Words to Know

adoptedJoseph and Emma Smith adopted twin babies. This means Joseph and Emma made the twin babies part of their family.

alcoholAlcohol is not good for us to drink. Beer and wine have alcohol in them.

ancestorsOur ancestors are the people in our family who lived before us.

angelAn angel is one of God’s helpers. The angel Moroni talked to Joseph Smith.

ApostleAn Apostle is a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ. Jesus told Joseph Smith He wanted twelve Apostles.

arrestedThe soldiers arrested Joseph Smith. This means the soldiers caught him and put him in jail.

attackedThe mob attacked the Saints. This means the mob began to fight the Saints.

baptismal fontThere are baptismal fonts in churches and temples. People are baptized in a baptismal font.

baptizedWhen we join the Church, we are baptized. We are put down under the water and brought up again.

beautifulWhen something is beautiful, we like to look at it. A garden is beautiful. The temple is beautiful.

believeTo believe means to think something is true. Many people believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.

bishopA bishop is the leader of a ward.

blamedThe people blamed Joseph Smith for the trouble. This means the people said Joseph Smith made the trouble happen.

borrowWhen we borrow something, we ask someone if we can use it. If a man borrows his friend’s horse, he asks his friend if he can use it. After the man uses the horse, he returns it to the friend.

braggedThe guards in the jail bragged about what they had done. This means they were happy about it and told others about it.

bridgeThe pioneers crossed the river on a bridge.

bugleA bugle is a kind of horn.

buriedMoroni buried the gold plates. He put them in a stone box in the ground and covered them up.

captainA captain is a leader. Captain Allen was the leader of the soldiers.

capturedThe soldiers captured Joseph Smith. This means the soldiers caught Joseph Smith and would not let him go.

choicesHeavenly Father lets us make choices. This means Heavenly Father lets us decide what we will do.

chooseGod lets us choose to be good or bad. We choose people to be leaders. God chose Brigham Young to lead the Saints.

commandmentsGood people obey God’s commandments. Good people do what God wants them to do.

conferenceA conference is a large meeting. Many members of the Church go to conference.

counselorsCounselors are people who help a leader. The prophet of the Church has counselors.

covenantA covenant is a promise. When we make a covenant with God, we promise Him that we will do something.

createdJesus Christ created the earth. This means that Jesus Christ made the earth.

cropsThe pioneers planted crops. Crops include corn, potatoes, wheat, and other things.

crucifiedJesus was crucified. This means He was nailed on a cross and left there until he died.

damThe Saints built a dam in the river. A dam holds back the water.

deaconsBoys may be deacons when they are 12 years old. Deacons may pass the sacrament.

decidedEmma and Joseph wondered whether to go to Pennsylvania or to stay in New York. They decided to go to Pennsylvania.

dedicateWhen we dedicate something, we bless it to be used for God’s work. The Saints dedicated the temple.

destroyTo destroy means to tear down, break, burn, or kill. The mobs destroyed the temple.

discipleA disciple is a person who follows Jesus and tries to be like Him.

earnTo earn means to get something by working for it.

eldersElders are men who have the priesthood.

endowmentAn endowment is a special promise or gift from God.

enemyAn enemy is a person who hates another person. Joseph Smith’s enemies tried to kill him.

escapeTo escape means to get away from someone or something. Joseph Smith escaped from the mob.

evilEvil is something very bad. Satan is an evil spirit.

evil spiritsEvil spirits are bad spirits. Evil spirits follow Satan.

excommunicatedMembers of the Church who do bad things can be excommunicated. They are no longer members of the Church.

faithTo have faith is to hope for things that are not seen that are true. We have faith in Jesus Christ. This means we believe in Him and obey Him.

fastTo fast is to go without food or water.

foreverForever means always. We can live with Heavenly Father forever if we obey His commandments.

forgiveTo forgive means to forget the bad things someone has done. God will forgive us if we are sorry for the bad things we have done and try not to do them again.

gatherTo gather means to come together in one place. Joseph Smith told the Saints to gather in Missouri.

giftsGifts are things that are given to people. The Holy Ghost gives spiritual gifts to people who are righteous.

