Learn more about Joseph Smith and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following the Prophet’s “First Vision” in 1820, the Latter-day Saints have grown to comprise nearly 20 million members around the world.
FromtheDesk features interviews and commentary on the latest Joseph Smith research, including frequent check-ins with scholars from the Joseph Smith Papers project.
Joseph Smith has been a fascinating figure since the day of his “First Vision” in 1820. Scholars and believers continue to ask questions about the Prophet’s character, his use of golden plates to translate the Book of Mormon, his relationship with Brigham Young and Emma Smith—and much more. This article presents snapshots of academic and devotional insights about the life and teachings of Joseph Smith Jr.
A new purported photograph of Joseph Smith seems to pop up every few years. However, all of the candidates have been ruled out—until now. While not the slam dunk some media outlets would have you believe, the Smith/Larsen daguerreotype makes a stronger case than we’ve seen before. In this interview, Lachlan Mackay walks through some of the historical details.
I am in the final stages of a new Joseph Smith biography for Yale University Press, but two decades ago, I began research on a biography of Brigham Young. I had the time of my life coming to the Church History Library and making my way through what seemed like the endless boxes and microfilm reels that contain Young’s papers.
Truman Madsen is perhaps best known for his Joseph Smith lectures. The BYU professor thought of the Prophet as a window through which he could see Jesus Christ. But his contributions extend far beyond lectures given at Brigham Young University. Those who knew him best, like his wife, Ann Madsen, say there was much more to Truman G. Madsen than meets the eye.
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.
Joseph Smith dedicated the Kirtland Temple in 1836. He introduced temple ordinances prior to the dedication as a way to help prepare pioneers for a future endowment of power. The temple’s history includes visions of Jesus Christ and Old Testament prophets like Elijah, a two-hour Sidney Rigdon sermon, and a few myths. The latest news came in March 2024 when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the Kirtland Ohio Temple from the Community of Christ. This article provides relevant insights from historians, pioneers, and more.
Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, was an honored and venerated matriarchal figure among the Latter-day Saint community that affectionately called her “Mother Smith.” Born in Gilsum, New Hampshire in 1776 to Solomon Mack and Lydia Gates, she was the youngest of eight children.
Katharine Smith Salisbury was the seventh surviving child and second daughter in Joseph Smith’s family. She married Jenkins Salisbury in the year 1831, and they were the parents of eight children. They migrated with the Saints to Ohio, Missouri, and finally to Illinois. After the main body of the Saints migrated to the Salt Lake valley, she remained behind in Illinois, where she raised her family. She always maintained her faith in the Restoration and the prophetic calling of her brother Joseph, and ensured those beliefs were perpetuated to her posterity.
It can be challenging to find Joseph Smith quotes drawn from reliable historical sources. Our quotes page gives you access to his teachings about topics like love, trials, and the Holy Ghost. What makes them especially unique is that every quote is taken from dependable scholarly research such as the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
In the historical memory of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration who pronounced hundreds of revelations and prophecies, most of them canonized today in the Doctrine and Covenants. However, what many Saints may be surprised to learn is that a number of Joseph Smith’s revelations have, for various reasons, remained uncanonized even after their pronouncement.