Companion Talks Defending Joseph Smith's Morality

 In the past few months I have given two companion talks defending Joseph Smith against the widely accepted, yet utterly false accusations that he was a liar, hypocrite, philanderer, sexual deviant, polygamist, and pedophile. The first talk, titled Removing the Stain of Polygamy from the Restoration was given at the Rescuing the Restoration Conference in Meridian, Idaho. The second talk, titled Joseph Smith vs. Polygamy: the Raging Storm in Nauvoo was given at the Hear and Trust the Lord in the Storm conference held in Lexington, Kentucky. 

The Standard of Truth

In a letter written to newspaper editor John Wentworth, and subsequently published in the Times and Seasons on 1 March 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, Joseph Smith, Jr. stated that on the morning of September 22, 1827 an angel of the Lord delivered into his hands a record of ancient origin, engraved on plates of metal which had the appearance of gold. Through the gift and power of God, Joseph translated, or revealed, the words engraved on the ancient record. The plates had been compiled by a man named Moroni who had hidden and sealed them in the earth to come forth in God’s due time and for God’s purpose. In honor of Moroni’s father, Mormon, the subsequently printed book was given the name The Book of Mormon. In his history, Joseph referred to The Book of Mormon as “the stick of Joseph in the hands of Ephraim” in reference to the prophecy in Ezekiel, “The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Moreover, you son of man, take one stick and write upon it: For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions. Then take another stick and write upon it: For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions. And join them one to another, into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand. And when the children of your people shall speak unto you, saying, Will you not show us what you mean by these? Say unto them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick; and they shall be one in my hand. And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes.” (See Ezekiel 37:15-20; OC Ezekiel 19:4; T&C JSH 19:7; Times and Seasons Vol. 4, No. 2, Dec. 1, 1842).

                In the letter to Wentworth, Joseph described The Book of Mormon as an “important and interesting book” wherein “the history of ancient America is unfolded, from its first settlement…[the] Jaredites [who] came directly from the tower of Babel. The second race came directly from the city of Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ. They were principally Israelites, of the descendants of Joseph. The Jaredites were destroyed about the time that the Israelites came from Jerusalem, who succeeded them in the inheritance of the country. The principal nation of the second race fell in battle toward the close of the fourth century. The remnant are the Indians that now inhabit this country. This book also tells us that our Savior made his appearance upon this continent after his resurrection, that he planted the gospel here in all its fullness, and richness, and power, and blessing…that the people were cut off in consequence of their transgressions; that the last of their prophets who existed among them was commanded to write an abridgement of their prophecies, history, etc., and to hide it up in the earth, and that it should come forth and be united with the Bible for the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days….the standard of truth has been erected. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing: persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say, The work is done.” (emphasis added; see T&C section 146; Times and Seasons Vol. 3, No. 9, March 1, 1842).

                Truth is “knowledge of things as they are and as they were and as they are to come” (D&C 93:24; T&C 93:8). You can only know the truth by having it revealed to you from heaven itself (see D&C 76:7, 114-119; T&C 69:29). The truth informs us of how things were by revealing exactly what happened. The truth informs us how things are now, in our current state of peril. The truth informs us of the things to come. Without the truth it is impossible to repent. In order for people to be taken captive by the devil, all that is required is for them to be content with their ignorance. The greatest threat to salvation does not come from teaching false doctrine but instead comes from ignoring doctrine altogether. Substituting platitudes and truisms for careful, ponderous and solemn investigation of the deep things of God is sufficient to keep people in the chains of captivity. It isn’t necessary for the devil to convince you of lies, only for him to make you content in your ignorance or fearful of the search for truth. (see A Glossary of Gospel Terms: Restoration Edition).

                The Standard of Truth is The Book of Mormon. It was preserved and brought forth by God as a gift to be given freely to all mankind. It contains the fullness of His gospel. It is perhaps the greatest ascension theology text now in existence and as such has the power to bring a person to salvation and redemption through Christ. No institution has any right to claim ownership or to demand fealty. The Standard of Truth was given to all mankind by a loving Father to go forth boldly, nobly, and independent until its message has filled the earth.

