Although God’s standing law of marriage is between one man and one woman (see Jacob 2:27, 30), there have been times when He has commanded some of His children to practice plural marriage. The early years of the restored Church were one of those periods of exception. The Lord commanded the Prophet Joseph Smith to practice plural marriage and to teach the principle to others. This lesson can help students understand more about the Lord’s commandment for some Saints to practice plural marriage in the early days of the Church.
Possible Learning Activities
Difficult commandments
President Russell M. Nelson taught:
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President Russell M. Nelson
God has always asked His covenant children to do difficult things. (Russell M. Nelson, “Stand as True Millennials,” Ensign, Oct. 2016, 27)
What are some examples of difficult things God has asked His children to do?
If needed, refer to a few scriptural accounts for students to think about. Examples could include Abraham being asked to sacrifice Isaac (see Genesis 22:1–2, 10), Mary accepting the call to be the mother of Jesus Christ (see Luke 1:26–38), and Jesus Christ suffering and atoning for all humankind (see Matthew 26:39). Consider displaying images that depict these events.
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Abraham and Isaac
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Mary visited by the angel
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the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane
Why do you think God sometimes commands His children to do difficult things?
In our dispensation, the Lord asked the Prophet Joseph Smith to do many difficult things. One difficult commandment God gave to Joseph Smith was to institute the practice of plural marriage, also known as polygamy, in the early days of the Church.
Explain that plural marriage refers to the marriage of one man and more than one woman. Help students understand that it is normal to wrestle with feelings of confusion or have questions about this practice. Consider giving students time to write questions they may have in their study journals.
It is good for students to seek their own answers. Invite them to pay attention to guidance they receive through the Holy Ghost as they study. Your role as teacher is not to answer all students’ questions. It is okay to say that you do not have the answers. You can demonstrate that even without having all the answers, we can move forward with faith in Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s instructions on plural marriage
While translating the Bible, the Prophet Joseph Smith read about some of God’s servants who married more than one wife. To find out what Joseph asked God, read Doctrine and Covenants 132:1. Then, read verses 2 and 34–37, looking for how the Lord responded to the Prophet’s question.
What is a truth you learn from these verses about when plural marriage is acceptable to the Lord?
Invite students to express what they are learning and help them identify the truth that the Lord accepts the practice of plural marriage only when He commands it.
In the Book of Mormon, we learn that some Nephites began plural marriages against God’s will. They justified their actions based on the scriptural accounts from the Old Testament (see Jacob 2:23–24; see also Doctrine and Covenants 132:38–39). The Lord condemned these actions and taught the Nephites His standard for marriage.
Read Jacob 2:26–27, 30, looking for the Lord’s teachings to the Nephites.
What did these verses add to your understanding about plural marriage?
If needed, help students understand that marriage between one man and one woman is God’s standing law of marriage. However, God has at times commanded the practice of plural marriage as an exception to this standing law. One reason God has given for the practice of plural marriage is to “raise up seed unto [Him]” (Jacob 2:30).
How might this knowledge help with questions you might have about the practice of plural marriage in the early days of the Church?
Plural marriage among the early Saints
Students may benefit from the opportunity to use divinely appointed sources to better understand the practice of plural marriage in the early days of the Church.
Consider distributing the handout titled “Excerpts from ‘Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo.’” You could ask students to study these materials individually or in small groups. Invite them to look for information that can help answer questions they may have.
Latter-day Saints believe that monogamy—the marriage of one man and one woman—is the Lord’s standing law of marriage. In biblical times, the Lord commanded some of His people to practice plural marriage—the marriage of one man and more than one woman. Some early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also received and obeyed this commandment given through God’s prophets.
After receiving a revelation commanding him to practice plural marriage, the Prophet Joseph Smith married multiple wives and introduced the practice to close associates. This principle was among the most challenging aspects of the Restoration—for Joseph personally and for other Church members.
The Beginnings of Plural Marriage in the Church
Joseph told associates that an angel appeared to him three times between 1834 and 1842 and commanded him to proceed with plural marriage when he hesitated to move forward. During the third and final appearance, the angel came with a drawn sword, threatening Joseph with destruction unless he went forward and obeyed the commandment fully.
Joseph and Emma
Plural marriage was difficult for all involved. For Joseph Smith’s wife Emma, it was an excruciating ordeal. Records of Emma’s reactions to plural marriage are sparse; she left no firsthand accounts, making it impossible to reconstruct her thoughts. Joseph and Emma loved and respected each other deeply. After he had entered into plural marriage, he poured out his feelings in his journal for his “beloved Emma,” whom he described as “undaunted, firm and unwavering, unchangeable, affectionate Emma.” After Joseph’s death, Emma kept a lock of his hair in a locket she wore around her neck.
Trial and Spiritual Witness
According to Helen Mar Kimball, Joseph Smith stated that “the practice of this principle would be the hardest trial the Saints would ever have to test their faith.”
The decision to accept such a wrenching trial usually came only after earnest prayer and intense soul-searching. Brigham Young said that, upon learning of plural marriage, “it was the first time in my life that I had desired the grave [Journal of Discourses, 3:266].” “I had to pray unceasingly,” he said, “and I had to exercise faith and the Lord revealed to me the truth of it and that satisfied me.”
Lucy Walker recalled her inner turmoil when Joseph Smith invited her to become his wife. “Every feeling of my soul revolted against it,” she wrote. Yet, after several restless nights on her knees in prayer, she found relief as her room “filled with a holy influence” akin to “brilliant sunshine.” She said, “My soul was filled with a calm sweet peace that I never knew,” and “supreme happiness took possession of my whole being.”
Conclusion
The challenge of introducing a principle as controversial as plural marriage is almost impossible to overstate. A spiritual witness of its truthfulness allowed Joseph Smith and other Latter-day Saints to accept this principle. Difficult as it was, the introduction of plural marriage in Nauvoo did indeed “raise up seed” unto God. A substantial number of today’s members descend through faithful Latter-day Saints who practiced plural marriage.
After students finish studying, give them an opportunity to share what they learned by asking questions like the following:
What did you learn from your study that you found helpful?
What was it like for Joseph Smith and other early members of the Church to be asked to practice plural marriage?
How did God help the Saints with this difficult commandment?
Help students understand that it is okay if they still have questions about this subject. It was a difficult commandment for the early Saints to live and it can be difficult to understand now. However, focusing on the important truths we do know about Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the restored gospel can help us move forward in faith. You may want to bear a personal testimony and share a statement like the following:
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
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Elder Neil L. Andersen
Faith never demands an answer to every question but seeks the assurance and courage to move forward, sometimes acknowledging, “I don’t know everything, but I do know enough to continue on the path of discipleship.” (Neil L. Andersen, “Faith Is Not by Chance, but by Choice,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 66)
Summarize what you learned
To help students verbalize what they learned today, consider introducing a scenario like the following:
Imagine having a conversation with a friend who wonders if Joseph Smith was going against God’s will when he instituted the practice of plural marriage in the Church. Take a moment to outline some points in your journal that you could share with your friend in kindness and patience.
After students have had a chance to write in their journal, you might ask if any students feel comfortable sharing what they wrote. This could also be a good time for students to express any answers they may have found to some of their own questions or concerns.
Consider testifying to students that as they exercise faith in Jesus Christ and turn to their Father in Heaven for help, He will help them with the challenges or questions they face in their own lives.