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 e...