Without Disclosing My True Identity
dispatched, the Missourians would have wiped the Mormons off the face of the earth, as
well as targeting many prominent LDS leaders for execution, including Joseph, Hyrum, and
Sidney. It was not yet time for the demise of these men; they needed to live in order to
further the divinely orchestrated lessons intended from the establishment of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Not much is written about how order came to be and how the war actually ended.
Joseph was counseled and instructed by Timothy to organize a surrender and deliver
himself up as a prisoner to be tried for what the Missouri people considered treason—a
crime punishable by death. As previously mentioned, Timothy had been acquainted with
Alexander Doniphan for a few years, as he and the other Brothers had worked for
Doniphan. Timothy became a very close and trusted friend of Alexander’s for a time, but the
translated Nephite had remained properly aloof from public notice because he was
considered a simple laborer. Once again, Timothy was in the “right place at the right time”
working his mission and calling to assist a true messenger.
When the situation in Missouri began to escalate and the war broke out, Joseph
remained in hiding away from public view. Timothy visited his friend Doniphan and told
him that he knew Joseph personally, having worked for him and his family for a time.
Timothy convinced Doniphan that he could persuade Joseph to surrender himself, but
with an assurance of protection for Joseph and the other men who would surrender to
authorities along with him.
Doniphan presented the plan to his friend, Governor Boggs. Together, Boggs and
Doniphan devised a plan in which Boggs could save political face and save the Mormons at
the same time. The extermination order would make Boggs appear to favor the Missourians.
Once Joseph had surrendered however (under Doniphan’s command and auspices), a plan
would be hatched to help Joseph escape and leave the state, never to return again; and also
not to allow any members of the LDS religion to set up practice in the state of Missouri until
things had settled down. Joseph was never asked if the plan was agreeable to him; Timothy
mandated it; and Joseph did exactly as he was told.
Once this was complete, Timothy had fulfilled his role. He had saved Joseph’s life
for the last time. Once Joseph was safely away from Missouri in 1839, Timothy had no
further contact with his friend and student. He traveled to Asia and ended up in Lebanon
with his friend, known as John the Beloved, who was the other of only five men upon earth
at the time who “knew the true God.”^71 As previously mentioned, Mathoni and Mathonihah
had already transited to Europe.
The war ended with Joseph’s surrender. Joseph was brought into custody to be tried
in the Missouri courts^72 —which, if found guilty of treason (as they would have), Joseph,
Hyrum, Sidney, and others would have been hung. Before this could happen and while in
“loose” custodial supervision, Joseph and the others escaped from custody and fled the
state;^73 and, oddly, no one ever tried to hunt him down or bring him to justice. Why?
Historians did not have a clue, until now!
Without any written notice of pardon, Governor Lilburn Boggs never gave the order
to search for Joseph Smith. By the laws of the land, he could have; but he was not as terrible
as LDS/Mormon history portrays him. The governor and his newly appointed general,
Alexander Doniphan, never revealed their true involvement with Joseph. Likewise, Joseph
never revealed the full truth concerning his involvement with both mortal and advanced
human beings and how they managed to save his life on occasion.