Without Disclosing My True Identity
Conversely, when he was around his younger brother Joseph, Hyrum exhibited
none of the fears that beset him in any unilateral (independent) situation. After Alvin died
in 1823, Hyrum looked to Joseph as a leader in the family, in spite of being the older brother.
Even through adulthood, Hyrum felt somewhat incapacitated and alone without Joseph.
These childhood experiences would keep the two brothers close throughout their lives.
Hyrum would depend on Joseph for emotional support just as much as Joseph would
depend on Hyrum’s love and devotion in the face of rejection from the rest of Joseph’s
peers. The brothers would remain bonded until death and for many, many years thereafter.^4
Sophronia Smith
Alvin was Lucy’s favorite, which favoritism extended to Joseph after Alvin’s
untimely death.^5 On the other hand, Joseph Sr.’s favorite was little Sophie—she was the
“apple of her father’s eye.” When Joseph was born and the attention shifted to him as the
youngest child, Sophie had a hard time adjusting. As time went on, this normal sibling
contention was minimized by Sophie’s relationship with her father, while, from the time
that Sophie became a precocious toddler, she and Lucy’s independent personalities would
often clash. Nevertheless, on her father’s lap Sophie believed that the world did indeed
revolve around her.
The two-year age difference between Sophie and Joseph strained their relationship,
especially as Joseph entered puberty. One can imagine what happens when a young teenage
boy finds that his sister is still strong enough to beat him up. Sophie and Joseph held more
contempt for each other than any of the other siblings. The disrespect between them was a
normal part of growing up. As adults they got along just fine; but they were never as close
as Joseph would have liked.
The strain on their relationship as siblings increased when Sophie’s beloved father
began to pay more attention and give more accolade to Joseph, after he announced that he
had received a mandate to translate the gold plates from an angel.^6 Of all of the siblings,
except for Alvin (we’ll discuss his opinion of the matter later), Sophie had the hardest time
believing Joseph’s claims. The inner struggle, however, was more with the young man
whom she could no longer physically control—than with his claims. Nevertheless, in spite
of her independence, Sophie was also deeply spiritual and a very logical thinker.
Sophronia fell in love with a beau around the same time that Joseph was about to
receive the plates and begin their translation. The family was so involved in the
expectation of Joseph receiving the plates that they paid no attention to Sophronia’s
blossoming relationship. Joseph was instructed to hold a special gathering on Sunday,
December 2, 1827, to show his family the Urim and Thummim for the first time and
answer any questions about the work to which he was called. The date was special to
Joseph for a reason that he would not disclose at the time. He especially emphasized the
importance of all of his family members attending the special meeting.
Few weddings, if any, were held on a Sunday, because of the distraction they caused
on “the Lord’s Holy Day”^7 ; but Sophronia^8 had had enough of her brother’s “specialness.”
She eloped that same day and did not attend the family meeting. She found a local minister,
who had a habit of enjoying the consecrated wine a little too freely after Sunday services
(i.e., he was drunk), to perform the ceremony. She knew her father would be hurt—and he
was, but mainly, the person she hurt was herself, as the sibling jealousy affected her