Related Information to Emma Smith, Example?

Emma Smith, Example? - Page 5

Yes, we know Young wasn't keen about her at all. Personally, I don't blame her. I think she did a terrific job supporting Joseph as much as she possibly could.

Example Smith Emma

Actually, there were a number of women who suffered as much as, if not more than, Emma, but who were able to handle their trials much better than Emma did. Emma suffers by comparison to people like Eliza R. Snow and Mary Fielding Smith, for example. In the early days of the Church, virtually all the sisters were enjoying the gifts of the spirit, such as speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, singing in tongues, prophesying, healing, seeing visions, ministration of angels, etc., but there is no evidence, for example, that Emma ever experienced any of those spiritual gifts.
When various of the sisters were asked to practice polygamy, what was it that converted them to the principle of polygamy? If you read their journals, you find that the thing that converted them to the principle of polygamy was that they experienced glorious visions and other spiritual experiences, but not Emma. She fought the principle of polygamy tooth and nail almost her whole life.

My g-g-grandfather was asked by Brigham Young to go to Emma and try to convince her to go west with the Saints. My g-g-grandfather and one other brother labored with her with her almost all night long, and the only thing that they were able to get out of her was that she would be willing to go "If she could be the guiding light." Brigham was not about to let a woman lead the Church, especially the one that he blamed for Joseph's death. After all, Joseph was safely across the river, in Iowa, and it was only after he read a letter from Emma that he said, "If my life is of no value to my friends, then it is of no value to me" And went back to what he knew would be certain death.
Brigham said that he never saw the day that he would not almost worship Emma if she would only be a Saint instead of a devil. He didn't say anything about where Emma would be spending eternity. Joseph had said that he would be willing to go to hell for such a woman as Emma, and Brigham said that he would have to. That was not because he thought that she would be spending eternity there but only because he understood the doctrine of calling and election made sure better than people do today, and he knew that Emma had had her calling and election made sure. He was only saying that she would have to spend some time in hell and not that she would be spending eternity there.

Emma Smith, Example? Studies Doctrine Mormon

Interesting information Tragula! Thanks for sharing.

I believe people should understand the task and the challenges she went through particularly because I think she really did not feel that a lot of the things Joseph revealed were from the Lord.

About the journals of women practicing Plural Marriage, we also have the stories of those who did not enjoy it at all and they were quite unhappy about it.

Page 5 Example Smith Emma

Being converted to the principle and enjoying it are two different things. I can be converted to the divine inspiration of the home teaching program and not necessarily enjoy doing it.

Example Smith Emma

Witnesses against Emma's Actions

Brigham Young, August 9, 1874
Now Latter-day Saints, I want to say this to you, when a man lifts his heel against the counsel that we give him, I know that man will apostatize, just as sure as he is a living being, unless he repents and refrains from such conduct. Brother George A. Smith has been reading a little out of the revelation concerning celestial marriage, and I want to say to my sisters that if you lift you heels against this revelation, and say that you would obliterate it, and put it out of existence if you had the power to nullify and destroy it, I say that if you imbibe that spirit and feeling, you will go to hell, just as sure as you are living women. Emma took that revelation, supposing she had all there was; but Joseph had wisdom enough to take care of it, and he had handed the revelation to Bishop Whitney, and he wrote it all off. After Joseph had been to Bishop Whitney's he went home, and Emma began teasing for the revelation. Said she--"Joseph, you promised me that revelation, and if you are a man of your word you will give it to me." Joseph took it from his pocket and said--"Take it." She went to the fire-place and put it in, and put the candle under it and burnt it, and she thought that was the end of it, and she will be damned as sure as she is a living woman. Joseph used to say that he would have her hereafter, if he had to go to hell for her, and he will have to go to hell for her as sure as he ever gets her.
JD17:160-161

