Love Letters of Joseph and Emma

I came across this on Youtube the other day. I love hearing the love story of Joseph and Emma. Emma endured every hardship imaginable because she trusted Joseph and knew the truth to the things that he taught. I can only hope that I will be able to experience that same love that Emma and Joseph experienced.

Anita Stansfield on Emma Smith

I had the great opportunity of attending a fireside that Anita Stansfield spoke at yesterday. Anita is a very well known LDS author. Most recently she is working on a non-fictional story of Emma Hale Smith's life. As she spoke to the women of my stake she could not say enough about Emma. Emma was a courageous women. She was left alone very frequently to raise their children while Joseph had to attend to church work. Anita expressed the great love that Joseph and Emma had for one another. Emma's legacy is a great one. However, there are many people who doubt Emma because she didn't follow the saints to the West. Mrs. Stansfield explained to us that Emma never doubted the prophet. She believed it with every part of her being. She had felt the spirit and knew that it was true. She also knew that one day she would in fact be reunited with her true love. Emma relied on the Lord and trusted Him with all of her will. It was so great to hear the special words that Mrs. Stansfield had to say about Emma. I look forward to reading her book when it is published.

Anita Stansfiled

Beware of Pride

"Three times in the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord uses the phrase “beware of pride,” including a warning to the second elder of the Church, Oliver Cowdery, and to Emma Smith, the wife of the Prophet. 

Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance. In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride—it is always considered a sin. Therefore, no matter how the world uses the term, we must understand how God uses the term so we can understand the language of holy writ and profit thereby."

President Ezra Taft Benson

April 1989 General Conference

It is interesting that the Lord would warn Emma of pride. She had been a character of meekness in the past. Why would he mention that to her? The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He also knows what is in our future and what lies in our path. The Lord knew the "fame" and recognition that Joseph was going to receive. He also knew that Emma would be put in the background. He was warning her that she need not fret. She needed to keep her pride in check amidst all of the glory that Joseph would receive. The Lord was preparing her beforehand so she would be ready when such a problem may arise. The Lord knows our wants and needs. Most times it is before we are even aware of them.  That is the wonderful part of the gospel. If we put our trust in the Lord and do the things that He instructs us to do then we will be taken care of. Our worries can be set aside and we can focus on more important things.

Emma: A Great-Great-Grandmother

When Anita Stansfield came to speak to us about Emma, she told us that Emma had one great-great-granddaughter still living. Her name is Gracia Jones. Gracia helped Anita to obtain factual information about Emma's life so that it could be included in her book. After hearing Anita speak i went on lds.org and found an article that Gracia wrote about Emma. Here it is:  http://lds.org/ensign/1992/08/my-great-great-grandmother-emma-hale-smith?lang=eng


Some of my favorite parts:
  Emma's Patriarchal blessing-

• “Emma … thou art blessed of the Lord, for thy faithfulness and truth, thou shalt be blessed with thy husband, and rejoice in the glory which shall come upon him. Thy soul has been afflicted because of the wickedness of men in seeking the destruction of thy companion, and thy whole soul has been drawn out in prayer for his deliverance; rejoice, for the Lord thy God has heard thy supplication. Thou hast grieved for the hardness of the hearts of thy father’s house, and thou hast longed for their salvation. The Lord will have respect to thy cries, and by his judgments he will cause some of them to see their folly and repent of their sins; but it will be by affliction that they will be saved. Thou shalt see many days, yea, the Lord will spare thee till thou art satisfied, for thou shalt see thy Redeemer. Thy heart shall rejoice in the great work of the Lord, and no one shall take thy rejoicing from thee. Thou shalt ever remember the great condescension of thy God in permitting thee to accompany my son [Joseph] when the angel delivered the record of the Nephites to his care. … Thou shalt be blessed with understanding, and have power to instruct thy sex, teach thy family righteousness, and thy little ones the way of life, and the holy angels shall watch over thee and thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, even so, Amen.”

  Emma's Service -

• "Emma’s care for the untold numbers of ill and homeless Saints as well as her care for Joseph’s extended family—his parents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews—is legend"

Emma's Testimony -

• Although Emma’s life was filled with much persecution and sorrow, even bitterness on occasion, it appears that Emma endured her tribulations with great forbearance and maintained her faith in God. Writing to her son in 1869, she said, “I have seen many, yes very many, trying scenes in my life which I could not see … where any good could come of them.” She added this testimony: “But yet I feel a divine trust in God, that all things shall work for good.”

The article was so interesting to read and was really a great representation of who Emma was.

Lay Aside the Things of the World

 "The Lord continued, “I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better”

I feel He was not telling Emma that she should not feel concerned about a place to live, food on her table, and clothing. He was saying to her that she should not be obsessed with these things, as so many of us are wont to be. He was telling her to get her thoughts on the higher things of life, the things of righteousness and goodness, matters of charity and love for others, the things of eternity."

The thing that was most important to Emma was her family. The Lord wanted her to focus on those things first and for most. Even though there were other things that she could be worried about, the Lord wanted her to focus on eternal things. I think this is a motto that I want to live by in my life. There are always things that I can be worried about; school, work, clothes, shopping, food, cleaning, homework, internship and so much more. But, I know that the most important thing is my eternal salvation. I need to focus on the things that are eternal, my family, my future family and serving the Lord.