History books have called Joseph Smith an American religious leader who founded the modern day Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). This religious institution is based on Smiths visions and the followers of the LDS church are called Mormon’s. His vision was for the restoration of the early Christian church and a new way of life to live by. While Smith visions and ethics have been controversial at times, millions still follow his teachings and the religious culture he started in 1830. Today the Mormon Church has over 15 million followers and has grown to touch many parts of the world with its 83 thousand missionaries. (A Prophet)
Visionary Leader
From an early age Joseph Smith had an interest in religion. But he was confused about the early Christian church in a new America and was searching for a new direction to live his life. In his late teens, Smith had visions and encounters with God and God told Smith that if he wanted a new way of life he needed to follow what God said. Smith agreed and God led Smith to buried gold plates that had the new way of life God promised inscribed on them. By the time Smith was 24 years old he had translated the golden plates into the first book or The Book of Mormon. In 1830, Smith published what he said was an English translation of these plates, titled the Book of Mormon. (A Prophet)
In 1830, Smith organized the first Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints based on the translation he did from the golden plate. Smith’s new church was based on Book of Mormon which promised the restoration of the early Christian church by revitalize the views about the nature of God, cosmology, family structures, political organization, and religious collectivism. (Joseph Smith, 201...
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...day. Smith had his beliefs and right, wrong or indifferent if he had not carried out those beliefs the Mormon Church would not exist today.
References
A Prophet. (n.d.). Joseph Smith. Retrieved May 3, 2014, from http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/joseph-smith? 1
Joseph Smith. (n.d.). Joseph Smith. Retrieved May 3, 2014, from https://www.lds.org/topics/joseph-smith
Joseph Smith. (2013, November 5). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (U.S.) United States. Department of the Air Force. (2012b). Ethical Leadership (LM01). Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Department of the Air Force.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (U.S.) United States. Department of the Air Force. (2012b). Full Range Leadership Development (CF01). Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Department of the Air Force.
USAF. (2012, October 1). Air Force Noncommisioned Officer Academy Study Guide. Full Range Leadership Development. Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, U.S.: USAF.
How far was smith to blame for Mormons trouble? Smith founded the religion so in some ways it was all his fault if their was no religion the Mormons wouldn't be in any trouble and
Kenney, Scott. A. "Joseph F. Smith," President. McConkie, Bruce R. Mormon Doctrine. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, Inc., 1886. Newell, Linda King & Avery, Valeen.
...shall, eds. Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia. New York, New York: ABC-CLIO, August 10, 2010. Print.
CF02, Full Range Leadership Development Student Guide. (2012). Maxwell-Gunter AFB. Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (AETC).
They belive that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet for the church and given the task of translating the book of mormon. The Book of Mormon is Another testament of Jesus Christ, similar to the Bible. He soon founded his own church and began converting people to his faith. Soon persecuted for their beliefs, they left New York moving first to Ohio, then Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois where they lived for five years. At that time, an anti-Mormon lynch mob found and killed Joseph and his brother Hyrum Smith. Brigham Young then became Smith's successor as the second prophet of the church, and led the Mormons away to Utah where they settled at Salt- Lake-
In 1820, Joseph Smith had a vision in Palmyra, New York, of God and his son, Jesus Christ telling him to reorganize the church of Jesus Christ. During the next 10 years, Joseph was visited by other heavenly messengers, translated the Book of Mormon and established the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints. Many years thereafter, the Mormons relocated from Nauvoo, Illinois because of religious persecution (PBS Online). In Illinois, Joseph Smith had succeeded in establishing a religion which brought together its followers both sociologically and economically. Mormon followers were ordered to pay a tithing of 10% on their gross personal wealth. Those followers who were generous to the church were reportedly bestowed with an elevated position within the church which began a “pyramidal lay clergy – a device that provided a bonding camaraderie and loyalty for all male church members (Denton 13).” When Joseph Smith was murdered by an Illinois mob in June 1844, the Twelve Apostles scattered. Sidney Rigdon assumed the Presidency, he being Smith's first counselor. The church was divided and in looming danger of dissipation. Brigham, with true Napoleonic foresight, saw his opportunity. Young hurried to Nauvoo, denounced Rigdon as an impostor and his revelations as emanations from the Devil. He cut off both Rigdon and his adherents from the true church, cursed Rigdon, and “handed him over to the buffetings of Satan for a thousand years." Young was immediately elected President by an overwhelming majority (Waite 14). Facing continued persecution, he then led the Mormons westward out of Illinois to Florence, Nebraska on the Missouri River in 1846. In 1847, Brigham Young led an exploration to the Rocky Mountains. The Mormons had discovered and selected the Great Salt Lake region as their safe haven where they could have the freedom to worship and live as their faith decreed (Katz). Brigham Young believed that Utah was the promise land for the Mormons because of its dense populace, the freedom they would have to practice their religion, and the ease in which they took control over the region. Once established in Utah, the Mormons identified themselves with the region claiming the state as their headquarters, even electing their church president as Governor.
