A Prophet Celebrates

Two days before Christmas in 1805, Joseph Smith, Jr., was born in Sharon, Vermont, to Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith. He was the third son of a loving and loyal family. In spite of great hardships and some sadness they enjoyed being together and shared many happy experiences.

When Joseph married and had a home of his own, his love reached out not only to his family but to everyone. He always lived for others and once said, “Friendship is one of the grand fundamental principles of ‘Mormonism.’”

The Prophet Joseph enjoyed his friends and was always happy to have them in his home. In his journal he mentions an especially happy Christmas in 1843:

“This morning, about one o’clock, I was aroused by an English sister, Lettice Rushton, … accompanied by three sons, with their wives, and her two daughters, with their husbands, and several of her neighbors, singing ‘Mortals, awake! with angels join,’ [etc.], which caused a thrill of pleasure to run through my soul. All of my family and boarders arose to hear the serenade, and I felt to thank my Heavenly Father for their visit, and blessed them in the name of the Lord. They also visited my brother Hyrum, who was awakened from his sleep.

“At two o’clock [in the afternoon], about fifty couples sat down at my table.

“A large party supped at my house, and spent the evening in music, dancing, [etc.], in a most cheerful and friendly manner.”

The Prophet Joseph Smith 1805–1844