Spring Equinox

I am a 7^th generation member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have spent the majority of my life as a loyal and faithful member. I have loved the Church and held a deep gratitude to the Lord for my membership in it. Several years ago, as I studied Church History, I found over and over again that Joseph Smith, Jr. denied practicing polygamy and spoke out against it. As I sought to harmonize official LDS Church History regarding the introduction of polygamy by Joseph Smith with Joseph’s consistent denials, I was reminded that I had been taught since my youth that Joseph and other leaders were “lying for the Lord.” For some reason, where I had accepted that explanation before in my life, this time I could not. After deep, ponderous, and lengthy consideration, I decided that Joseph was a fallen prophet. I kept this to myself and shared my thoughts with no one. I stayed active, faithful, and “strong” in the Church.

A few years later, as I sat in a lesson on the First Vision, I felt impressed to bear my testimony on the truthfulness of this event. As I did so, the truth of it pierced my soul and convicted me. Over the next few years, I contemplated how a man who communed with Jehovah and diverse angels could lie about polygamy. Joseph had never lied about anything else. He was never one to shy away from teaching deep, difficult doctrine. Why would he with polygamy? I decided to seriously research Joseph’s “polygamy.” As I did so, I continued to find his consistent denials of any involvement. One day, the thought came to me, “Why don’t you believe Joseph? Why don’t you give him the benefit of believing that he meant what he said?” With this new idea, the evidence and proof that have been used to condemn him opened to a newer understanding. I came to believe that Joseph never practiced polygamy in any form. He never married any woman other than Emma. He was true and faithful to her in every way. Joseph and Emma had a deep, poignant love for each other and were the elect of God.

I wanted to shout my new understanding to the world.  Joseph never taught, preached, nor practiced plurality of wives. He was a man of integrity, moral purity, and chastity. I cannot understand why the LDS Church still holds to the false claims that he was a polygamist. In the LDS Church’s own historical records there is ample proof to at best exonerate him from all such claims and at worst to caste serious doubts upon their current historical narrative.  For instance, on the Joseph Smith Papers website, you can find the digital image of Joseph’s journal entry for 5 October, 1843 (8 ½ months before his murder). There is no way to misunderstand what Joseph believed or how he felt about polygamy. Here is the digital image:

You can see the image on the Joseph Smith Papers Project website here.

The entry states:

Thursday October 5 [1843]

Morning rode out with Esqr Butterfield to farm etc.—P.M. rode on prairie to shew some brethren some land.—eve at home walked up and down st. with scribe.—and gave instruction to try those who were preaching teaching or pprcting the doctrin of plurality of wives. On this Law. Joseph forbids it. And the practice thereof — No man shall have but one wife.

This is just one of many, many times Joseph preached against the practice. Weeks before his death he asked William Marks, Nauvoo Stake President, to help him find and expel all those who were involved in the practice. During his final Conference address, he stated emphatically that he only had one wife and her name was Emma. Throughout her life, Emma consistently defended her husband and stated that he never practiced polygamy. With the plethora of available historical records today, my question is: Why does the LDS Church continue to be among those who speak evil of Joseph, the Lord’s anointed?

Early in 1839, after nearly a half-year of imprisonment, Joseph wrote a letter from Liberty Jail to the saints. The letter included several revelations. One revelation declared these words:

[C]ursed are all those that shall lift up the heal against mine anointed saith the Lord and cry they have sin[n]ed when they have not sined before me saith the Lord but have done that which was meat in mine eyes and which I commanded them but those who cry transgresion do it becaus they are the servants of sin and are the children of disobediance themselvs and those who swear false against my servants that they might bring them unto bondage and death. Wo unto them because they have offended my little ones they shall be severed from the ordinances of mine house their basket shall not be full their houses and their barnes shall famish and they themselvs shall be dispised by those that flattered them they shall not have right to the priesthood nor their posterity after them from generation to generation it had been better for them that a millstone had been hanged about their necks and they having drownd in the depth of the see…” (JSP, Documents Vol. 6, p. 366; all as in original.)

The angel Nephi, who visited a young Joseph in September of 1823 prophesied that his name would be had for good and evil among all people. It saddens and discourages me that the largest Church to come out of Joseph’s Restoration joins with those who speak evil of Joseph.  I made the effort to research and write a book laying out the proof of Joseph’s innocence. The current LDS History, claiming that Joseph was a polygamist, a polyandrist, and, in some eyes, a pedophile, makes all the vile rumors of Joseph’s enemies’ truth. The LDS history makes a mockery of the Lord’s anointed. Their history makes the Church despised by seekers of truth who would otherwise embrace the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their stance on Joseph’s involvement in polygamy not only drives good people away from the Church, but often away from a relationship with God.

