"Elect Lady"

Last night for Family Home Evening, we watched "Emma Smith: My Story"

My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was strengthened even more last night. As I watched, I could not help the overwhelming feeling of gratitude that rushed through me for Joseph and Emma Smith. I have seen many movies or read the things that Joseph had gone through, but for the first time, last night, I really saw what Emma had to endure. I had never looked at it from her point of view as a wife and mother. Maybe it hit me so strongly because I am a wife and mother. This amazing woman never lost her faith in the Lord. Yes, at times she was frustrated, or discouraged, but she is human.

I can't imagine what it would be like to lose baby after baby, or to not have the approval of her father, or to help clean up her husband after he had been tarred and feathered. She truly did shed many, many tears.

I don't know if she realized how important her legacy would be. She was the wife of the Prophet Joseph Smith. She was his best friend. The Lord called her an "Elect Lady" (D&C 25:3). She was the first Relief Society president. She helped organize the first set of Hymns. The list goes on and on. One of the things that shows just how amazing this woman was, is that when she was in her 60's, she discovered that her second husband had been cheating on her with another woman and that woman had conceived a child. When that boy was about 6 years old, the mother could no longer care for him. Emma took him in as one of her own and raised him from then on. She even hired his mother to work at their farm so that she could see her son often. What a great example of being Christ-like. Amazing.

After the movie, I could not help the tears as they streamed down my face. I was truly overcome with love and gratitude for this woman. I don't care what the end of her story was. She was a great example of faith and service.

And her life has touched me and has helped strengthen my testimony.

For that, I am grateful.