Emma and Joseph: Their Divine Mission

by Gracia N. Jones

The great-great-granddaughter of Joseph and Emma Smith, Gracia Jones was taught as a young girl not to discuss her relationship to the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Years later, when as a young woman she joined the LDS church, she was intrigued by what she heard of her ancestors, particularly Emma, who was viewed as not quite Joseph's equal. Emma and Their Divine Mission is a careful, sensitive history describing the powerful sustaining relationship that Joseph and Emma shared and their tremendous mutual loyalty throughout the seventeen years of their marriage. Author Gracia Jones writes, â There is no doubt that Emma put her whole soul into the effort of helping to lay the foundation of the kingdom of God. Her faith in the truthfulness of (Joseph's) mission caused Emma to turn her back on parents, social position, security and all things a girl holds dear, to share a beggar's life with her prophet husband, whose entire energy was directed toward fulfilling God's commandment to take the message of the Restoration to the whole world. . . â Joseph's devotion to Emma shines through his numerous letters to her. Of Emma, Joseph wrote, â She that was my wife of my youth, and the choice of my heart. . . Again she is here, even in the seventh trouble â undaunted, firm, and unwavering â unchangeable, affectionate Emma!â In sharing her personal study of Joseph and Emma, including letters not published elsewhere, sister Jones offers readers new understanding into these two very important figures in Church history and the various events that shaped their lives. Insightful and thoroughly documented, Emma and Their Divine Mission will undoubtedly become a classic among all students of Church history. Not only does it contain information that has not been widely available, it presents many familiar incidents in a new light, from the author's new perspective.

Genres: Religion, Lds, Biography, History, Nonfiction, Inspirational, Lds Non Fiction

364 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Gracia N. Jones has degrees in family science, history and biblical studies from George Wythe College in Cedar City, Utah. She enjoys traveling, as well as genealogical and historical research. She and her husband, C. Ivor Jones, live in Southern Utah. They have eight children and thirty-three grandchildren.

Reviews

[Petrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a great, great granddaughter of Joseph and Emma Smith who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a young woman. While she does not have access to much material that other historians have she is able to tell the story of their lives from Emma's perspective--for example while most histories tell about what Joseph is doing at a particular time she tells what Emma would be dealing with--how many children she had, if she was pregnant or had a new born baby, where she was living. She treats Emma with the respect and admiration she deserves and makes us realize what a difficult life she had. It is easy to understand why she worked quickly to secure title to their home and farm in Nauvoo after Joseph was killed--it was the first time she had a home of her own!

Unfortunately some of the mythology in the church has made her seem less valiant than she actually was. This book helps correct those misconceptions.

[A.L. Sowards]

Mediocre star rating refers to the book, not to the subjects! Joseph and Emma Smith were both extraordinary people. The book itself didn't have a whole lot of new information about them. The writing was a little dry, like an abbreviated version of the seven-volume History of the Church. The author sprinkled in way too many sentences like: "What must Emma have felt like when (fill-in-the-blank) happened?" It got old really fast. I know history books and biographies can be written in a compelling manner, because I've read many that are. This one was work to read cover to cover. It was well-organized though, and so I may flip through it as a reference every once in while.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I have a new appreciation for what Emma and Joseph, and all the early saints went through. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to know more about Joseph and Emma Smith.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although there isn't a whole lot of new information in this book, it did give me a clearer picture of what Joseph and Emma and the early saints went through. I got the most out of reading about Joseph and Hyrum's martyrdom and what happened to Emma afterwards. I hadn't realized how much injustice there was on the part of the government. I've always respected Emma and Joseph but I have an even deeper appreciation for all they did and sacrificed to establish the church on the earth once again.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been fascinated by Church history and by Joseph and Emma’s lives, so I’ve read extensively about the subject. This book brought SO many additional insights that I had never even known. I appreciated how the author weaved Joseph’s side with Emma’s side, she didn’t speculate on what she couldn’t confirm, she drew heavily on reliable and reputable sources, and being in the unique position of a direct descendant, she brought to light little-known information from her family and experiences. She explained things in a way that made sense to me, including difficult topics. My respect and admiration for Emma and Joseph has only deepened after reading this book. My biggest takeaway is probably what she intended the main message to be: Brother Joseph and Emma were equal partners in laying the foundation of the Restoration.