Unless the LDS Church will be honest with the world and with its members and reveal the evidence and the truth about Joseph’s innocence in regard to polygamy, including the truth behind the origins of the practice, I can no longer remain a member. I cannot continue to associate with an organization that continues to besmirch and disparage the name of Joseph Smith.  This is not something I take lightly. I have reached out to Elder Curtis, the LDS Church Historian, and asked for a meeting to discuss these issues before I take such a step. I was contacted by a female employee who informed me that Elder Curtis’ schedule is booked for the unforeseeable future. She has offered to meet with me in his stead. We made the appointment, but with the new societal restrictions in consideration of the COVID-19 virus pandemic, our meeting has been postponed. My questions for her are simple, is there any chance that the LDS Historians' office will exonerate Joseph from the abominable practice of plurality of wives? The LDS Church has a history of admitting that many things done and taught by Brigham Young were done in the absence of revelation. The LDS Church today denounces Brigham Young’s blood atonement, Adam-God Doctrine, and his racism toward people of African heritage. Will the LDS Church also free their people of all remnants of the false, and abominable, doctrine of polygamy? Will the LDS Church exonerate Joseph Smith of the lies of his enemies? Will the LDS Church stop speaking evil and disparaging the name of the Lord’s anointed? 

Today is the spring equinox when light and darkness are in perfect balance. Joseph brought light back to a darkened world, beginning 200 years ago in the spring of 1820 when the heavens opened and God revealed himself to a young boy.

Joseph Smith Revealed

I have recently published a book in an attempt to exonerate Joseph Smith from any connection with polygamy. It is titled Joseph Smith Revealed, A Faithful Telling: Exploring an Alternate Polygamy Narrative. Joseph Smith was one of the purest men to have ever walked this earth. I believe that because he was of such pure heart he was naive to the evil that exists in men's hearts. I do believe that Joseph was sealing women to himself, but I do not believe that it had anything to do with sexual promiscuity or polygamy. Rather, I believe that it had everything to do with linking together the family of God on this earth. The women sealed to Joseph were not his wives in any sense of the word. They were a necessary link to their fathers, husbands, and brothers so that Joseph could seal together a numerous extended posterity. This book lays out the truth behind the LDS Church's false history and explains who was truly responsible for introducing the practice of polygamy to the Church: Brigham Young and other apostles. This book also explains what it was the Joseph was really doing and why it is important, even vital, for us to understand the truths he was revealing for the salvation of all mankind.

You can find the book on either kindle, or paperback here

It is far past time for the LDS Church to admit the truth about polygamy and to end the practice of it once and for all.  The women of the Church have wept long enough.

Accepting an Offered Covenant

God extends covenants and mortals can either accept or reject them.

The Book of Mormon is a covenant book which was preserved by God to come forth in the last days in order to restore a covenant people.  It came forth by the power of God through Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830.

It may be surprising to LDS Mormons today that the early Mormon converts never accepted the covenant offered by God through the Book of Mormon.  In fact, the early Saints were put under condemnation by 1832 for not taking seriously the things offered to them by God.

President Ezra Taft Benson reiterated that the Mormon Saints were still under this condemnation in the 1980’s. In his LDS General Conference address of April 1986 President Benson quoted from D&C 84:

“the Lord has stated in section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants that the whole Church is under condemnation: “And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.” (D&C 84:56.) The Lord continues: “And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written.” (D&C 84:57.)

Raised Mormon during the time of President Benson this talk was a bit shocking and confusing to me.  I had assumed that the LDS Church was founded on the Book of Mormon as that was the book Joseph Smith had translated and which had begun the Church.  As I have learned more about LDS Church History it has been surprising to me to discover that it took Hugh Nibley campaigning in the 1960’s-1970’s before the leadership and membership of the LDS Church began to take the Book of Mormon seriously.

