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 D&C 135

1. "Be a Hyrum" to the people around you. Stand by them. Support them. Believe in them even when they mess up and they are being condemned by everyone else. When they knew the mob would come for them and Joseph knew he would be killed, he tried to send Hyrum on a made-up assignment to another city. Hyrum said, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I will not leave your side." I love this so much! I think it's a beautiful example of love and can be applied in our marital relationship. Can I love like that? Even when I feel like my husband is being difficult? Can I say, I've decided to love this person even with their failings and I will not leave their side?

2. What Joseph Smith did for all of us is introduce us to Jesus. For that, we will be forever grateful to him. That should also be my own goal--to introduce people to Jesus, His plan and His love. Here lies the most important thing in life.

3. Joseph burned the opposition's printing press in hopes that it would save the people. Inciting language like they were printing had brought about the deaths and rapings and expulsion in Missouri. He did not want to see that happen again. When he turned himself in, he knew that it would result in his death, but he did it in the hopes that it would save the people. It did for a time.

4. Joseph Smith was not perfect. We don't condemn ourselves for not being perfect, but we condemn Joseph because 1) He was telling us what to do to be saved and reach perfection -- if he is going to tell us to be perfect, shouldn't he be so himself? But how can God tell us things without telling us through a man? And aren't all men imperfect? God has to use what's available. I am just so grateful that Joseph was willing to be that servant and be the recipient of so much judgement and scorn.