[Jamille Parks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m finding more and more books and sources that delve deeper into the life of Emma Hale Smith and I’m loving it. I’ve heard some say that the spotlight that was casted on Joseph through a shadow on Emma, but I say it’s not true. Like Adam and Eve, this couple walked through like side by side, hand in hand, facing all of the turmoil and heartache along with the joys that find us on this journey. I’m glad they had each other and I can’t wait to meet the both of them when I get to the other side.

[Gena Lott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-researched and well written chronicle of the beginnings of Mormonism and their first leader: Joseph Smith Jr. and his wife, Emma.
Written by a 4th great-granddaughter, the books is well documented and informative.

[Rebekah Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the content of this book. Very informative about Joseph Smith and the founding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I found the way it was presented though very dry and kinda difficult to get through, so it took me a long time to finally finish it.

[David J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good review of Emma and Joseph Smith's lives, their relationships, and their history. It shared good stories and perspectives. It was not as detailed as other books I've read about the Smiths, but I enjoyed it.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. It didn’t hold my interest so I decided not to finish

[Sammi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was mostly things I’ve already heard.

[Sabra Ann Rasmussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good and very insightful and what happened to Joseph Smith's descendants

[Olea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the information in this book and even more so the personal relationship between the author and her subjects. Well written.

[Anjalique · Rating 4 out of 5]

So happy I read this book. Not only did I learn more about the history of the LDS church, I felt that I came to know Joseph and Emma Smith, their personalities, their characters, and their lives much better than I have in the past thirty or so years. Personal letters, notes, etc., are published in part here where they may not be readily available in other church history literature. It is obvious that the author completed a vast amount of research in the process of her writing, having many valuable and pertinent documents and artifacts in her own possession. (Reading the chapter end notes proved very interesting.)

Because there is little recorded about the intimate details of Emma's life, the author finds it needful in several parts of the book to assume or infer with phrases like, "We can imagine that Emma...", "Surely Emma must have been aware...", etc. While this does grow redundant at times, the author's reasons for doing so are understandable.

The reader should not make the mistake of thinking that this book will offer a full history of the LDS church, or even a comprehensive history of Joseph and Emma's individual lives (though it does give a good general overview). There were subjects I wish had been discussed more thoroughly, but I understand that the focus of the book is the mission and purpose of these two lives when they were joined together.

Reading the last section of the book--what happened with Joseph's wife, children, and family after his death--brought me inexpressible sadness, especially to read of Emma. My heart is even more tender toward her for her great courage, determination, and strength of character by Joseph's side, and her immense suffering in losing him and still raising their several children.

There is also a very interesting "Author's Note" at the very end of the book in which the author discusses the process in remaining objective and honest about historical fact while also being a direct descendant of Joseph and Emma, and an active member of the LDS church. In this section, she also gives additional thoughts on the issue of polygamy, which I appreciated.

A highly recommended book, especially for the LDS population.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit leery. The title made me think I might be getting a dose of hero worship. And I think that hero worship of religious leaders and their families is foolish on the part of the worshiper and annoying to the individuals being idolized and that it makes the writer of a hero worship biography a poor historian.

However, I appreciated the author's inclusion of letters and memories written by women who were friends and acquaintances of Emma about their conversations and interactions with her. We don't hear those voices often if at all. And in many people's minds, Emma generally gets schlooped up with all the hundreds of other women who lived through that period of early church history. It was good to hear those voices. It was good to be reminded that Emma was in the thick of her husband's history the way most married women are in the thick of the lives of the men they married and not just long-suffering tag-alongs, which is what most of us sadly tend to think of thousands of men and women in the annals of history.

As some reviewers pointed out, the author does a whole lot of "what would Emma have felt" sorts of writing, simply because Emma didn't leave a record of that (note to self: write!). And that get's annoying. But what else can she say? At least it makes the reader think about it.

I'll admit that I skimmed quite a bit in this book. I was familiar with the church history and so was looking mostly for nuggets from primary sources that were new to me. And happily, I found some.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never really finished this book. It was not what I expected, and I got annoyed with the presumptions of the author ("Emma must have felt such and such," or "Emma surely did this and that"). I was expected much more factual insight, but found it to be a repeat of The History of Joseph Smith and Church History with assumptions of how Emma must have felt and what she must have done in such circumstances. Perhaps I was bored with this book because I started reading it directly after reading The History of Joseph Smith. There are a lot of the same stories. Some parts of this book were interesting, but it's still sitting on a bookshelf with the book mark where I left it. Who knows when I'll finish it.

