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 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

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

“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 who is full of the love of God is not content with blessing his family only, but thinks about all of the people in the world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”

Joseph Smith

Topics: Being Called & Callings, Leadership, Sacrifice, Service