Two (1807)relationship with Joseph for the rest of their lives together—something that she later
regretted when he was murdered.
Sophie provided her younger brother with plenty of experiences of how to react or
not to persecution, something that came in quite handy later. In spite of the disdain that
Sophie often showed towards Joseph, he loved her dearly and never revealed to anyone
how she treated him while they were growing up together.
The Stage is Set
Through interactions with his parents and siblings, the stage was set for young
Joseph to develop the strengths and experiences that would help him in the relationships he
would encounter during his tenure as a true messenger.
NOTES
(^1) See TSP, 81:5–7, 14–16.
(^2) See Preston Nibley, ed., History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Lucy Mack (Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1901) 48.
(^3) Lucy Smith, Progenitors, 60; Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 300.
(^4) See Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 “N” Street, gravesite “Park 14-8-5E,” denoting Park Plat,
Section 14, Lot 8, Grave 5 East. At this burial plot stands the Hyrum Smith / Christopher Nemelka
memorial headstone, erected on 16 June 2010. On the back of that headstone is engraved the
prophecy of Joseph Smith spoken to his brother Hyrum in the Carthage, Illinois jail on 27 June 1844,
shortly before they were murdered, and in the presence of John Taylor and Willard Richards: “One
day it shall be you who finishes what I could not. May the Lord’s work be cut short in the
righteousness of what you will do for the Father. I love you my brother, my friend.” See also:
“chrisnemelka,” “An Introduction to a Marvelous Work and a Wonder®,” YouTube, 5 Mar. 2010,
YouTube, LLC, 16 Dec. 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIzVEnSIlt0.
(^5) “Alvin contracted what was diagnosed as ‘bilious colic’ and died on November 19, 1823.”
Hoyt W. Brewster, Jr., Doctrine and Covenants Encyclopedia (Salt Lake City, Bookcraft, 1988) 524–5.
(^6) In September 1823. See JSH 1:27, 50.
(^7) See “Lord’s Day,” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 4 Dec. 2010, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 4
Dec. 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord’s_Day.
(^8) See Preston Nibley, ed., History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Lucy Mack, 336.