Martyrdom

Today is the anniversary of when Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed. 

They did not kill themselves out of guilt for betraying Christ, like Judas; they did not die by old age surrounded by loved ones, from an illness, or some alignment; nor did they die by fair battle. Instead, they were pinned into a small room with nowhere to go and ambushed by armed men as if they were hunted animals. 

It was a deliberate, planned attack.

Last year, a friend and I visited the place where Joseph and Hyrum were killed. We were greeted by a lovely elderly couple serving as senior ministers for the LDS Church. The man of the couple graciously gave us a tour of the building and grounds. 

Because we were the only two people there, after the tour was over, we asked him if we could have a few minutes alone in the room where they were killed. He agreed to accommodate our request. 

We intended to pray to God, thanking him for sending us those two servants. Words cannot express what we experienced. Sometimes, it’s best that way. 

I’ve learned since then that not everyone who claims to love you will die for you. These men did. 

They gave their life for us. All servants from God who have been killed or will be killed do. It’s a part of their message. You could even say it is their message.

Since the beginning, Joseph suffered a lot. He and those who believed his message lost friends, family, homes, property, and lives. Joseph was beaten, imprisoned, tarred and feathered, and abused. Both Joseph and Hyrum left behind their wives and children. If this were any other denomination, they would be voted into Sainthood.

This brings me to two things: 

(1) most people excited to meet Christ one day will not be ready. To help prepare them, God sends servants who come bearing the same message he would bear, suffer the same way he would, and be just as unpopular, unaccepted, and outcast as himself. If you can receive God's servants, you will be able to receive him (John 9:3).

(2) Witnessing or acknowledging someone's suffering on your behalf affects your heart. Nothing has softened my own heart more. It's the second closest thing to understanding Christ and seeing his sufferings for us. If you don't believe their message, behold the character of God they display.

  

"Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone you not, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law: I said, you are gods? If he called them gods unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, do you say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, You blaspheme, because I said I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; but if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him." John 6:30

The best way to honor these men, their families, and to honor Gods work through them, is to grow and become natural fruit in the vineyard once again.

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Last thing. My wife bought me a rose bush for Fathers Day. It was already blossoming quite well when we bought it. 

Shortly after planting it, all the flowers on it died. This is natural when planting something like this, so I kept watering it despite its apparent ruin.

Today, my wife sent me an updated picture, showing two new blossoms. 

I thought the timing and symbolism of it all was striking.