“Teach Your Children About
the Prophet Joseph Smith”
Follow President Hinckley’s advice to “Teach your children of the Prophet Joseph” by learning interesting facts about Joseph Smith and family. Make a miniature butter churn and learn about making butter, just like they would have in Joseph’s home! Enjoy your homemade butter with Pioneer Honey Wheat Bread. Activity pages and the music MP3 “I’ll ask in Faith” are also included.
If you wish to print sheet music or have an online music file to accompany you click on the song link to visit: http://www.lds.org/churchmusic
Doctrine & Covenants 135:3
3. 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. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!
Watch chapter 13 from the Animated Complete Learning System, The Joseph Smith Story DVD or CLICK FOR CLIP
For younger children, it may be helpful to summarize the following ideas:
“Teach your children of the Prophet Joseph Smith.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley teaches: “We sing that great hymn ‘We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet’ (Hymns, number 19)... I think of the Prophet Joseph Smith, of the boy who went into the woods and prayed for light and understanding, unto whom God the Father and the risen Son appeared and spoke. Joseph Smith organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became the first prophet and President of the Church... I want to give my testimony that what he said is true, and I want to urge you to teach your children of the Prophet Joseph.”
Joseph Smith’s family was prepared to accept him as prophet. Grandfather Asael Smith in 1791, long before Joseph was born said “It has been borne in upon my soul that one of my descendants will promulgate [put into action, begin] a work to revolutionize [change] the world of religious faith”
Emma Marr Petersen, The Prophet’s Story for Young People, page 11.
A mother’s role.
Lucy prepared herself early in her marriage to raise a prophet. At one time she became seriously ill, and the doctors thought she would die. Lucy recorded “I made a solemn covenant with God that if He would let me live I would endeavor to serve him according to the best of my abilities... ” After the spirit assured her that she would live, she told her mother, “The Lord will let me live, if I am faithful to the promise which I made to him, to be a comfort to my mother, my husband, and my children.”
Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, by His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith, ed. Preston Nibley, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1979, pp. 34.
The Smith family.
Lucy Mack Smith, the mother of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, recorded his birth with these words: “We had a son whom we called Joseph after the name of his father; he was born December 23, 1805” (History of Joseph Smith). When Joseph was born his family was living on a farm in Sharon, Vermont. His oldest brother, Alvin, was seven years old.
His brother Hyrum, was five, and his sister, Sophronia, was two. Joseph’s father, Joseph Smith, Sr., was a strong man, standing six feet four inches. During the winter he taught school, and in the summer he farmed. He was a talented carpenter who built houses and made split-wood chairs. He built stone fences and dug wells. Joseph’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, was a good mother and teacher to her children. She sold tablecloths she made and decorated with oil paints. Nine children were born to the Smith family. Ephraim died when only eleven days old. Joseph Smith’s family prayed, sang, went to church, and read the Bible together. They always tried to obey the teachings of Jesus.
A prophetic father’s blessing.
In December 1834, Joseph Smith’s father confirmed a father’s blessing upon him: “Thy God has called thee by name out of the heavens … to do a work in this generation which no other man would do as Thyself... ” Joseph also heard his father promise, “Thou shalt like to do the work which the Lord shall command Thee.”
“Few men have so fully understood the proper perspective of family life in the eternal scheme as did the prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith. Not only was he taught from on high the theology of eternal families, but more important, he incorporated these eternal truths into acts of love, tenderness, and concern for his own family... It is no wonder that he so vigorously taught the Saints to love their spouses fully, to be tender and faithful... Joseph’s contemporaries report that he was quick to exhort Latter-day Saint husbands to take good care of their wives and warned them that if they did not, they would not have them hereafter.”
Joseph Smith helped to restore the gospel to the earth and organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became the first prophet and President of the Church. He translated The Book of Mormon, built the first latter-day temple, and received most of the revelations found in the Doctrine and Covenants. Joseph Smith, Jr. was an example of faith and courage.
How can we show our gratitude to Joseph Smith for his role in the restoration of the gospel?
The love and devotion for family that the Prophet Joseph exemplified can do much to inspire all Latter-day Saints to become celestial sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, as our prophets have counseled.
What can we do as a family to show our love and devotion to Joseph Smith and each other?
“As a son, he was nobility itself, in love and honor of his parents; as a brother he was loving and true, even unto death; as a husband and father, his devotion … stopped only at idolatry.”
Excerpt from “The Human Qualities of Joseph Smith, the Prophet”
“Early in Joseph Smith’s marriage, he learned that his success in doing the work of the Lord was directly linked to the harmony that prevailed in his home. While he was working on the translation of the Book of Mormon, Joseph and Emma had ‘some words,’ as every young married couple occasionally does. Joseph went upstairs in the Whitmer home to continue the translation of the Book of Mormon, but he discovered that he could not, for ‘all was dark.’ It wasn’t until Joseph had retired to the woods to pray for forgiveness and then returned to obtain Emma’s forgiveness that the Spirit of the Lord returned so that the translation could continue.”
Add honey and stir well. Mix in whole wheat flour, salt, and melted butter.
Add all-purpose flour in gradually.
Knead dough for 10 minutes.
When dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a well oiled bowl.
Turn the dough several times in the bowl to coat the surface.
Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Punch down the dough.
Let children shape into loaves, and place into well greased loaf pans (makes two large or six small loaves).
Rise until dough is 1 to 1 1/2 inches above pans.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 to 30 minutes.
2 cups scalded milk cooled to 110 degrees F
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 yeast cake (or 1 package dry yeast)
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup melted butter (or vegetable oil)
5 cups all-purpose flour
Slice warm bread and serve with your fresh churned butter (see activity) and jam or honey if desired, just like Joseph Smith’s family did.
Explain to the children that Joseph Smith’s family worked hard. One of the many chores they had to do was to make their own bread and butter. They made their butter by pouring fresh cream, they skimmed off the top of the milk after they milked the cow, into a big butter churn. Then they would sit and churn for hours until the cream turned to butter.
Tell them that they are going to get to learn how to churn butter, but because their butter churns are miniature it won’t take as long as it took the Smith family.
Pour 1/3 cup heavy cream and a pinch of salt (optional) into each butter churn. Put on lid (with plunger handle and plunger attached). Have the children churn the cream into butter by moving plunger up and down for 10-15 min. (To churn faster remove plunger and shake.) When cream has solidified pour off excess liquid.
Younger children will need help from an older sibling or parent.
3. Name some of the important things that Joseph Smith did for the salvation of man?
Joseph Smith helped to restore the gospel to the earth and organized The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. He became the first prophet and President of the Church. He translated The Book
of Mormon, built the first latter-day temple, and received most of the revelations found in the Doctrine
and Covenants. Joseph Smith, Jr. was an example of faith and courage. (See D&C 135:3.)
4. How can we show our gratitude to Joseph Smith for his role in the restoration of the gospel? (List and discuss ideas to show gratitude.)
5. Joseph Smith exemplified love and devotion to family?
6. “Early in Joseph Smith’s marriage, he learned that his success in doing the work of the Lord was directly linked to the harmony that prevailed in his home.
While he was working on the translation of the Book of Mormon, Joseph and Emma had ‘some words,’ as every young married couple occasionally does. Joseph went upstairs in the Whitmer home to continue the translation of the Book of Mormon, but he discovered that he could not, for ‘all was dark.’ It wasn’t until Joseph had retired to the woods to pray for forgiveness and then returned to obtain Emma’s forgiveness that the Spirit of the Lord returned so that the translation could continue.”