I was born in 1947, just over 100 years after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  I didn’t know him in life, and I never knew anything about him for the first 20 years of my life, but have since come to know him intimately.  He has introduced me to another individual I never knew in life but whom I have also come to know intimately and who has shaped and molded everything that I am and hope to be.

I speak of Jesus Christ, the greatest man who ever lived, the God of the universe, the Creator of this world and everything in it, my Advocate with the Father, the Redeemer of all sinful men, myself included.  Joseph Smith’s mission in life was to restore the knowledge of Jesus Christ to the world and to introduce Him to each of us that every soul might learn how to receive a remission of his sins and to be able to be redeemed and to come back into the presence of God.

That one man might be able to transform world thinking about Jesus Christ and shine a light on His person and teachings—that one man might change the perception of the Savior of the world from a mass of muddy mysteries to a clearly-lit path to eternal life—is the great miracle of our day.  An unlearned, unschooled farm boy did it.  The Lord Himself guided the pure, unsullied mind of Joseph Smith, educated him, and enabled him to perform the monumental tasks that he accomplished.

Joseph gave us nearly 1,000 pages of new scripture.  Those new scriptures illumine the Bible and prove that it’s true.

Joseph restored the knowledge of the character of God.  The world perceived God as a hard, mysterious essence that permeated the universe.  Joseph revealed the Father and the Son as two glorified, loving, embodied men whose purpose is to redeem us and to make us happy.

Joseph revealed the way by which we can be rid of our sins and live lives of purity and peace.

Joseph restored the lost ordinances and covenants which are essential for our salvation and exaltation.  Joseph brought the Priesthood back to earth, the lost authority that makes covenants and ordinances binding on earth and in heaven.

Joseph revealed the eternal nature of marriage and family.

Joseph made plain the simple but glorious plan of salvation that can redeem all men.

Joseph brought into harmony the interlocking doctrines of the three great events of human history—the Creation, the Fall of man, and the Atonement.

Joseph established a church which will soon fill the world.

Joseph brought back the knowledge of our pre-earth existence.

Joseph changed the world’s unenlightened theory of a heaven and hell to a glorious understanding of degrees of glory and the possible redemption of all mankind.

Joseph opened the knowledge of a spirit world where men learn, repent, and await their resurrections.

Joseph built temples and restored the knowledge of vicarious work for the dead.

Joseph Smith, the uneducated farm boy, was a quick learner.  In a short period of time he went from being unable to compose a well-worded sentence (his wife’s words), to authoring beautiful gems and prophecies like these:

“Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

“The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.”  (D&C 121:45-46).

“You know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap.  You don’t comprehend it.  It is only a little handfull of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America.  It will fill the world.”  (Joseph Smith speaking to the Priesthood membership of the Church in 1833).

“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 in the Wentworth letter, 1 March 1842).

It is Joseph’s words and Joseph’s works and Joseph’s testimony of Jesus Christ that will sweep the earth.  Because of the things that he restored, every knee shall eventually bow and every tongue shall eventually confess that Jesus is the Christ.  Joseph is Christ’s prophet.  It is true that “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.”  (D&C 135:3).

I worship Jesus Christ, and I reverence His Prophet.