“Joseph, Martin, and Lessons from the Lost Pages,” Liahona, Feb. 2025.
Come, Follow Me
Joseph, Martin, and Lessons from the Lost Pages
Following the principles taught by the Savior and the prophets does much to aid our progress in this life.
Illustration by Alex Nabaum
In the summer of 1828, the Prophet Joseph Smith was working diligently on translating the Book of Mormon. One day his scribe, Martin Harris, asked Joseph for permission to take the first 116 manuscript pages to his home in Palmyra, New York, so his family could see them. Joseph was unsure and asked the Lord what he should do. The Lord told him not to let Martin take the pages. Martin begged Joseph to ask again. Joseph did so, but the answer was the same. Martin pleaded with Joseph to ask the Lord once more. This time the Lord allowed them to do as they pleased.
Joseph told Martin he could take the pages if he most solemnly covenanted to show them only to his wife and certain family members. Martin promised and took the pages home. But Martin broke his promise and showed the pages to others. Later, when Martin went to get the pages, he could not find them. They were lost.
The Lord severely chastised Joseph for not listening when He said not to let Martin take the manuscript (see Doctrine and Covenants 3:5–8). For a time, the Lord took away the plates and Joseph’s ability to translate, but the Lord assured him that he could be forgiven (see Doctrine and Covenants 3:9–10). Joseph repented, and in time the plates were returned. Joseph moved forward with renewed determination.
The Works of God Cannot Be Frustrated
After this dramatic ordeal, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation in which the Savior taught invaluable principles that can help us as we progress throughout our lives.
“The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught,” the Lord said.
“For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.
“Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:1–3).
We can become frustrated when we expect God’s work to depend only on us. The Lord explained, “Although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, … he must fall” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:4).
Since the time of Adam and Eve, there have been those seeking to frustrate the work of God. This continues today. But efforts to stop the work of God will never succeed. This principle teaches us that we ought not to become frustrated even when faced with difficulties.
The fact that this is God’s work does not guarantee that we will be free from problems. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we may be “troubled on every side, yet not distressed; … perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9).
When we find ourselves faced with problems, the Lord counsels us to “pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work” (Doctrine and Covenants 10:5).
Do Not Fear Man More than God
The Lord also told the Prophet Joseph Smith, “You should not have feared man more than God” because “men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:7).
We should be valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ and not fear to make our beliefs known. As we do so with surety, firmness, and strength and guidance from the Lord, we can do much good and even at times earn the respect of others. We should not fear man more than God.
Repent
“Remember, God is merciful,” the Lord taught Joseph. “Therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:10).
Constant repentance continually qualifies us to stand worthy. When we repent, we turn to our Heavenly Father with a broken heart and contrite spirit, ask for forgiveness of our sins, and make every effort to not commit them again. Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed, “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16).
While serving as a mission president, I presided over the membership council of a brother that resulted in the withdrawal of his Church membership. This man repented of his sins and after a year was authorized to be rebaptized.
After his baptism, I received an email from him that read: “Dear President, yesterday the ordinance of baptism was performed, and I can assure you that I feel like new. A miracle was performed within me. The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ became effective in me. Today, I feel free from the oppression of sin. I know that I would not have achieved this alone. My leaders and my wife helped me keep my sights on the goal. Christ is my Savior. The miracle of forgiveness exists.”
We can repent, like this brother and the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the Lord can forgive us and call us to serve anew in His work.
Rely On the Lord
We must rely on the Lord if we truly desire to progress in this life. The Lord explained to Joseph that Martin Harris fell because he “set at naught the counsels of God, and [broke] the most sacred promises which were made before God, and … depended upon his own judgment and boasted in his own wisdom” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:13). I pray that the Lord will bless us so that we do not make the same mistakes.
In following the Lord’s teachings, we do not depend on our own judgment or boast in our own wisdom, but rather, we accept His inspiration and guidance. We strive to keep covenants made before God and become disciples of Jesus Christ. We can perfect our discipleship by incorporating the virtues of submissiveness, meekness, humility, patience, and love (see Mosiah 3:19; Doctrine and Covenants 4:5–6).
Let us not boast in our own wisdom. If we do, we may pay a heavy price and lose out on many opportunities to progress. In Proverbs we read, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). We should trust the Lord, whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours:
“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9).
If we repent and humbly rely on the Lord, He will bless us so that we may progress and become the men and women that He expects of us.