"Growth of the Church - LDS Newsroom." LDS News | Mormon News - Official Newsroom of the Church. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. .
The Oatman’s adventure began as a result of their decision to join a new sect of the Mormon faith. This particular belief, whose followers were named Brewsterites, had its roots in Kirtland, Ohio around 1836. A young boy, about ten years old, named Colin Brewster, showed promise in the eyes of Joseph Smith, the great Mormon prophet. Many had already noticed the boy’s “gift for seeing in vision distant objects not seen by the natural eye” (McGinty 40). Eventually, Brewster’s vision of a round table lead to his acceptance as “a prophet, a seer, a revelator and translator” (McGinty 31), by Joseph Smith Sr. and two other church elders, one of which was referred to as Lord.
...leased from prison, Mathews continued his quest for religion by seeking Joseph Smith of the Mormon society, under the alias Joshua the Jewish Minister. The two had a heated discussion of resurrection and reincarnation. On the other hand, Matthews claimed to be both God and the reincarnation of the apostle Matthias. However Matthews his meeting with Smith was unsuccessful because both prophets believed the other was of the devil. Matthews’ s religious journey albeit chaotic and aberrant now serves as subconscious guide for how new religious movements and cults in present day America.
The Mormon faith can be divided into two orthodoxies that make up the religion. These orthodoxies can be described as traditional and particularistic, traditional coinciding with the same characteristics that divide Christianity and particularistic being relative to only Mormonism. Examples of traditional orthodoxy are aspects such as: believing in life after death, that God and Jesus exist and are divine, Satan is real, the Bible is the word of God etc. Particularistic orthodoxy branches off from this in that it adds new rules upon the already existing orthodoxy, things such as the Book of Mormon is further expansion of the word of God, the president of the Mormon church is a prophet of God, and that the church of the Latter Day Saints is the only true church on earth. These are staples to the Mormon faith. Mormons are passionate about their faith and believe that spiritual commitment will
Smith was born on December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont. Growing up on a variety of farms in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York. He was deprived of a “formal” childhood education, however, was taught the basics of reading, writing, and math. In 1820, because of some “religious excitement” that occurred around his home, he began to debate which religion he should commit himself to. After reading James 1:5 in the bible, which said to let God decide, he went to a woods area around his house and asked God which religion
CF02,Full Range Leadership Development. (2012). Maxwell Gunter AFB. Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (AETC)
In April 1823 the Prophet, Joseph Smith was spoken to by the Angel Moroni. The angel told him that the Lord had a larger purpose for him and informed him that the Holy Scripture included more than what is dictated in the Bible. From there, Joseph was guided to the burial place of two golden plates inscribed with the word of God by the Nephites and other ancient prophets. With inspiration from God, Joseph translated these plates into English and compiled them into what is now known as, the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Although given the message in 1823, Smith did not publish the Book of Mormon until 1830. The book contains the story of Jesus Christ’s personal ministry to the ancient people of the Americas following after
As an officer in the United States Army, it has been imperative for me to understand every facet of leadership and why it remains important to be an effective leader. During this course, I have learned some valuable lessons about myself as a leader and how I can improve on my leadership ability in the future. The journal entries along with the understanding of available leadership theories have been an integral part of my learning during this course. For all of the journals and assessments that I completed, I feel it has given me a good understanding of my current leadership status and my future potential as a leader. All of the specific assessments looked at several areas in regards to leadership; these assessments covered several separate focus areas and identified my overall strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Over the course of this paper I will briefly discuss each one of these assessments and journal entries as they pertained to me and my leadership.