The Life of Joseph Fielding Smith
In a couple days, I'll get to teach lesson 1 from the new Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith. I'll probably post about it on Monday. This morning, I was thinking, what if, instead of teaching lesson 1, I got to teach about his life and ministry instead. (In past years, I think our RS Presidency might have done this the first week, but this year they chose to have an amazing lesson on visiting teaching instead, so the life and ministry won't be taught in our ward, besides what bits we teachers give in our regular lessons.)
So what if I were teaching about his life? How would I do it? Since it is Relief Society, I would teach it through the eyes of the women in his life. Perhaps I would invite different sisters in the ward to each present a part of his life from her point of view.
Julina Lambson Smith: his mother. She would tell about his heritage as grandson of Hyrum Smith, son of Joseph F. Smith. She might tell about her vow that if God would send her a son (after three daughters) that she would "do all in her power to help him be a credit to the Lord and to his father." She could tell about how her son worked on the farm and at the ZCMI, and how he would drive her when she fulfilled her duties as a midwife. She might mention how he liked to play baseball, but how he could also be found in the hayloft or under a tree, reading the Book of Mormon. She might quote his patriarchal blessing, when he was told, "It is thy privilege to live to a good old age and the will of the Lord that you should become a mighty man in Israel. . . . It shall be thy duty to sit in counsel with thy brethren and to preside among the people."
Louie Shurtliff: 1st wife. Louie would tell about how she came to live with the Smith family so she could attend the University of Utah, located across the street. She would tell how they became friends, how they would read together in the parlor and take walks together, and how the friendship gradually became a courtship. She could mention how Joseph rode his bicycle the 100 mile round trip to come visit her when school wasn't in session. She might tell about how they wondered if they should be married, since they didn't know whether or not he might receive a mission call, but eventually they were married in the Salt Lake temple by Joseph's father, who was the President of the church at the time. Louie would tell about how less than a year later, Joseph did receive a call to serve a mission in England, and how Louie returned to live with her family while he was gone. She could talk about how frustrated he was that in his two years of service he didn't make one convert or perform one baptism. She could also tell about the love he expressed to her in all his letters home. She could tell about how on his return home from his mission, he began working in the Church Historian's office, and about the birth of their daughters Josephine and Julina. She could tell about how Joseph helped his father, sometimes traveling in his place (sometimes to the disappointment of the locals). She could tell how he set aside many of his church responsibilities to spend time with her as she suffered an illness associated with a third pregnancy, one which took her life.
Ethel Georgina Reynolds: 2nd wife. Ethel could tell about how she was working as a clerk in the Church Historian's office when Joseph invited her to accompany him and his daughters on an outing in the park, and how they enjoyed each other's company. She could tell about marrying him and becoming a second mother to Josephine and Julina. She would tell about the General Conference where Joseph was asked who the new apostle would be and Joseph responded, "I don't know. But it won't be you and it won't be me!" But to Joseph's surprise, it was him, and he returned home to tell Ethel that they would have to sell the cow because he wouldn't have time to take care of it anymore. She could tell about how he served as the Church Historian, and as President of the Salt Lake Temple. She could tell about his stern warnings to repent, and his compassion for a vegetable vendor who crashed into a missionary car. She might talk about the nine children she bore: Emily, Naomi, Lois, Amelia, Joseph, Lewis, Reynolds, Douglas and Milton. She might tell how Joseph was "a kind, loving husband and father whose greatest ambition in life is to make his family happy, entirely forgetful of self in his efforts to do this." She could tell how her husband wrote the words to Does the Journey Seem Long? in a letter which he wrote to her. And she could mention the long, confusing sickness that resulted in her death.
Jessie Ella Evans: 3rd wife. Jessie could tell about how she was a famous soloist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and how she sang a solo at the funeral of Joseph's wife, Ethel. She could tell about coming to know Joseph after he sent her a thank you note and how they were married and she and her mother moved in with Joseph and his youngest three children who were still at home. She might mention that there was a twenty six year difference in their ages, and a huge difference in personalities, but that they got along well, with great love and respect for each other. She could talk about how they traveled together on several assignments, and maybe tell the story of trying to help the missionaries evacuate from Germany in 1939. She could tell about their sadness when Joseph's son Lewis was killed in the war. She could tell about his faith, his loyalty, his scholarship, his compassion. She could tell about his call to be President of the church after the death of President David O. McKay. She could tell about how he emphasized the importance of homes and families, officially designating Mondays for Family Home Evenings. She could talk about how he always sought to be "true and faithful" throughout his life.
