a year. After nearly three years, he returned home with the intention, in his own words, "to settle down for a season and take care of my own." However, the Church was experiencing difficulties in Hawaii, because of the acts of an apostate elder, Walter Gibson. So once more, the call came to Joseph F. Because of his acquaintance with the islanders and their language, would he accompany Apostles Lorenzo Snow and Ezra T. Benson to the islands to assist in straightening out the difficulties? After preliminary meetings in Hawaii, Elders Snow and Benson returned home, leaving the youthful Joseph F. to preside over Church affairs on the islands for the next few months, a demonstration of the trust and confidence Church leaders placed in him. At the age of 25, he had served seven years in the mission field. Two years later, at the Church Historian's Office, housed in the George A. Smith home, President Brigham Young ordained Joseph F. an Apostle. The calling was not made public until a vacancy occurred, and he became a member of the Council of the Twelve. During that year, Joseph F. served as one of several counselors. All together, he served 52 years as a General Authority, 22 of those years as Counselor to four Presidents, and 17 years as President of the Church. When he was sustained as President at the age of 63, he became the first Church President born of LDS parentage and the last to have seen the Prophet Joseph Smith in person. Some of the most severe anti-Mormon campaigns ever unleashed marred the early years of President Smith's administration. One United States senator from Utah appealed to him for political support from the Church. When President Smith informed him the Church would not endorse candidates, the irate senator joined with anti-Mormon forces, which attacked President Smith in vicious ways for 10 years. To this abuse, President Smith made no answer, except to express publicly his tolerance and forgiveness. He became the first President of the Church to visit all the European missions. His administration saw many important developments, including the completion of the Church Office Building on South Temple in Salt Lake City, the Hotel Utah, the LDS Hospital, and the Bureau of Information on Temple Square. The first missionaries were assigned to Temple Square, inaugurating a great missionary program within Utah. The Granite Seminary became the first of many buildings, as the Church initiated the seminary program. And the program of the Boy Scouts of America was adopted by the Church, the first church in America to do so. Inauguration of a regular home evening throughout the Church was encouraged in a letter issued by the First Presidency in 1915. President Smith had a vital interest in the historic landmarks of the Church. On the 100th anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smith's birth, he dedicated the monument erected at the site of the Prophet's birthplace in Vermont. In the dedicatory prayer, he said: "We dedicate the foundation, typical of the foundation Thou hast laid of apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone; the base as typifying the rock of revelation on which Thy Church is built; the capstone as a sign of the glorious crown that Thy servant Joseph has secured unto himself through his integrity to Thy cause; the spire as a token of the inspired man of God whom Thou didst make indeed a polished shaft in Thine hand, reflecting the light of heaven unto the children of men." Under the direction of President Joseph F. Smith, the Church purchased the Joseph Smith home in Palmyra, New York, the Sacred Grove, and Carthage Jail. He had avoided visiting here, where his father had been killed, until 1906, when he said: "I despise this place. It harrows up my feelings to come here." Joseph F. Smith was courageous in his testimony under all conditions. A wagon load of drunken men once rode into his camp cursing and threatening to kill any Mormon who crossed their path. Joseph F. was at that time in California, on route home from his first mission to Hawaii. As his companions fled for safety, Joseph F. fearlessly approached the group. The leader roughly shoved a pistol in his face. "Are you a Mormon?" "Yes, sirree, died in the wool, true blue, through and through." "Well, you're the pleasantest man I ever met. Shake, young fella. I'm glad to see a man that stands up for his convictions." The ruffians rode off, and Joseph F. was not bothered further. President Smith was also a revered example of tenderness and love for mankind, especially where children were concerned. Once while presiding over a conference, he saw a late-arriving woman jerk a small child from a seat, so she could sit down. President Smith immediately called for the child to come to the stand and sit beside him through the entire meeting, and then he delivered a powerful sermon, chastising those who abuse children. He was considerate and vitally interested in Church members everywhere, as evidenced by a letter he dictated to a stake president. In his own voice: "I certainly wish you every blessing together with your associates, in the ministry of Wayne Stake. Please remember me kindly to all of your people and assure them that I am still firm in the faith and there is nothing in the world as evident than the performance of my duties as a servant in the cause of truth." President Smith's appearance was an outward reflection of his lifestyle--clean, neat, and orderly in all he did. Every letter he received and every article he owned was always kept in its proper place. He had a reputation of punctuality. Much of his life was spent in tribulation and with grave responsibilities, but he was far from somber. Even during heavy sorrows, he lived by the philosophy that happiness is such as we make it. President Joseph F. Smith was an exceptional speaker. A lifelong friend wrote of him: "As a preacher of righteousness, who could compare with him? He was the greatest that I ever heard--strong, powerful, clear, appealing. It was marvelous how the words of living light and fire flowed from him." He was an excellent writer and theologian as well. The book Gospel Doctrine, a collection of his more serious and inspired sermons and writings, has long been a standard reference work for doctrinal clarification among leaders in the Church. Nothing was of greater importance to President Smith than his family. He managed to spend time with them out of doors, as well as at home. Wherever he traveled, he wrote endearing letters home to his sons and daughters, full of love and admiration. An indication of his profound influence in their lives is that two of his sons were worthy to serve as Apostles in the Council of the Twelve during his administration. And one of them, Joseph Fielding Smith, later became 10th President of the Church, the only instance in this dispensation of a father and son both obtaining that distinction.

Perhaps one of his greatest contributions to the world is the revelation he received concerning the redemption of the dead, which shed new light on the scriptural reference to the Savior's brief visit to the spirit world between His death and Resurrection.

"I wondered at the words of Peter, wherein he said that 'The Son of God preached unto the spirits in prison, who sometime were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, and how it was possible for Him to preach to those spirits and perform the necessary labor among them in so short a time.' I perceived that the Lord went not in person among the wicked and the disobedient who had rejected the truth to teach them. But behold, from among the righteous, He organized His forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commission them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men. And thus, was the gospel preached to the dead." He submitted this revelation for approval to the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve in October 1918. At general conference in April 1976, 58 years later, the revelation was accepted by the entire Church and was added to the Pearl of Great Price as new scripture: "It is proposed that we sustain and approve this action and adopt these revelations as part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints. All in favor, please manifest it. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign. Thank you, President. The voting seems to be unanimous in the affirmative." When President Smith died at the age of 80, no public funeral could be held because of the nationwide flu epidemic, which followed World War I. Nevertheless, many showed their love by lining the streets as his body was taken to the Salt Lake City Cemetery. The same newspapers, which had maliciously attacked him earlier in his Presidency, published expressions of deep regret at his passing and praised him highly for his noble character: "Joseph F. Smith was sincere and intense in whatever he believed; he was loyal and courageous under whatever banner he marched, whether as a churchman, as a partisan, as an advocate of war or of peace, as a business associate or as a personal friend." [MUSIC PLAYING]