It was decreed in the counsels of eternity, long before the foundations of the earth were laid, that he should be the man, in the last dispensation of this world, to bring forth the word of God to the people, and receive the fullness of the keys and power of the Priesthood of the Son of God. The Lord had his eye upon him, and upon his father, and upon his father’s father, and upon their progenitors clear back to Abraham, and from Abraham to the flood, from the flood to Enoch, and from Enoch to Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man.
Brigham Young, “Intelligence, Etc.,” Journal of Discourses, vol 7 (Liverpool: Amasa Lyman, 1860) 289-290. See also, 2 Nephi 3:7-15.
Joseph Smith was noble, and his heritage illustrious. Some popular biographers have maligned the nature and character of Joseph Smith’s parents, family members and ancestry. One mission of the Joseph Smith Foundation is to uphold and restore the honorable station of this family line, a line that was watched for millenia and guided by the Lord. We have compiled statements by Joseph Smith, succeeding prophets and scripture dispelling commonly circulated untruths and casting light on the true heritage of this royal family. The Joseph Smith Forum FAQs contain several entries in this regard.
In her own words, Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet, tells the history of Joseph Smith and the surrounding events of the restoration of the Church. She recounts the family history of both the Smith and Mack lines, and relates miracles and dreams given by the Lord. Her account reveals the love, strength and sacrifices of the Smith family. With the Joseph Smith Forum eBooks, you can read her story online.
