Latter-day Saints think of Joseph Smith as a visionary, and rightly so. During his life, he received heavenly manifestations, including visions from God, Jesus Christ, and angels. He introduced translated records of humanity’s past and received visions of the afterlife. If improperly interpreted, however, these experiences can turn Joseph into a caricature of himself, a man who was constantly tuned into heaven. Although Joseph received striking visions and visitations, he was a lonely soul who struggled to understand how to fulfill God’s will. But this loneliness—his experience of the absence of God’s presence or directions—was formative.
