December is the month that we celebrate two important births, one traditionally and one in fact. We celebrate the birth of the Savior on the 25th of December because that is when early church authorities assumed His birth took place without having an exact record of the event. Joseph Smith, the prophet, had the very day of the Savior’s birth revealed to him: “The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April.”(D&C 20:1) Interestingly, there are scholar historians today who are also saying that His birth probably took place in the spring of the year, possibly April.
That information appeared in the news just recently. There are several ways that a prophet can be identified, one of which is by their fruits and another is as stated by Jeremiah in the Old Testament “When the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.” ( Jeremiah 28:9) As a lay scripturian I can testify that the prophesies of the Prophet Joseph Smith have for the most part come to pass and it appears that eventually all will come to pass. Joseph Smith, the Prophet, was born in December, on the 23rd day in the year 1805, two hundred plus years ago, and from a very young age he was inclined to be of a spiritual nature. Not unlike Samuel of the Old Testament, Joseph was called as a young boy. After his first vision of the Father and the Son, he was visited by an ancient prophet named Moroni who told him, among other things, “…that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindred, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.”(Pearl of Great Price—JS History 1:33). That prophesy has been fulfilled and continues to be true. Joseph’s name is known for good and by some as evil throughout the world.
When a young man I was converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints faith after reading the Book of Mormon. I knew what I was reading was true and that it would be important to me and my life without even knowing or understanding where the book came from at that time. The importance of Joseph Smith in relation to the Book of Mormon became known to me later. After reading and believing the Book of Mormon, it was easy for me to accept Joseph as a Prophet because I knew the Book was true and therefore Joseph had to be a true prophet as well. I testify to all who may read this from my hand that I know that the man Joseph was a true prophet of our Heavenly Father because I have experienced his fruits first hand for over fifty of my 76 years on this earth.
The Prophet lived a short 38 years and accomplished so much in that short span that it should be obvious to all that his inspiration came from a divine source and not his own. He was an instrument in the hands of God, and one of the greatest prophets who ever walked the earth. It is important for those of us who know and testify of the prophet Joseph to commemorate his birthday as an important event in the history of this world.