Super Sunday Scripture Commentary #3: March 23rd, 2014

Count Your Many Blessings Readers, its Sunday.

Today's commentary comes at you from the Pearl of Great Price, a small collection of writings and translations from Joseph Smith that really didn't have a place in any other book of scripture. It includes Joseph's extensive translations of St. Matthew in the New Testament and Genesis in the Old Testament, as well as a translation of Egyptian papyrus detailing Abraham's history, and some excerpts of Joseph's writing. This is from Joseph's history in the Pearl of Great Price, called Joseph Smith-History:

Joseph Smith-History 1: 1-2

  "1 Owing to the many reports which have been put in circulation by evil-disposed and designing persons, in relation to the rise and progress of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all of which have been designed by the authors thereof to militate against its character as a Church and its progress in the world—I have been induced to write this history, to disabuse the public mind, and put all inquirers after truth in possession of the facts, as they have transpired, in relation both to myself and the Church, so far as I have such facts in my possession.

 2 In this history I shall present the various events in relation to this Church, in truth and righteousness, as they have transpired, or as they at present exist, being now [1838] the eighth year since the organization of the said Church."

Joseph Smith does not claim to win anybody over to his story with great persuasion or any flashy salesmanship on his part. The only thing he has at his disposal is his own straightforward, honest testimony. “This is what happened as I experienced it.” He tells the truth, and lets the story stand for itself.

Joseph Smith History 1:3-4:

 "3 I was born in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five, on the twenty-third day of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor county, State of Vermont. … My father, Joseph Smith, Sen., left the State of Vermont, and moved to Palmyra, Ontario (now Wayne) county, in the State of New York, when I was in my tenth year, or thereabouts. In about four years after my father’s arrival in Palmyra, he moved with his family into Manchester in the same county of Ontario—

 4 His family consisting of eleven souls, namely, my father, Joseph Smith; my mother, Lucy Smith (whose name, previous to her marriage, was Mack, daughter of Solomon Mack); my brothers, Alvin (who died November 19th, 1823, in the 26th year of his age), Hyrum, myself, Samuel Harrison, William, Don Carlos; and my sisters, Sophronia, Catherine, and Lucy."

Joseph Smith was a normal person. He establishes here that he was not anything unusual or spectacular. He had a family and worked for a living just like everyone else. There was nothing in his life up to the point of his First Vision that would hint to his future role as the prophet of the restoration.