Some
critics have suggested that Joseph Smith failed in his efforts to bring about
the utopian society he conceived. They say his economic program—the United Order—failed,
that Zion was not redeemed as he had hoped, and that he finally went to his own
martyrdom because of a failure to obey the voice of the Spirit to him. Other opponents
continue to search for faults or shortcomings in the earthly activities of the Prophet.
These critics may be unmindful of two revelations that state very clearly what Joseph
Smith was to accomplish and also the limitations on the work the Lord gave him
to do.
Shortly
after the Lord revealed that Independence, Missouri, was to be the “center
place” of Zion (see D&C 57:2-3), a revelation was given 1 August 1831, the
first Sabbath day after the Prophet arrived in Jackson County, Missouri. In the
revelation the Lord told Joseph Smith what he was to do:
Behold,
verily I say unto you, for this cause I have sent you—that you might be
obedient, and that your hearts might be prepared to bear testimony of the
things which are to come;
And also that you might be honored in laying the foundation, and in
bearing record of the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand. (D&C
58:6-7)
A
second revelation asserts that “the Prophet Joseph Smith, . . . Hyrum Smith,
Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and other choice spirits . . .
were reserved to come forth in the fulness of times to take part in laying
to the foundations of the great latter-day work” (D&C 138:53, emphasis
added).
In
both these revelations, you will note the consistent limitation that was placed
on the work the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He and his early
successors were only to “lay the foundation” of the great latter-day work. He
was not to lead the Church into the millennial reign of the Lord, as some
supposed. He was not to perfect the United Order. He did only that which the Lord
told him to do—no more, no less. It would be left to others to build on the
foundation which Joseph laid. In fact, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that
certain conditions must be met before Zion was fully established: The Saints
were first to be taught more perfectly, to gain experience and learn more about
their duties, to become very great in numbers, and to become sanctified before
the Lord (See D&C 105:10, 31).
Even
now we can see that the amount of work that must yet be done portends that it will
be some time before the Lord shall begin his millennial reign on the earth.
Meanwhile, as we patiently work toward that day, we reflect again on the fruits
resulting from the foundation laid by the Prophet Joseph. (Russell M. Nelson,
“As the Heart of the Church,” in The Prophet and His Work: Essays from
General Authorities on Joseph Smith and the Restoration [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book, 1996], 57-58)
