Why Joseph Smith?

[Bini]

Joseph Smith did not know which church was the true church, and so he knelt down and prayed to the Lord for an answer. Through a series of miraculous events that followed, he became a Prophet of God and founded The Church of Latter Day Saints. My question is why Joseph? Surely there were other young boys and men that were righteous, and had prayed to the Lord asking which of the churches were true. I'm not doubting the Lord. Joseph Smith was the one He chose to fulfill this important task. I'm just curious. Why Joseph Smith? Has this topic ever been discussed on any level? Maybe those that were on missions have had to answer such questions from investigators? What were your thoughts or answers?

[pam]

I believe Joseph Smith was foreordained to do this. That he was chosen durng the pre-existence that he would be the one.

Here is also a link regarding this:

Joseph Smith - Foreordained of God

[prisonchaplain]

Surely there were other young boys and men that were righteous, and had prayed to the Lord asking which of the churches were true.

Yes and no. Sure, many young people--usually college students--wonder if the "faith of their fathers" is the exclusive true religion. Some may even wonder if their particular denomination is the most true of Christian churches. However, Joseph Smith's inquiry was deeper and more passionate. According to a movie shown at the Temple Square theater, Joseph Smith's father was very skeptical of ministers in general, and quite put off with what he saw to be bickering between the churches. So, when his son goes to pray, asking which "if any" of the churches are true, his was not the general, "How do I know my religion is true and my church is okay?" kind of question. He was very ready to hear the messenger tell him that none were true, and that all was not well in Christendom.

Yes, I imagine there were a few other teenagers that harbored such skepticism and spiritual angst. 40 years later or so, Charles Taze Russell would have his own struggle (specifically against the doctrine of hell). He would later become instrumental in founding what became the Jehovah's Witnesses.

All this to say, Joseph was likely among a very small group of people his age, that were open enough and skeptical enough to receive and accept the type of message he says he did. That's how I see it, anyway.

[Vort]

Joseph Smith did not know which church was the true church, and so he knelt down and prayed to the Lord for an answer. Through a series of miraculous events that followed, he became a Prophet of God and founded The Church of Latter Day Saints. My question is why Joseph? Surely there were other young boys and men that were righteous, and had prayed to the Lord asking which of the churches were true. I'm not doubting the Lord. Joseph Smith was the one He chose to fulfill this important task. I'm just curious. Why Joseph Smith? Has this topic ever been discussed on any level? Maybe those that were on missions have had to answer such questions from investigators? What were your thoughts or answers?

Thousands of people for over a thousand years had been doing what Joseph Smith did. But Joseph was called and foreordained for that work. He wasn't necessarily better or more righteous. He was chosen.

[rameumptom]

Another point: how many people wonder, and how many people go through the effort to actually discover the answer? Joseph didn't just decide one day to go and pray about it. He visited various churches for months to determine their doctrines. He studied his Bible. He pondered. Even after reading James 1:5-6 and having it move powerfully in his heart, he still spent months pondering prayer and his issue.

It is kind of like saying, "Enos had his prayer answered, so why don't more people also?" Well, Enos had pondered it and it sunk deep into his heart. Then he prayed until he received the answer, praying throughout the day and through the night! Most people struggle with a 5 minute prayer.

[Jennarator]

I was going to say almost exactly what Ram Said. I think he is the one that had the faith, the really good strong faith and he knew his prayer would be answered. He had the desire to know and the willingness to do something about it. Heavenly Father knew this. He knew that Joseph would do something when he got his answer. So he was the one.

[applepansy]

I think one more thing that hasn't been brought up yet is that Joseph truly believed he would be answered. He trusted God when He said "....and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

[estradling75]

You could also ask: Why Moses? Why Noah? Why any of the main figures in the Bible or Book of Mormon?

The answer is going to be pretty much the same, Faith on the Individual's part and God's will/choice.

[volgadon]

The question why precisely Joseph Smith has no satisfying answer. It boils down to, "because he was." OTOH, there are some very good answers on this thread as to why some like Joseph was called.

[skippy740]

The reason it was Joseph Smith, Jr... was because it was prophesied to be him.

2 Nephi 3:1-16

Joseph in Egypt saw the Nephites in vision—He prophesied of Joseph Smith, the latter-day seer; of Moses, who would deliver Israel; and of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. About 588–570 B.C

1 And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee.

2 And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it so be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.

3 And now, Joseph, my last-born, whom I have brought out of the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee forever, for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed.

4 For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. And great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph.

5 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.

6 For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.

7 Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers.

8 And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work.

9 And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel.

10 And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt.

11 But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.

12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

14 And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise;

15 And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation.

16 Yea, thus prophesied Joseph: I am sure of this thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed forever.

[skalenfehl]

What Skippy said. The tribe of Joseph knew well the prophecies and took care to preserve their record. Unfortunately the tribe of Judah was not so keen on preserving this prophecy as it obviously presented a kind of threat to their "proud" heritage. This is why the prophecies are so vague in the Old Testament, but a careful study of Isaiah and Ezekiel will reinforce what the record keepers of Joseph knew well. This is why it was so critical that Lehi obtain the brass plates.

Does anyone find it ironically interesting that although Jeremiah was killed for prophecying against the Jews in Jerusalem, that his words were carefully preserved by Laban's scribes? This is how diligent they were. No time was wasted in recording the words of the prophets as current as the very same day they were uttered. And yet the Jews did not repent and so Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews carried captive into Babylon. There are still many records hidden unto the Lord that the world doesn't even know about. They will all come to light soon enough.

[Blackmarch]

Joseph Smith did not know which church was the true church, and so he knelt down and prayed to the Lord for an answer. Through a series of miraculous events that followed, he became a Prophet of God and founded The Church of Latter Day Saints. My question is why Joseph? Surely there were other young boys and men that were righteous, and had prayed to the Lord asking which of the churches were true. I'm not doubting the Lord. Joseph Smith was the one He chose to fulfill this important task. I'm just curious. Why Joseph Smith? Has this topic ever been discussed on any level? Maybe those that were on missions have had to answer such questions from investigators? What were your thoughts or answers?

Because like many other great men, they were chosen before the world was. And that he was put in the right place at the right time.

There have been various individuals with similar questions and quests, who have had some interesting revelations.