[Linnae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this gave me deeper insight into the time period, and also into the relationship of Joseph and Emma. I really enjoyed it.

This one will probably be of most interest to those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--Mormons, like me. :) Written by a great-great-granddaughter of Emma and Joseph, who joined the church as a convert, this book focused on Joseph & Emma's relationship with each other throughout their 17-year marriage, and the way the various events unfolding in the early church affected them and their family.

You can find my full review on my blog: https://ofbooksandblooms.blogspot.com...

[Kandace · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a long time to read this book because I was in the middle of a home renovation and it wasn't the most enrapturing. The author is not a historian but attempts to model the book as a history. She puts her introspections where there's little if any detail but makes few analyzations over the material that is available on Emma's thoughts. The middle of the book was the most boring as it was mainly a litany of church history that I already knew. The end was the most interesting as it discussed aspects of the end of Emma's life that is little discussed in most church histories.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. It taught me so much about Joseph Smith & everything he went through. It also helped me to think more about Emma and about what she was going though in the early days of the church. She definitely was an amazing woman, I have so much respect for her and will always be indebted to her & Joseph for their many sacrifices. This book focuses a lot on the relationship between Joseph & Emma. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to learn more about the restoration of the gospel and about Emma Smith.

[Natalie Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book took me a while to finish (non-fiction always does), I really loved it. The author, a great-great-granddaughter to Joseph & Emma wrote an excellent history of their divine mission. This book brought to light many details of the past & helped strengthen my testimony that the Lord is in control & the restoration came about in His time & in His way. I am forever grateful of the sacrifices Emma & Joseph made in order to restore the church, allowing me to make sacred covenants today.

[Aubri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this for a book club assignment and was not too impressed. It was very factual, which is good, but being written by the great-great-granddaughter of Joseph Smith led me to believe there would be some personal insights. Unfortunately, there were none, just a lot of facts. The author tried going in chronological order, but it ended up feeling choppy. I have read better accounts of Joseph and Emma's life together.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read for those interested in LDS history. Gracia N. Jones, the author, is the 2nd great granddaughter of Joseph and Emma Smith who joined the LDS Church in her twenties. She brings some familial insights into her history of Joseph and Emma along with some letters and accounts from others that I have not seen before (such as Sidey Rigdon's son and others). Worth the read, but be sure to check out footnotes.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved this book. What amazing insight into the prophets life as well as into Emma's. It is full of facts that I was not aware of. It even has documents in it. Such as patriarchal blessings. I read this book twice. The second time I went through and read the footnotes, that are listed in the back of the book, as I came to them. They added even more insight and became a story in and of themselves. Can't say enough about this book. You can borrow it if you would like. :)

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really touched my heart. Instead of looking and talking about Joseph Smith and the things he went through, it brought to light Emma's story. It made me really appreciate all that she had to go through as a woman, mother, wife, and member of the church. It also continues after the martyr which I learned a lot about.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed reading this author's books. If my memory is right, she is the great-great granddaughter of Joseph Smith. Her books are very informative and she seems to present the information in a positive way. I walked away from this book with a better understanding of Joseph and Emma's relationship.

[Jeneale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Smith family junkie, and this is one of the more readable books I've read on Joseph Smith. Plus, I love how Jones adds the personal touch of being a great-granddaughter looking at Joseph and Emma's love story and mission. You won't find all you ever need to know about the Smith's in this book, but it's a great place to start.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but the first half was nothing new. We don't talk a lot about about what happened to Emma after Joseph was killed, so all that stuff was really interesting. It's always bothered me to hear people say negative things about Emma because of her choices after Joseph died, but I after reading this I am even more sympathetic of her.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so wish that Emma had kept a journal! I enjoyed learning more about her and the struggles that she faced. Her path was a very emotional journey. I have learned a lot from her example of faith and support of Joseph. I was happy to learn that she liked to treat Joseph and her family with herbs instead of using the local DR, that she did not like very much!

[Robb Menlove · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great insight from a direct descendant of Emma and Joseph. A lot of great material and pretty well researched. Some of the deductions were based on less than legitimate records. The information about Emma was always an assumption. "Emma must have felt . . ." or "Emma may have been . . . ". We just simply don't have much of a record about her. She truly is, "The Mormon Enigma."

[Marcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insights to the life of Joseph, but also of Emma & their love story. You are able to understand a bit more of what all they went thru, but also of what kept Emma going, moving forward. I loved being able to walk a mile in her shoes along with her.