Joseph Smith Biography

SEVENTEEN

(1822)

Joseph learned the importance of not disclosing what he knew. He also learned how to present real truth

without taking away free will by using religious concepts to attempt to help the people escape the abomination

of religion. He marveled at the ignorance of the world and the lack of sincere desire to know the truth.

Joseph’s Training Continues

Joseph’s role as a true messenger who did not disclose his true identity was not to
begin until September 22, 1827, the day he was allowed to take possession of the gold plates
that would be the source of what was to become the Book of Mormon. Being so young and
with so much to learn as he settled into his role, Joseph required a lot of training to prepare
him.^1 For over seven years, from the spring of 1820 to the fall of 1827, Joseph received this
unique and imperative training. Eventually, Moroni would “awaken” Joseph by performing
the necessary adjustments to his brain. In the meantime, it was by his observations and from
the knowledge he received from Christ during their visitation that Joseph began to learn
how to analyze the nature of mankind and understand many things about human nature.
During his training, he learned things about true reality that later caused him to make
statements to the early leaders and members of the LDS faith that not only confused the
“saints,” but also Joseph’s enemies and critics as well. He was quoted as saying on occasion
such things as,

“Brethren, if I were to tell you all I know of the kingdom of God, I do know

that you would rise up and kill me.”

“If I revealed all that has been made known to me, scarcely a man on this

stand would stay with me.”

“Would to God, brethren, I could tell you WHO I am! Would to God I

could tell you WHAT I know! But you would call it blasphemy

and...want to take my life!”^2

Joseph learned during his training how to properly present concepts of real truth
without taking away the people’s free will to “worship God according to the dictates of their
own conscience.” In other words, as already explained, he was taught how to use religion to
attempt to get people away from the destructive nature of religion. Although Christ taught
Joseph that all religious precept formed by the philosophies of men mingled with scripture
was an “abomination in the sight of God,” he was also taught that the universal and eternal
laws that pertain to free will cannot be violated. Therefore, Joseph learned how to fulfill his
role within the parameters set by these important eternal laws.
After his visitation with Christ, in which he was given an overview of the “mysteries
of God in full,”^3 or the “things which have been hid up [since] the foundation of the world,”^4
Joseph was counseled not to discuss any of these things with others. But counseling a teenager