Three (1808)Joseph’s Support System
Whereas most of Joseph’s immediate and extended family members and close
friends supported him in his role, Christ and Joseph’s latter-day protégé (“one...like unto
the son of man”^8 ) did not receive much support from their family and friends, but instead
were and are persecuted by them.^9 In contrast, the advanced beings who oversee the
Father’s work upon this earth (delegated to our Christ) made sure that Joseph was
surrounded with the personality types and characters who would enhance his chances of
performing his role successfully.
Unlike Christ, and the “one like unto the Son of man” of these modern times, Joseph
was not allowed to “utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the
world.”^10 His role was to keep these things from the people and allow them to exercise their
free will in establishing whatever form of religious doctrine and worship they desired.^11
Because his role as a true messenger “without disclosing [his true] identity”^12
entailed keeping “secrets” from everyone, including all of his close associates, advanced
beings surrounded Joseph with those who would more readily accept religion on faith. His
older brother Alvin was the lone exception. Alvin would never accept, as reality, any
religious explanation based on faith. Although Alvin was placed in Joseph’s life to
encourage him to stand up against all other religions and be true to himself, Alvin was
taken out of the picture early enough so as not to hinder Joseph’s fulfillment of his role. This
allowed Joseph to develop in line with his mandate to permit all of his associates the free
will to exercise their religious propensities while at the same time keeping himself a “secret”
from them—not revealing his true identity. The love Joseph had for Alvin, and his older
brother’s obstinacy towards anything religious, would have greatly hindered Joseph.
Opposition From Family
On occasion, advanced monitors wanted to ensure that a messenger received an
early mortal experience of rejection and persecution. In this way, it would shore up and
strengthen the messenger’s resolve in paying no attention to or placing any value on
personal relationships. This was accomplished by making sure that the messenger’s siblings
and close associations were capable of providing the negative experience.
Christ’s opinion and perception of his family was made very clear:
There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent
unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto
him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he
answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked
round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and
my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother,
and my sister, and mother.^13For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter
against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a
man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or
mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and