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 head of the Gods called council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it.”

Joseph Smith | Joseph Smith, Teachings, 349

Topics: Plan of Salvation, War in Heaven

There will be here and there a stake for the gathering of the Saints. Some may have cried “Peace!” but the Saints and the world will have little peace from henceforth. Let this not hinder us from going to the stakes, for God has told us to flee, not dallying, or we shall be scattered, one here, another there. There your children shall be blessed, and you [shall be] in the midst of friends where you may be blessed. The gospel net gathers of every kind. I prophesy that the man who tarries after he has an opportunity of going will be afflicted by the Devil. Wars are at hand; we must not delay. . . .We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object. When wars come we shall have to flee to Zion. The cry is to make haste. The last revelation says, “Ye shall not have time to have gone over the earth until these things come” [cf. Matt. 10:23]. It will come as did the cholera-war, fires burning, earthquake, one pestilence after another.

Joseph Smith | Discourse of summer of 1839, recorded in Willard Richards’ “Pocket Companion;” WJS, p. 11

Topics: The Second Coming

You will always discover in the first glance of a man, in the outlines of his features something of his mind

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 299

Topics: Character

In conversation with the Prophet Joseph Smith once in Nauvoo, the subject of children in the resurrection was broached. I believe it was in Sister Leonora Cannon Taylor’s house. She had just lost one of her children, and I had also lost one previously. The Prophet wanted to comfort us, and he told us that we should receive those children in the morning of the resurrection just as we laid them down, in purity and innocence, and we should nourish and care for them as their mothers. He said that children would be raised in the resurrection just as they were laid down, and that they would obtain all the intelligence necessary to occupy thrones, principalities and powers. The idea that I got from what he said was that the children would grow and develop in the Millennium, and that the mothers would have the pleasure of training and caring for them, which they had been deprived of in this life.

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 4:556.

Topics: Salvation of Children

“You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings: Joseph Smith, 95–96

Topics: Baptism, Holy Ghost

“The South holds the balance of power. By annexing Texas, I can do away with this evil. As soon as Texas was annexed, I would liberate the slaves in two or three States, indemnifying their owners, and send the negroes to Texas, and from Texas to Mexico, where all colors are alike.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 334

Topics: Joseph Smith, Race & Racism

What did Jesus say? “As the Father hath power in himself, even so hath the Son power.” To do what? Why, what the Father did, to lay down his body and take it up again. Jesus, what are you going to do? “To lay down my life as my Father did, that I might take it up again.”

Joseph Smith | Joseph Smith, Discourse of 7 April 1844, recorded by William Clayton; KFD, p. 30

Topics: Resurrection

“If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down? No. I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better; and I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning, for truth will cut its own way. Do you believe in Jesus Christ and the Gospel of salvation which he revealed? So do I. Christians should cease wrangling and contending with each other, and cultivate the principles of union and friendship in their midst

Joseph Smith | Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 5:499.

Topics: Christian, Religious Freedom

The principal corner stone in representation of the First Presidency, is now duly laid in honor of the Great God; and may it there remain until the whole fabric is completed; and may the same be accomplished speedily; that the Saints may have a place to worship God, and the Son of Man have where to lay His head.”

Joseph Smith | History of the Church, 4:329.

Topics: Temples, Worship

“Let these truths sink down in our hearts, that we may even here begin to enjoy that which shall be in full hereafter.”

Joseph Smith | Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007), p. 45

Topics: Heaven, Intelligence, Knowledge, Truth