Recently I was speaking with a man named Paul Durham whose father was a leader in the Church Education Department (CES) in the 1960’s.  This man’s father was told by an Apostle of the LDS Church that because he believed in, loved and promoted the reading of the Book of Mormon he would never rise up in the CES department. He then went on to say that Hugh Nibley was tasked by the Lord to write Sunday School lessons based on the Book of Mormon, until that time there had never been any lessons based on this book.  Hugh would finish a lesson and send it in for approval and the lesson would be denied.  This happened over and over again.  Hugh became very frustrated and took his frustrations to the Lord. The Lord assured him that he needed to keep writing the lessons and that it would all be taken care of in time.  A short while later the apostle who was rejecting the lessons died and the apostle who took over chairing the lesson committee went on to approve them.

I grew up reading, studying and loving the Book of Mormon.  I am grateful for it and for the truths it has taught me.  Yet, I had no idea that it is a covenant book until just recently.  In March 2017, I attended the Doctrine of Christ Conference held in St. George, Utah.  During this conference it was put forth that the Lord was again ready to extend a covenant to a repentant people as long as they re-established His word through the scriptures.  Thus, a scripture project is underway to recover that which was lost through corruption and outright disregard for God’s revealed word in order that the Lord might once again offer a covenant to a repentant people.

“We are obligated to repent and return. We may not have created the problem, but we cannot expect God to accomplish the work of what He commanded for man to be do before. Others may have neglected it, but we cannot.

The first step in repenting is to gather the original covenant we were offered in the precise terms in which they were offered. That is a very difficult task that many people have been working to accomplish for over a year. There are lively efforts underway to research and find the right language.

Repentance requires us to first learn the actual language in the terms God provided when His restoration began. Our condemnation in 1832 was provoked by the failure to both “say” and to “do” what was expected of us when He spoke again and commenced the restoration.” Denver Snuffer Jr “Inquiry and Response” March 30, 2017

Today, the LDS Church promotes the Book of Mormon as “another Testament of Jesus Christ”.  While this is true (Jesus Christ is throughout the book), the Church does not teach that the book is a covenant book.  Even President Benson, when he said the church was still under condemnation, did not understand the exact nature of the condemnation.  The LDS Church is under condemnation because they have not remembered the new covenant, they have not even accepted the covenant nor do they even know about it.

In Isaiah’s day he stated, “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” (Isaiah 24:5)  The LDS Church today has transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance and broken the everlasting covenant.

Let’s look at just a few of the laws and ordinances contained in the Book of Mormon which the LDS Church has broken:

1.   Baptism: Christ clearly sets out the words which are to be used for the baptismal prayer: “And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying:Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” (3 Nephi 11:24-25) In the 1830’s Oliver Cowdery changed the wording to “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ…” (D&C 20:73)

a.    In 3 Nephi 11:22-23 Christ sets out his Doctrine clearly, “And he said unto them: On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no disputations among you. Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them—Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them.” Christ requires repentance and a desire to be baptized. That’s it!  Nothing more and nothing less. In the LDS Church today in order to receive baptism  one must agree to a list of demands such as committing to paying tithes, bearing “testimony” of the current President of the Church, etc. 

b.    Baptism by immersion is always the fruit of repentance.[1] Whenever a person desires to repent and turn to face God again baptism by immersion is a part of that process. This practice was done often in the early days of the Church.  Today it is taught that taking the Sacrament each week renews your baptismal covenant.  The only way you can be rebaptized by immersion is if you have been excommunicated from the Church and qualify yourself for baptism back into the Church. In fact, if you desire to be rebaptized while still a member of the Church after the manner practiced by early saints and as taught in the Book of Mormon you can be excommunicated. 

2.   Sacrament: Christ clearly sets out the emblems that should be used for the Sacrament in 3 Nephi 18: bread and wine.  Bread in remembrance of His body; Wine in remembrance of His blood.  As if to reinforce the correct emblems, in 3 Nephi 20 Christ again performs the sacrament for the people, this time providing the bread and wine miraculously.  Christ instructs the people that doing the sacrament with these emblems is a commandment from the Father.  In the LDS Church today wine has been replaced with water and if a person desires to partake of the sacrament in the way commanded by the Father they lose their temple recommend at best, membership at worst.  Not only has the Church changed the emblems of the sacrament they have also changed the words of the sacrament prayer from the word “wine” to the word “water”.