Orson Pratt, October 7, 1869

We have not time to read the revelation this afternoon; suffice it to say that God revealed the principle through His servant Joseph in 1843. It was known by many individuals while the Church was yet in Illinois; and though it was not then printed, it was a familiar thing through all the streets of Nauvoo, and indeed throughout all Hancock county. Did I hear about it? I verily did. Did my brethren of the Twelve know about it? They certainly did. Were there any females who knew about it? There certainly were, for some received the revelation and entered into the practice of the principle. Some may say, "Why was it not printed, and made known to the people generally, if it was of such importance?" I reply by asking another question. Why did not the revelations in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants come to us in print years before they did? Why were they shut up in Joseph's cupboard years and years without being suffered to be printed and sent broadcast throughout the land? Because the Lord had His own time again to accomplish His purposes, and He suffered the revelations to be printed just when He saw proper. He did not suffer the revelation on the great American war to be published until some time after it was given. So in regard to the revelation on plurality; it was only a short time after Joseph's death that we published it, having a copy thereof. But what became of the original? An apostate destroyed it; you have heard her name. That same woman, in destroying the original, thought she had destroyed the revelation from the face of the earth. She was embittered against Joseph, her husband, and at times fought against him with all her heart; and then again she would break down in her feelings, and humble herself before God and call upon His holy name, and would then lead forth ladies and place their hands in the hands of Joseph, and they were married to him according to the law of God. That same woman has brought up her children to believe that no such thing as plurality of wives existed in the days of Joseph, and has instilled the bitterest principles of apostacy into their minds, to fight against the Church that has come to these mountains according to the predictions of Joseph.JD13:194

Joseph Smith was commanded to take wives, he hesitated and postponed it, seeing the consequences and the trouble that it would bring and he shrank from the responsibility, ... But it was not until he had been told he must practice it or be destroyed that he made the attempt - in 1841 he had wives sealed to him - ... Emma, his wife yielded but it was not without considerable argument that she consented and with her own hand gave to Joseph Smith four wives in the new and everlasting covenant ... Soon after the marriage of Joseph to the four ladies ... Emma repented of having given them to Joseph and told Joseph that if [he] would not give them up, she would bring him up before the law and became very bitter about this time under this threat.RPJS347-348

Eliza R. Snow, September 9, 1869

The prophet Joseph Smith said this Organization existed in ancient times and that the allusion to elect Lady meant the same as President of a Society.
Ward Relief Society Minute book "A" 1868 to 1877, page 21-31, Provo Ward

Brigham Young

I never saw the day in the world that I would not almost worship that woman, Emma Smith, if she would be a saint instead of being a devil. I feel so today. There is no good thing in a temporal point of view that I would withhold from her; anything that is in my power to do for her, I would willingly do with all my heart, and with an open hand. ... Emma is naturally a very smart woman; she is subtle and ingenious, and she has made all her children believe that myself, brother Kimball, and the other members of the Twelve laid the plot which terminated in the death of the Prophet. This charge is especially laid to myself. ... She has made her children inherit lies. TO MY CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE EMMA SMITH IS ONE OF THE DAMNEDEST LIARS I KNOW OF ON THIS EARTH; yet there is no good thing I would refuse to do for her, if she would only be a righteous woman; but she will continue in her wickedness. Not six months before the death of Joseph, he called his wife Emma into a secret council, and there he told her the truth, and CALLED UPON HER TO DENY IT IF SHE COULD. He told her that the judgments of God would come upon her forthwith if she did not repent. HE TOLD HER OF THE TIME SHE UNDERTOOK TO POISON HIM, AND HE TOLD HER THAT SHE WAS A CHILD OF HELL, AND LITERALLY THE MOST WICKED WOMAN ON THIS EARTH, THAT THERE WAS NOT ONE MORE WICKED THAN SHE. He told her where she got the poison, and how she put it in a cup of coffee; said he, "You got the poison so and so, and I drank it, but you could not kill me." When it entered his stomach he went to the door and threw it off. He spoke to her in that council in a very severe manner, and SHE NEVER SAID ONE WORD IN REPLY. I HAVE WITNESSES OF THIS SCENE ALL AROUND, WHO CAN TESTIFY THAT I AM NOW TELLING THE TRUTH. TWICE SHE UNDERTOOK TO KILL HIM.BYA5:8; Gen. Conf., 7 Oct. 1866

