Joseph Smith

Quotes By LDS Prophet Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith was the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, he is considered by members of the Church as a prophet, seer, and revelator. Joseph translated the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ and a record of ancient American peoples as was revealed to him by God.

“The wisdom and mercy of God in preparing an ordinance for the salvation of the dead. . . . Those Saints who neglect it in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 4:426.

Topics: Baptisms for the Dead, Salvation, Temples

“How are [the Saints] to become Saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointing, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 6:184

Topics: Baptisms for the Dead, Eternal Life, Temples

“We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the Celestial Kingdom…The great principle of happiness consists of having a body.”

Joseph Smith | Words of Joseph Smith, 60

Topics: Body (Physical), Celestial Kingdom, Plan of Salvation

John learned that God glorified Himself by saving all that His hands had made, whether beasts, fowls, fishes or men; and He will glorify Himself with them.

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 291

Topics: Animals, Nature of God

“It is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one [else], to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 21.

Topics: Church Organization, Revelation

Many of the signs are terrifying and dreadful. The prophets have warned that the earth will experience great turmoil, wickedness, war, and suffering. The prophet Daniel said that the time before the Second Coming would be a time of trouble such as the earth has never known (see Daniel 12:1). The Lord said, “The love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound” (D&C 45:27). “And all things shall be in commotion; and … fear shall come upon all people” (D&C 88:91). We can expect earthquakes, disease, famines, great storms, lightnings, and thunder (see Matthew 24:7; D&C 88:90). Hailstorms will destroy the crops of the earth (see D&C 29:16).

Jesus told His disciples that war would fill the earth: “Ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars. . . . For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:6-7). The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “Be not discouraged when we tell you of perilous times, for they must shortly come, for the sword, famine, and pestilence are approaching. There shall be great destructions upon the face of this land, for ye need not suppose that one jot or tittle of the prophecies of all the holy prophets shall fail, and there are many that remain to be fulfilled yet”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 252

Topics: Last Days, The Second Coming

Three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation. First, the idea that he actually exists. Secondly, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes. Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to His will.

Joseph Smith | Lectures on Faith 3:2-5

Topics: Character, Faith, Intelligence, Knowledge

“For neglecting to write these things when God had revealed them, not esteeming them of sufficient worth, the Spirit may withdraw and God may be angry; and there is, or was, a vast knowledge, of infinite importance, which is now lost.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 2:199

Topics: Journaling

“Search the scriptures—search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation. No; for when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 11–12

Topics: Obedience, Scripture Study

“I cannot believe in any of the creeds of the different denominations, because they all have some things in them I cannot subscribe to, though all of them have some truth. I want to come up into the presence of God, and learn all things; but the creeds set up stakes, and say, ‘Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further’; which I cannot subscribe to.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 4:536

Topics: Apostasy, Joseph Smith, Restoration, Revelation

“And now, I ask, how righteousness and truth are going to sweep the earth as with a flood? I will answer. Men and angels are to be co-workers in bringing to pass this great work, and Zion is to be prepared…”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 84

Topics: Angels, Missionary Work & Preparation

“The nearer we get to our Heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Missionary Work & Preparation

“Men must become harmless before the brute creation, and when men lose their vicious dispositions and cease to destroy the animal race, the lion and the lamb can dwell together, and the sucking child can play with the serpent in safety.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Topics: Animals, Nature

“If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Angels

“No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy Ghost is a revelator.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Holy Ghost, Personal Revelation

“What have we to console us in relation to the dead? We have reason to have the greatest hope and consolation for our dead of any people on the earth.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Death, Eternal Life, Family, Physical, Temples

Many of my brethren who received the ordinance [of washing and anointing] with me saw glorious visions also. Angels ministered unto them as well as to myself, and the power of the Highest rested upon us, the house was filled with the glory of God, and we shouted Hosanna to God and the Lamb. . . . Some of them saw the face of the Savior, and . . . we communed with the heavenly host.

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 2:381–82

Topics: Angels, Jesus Christ, Temples

“They are the Twelve Apostles, who are called to the office of the Traveling High Council, who are to preside over the churches of the Saints, among the Gentiles, where there is no presidency established; and they are to travel and preach among the Gentiles, until the Lord shall command them to go to the Jews. They are to hold the keys of this ministry, to unlock the door of the Kingdom of heaven unto all nations, and to preach the Gospel to every creature. This is the power, authority, and virtue of their apostleship.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 74

Topics: Apostle

“Says one, ‘I cannot believe in the salvation of beasts.’ Any man who would tell you that this could not be, would tell you that the revelations are not true. John heard the words of the beasts giving glory to God, and understood them. God who made the beasts could understand every language spoken by them. The four beasts were four of the most noble animals that had filled the measure of their creation, and had been saved from other worlds, because they were perfect: they were like angels in their sphere. We are not told where they came from, and I do not know; but they were seen and heard by John praising and glorifying God.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 291, 292

Topics: Animals, Nature

Concerning resurrection, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, or the kingdom that God inherits or inhabits, but the flesh without the blood and the Spirit of God flowing in the veins instead of the blood, for blood is the part of the body that causes corruption. Therefore we must be changed in the twinkle of an eye or have to lay down these tabernacles and leave the blood vanish away. . . . Blood is the corruptible part of the tabernacles.