3.   Tithing: Tithing is supposed to go to the poor and the needy, not for the building of fine sanctuaries. (2 Nephi 28:13, 2 Nephi 13:14-15, 2 Nephi 20:2,30; 2 Nephi 26:20; Alma 1:27; Alma 5:55; 3 Nephi 13:1; Helaman 6:39; Helaman 4:12; Mormon 8:37)  Tithing was not obligatory but rather voluntary, it was based on how much money you had and the poor were exempt from paying it: “And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given. And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul.” (Mosiah 18:27-28 as well as Mosiah 4:24,26; and Alma 1:27)

Today in the LDS Church tithing is mandatory for a temple recommend and is 10% of your income, no matter how much or how little money you earn, even if you cannot provide the basic necessities for your family.

4.    Marriage: Jacob 2 clearly teaches that polygamy is an abomination in the eyes of God and that no man should have more than one wife and that no woman should have more than one husband. Yet in the LDS Church, polygamy began being practiced secretly by Brigham Young and other members of the 12 and the Church.  Joseph Smith was not a polygamous nor did he teach the practice, however, as soon as Joseph died those secretly practicing it began doing so openly and then spread false rumors and lies about learning it from Joseph Smith Jr. The LDS Church has since abandoned the practice of polygamy, however, they continue to besmirch the character of Joseph Smith and many people in the Church believe that the practice of polygamy will be reinstated one day because Brigham Young taught that it was necessary for salvation in the highest degree of glory (Celestial Kingdom).

5.   Priestcraft: The Book of Mormon clearly teaches that there shall be no priesthcraft: “He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.” (2 Nephi 26:29) “But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.” (Helaman 13:27-28)

Those who labored to preach repentance to the people as priests unto them were to also labor for their substance: “And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength.” Alma 1:26

King Benjamin said, “And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day” (Mosiah 2:14)

In the LDS Church today all of the general leadership, as well as mission presidents, receive financial benefits in addition to other “club” perks. It was recently reported that an LDS apostle received a yearly salary of $120,000.[2] These men are seen as a light to the world and they do not seek the welfare of Zion.  By the Book of Mormon’s own definition priestcraft is rampant in the LDS Church today.

These are just a few of the ways that the LDS Church, which claims to have the fullness of the gospel, to believe in and follow the teachings in the Book of Mormon, has corrupted the laws and ordinances in that sacred book of scripture.

I believe in the Book of Mormon.  I believe it means what it says.  I desire to be considered by God a repentant gentile and to enter into and strive to keep any covenants offered by Him including the covenant of the Book of Mormon.

Denver Snuffer Jr stated: “But if even a tiny few gentiles are willing to accept the covenant, God will receive them and accomplish His work through them. It was always the Lord’s expectation that “few” would receive it and walk in a straight and narrow path. Almost all others will reject it and walk in a broad enough path to accommodate every other false religious idea, false promise, incomplete and damning path that competes with the Lord’s invitation to come to Him. But if even a few will accept it, those who do will become at that time part of the covenant people of God, numbered with the remnant, and entitled to inherit this as their land. In turn, God will protect them. If they abide the covenant, He will establish a New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge. His glory and terror will be there, and the wicked will not come unto it.”[3]

---

[1] 2 Nephi 31:13, 14, 17; 3 Nephi 7:24, 26; 3 Nephi 11:32-40;Moroni 6:1, 4; Moroni 8:10, 25

[2] https://mormonleaks.io/newsroom/2017-01-09-mormonleaks-releases-4-documents/

[3] Teaching, Denver Snuffer, Jr March 24, 2017

The Book of Mormon: Fact or Fiction?

The Book of Mormon: Fact or Fiction?

There are some who believe that the Book of Mormon is fiction, written by an uneducated farm boy named Joseph Smith, Jr.

There are some who believe that the Book of Mormon is fact, translated from ancient records written in reformed Egyptian by an uneducated farm boy named Joseph Smith, Jr. in a 3 month time period from April to June of 1829.

There are some who believe that the Book of Mormon is inspired fiction, written by an uneducated farm boy named Joseph Smith, Jr.

Does it matter if the Book of Mormon is fact or fiction or inspired fiction?  Does it matter as long as the main purpose of the Book of Mormon is to teach about Christ and to bring a person closer to Christ?