Brigham Young

Bro. George A. Smith saw Young Joseph a few years ago and judging from what they and the other boys say they do not believe their father as a prophet of God, but they think he was a consummate scoundrel in religious matters. I know what Emma believes and have known it all the day long, and yet there is not that woman on the earth that I would delight to honor more with the whole family if they would let me do it. IN JOSEPH'S DATE SHE TRIED TO THROW ME, BR. HEBER, BR. WILLARD RICHARDS AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES OUT OF THE CHURCH, AND TRIED TO DESTROY THE WHOLE CHURCH AND I KNOW IT. JOSEPH HIMSELF TESTIFIED BEFORE HIGH HEAVEN MORE THAN ONCE THAT SHE HAD ADMINISTERED POISON TO HIM. THERE ARE MEN AND WOMEN PRESENT TODAY WHO CAN BEAR WITNESS that more hell was never wrapped up in any human being than there is in her. She gave him too heavy a dose and he vomited it up and was saved by faith.
BYA, vol. 4 Gen. Conf. 7 Oct. 1863

Br Snow ... Also related that when Emma, Joseph's first wife, heard of the Revelation SHE SOUGHT THE LIFE OF JOSEPH AND TRIED TO POISON HIM, but he was delivered by the Power of God ...
Diary of Charles Lowell Walker vol. 1, p. 438, 17 December 1876

Brigham Young

... And SHE (Emma Smith) WILL BE DAMNED AS SURE AS SHE IS A LIVING WOMAN. Joseph used to say that he would have her hereafter, if he had to go to hell for her, and HE WILL HAVE TO GO TO HELL FOR HER AS SURE AS HE EVER GETS HER.
JD 17:159

Benjamin F. Johnson

I was appointed with Bishop N. K. Whitney to visit Sister Emma for the last time, and if possible persuade her to remain with the Church. Nearly all night we labored with her, and all we could learn was that she was willing to go with the Church on condition she could be the leading Spirit. So we left her, and she did lead all who would follow her so long as she lived.
My Life's Review, p. 107

Wilford Woodruff

He [Brigham Young] said Emma had instilled into the minds of her children that it was President Young who had caused the death of Joseph and Hiram Smith. ... President Brigham Young said he thought that Joseph would have as hard work to dig her out of Hell in the next world as he did in this. WWJ4:486

Emma Smith, Example?

Name: Movingon
Country:

Comments: Emma Smith, possibly a mentally abused woman, showed just how much a woman can tolerate out of love or maybe responsibility. I do not recall reading a lot of romance happening between the two. I think she stayed with Joseph because the members at the time wanted that and not because she specifically wanted to stay with Joseph.

Emma Smith Example - Page 5

Emma Smith's copy of the 1841 Book of Mormon

The photos showed the spine of the book, indicating that it had been Emma Smith's personal copy. "A few of the copies of the 1841 Book of Mormon, the first to be published in England, were engraved with the names of early Church leaders," Said Brother Fox. "Joseph, Emma and Hyrum all had their own copies, as well as the members of the Quorum of the Twelve and their wives. Ref. Source 7i

Emma Smith Example Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 5

Some interesting thoughts and references,

Emma was quoted once as saying she married Joseph Smith the man, and never agreed to be the wife of a Prophet.

Matthew 13:57

History repeats itself. Just as Christ suffered disbelief and mistrust, so did Joseph Smith.

Another thought.

Emma's faith resided in her husband, a physical belief, a tangible reality. She loved Joseph but struggled to understand God, His revelations, and Joseph's part in it all. After Joseph's death, she suffered a broken heart, her faith was shattered, and so she floundered and fell. Much like Judas Iscariot was a disciple of Christ, so Emma Smith was a disciple of Joseph Smith. Judas betrayed Christ and Emma did the same to Joseph. Their faith was rooted in something other than Christ and His Gospel.

With Emma's loss, she became very weak. She sided with Sydney Rigdon, who opposed polygamy and was one of its counter voices in the Church. When Joseph Smith died, Sydney siezed an opportunity, and persuaded Emma to believe that the priesthood and prophecy should flow father to son. Sydney assumed direction of the Church in Navoo until Joseph III was old enough and educated as Sydney deemed fit. Emma was the voice for Joseph III until he was able to take over the affairs of the Church. She was manipulated by Sydney in my opinion. He faith was weak and not founded in the truth and sustained by the Spirit.

I would say that we need to be careful of judging others. We do risk the chance of falling to the same weaknesses and suffering under the same trials should we decided that we understand everything and can learn nothing.