I am excited to be teaching the words of this great man. From what I've noticed so far, his words are scholarly, but easy to understand. He teaches the scriptures and quotes them often. He was a loving father, and he knew the importance of the family. I'm really looking forward to learning more about him this year!
So what if I were teaching about his life? How would I do it? Since it is Relief Society, I would teach it through the eyes of the women in his life. Perhaps I would invite different sisters in the ward to each present a part of his life from her point of view.
Julina Lambson Smith: his mother. She would tell about his heritage as grandson of Hyrum Smith, son of Joseph F. Smith. She might tell about her vow that if God would send her a son (after three daughters) that she would "do all in her power to help him be a credit to the Lord and to his father." She could tell about how her son worked on the farm and at the ZCMI, and how he would drive her when she fulfilled her duties as a midwife. She might mention how he liked to play baseball, but how he could also be found in the hayloft or under a tree, reading the Book of Mormon. She might quote his patriarchal blessing, when he was told, "It is thy privilege to live to a good old age and the will of the Lord that you should become a mighty man in Israel. . . . It shall be thy duty to sit in counsel with thy brethren and to preside among the people."
Louie Shurtliff: 1st wife. Louie would tell about how she came to live with the Smith family so she could attend the University of Utah, located across the street. She would tell how they became friends, how they would read together in the parlor and take walks together, and how the friendship gradually became a courtship. She could mention how Joseph rode his bicycle the 100 mile round trip to come visit her when school wasn't in session. She might tell about how they wondered if they should be married, since they didn't know whether or not he might receive a mission call, but eventually they were married in the Salt Lake temple by Joseph's father, who was the President of the church at the time. Louie would tell about how less than a year later, Joseph did receive a call to serve a mission in England, and how Louie returned to live with her family while he was gone. She could talk about how frustrated he was that in his two years of service he didn't make one convert or perform one baptism. She could also tell about the love he expressed to her in all his letters home. She could tell about how on his return home from his mission, he began working in the Church Historian's office, and about the birth of their daughters Josephine and Julina. She could tell about how Joseph helped his father, sometimes traveling in his place (sometimes to the disappointment of the locals). She could tell how he set aside many of his church responsibilities to spend time with her as she suffered an illness associated with a third pregnancy, one which took her life.
Ethel Georgina Reynolds: 2nd wife. Ethel could tell about how she was working as a clerk in the Church Historian's office when Joseph invited her to accompany him and his daughters on an outing in the park, and how they enjoyed each other's company. She could tell about marrying him and becoming a second mother to Josephine and Julina. She would tell about the General Conference where Joseph was asked who the new apostle would be and Joseph responded, "I don't know. But it won't be you and it won't be me!" But to Joseph's surprise, it was him, and he returned home to tell Ethel that they would have to sell the cow because he wouldn't have time to take care of it anymore. She could tell about how he served as the Church Historian, and as President of the Salt Lake Temple. She could tell about his stern warnings to repent, and his compassion for a vegetable vendor who crashed into a missionary car. She might talk about the nine children she bore: Emily, Naomi, Lois, Amelia, Joseph, Lewis, Reynolds, Douglas and Milton. She might tell how Joseph was "a kind, loving husband and father whose greatest ambition in life is to make his family happy, entirely forgetful of self in his efforts to do this." She could tell how her husband wrote the words to Does the Journey Seem Long? in a letter which he wrote to her. And she could mention the long, confusing sickness that resulted in her death.
Jessie Ella Evans: 3rd wife. Jessie could tell about how she was a famous soloist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and how she sang a solo at the funeral of Joseph's wife, Ethel. She could tell about coming to know Joseph after he sent her a thank you note and how they were married and she and her mother moved in with Joseph and his youngest three children who were still at home. She might mention that there was a twenty six year difference in their ages, and a huge difference in personalities, but that they got along well, with great love and respect for each other. She could talk about how they traveled together on several assignments, and maybe tell the story of trying to help the missionaries evacuate from Germany in 1939. She could tell about their sadness when Joseph's son Lewis was killed in the war. She could tell about his faith, his loyalty, his scholarship, his compassion. She could tell about his call to be President of the church after the death of President David O. McKay. She could tell about how he emphasized the importance of homes and families, officially designating Mondays for Family Home Evenings. She could talk about how he always sought to be "true and faithful" throughout his life.
I am excited to be teaching the words of this great man. From what I've noticed so far, his words are scholarly, but easy to understand. He teaches the scriptures and quotes them often. He was a loving father, and he knew the importance of the family. I'm really looking forward to learning more about him this year!
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