I believe that it does matter.  I believe that the Book of Mormon is fact.  I believe that it is a history of a people who were taken out of Jerusalem by the hand of God and brought to the American continent.  I believe that because this family was taken out of Jerusalem before the great Babylonian siege and desolation that the Book of Mormon contains the most pure record of God’s dealings with mankind and the gospel of Jesus Christ than any other book currently in existence.  I believe the warnings and blessings promised in this book.  I believe that this book is a guidebook for the common man or woman on how to get back into the presence of God, while in the flesh.  Furthermore, I believe that the Book of Mormon is God’s love, mercy and fullness.

The Book of Mormon is feared by many Christians because they assume that if you believe in the teachings contained within that book that you must necessarily believe in and become a member of the LDS Mormon Church.  This is not true!  The Mormon Church does not own the Book of Mormon!  God does!  It is God’s book and while the LDS Mormon Church has done a great service to mankind by printing and distributing the book in the past, this book is now available from other sources outside the LDS Mormon Church.  The Book of Mormon is God’s book and is no longer owned by any institution and is easily and readily available for any soul seeking to know their Lord and their Redeemer, even Jesus Christ.  A quick search of the internet shows sources where you can purchase this book for relatively little cost outside the LDS Mormon Church and with no strings attached.

Come, read this book for yourself and see if you find this Jesus of whom the prophets testified would come into this world in order to save all mankind.  It is, after all, Christ’s work and His glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Joseph Smith was NOT a Polygamist

Most LDS women fear that if we are alive during the Millennium we will have to live a polygamous relationship with our husband and his plethora of wives.   Most LDS women fear dying and inheriting the Celestial Kingdom for the same reason, we all believe that polygamy is the “higher” or “celestial” law of marriage.  If we are naïve enough to bring these fears up with other LDS women we receive the good ol’ reply of, “just have faith, when the time comes you’ll be able to do it.”  Or better yet, “if you could see how polygamy is practiced in the celestial kingdom you’d rejoice to be allowed to practice it.”  The idea of practicing polygamy shows how spiritual, righteous and selfless you are and that you are, indeed, worthy of the Celestial Kingdom.

I love my husband.  I adore him.  He is my best friend.  He is my intimate friend.  I don’t want to share him with any other woman.  I know just how possessive I am of our relationship.  Since we were married almost 30 years ago I have lived in constant fear of the LDS church re-instating polygamy.  A few years ago I spent a week or more sobbing to the Lord and begging Him not to make me practice polygamy…ever!  Neither in this life nor in the next!

In the past I believed the LDS Church narrative in regards to polygamy.  That Joseph Smith Jr was asked by God to practice it and that included having sex with the women he was sealed to, even if they were married and even if they were young, very young girls.  I read some things about Joseph denying that he was a polygamist and saying, “I have only one wife” and pointing to Emma.  Joseph denied polygamy and fought against it until the day he died. I read about Emma stating, to her dying day, that her husband was not a polygamist.  But, I also  read the famous stories about Emma being angry about the revelation on polygamy and throwing it into the fire.  Or the story about Emma pushing Eliza R Snow down the stairs causing her to miscarry Joseph’s child.  I was confused.  How could all these conflicting stories be true? I finally came to the conclusion that Joseph Smith Jr was a liar at best and a “fallen” prophet at worse.

So, this begs the question, did Joseph Smith, Jr mess up? Was he a "fallen" prophet?  Was Joseph a polygamist?  The answer is No, in this matter.  Joseph had his weaknesses and foibles, just like all men, but womanizing and polyandry were NOT one of them.  I've studied this matter extensively and I am convinced that while Joseph did “seal” many women, men and children to himself he did NOT have sex with them.  Joseph was an exalted man who had been given the sealing power from God and as such was sealing as many people as he was told to by God to himself in order to preserve a Family of God.  But, it was like sealing children to parents.  It was not sealing as in marriages.  There was no "funny" business on the side.  Joseph was true and faithful to Emma and to his marriage vows.

I am now satisfied that Joseph Smith Jr was telling the truth about himself.  He was not a polygamist!  He had only one wife, Emma!  Emma did not need to burn any documents nor push anyone down any stairs; she had a loving, devoted husband who was true and faithful to his marriage vows and to God’s laws.  If you are interested in some very well written papers on this topic you can go to the following links:

http://www.totheremnant.com/2015/11/joseph-smiths-monogamy.html

http://denversnuffer.com/papers/  (at this site click on the link under Audio Files titled “Plural Marriage Lecture” to listen to this talk or under PDF Downloads click on “Plural Marriage”)

http://puremormonism.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-im-abandoning-polygamy.html

I no longer believe that polygamy is practiced in the Celestial Kingdom, or that God expects my husband and I to ever be polygamists in order to have salvation.  In fact, I believe that God expects my husband to be true to his marriage vows and only have sexual relations with me.  God also desires for me to be chaste for He delights in the chastity of women!