gospelThe gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan of salvation. It includes all the doctrines, ordinances, and authority for us to return to live with Heavenly Father.

governorA governor is the leader of a state.

healTo heal means to make sick people well. Newel K. Whitney blessed Joseph Smith, and Joseph was healed.

honestPeople who are honest do not tell lies. Honest people do not take things that do not belong to them.

jailThe men were put in jail. This means they were locked up so they could not get away.

joinedThe people joined the Church. This means the people were baptized and became members of the Church.

languageThe words we use to write or talk to other people are called languages.

leadTo lead people means to show or tell them what to do. The prophet leads the Church.

marriedJoseph and Emma were married. This means Joseph was Emma’s husband, and Emma was Joseph’s wife.

missionThe Apostle went on a mission. This means he went to tell people about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

missionaryA missionary is a person who goes on a mission.

obeyTo obey means to do what we are told to do. We should obey God’s commandments.

oceanAn ocean is a very large body of salt water.

ordainedTo be ordained means to be given the priesthood. Joseph Smith ordained the man. This means Joseph Smith gave the man the priesthood.

oxenOxen are animals.

patriarchA patriarch gives special blessings to people. Joseph Smith’s father was a patriarch.

poisonPoison is something that can kill people if they eat or drink it. The mob tried to make Joseph Smith drink poison.

prayTo pray means to talk to Heavenly Father.

preachedJoseph Smith preached to the people. This means he taught the people about the gospel.

presidencyThe presidency of the Church is the president and his counselors.

presidentA president is a leader.

priesthoodThe priesthood is the power of God.

priestsPriests have the priesthood. Priests are men who help in the Church.

printerA printer is a man who prints books.

prisonA prison is a place where people are put and cannot get out. A prison is like a jail.

prophetA prophet tells the people what God wants them to know. Joseph Smith was a prophet.

protectThe men had guns to protect the people. This means the men had guns to keep the people safe. The Lord protected Joseph Smith. This means the Lord kept Joseph Smith safe.

quailA quail is a bird.

repentIf we do something bad, we should repent. This means we feel sorry and try not to do the bad thing again.

resurrectedJesus Christ was resurrected. This means that after He was dead, He was made alive again. All people will be resurrected after they die.

revelationCommunication from God to His children on earth is called revelation. Joseph Smith received a revelation about the temple.

righteousRighteous people do what is right. This means they obey God’s commandments.

SabbathThe Sabbath is the day we go to church. We should not work on the Sabbath. Sunday is the Sabbath day.

sacramentWe take the sacrament to remember Jesus.

sacredThe temple is a sacred building. The temple belongs to God.

SaintA Saint is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.

saveJesus died to save us. This means Jesus died so we could go back to live with Heavenly Father.

scripturesThe scriptures are books that tell us about God. The Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price are the scriptures of the Church.

shareTo share means to give part of what we have to someone.

soldiersSoldiers fight in an army.

spiritA spirit does not have a body of flesh and bones.

stealTo steal means to take something that is not yours. Mobs stole the Saints’ animals. This means the mobs took the animals.

sufferWe suffer when we are hurt. Joseph Smith and his friends suffered in jail.

swearTo swear means to say bad words.

sworeThe guards in the jail swore. The guards in the jail said bad words.

tarTar is sticky and black.

templeA temple is the house of God.

temptSatan tries to tempt us. This means he tries to get us to do things that are bad.

tithingTithing is money we give to God.

tobaccoTobacco is a substance that is not good for us. Some people smoke and chew tobacco.

translatedJoseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon into English.

truthJesus teaches people the truth. This means Jesus teaches people what is right.

testimonyA testimony is a feeling that the gospel is true.

trappersTrappers are people who catch wild animals. They sell the animals’ fur.

visionA vision is something that God lets us see. Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in a vision.

witnessesWitnesses see something and tell others about it. Witnesses saw the gold plates and told others the plates were real.

worshipTo worship means to love and obey. Satan wanted Moses to worship him. We should worship God.

woundA wound is a place where someone’s body has been hurt or cut.