Inquire after his name

 The ends of the earth will - Joseph is told by the Lord (D&C 122:1) - It's a good invitation too. Moroni said something similar much earlier - that his name should be had for good and evil in all the earth (JSH 1:33). He writes his history, in fact, "to disabuse the public mind and put all inquirers after truth in possession of the facts" (JSH 1:1). 

Because people are asking, I want to help answer. Ultimately the answer must come from the Lord himself, but there are some things I know about the prophet that I think everyone should know too.

Joseph Smith is a man of God. He is constantly willing to be publicly shaped by the hand of the Lord. There is no one more frequently rebuked and commanded to repent in the Doctrine and Covenants than he is. I'm not sure how I would feel about the scriptural record containing such an account of my stumblings. There is beauty and power in Joseph's response however. He was determined to act on the voice of the Lord. From his years long tutoring before obtaining the record, to the lessons he learned from his loss of the 116 pages of manuscript, to the revelation on plural marriage - he was all in. He said following the second experience - "I've made this my rule: when the Lord commands - do it!"

Joseph was willing to ask with the real intent to act on what he received from God. I am blessed every day by his willingness to do so! As clay in the Master's hand, Joseph became the instrument through which Jesus Christ restored His Church to the earth - the vessel through which the keys given to Peter - to bind and loose on earth and in heaven (Matthew 16:19) - were restored to earth. This authority offers all mankind the opportunity to make and keep sacred covenants with Him - to be lifted by His promises to forgiveness and eternal families - heights we could never obtain on our own merits. 

As millions come to know brother Joseph again - and by the power of the Holy Ghost know he was God's prophet in these latter days - I want to be counted among the voices for the prophet Joseph Smith. Just a few verses later in section 122, Joseph is told "thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever." -- sounds like exactly where I want to be found standing too. Come join me in sharing what you know by the power of the Spirit to be true of God's prophet Joseph Smith.