The word Elohim (God's name) means male and female.  One male and One female.  When God put Adam in the Garden of Eden he gave him ONE wife, Eve.  If polygamy were necessary for salvation God would have started out this cycle of creation correctly. God said to Jehovah, "let us go down and create man in our image, male and female created he them".  One man and One woman is who the God’s created, therefore One man and One women is in God's image.

The scriptures then teach us that Adam and Eve’s children went two by two into the world.  One of the arguments LDS people make for polygamy is the scripture in Jacob 2 where the little caveat is given that polygamy is allowed when commanded by God to raise up seed unto him.  If there ever was a time that God needed seed raised up to Him, wouldn’t the very beginning of creation be it?  When He needed the empty world repopulated?   Yet, Adam’s children practiced monogamy.  In fact, the first time one of Adam’s descendants is labeled in the scriptures as evil he is linked to polygamy.

The problem with polygamy in the LDS Church came when Brigham Young, who, along with the other leaders of the Church, did not understand sealings (there is a dream Brigham had which he recorded wherein he saw Joseph, after Joseph had died, and he asked him to explain sealings to him, Joseph refused to do so in the dream and told Brigham to focus instead on gaining the Holy Ghost; in this dream Joseph was bathed in light while Brigham was in darkness).  Polygamy was being practiced in other religions at the time in several countries, including America and England.  Brigham had spent excessive time as a missionary living among the people back East who practiced polygamy.  Brigham most likely began to believe that if you sealed a woman to yourself then you were "married" to her and could thereby have sexual relations.  Thus, Brigham began the polygamy that was practiced in the LDS Church.

Since studying, pondering and praying about this matter, extensively, I have come to the conclusion that when the Lord told Joseph Smith Jr that his name would be had for good and evil that one of the sources of spreading evil in regards to Joseph Smith Jr is the LDS Church, the very Church that Joseph founded!  I have been so ashamed at the feelings and beliefs I used to hold in regards to Joseph.  I have prayed to God and asked for His forgiveness and that of Joseph’s.  I continue to be bothered by the false claims that the LDS Church continues to perpetuate.

I had a dream a few months ago that I was visiting with a dear friend.  I knew there was an "elephant in the room" regarding my thoughts and feeling towards the LDS Church and what I believe.  What I believe today is so drastically different than what I believe even 3 years ago.  In this dream I began to try to explain to my friend what I now believe and she began laughing hysterically.  I realized that she was mocking me and would not listen so I asked her to leave my home.  As she was walking out the front door I said to her, "I refuse to associate with a Church that continues to besmirch the character of Joseph Smith!"

There is enough historical proof that Joseph Smith never practiced the kind of polygamy that was practiced by the LDS Church after his death.  Joseph, himself, claimed that he only had one wife and was innocent of the rumors of polygamy. I wish with all my heart that the Church would be honest and clear Joseph's name, that they would believe Joseph meant what he said.  Joseph Smith was one of the greatest prophets that has ever lived.  The truths he revealed are astounding.  I need to take more time to study them and learn from him.  Joseph not only gazed into heaven for 5 minutes; he gazed for hours and wanted so badly for us to rise up and understand the workings of God.  I am ashamed of how little I know about his teachings. 

I began studying Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith, but have stopped because I’ve learned that the First Presidency at the time of writing and publication altered, edited and changed so much of it that it’s difficult to know what is straight truth from Joseph and what has been altered to fit their agenda at the time.  I have found a book, out of print, written by Andrew F Ehat and Lydnon W Cook which is one of the best sources for learning Joseph’s teachings.  You can download a free pdf at this site:  https://archive.org/details/TheWordsOfJosephSmith

Joseph’s work was to restore lost gospel truth.  His work got off track when he was murdered.  It is time to rise up and preserve, renew and continue the work that Joseph began.  Joseph’s entire message can be summed up by James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him”.