The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
The 1844 martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith is one of the most tragic and disheartening moments in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Yet there is much to be learned from the examples of these leaders.
Consider how they were “men of integrity, loyalty, courage, trust, faith and unwavering testimony,” President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught in 2012.
“My feeling is we have to stand in awe, in reverence and deep appreciation for their courage, their spirituality, their integrity and their love for the Lord Jesus Christ,” President Ballard said. “They were willing to give their lives, if required, to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ. So you are talking about two great men, perhaps as great of sons of God who have ever lived, with the exception of the Savior, of course, Who is the greatest of all. Every Church member should know and think about that.”
The martyrdom, the key events leading up to it and its aftermath, will be explored and discussed in “Road to Carthage: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast,” a new eight-part, documentary style miniseries hosted by Spencer McBride, an associate managing historian with the Joseph Smith Papers project.
This latest Joseph Smith Papers podcast hopes to tell the story of a mob attacking two religious leaders in a western Illinois jail in an uplifting way that will edify and strengthen faith.
“It may not be obvious to some, but at the core of that story is faith in Jesus Christ,” McBride said. “I believe that the way we put together this podcast series, the way we present it, helps listeners understand the story in a way that will build their faith in Jesus Christ.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
