Love and Revelation

Julina Lambson Smith was married to Joseph F. Smith and lived with him in the Beehive House from 1901 to 1918, the years he served as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She cared for him during his final year, when he received a vision about the redemption of the dead (see Doctrine and Covenants 138), and she was instrumental in getting the revelation recorded. Her loving companionship helped Joseph understand the importance of the “great and mighty” women whom he saw in the vision.¹

Julina L. and Joseph F. Smith

Julina was Joseph’s second wife.² At a time when romantic love wasn’t often the basis for plural marriage, Julina’s mother cautioned her that Joseph was not marrying her for love but out of duty. Julina responded, “Mother I love him and if I am good he will learn to love me. He is the only man I have ever seen that I could love as a husband.”³ From the time the two were married, Julina became a companion, example, friend, and confidant for Joseph.

Joseph also loved her deeply. Prior to their marriage, Julina was living with her uncle George A. Smith. She had made a six-month visit to Fillmore, Utah. Upon her return, Joseph was anxious to learn if she had fallen in love with anyone while she was away. He was overjoyed to hear she had not, and he immediately proposed to her. “I didn’t think for a moment he had ever really noticed me,” she said, “but later I learned he had watched me for some time and had fallen in love with me.”⁴ With Joseph’s first wife, Levira, present, Joseph and Julina were sealed in the Endowment House. The three lived together happily in their first home.

Julina raised 13 children, managed the business affairs of their home, became a licensed obstetrician, and served on the general Relief Society board.⁵ In 1885, she accompanied Joseph on his third mission to the Hawaiian Islands.⁶ She was a complementary partner to Joseph, a natural matron to their large family, and a leader in the Church. She was dearly loved by all.

Life in the Beehive House

In 1901, Joseph was sustained as President of the Church, and he and Julina moved with their children still living at home from their homestead into the Beehive House, the official residence of the Church President.⁷ “Leaving the old home was not easy,” Julina said, “but again duty called so we obeyed.”⁸

The Beehive House was the center of their family life. Sons came daily for dinner, and plural wives and children came frequently for visits. Joseph also hosted many visitors there.

The children often teased that “beehive” was the appropriate name for their home because of the busyness caused by frequent guests and associated chores. Julina explained, “I was indeed a busy person in this new life, managing a big home with many visitors almost constantly, and meeting my assignments as a member of the Relief Society General Board.”⁹

A connecting building to the southwest of the Beehive House was central to the operations of the Church. Until 1877, one of those rooms served as an office for clerks and the other served as President Brigham Young’s office. Following President Young’s death, they were both converted into clerks’ offices.

In 1917, the work in these offices moved into the new Church Administration Building. Joseph had one office in the new building and another upstairs in the Beehive House. Julina immediately found a use for the vacated clerks’ offices. As a member of the general Relief Society board, she recognized that ward Relief Society presidents struggled to provide burial clothing for deceased members. She bought fabric, standardized patterns, and sewed clothing to sell. Thus began the Temple Burial Clothing Department. Julina’s work was so successful that she needed to move the operation from her home. The previous clerks’ offices were the perfect fit, and Julina quickly obtained permission to lease them.

With the convenience of their home and offices joined together, the Beehive House was the center of Joseph and Julina’s daily life.

Vision of the Redemption of the Dead

“On the third of October, in the year nineteen hundred and eighteen, I sat in my room pondering over the scriptures,”¹⁰ Joseph said. That room was Joseph and Julina’s second floor bedroom in the Beehive House where Joseph had spent the past five months quite ill. And on that night, he received what he called “the vision of the redemption of the dead.”¹¹

The next day, despite the spreading flu pandemic and his poor health, Joseph made a surprise appearance at the Church’s general conference. “I will not, I dare not, attempt to enter upon many things that are resting upon my mind this morning.”¹² He explained that he had not been alone the past few months, hinting at the vision he had received and hoped to share later.

Joseph then returned to his sickbed. As death loomed closer, Julina sent for her son Elder Joseph Fielding Smith. Part of the young Apostle’s assignment was that of personal secretary to his father. At the prophet’s dictation, he recorded the vision in shorthand and afterward sat in the President’s office and typed it.¹³ He later read it to the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.¹⁴

The prophet shared his vision with others, including his family, whom he gathered together. As he told them about the vision, he explained that “our glorious Mother Eve, with many of her faithful daughters” were among the great and noble spirits he saw.¹⁵ He explained that women were “authorized by the authority of the holy Priesthood” to preach.¹⁶ He emphasized the divinity of women, which had been demonstrated by Julina’s example, whom, he said, “has done more for my good” than anyone except his own mother.¹⁷

Though the main message from Joseph’s vision addressed missionary work in the spirit world, his reference to women honored Julina. Her actions demonstrated an understanding of her divine role in building God’s kingdom alongside her husband. Her love and dedication to her family and the Church were an inspiring example to Joseph and those with whom she interacted.