Joseph Smith | The Words of Joseph Smith, pp. 370-71

Topics: Resurrection

“If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from him and drawing towards the devil. Yes, I am standing in the midst of all kinds of people. Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 216-17

Topics: Becoming like God, Nature of God, Perfection

“A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation, for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your mind by the Spirit of God will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 3:381

Topics: Holy Ghost, Personal Revelation, Revelation

The best way to obtain truth and wisdom is not to ask from books, but to go to God in prayer, and obtain divine teaching.

Joseph Smith

Topics: Prayer, Truth, Wisdom

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.

Joseph Smith | The Wentworth Letter

Topics: Missionary Work & Preparation, The Second Coming, Trials, Truth

“When a man works by faith he works by mental exertion instead of physical force. It is by words, instead of exerting his physical powers, with which every being works when he works by faith. God said, ‘Let there be light: and there was light.’ . . . And the Savior says: “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, say tot his mountain, ‘Remove,’ and it will remove; or say to that sycamine tree, ‘Be ye plucked up, and planted in the midst of the sea,’ and it shall obey you. Faith, then works by words; and with these its mightiest works have been, and will be, performed.

Joseph Smith | Lectures on Faith, 72-73 — The Pearl of Great Price Student Manual, p. 7

Topics: Faith, Miracles, Work

Faith and Doubt cannot exist in the same soul at the same time.

Joseph Smith

Topics: Doubt, Faith

Joseph Smith also taught that we must be able to endure persecution in order to stand in the day when the Lord shall come: “Those who cannot endure persecution, and stand in the day of affliction, cannot stand in the day when the Son of God shall burst the veil, and appear in all the glory of His Father, with all the holy angels.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 42

Topics: Joseph Smith, The Second Coming

“An angel of God never has wings. Some will say that they have seen a spirit; that he offered them his hand, but they did not touch it. This is a lie. First, it is contrary to the plan of God; a spirit cannot come but in glory; an angel has flesh and bones; we see not their glory. The devil may appear as an angel of light. Ask God to reveal it; if it be of the devil, he will flee from you; if of God, He will manifest Himself, or make it manifest.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 162

Topics: Angels, Doctrine & Covenants

(Explaining the difference between an angel and a ministering spirit) “The one (an angel*) a resurrected or translated body, with its spirit ministering to embodied spirits—the other (a ministering spirit*) a disembodied spirit, visiting and ministering to disembodied spirits.

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 191 (*commentary added for clarity)

Topics: Angels, Spirit(s)

When God commands, do it!

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 2:170; from “History of the Church” (manuscript), book B-1, p. 558

Topics: Commandments, Obedience

How are we to see it? As the lighting up of the morning or the dawning of the morning cometh from the east and shineth unto the west, so also is the coming of the Son of Man. The dawning of the morning makes its appearance in the east and moves along gradually. So also will the coming of the Son of Man be. It will be small at its first appearance and gradually become larger until every eye shall see it. Shall the Saints understand it? Oh yes. Paul says so [1 Thes. 5:4-5]. Shall the wicked understand? Oh no. They [will] attribute it to a natural cause. They will probably suppose it is two great comets coming in contact with each other. It will be small at first and will grow larger and larger until it will be all in a blaze, so that every eye shall see it.

Joseph Smith | Discourse of 6 April 1843, recorded by James Burgess; WJS, p. 181

Topics: The Second Coming

I have asked of the Lord concerning His coming; and while asking the Lord, He gave a sign and said, “In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year: but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings, pp. 340-41

Topics: The Second Coming

I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, anguish and wrath and tribulation and the withdrawing of the Spirit of God from the earth await this generation, until they are visited with utter desolation. This generation is as corrupt as the generation of the Jews that crucified Christ; and if He were here to-day, and should preach the same doctrine He did then, they would put Him to death.

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 328

Topics: The Second Coming

When I contemplate the rapidity with which the great and glorious day of the coming of the Son of Man advances, when He shall come to receive His Saints unto Himself, where they shall dwell in His presence, and be crowned with glory and immortality: when I consider that soon the heavens are to be shaken, and the earth tremble and reel to and fro; and that the heavens are to be unfolded as a scroll when it is rolled up; and that every mountain and island are to flee away, I cry out in my heart, What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness!

