Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and a witness to the divinity of Jesus Christ. He was the founder of the Mormon Church. Like many ancient prophets he ended his mission by being murdered by his enemies. Joseph Smith was born in 1805 in Vermont, but grew up in New York. As a young man, he was greatly troubled by religious issues and was worried about his salvation. He prayed and read the Bible often and attended church meetings. One day, as he was ponder the confusion he felt about God and His plan for mankind, he read James 1:5, which read, “If any you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

He immediately knew that he could pray to God and get an answer for himself and not need to depend on others. Some time later in the spring of 1820, when he was just 14, he went out into the woods near his home to pray. He pray aloud to God for an answer to his confusion. According to Joseph Smith’s own account:

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other–This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith-History 1:16-17).

This was Joseph Smith’s first vision. After this he was visited by angels who called him to be a prophet like Moses or Paul. He was commanded to translate the Book of Mormon from ancient records.The Book of Mormon contained the fullness of Jesus Christ’s Gospel. Over the next several years he published the Book of Mormon and other revelations which he received and organizedthe Mormon Church. Joseph Smith continued to lead the Mormon Church until he was murdered by a mob in 1844 in Illinois.

Joseph Smith taught that God lives, that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that these are the last days before His return. He taught that every person must repent and come unto Jesus Christ by accepting baptism from His servants who have receive authority from Him called priesthood. Like so many before him, Joseph Smith sealed his testimony with his own life as martyr for religion. He was succeeded by Brigham Young.

Those unfamiliar with what Mormons believe and with how the Mormon Church operates, as well as those who wish to discredit Mormon beliefs and frighten people away try to claim that the Mormon Church is a cult. This claim, however, quickly disappears the moment one studies Mormonism and its members who live in over 160 different countries, speak dozens of languages, and come from every walk of life.

Anti-Mormons and Ex-Mormons claim that Mormonism, compared to mainstream Christianity, looks inward and follows one person, the prophet, more than they do God.

To anyone who knows a Mormon, these claims are preposterous. Mormons honor the prophet Joseph Smith much as Christians honor Paul, Moses, and Isaiah. He was a prophet and a gifted leader, but Mormons worship God and Jesus Christ. Because of Mormonism’s separate history it has developed distinct cultural and other practices so that those who leave Mormonism not only abandon a religious belief, but also lose their culture and since this is frequently connected to family traditions as well, this separation can cause difficulties with family members and friends.

Others try to claim that Mormons brainwash their children, but this again is absurd since every culture and religion teaches its values and beliefs to its children. That some outside Mormonism disagree with what Mormons teach their children is not grounds for calling it brainwashing. Mormons believe tenaciously in man’s agency to choose what he believes and practices, but reality also means that going against once received culture and traditions, whether they are religious or secular, can be difficult and trying and it this that ex-Mormons have noted in their struggles, not some inherent evil design by Mormons to control its members. Moreover, since in Mormonism there is only a lay clergy comprised of members of the congregation, there could not possibly be some vast conspiracy of leaders verses the members, since such a division does not exist. Finally, in Mormonism cooperation and unity is highly valued and such emphasis on helping one another sometimes makes outsiders feel neglected, but Mormons do strive to reach out and include others though they, like everyone, are not perfect.

In Luke 16:16 the Lord says, The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Many Christians cite this scripture as evidence that there can be no more prophets. However, in Mormon belief there are modern prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith. This does not contradict the Bible, but actually fully supports the circumstances of Jesus’ message.

It is easy to mistake this scripture as meaning that the Law of Moses and the need for prophets ended with John the Baptist. The phrase “the law and the prophets” is referring to the scriptures used by the Jews at that time; “the law” being the Torah, or five books of Moses containing the law, and “the prophets” being the prophetic books fortelling the coming of a Messiah. This represented the old covenant of God with the tribe of Israel. Jesus established a new covenant and a new organization. Hebrew prophets were replaced by apostles of Jesus Christ. The role of a New Testament apostle is the same of an Old Testament prophet, speaking in the name of God by the power of the Holy Ghost; the only difference being that now the Messiah has already come. TheMormon Church is led by twelve apostles of Jesus Christ who are accepted as prophets, seers, and revelators for Jesus Christ.

In Luke 16:16 Jesus was addressing the Pharisees, who were not accepting of Jesus because they had “the law and the prophets” to govern them. Despite the very prophecies they revered, when the Messiah came the Pharisees rejected Him in favor of tradition. The same is true of Christians that deny the gospel of Jesus Christ is restored by Joseph Smith. Instead they reject it for traditional Christianity. Luke 16:16 is not evidence that Mormonism is mistaken in its belief of prophets. Since Joseph Smith the kingdom of God is preached and everyone that seeks truth presses into it.