Wayne Brickey: Prophet Joseph the teacher relied on sweet taste of truth

A recent convert recounted a conversation he had in his shop. It went something like this:

A friend came in and said, \"Hey, I hear you're a Mormon now.\"

\"Yep.\"

\"So, you worship Joseph Smith?\"

\"Nope.\"

\"But other Mormons do, right?\"

\"Nope. Not a one of 'em.\" The convert explained that Joseph needed a Savior like the rest of us do. He was \"just a prophet.\"

\"Just a prophet?\"

\"Yep. But a really great one.\"

\"How so?\"

\"Had a big job on hand, putting things back that were lost for,

like, centuries. Had to do it all before he died at, like, 38 years

old.\"

When time started getting short for Joseph in Nauvoo, he testified

that \"the Lord Almighty ... will continue to preserve me ... until I have

fully accomplished my mission in this life.\"

Then he described that mission: to so firmly establish God's kingdom

in this dispensation \"that all the powers of earth and hell can never

prevail against it\" (Teaching of Presidents of the Church: Joseph

Smith, 531).

He was not just to maintain and grow the kingdom, as all prophets

must do. In addition, he was to dig the footings, lay the concrete,

raise the building and enclose it against the hurricane winds of hell.

After completing that mission in a crescendo of martyrdom, Joseph

continues to preside, defending and enriching this dispensation in the

power of his office.

Latter-day Saints don't even consider worshiping Joseph Smith. But