Time Travel and Fog

So yesterday, I went to the temple kind of early. Early, meaning college student early, since I woke up at like 7. Anyways, the walk there was a bit chilly since these past few days have been extremely foggy. When I got to the temple, this was the view that awaited me. 

For those of you who have never been to the Provo temple, this sign sits at the front of the temple grounds, less than a football field's distance away from the actual temple. But since the fog was so dense, it was impossible to see the temple even from so close. 

Now. Travel back in time with me...

It is April 5th, 1829. You're a good friend of Joseph Smith, and you're there when this random schoolteacher, Oliver Cowdery, shows up on Joseph's doorstep, shares his story about how he came to know the Smith family, and states his interest in Joseph's work. Two days later, this random man is already acting as a scribe for Joseph in the work of translating the Book of Mormon. 

Wait, what? 

The part that really got me about this story was the TWO DAYS part. Oliver went from never having met the prophet to being his scribe for one of the most important works of the Restoration. I can't imagine how Joseph and Oliver must have felt about the situation. I'm not sure if Joseph would have felt surprised by it all, as I'm sure he was used to God providing miracles in moments of absolute need, but I'm sure he felt incredibly grateful that God had provided help for him. But I really wonder how Oliver felt. He couldn't have possibly guessed how involved he would be in the work of the restoration. Yet, even after only two days, he seemed to have sensed that there was something different about Joseph and something special about the work he was to do. Oliver was ready and willing to do the Lord's will, even after just two days. 

Alright. Back to 2020 people. 

It might seem a little crazy that Oliver was called to serve so quickly, but the reality is, life often happens that way. Like Oliver, we need to not only be ready, but worthy, prepared, and willing to accept the will of the Lord. We can't be complacent about our preparation. We can't metaphorically walk onto the temple grounds, walk past the temple sign, and keep right on walking towards the temple, then act surprised when it appears out of nowhere from the fog. What? The temple? I was not expecting that! It doesn't work that way. 

So what can we do to be prepared? 

That's for each of us to figure out. What I will say, however, is that I'm sure whatever the challenges that appear, we will not be alone. 

Have a great day everyone! 

See Joseph Smith-History 1:66-67 to learn more. It's linked above. 

Photo creds: Me:) 

Ginseng root and the Gospel

In one of my classes, I discovered something super cool that I didn't know about Joseph Smith's family. I got my info off of the Church's website, and you can read more about it here

"Around 1802, Joseph Sr. invested in ginseng root, a promising commodity, but a partner stole the returns, leaving the Smith family virtually bankrupt. Joseph Sr. sold his farm and paid down other debts with Lucy’s dowry. After continuing to struggle as a farmer in Vermont and New Hampshire, he finally moved his family to Palmyra, New York, purchasing a farm in nearby Manchester in 1818."

This is ginseng root. Google tried to tell me that it can prevent everything from stress to fatigue to old to cancer. Pretty cool.

Anyways. Basically Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith had actually been pretty well off financially in the beginning of their marriage. They had the support and love of their financially stable parents, which helped them get settled. Then, due to some unlucky circumstances, they got ripped off by greedy men engaging in shady business practices and became dirt poor. 

I can't imagine how frustrating that would have been for Joseph and Lucy. Like, really? I think suddenly becoming super poor would be a majorly depressing life event for anyone, but especially for two people who came from somewhat stable economic backgrounds, and who would someday raise a family of 11 children. What a bummer.

Imagine, however, the effects that such an economic background would have had on the young Joseph Smith Jr. Such "indigent circumstances", as Joseph called them, would have shaped who he became. Think of all the time a 19th century farm boy would have had to meditate. I don't know much about farming, but I know that it's hard work. It's physically demanding, time-consuming, constant work. Joseph would have had hours every day to think and imagine and dream as he plowed and pulled and pruned. 

We 21st century people have a hard time imagining living such a life. In our fast-paced, ever evolving world, we're lucky if we get ten minutes to meditate every day. Phones, Facebook, friends, even freeway accidents: they all riot for our attention and distract us from what matters most. What would we gain if we, like Joseph, could take time for "serious reflection" and meditation (JS-H 1:8)? We might discover that the heavens will open for us just as they did for a young boy with careful questions and constant faith. 

Joseph and Emma

Hello friends! In preparation for the 200th anniversary of the First Vision, I present some personal musings on the significance of this sacred event.
While reading Joseph Smith-History this week, I thought Of a couple things that I had never considered. First off, Joseph married Emma before he got the plates. They were married about eight months before he obtained the plates. I’d like to think that those eight months put him through a refiner’s fire that helped spiritually prepare him to protect and defend the Book of Mormon. More than that, however, I think about how Emma was present for basically every early event of the restoration minus the First Vision. She was an active participant in the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I believe that Joseph was never meant to engage in such a sacred work alone and that Emma was the perfect companion for him, both in the context of his personal life as well as in the context of his spiritual journey as a prophet called of God.
I wrote this poem reflecting on what Emma had to give up to marry Joseph, but also what she gained. She lost friends, home, family; she lost children, she lived without riches, without fanfare, and without worldly adoration; and she eventually lost even her dear Joseph. But she was privilege to play an important role in the restoration of the gospel, and I’m sure the happiness that that brought her as well as the joy she found in her family outweighed any cost.

Married Life

She stands at the window, waits for him
To ride in from the town
And smiles when she spots his horse afar
Making its way down
She rushes to prepare for him
A hot drink to warm him up
On tiptoes, reaching for some bread
Cheese and soup for him to sup.
The door creaks open, flurries fly
She hears the blizzard’s haunting howls
Joseph’s snowy, head to toe
But his face is free of scowls
She smiles, her dear Joseph never
Seems to have dark days
Even when the the storms are fierce
He reflects the sun’s warm rays
He sits down, talks of the town
She moves to prepare for him his bread
He pauses, reaching for her hand
Preferring she stay with him instead
He is startled when he sees her face
It’s quiet pain that looks back at him
Her eyes, vulnerable and scared
Have tears falling from red rims
He knows without words why she cries
And his heart aches to heal her pain
Family, friends, and home sacrificed
So her dear Joseph she could gain
He sweeps her up and holds her close
Wonders what is left for him to do
He marvels at the price she has paid
To defend what she knows is true
He holds her as her shoulders still
She gently pulls away
She looks at him with such determination in her eyes
He knows she’s here to stay