No one can understand the LDS Church and its mission "without knowing of its divine origin," said President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency. "Every person who claims membership in the church should have his own personal witness concerning the truthfulness of the remarkable story of Joseph Smith, of his beginnings, of his teachings, of his testimony and of his life."

Though Smith's teachings have, and will continue to be, discussed, debated and challenged, "no one can argue with the success of the work which he introduced. What makes this work really live is the individual testimony of the members of the church that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration."

Elder M. Russell Ballard, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and a direct descendant of Smith's brother, Hyrum, who shared martyrdom with the founding president, also addressed the worldwide audience from Vermont, noting it was his great-grandfather who presided over dedication ceremonies there a century ago.

The Smith family was watched over by God down through the generations since the time of Adam, he said, and Smith's grandfather, a religious man named Asael, once said it had been "borne upon my soul that one of my descendants will promulgate a work to revolutionize the world of religious faith."

Smith's mother, Lucy Mack, was a descendant of John Lathrop, a religious reformer in England "who boldly taught that the gospel should be shared more freely with the common people and that they should be able to read the Bible for themselves," Elder Ballard said.

"How grateful we should be for the faith and believing blood that blended together in the Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith family."

President Boyd K. Packer, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, opened the meeting with prayer, noting the celebration was being carried via satellite to 61 countries in 81 languages.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square performed frequently throughout the service, with hymns particularly referencing Smith's life and mission, including: "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet," "Joseph Smith's First Prayer," "The Seer, Joseph, the Seer," "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief," and "Praise to the Man."

Also speaking at the Vermont services was Armand Mauss, professor emeritus of sociology and religious studies at Washington State University and currently a visiting scholar in Claremont Graduate University in California. He said that both in numbers and influence, Mormonism today is "the most numerically important American religion." The growth of the church has changed common perceptions, he said, giving the church more legitimacy among the world religions but also building some negative feelings as the "political and economic influence of the church sometimes looms large." Mauss is a member of the church and former president of the Mormon History Association.

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Contributing: Church News Editor Gerry Avant and the Associated Press

E-mail: carrie@desnews.com