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 29

Topics: The Second Coming

“For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also – counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ – requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when these sufferings are ended, he will enter into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God.”

Joseph Smith | Lectures on Faith, 68-70

Topics: Knowledge, Sacrifice

Any reluctance to sacrifice whatever God requires will, to that degree, lessen our ability to have faith in God.“But those who have not made this sacrifice to God do not know that the course which they pursue is well pleasing in his sight; for whatever may be their belief or their opinion, it is a matter of doubt and uncertainty in their mind; and where doubt and uncertainty are there faith is not, nor can it be. For doubt and faith do not exist in the same person at the same time; so that persons whose minds are under doubts and fears cannot have unshaken confidence; and where unshaken confidence is not there faith is weak; and where faith is weak the persons will not be able to contend against all the opposition, tribulations, and afflictions which they will have to encounter in order to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus; and they will grow weary in their minds, and the adversary will have power over them and destroy them.”

Joseph Smith | Lectures on Faith, 6:15

Topics: Doubt, Obedience, Sacrifice

“While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard; He views them as His offspring, and without any of those contracted feelings that influence the children of men, causes ‘His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.’ He holds the reins of judgment in His hands; He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, not according to the narrow, contracted notions of men, but ‘according to the deeds done in the body whether they be good or evil. . . . We need not doubt the wisdom and intelligence of the Great Jehovah.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 4:595–96

Topics: Judging Others, Nature of God, Religious Freedom

“The Lord gave us power in proportion to the work to be done, and strength according to the race set before us, and grace and help as our needs required.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Topics: Grace, Work

“To me, that is Joseph Smith’s significance for our time. He stood on the contested ground where the Enlightenment and Christianity confronted one another, and his life posed the question, Do you believe God speaks? Joseph was swept aside, of course, in the rush of ensuing intellectual battles and was disregarded by the champions of both great systems, but his mission was to hold out for the reality of divine revelation and establish one small outpost where that principle survived. Joseph’s revelatory principle is not a single revelation serving for all time, as the Christians of his day believed regarding the incarnation of Christ, nor a mild sort of inspiration seeping into the minds of all good people, but specific, ongoing directions from God to his people. At a time when the origins of Christianity were under assault by the forces of Enlightenment rationality, Joseph Smith returned modern Christianity to its origins in revelation.”

Anonymous, Joseph Smith, Richard Lyman Bushman | “A Joseph Smith for the Twenty-First Century”

Topics: Christian, Joseph Smith, Restoration

“The inquiry is frequently made of me, ‘Wherein do you differ from others in your religious views?’ In reality and essence we do not differ so far in our religious views, but that we could all drink into one principle of love. One of the grand fundamental principles of ‘Mormonism’ is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Mormon Culture, Religious Freedom, Truth

“All things whatsoever God in his infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are dwelling in mortality … are revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had no bodies at all; and those revelations which will save our spirits will save our bodies.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 355.

Topics: Nature of God, Personal Revelation, Revelation

The coming of the Son of Man never will be, never can be, till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out, which judgments are commenced. . . . All this must be done before [the] Son of Man will make his appearance: wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above [and] on the earth beneath, [the] sun turned into darkness [and the] moon to blood, earthquakes in diverse places, oceans heaving beyond their bounds, then one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, and so forth. Consequently, the Son of Man will come as the sign of [the] coming of the Son of Man.

Joseph Smith | Discourse of 6 April 1843, recorded by Willard Richards; WJS, p. 180

Topics: The Second Coming

“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. . . . It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converse with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Topics: Becoming like God, Heavenly Father, Potential

“Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Topics: Baptism, Ordinances

“Faith is the assurance which men have of the existence of things which they have not seen and…the principle of action in all intelligent beings.”

Joseph Smith | “Lectures on Faith”

Topics: Faith, Intelligence

“We are looked upon by God as though we were in eternity. God dwells in eternity, and does not view things as we do.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 356.

Topics: Eternal Life, Faith

“Let this be an [example] to all saints, and there will never be any lack for bread: When the poor are starving, let those who have, fast one day and give what they otherwise would have eaten to the bishops for the poor, and everyone will abound for a long time. … And so long as the saints will all live to this principle with glad hearts and cheerful countenances they will always have an abundance.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 7:413.

Topics: Fasting

“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the apostles and prophets, concerning Jesus Christ. That he died, was buried, and rose again at the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Jesus Christ, Restoration, Testimony

“Happiness consists not of having, but of being – not of possessing, but of enjoying. . . . For what a man has he may be dependent upon others; what he is rests with him alone. What he obtains in life is but acquisition; what he attains is true growth.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Character, Growth, Happiness

“A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Being Called & Callings, Leadership, Missionary Work & Preparation, Sacrifice, Service