An Elect Lady

I mentioned a DVD I watched a few posts ago. It was a documentary type movie entitled "Discovering Emma" It's about Emma Hale Smith the wife of the Joseph Smith Jr. I have always been intrigued by her and her life's story. There are some who are rather critical of her for not moving west with the majority of the Saints. Many people questioned her faith and such. Much of the opinions come from her disdain for the the practice of plural marriage. Ummm, hello. I know how I would have felt about it and what would have happened to me if I were born back then. I will be the last person to ever judge her on this matter.
It is my opinion that she was extremely faithful. I don't want to get into a big long post about all that really. Let me just say, that she endured A LOT. Much was required of her. She was called upon to sacrifice a lot. I think she was strong and brave through it all. I think she loved Joseph with a perfect, beautiful kind of love. This post is really just about the story I heard at the end of this DVD. I really thought it was beautiful.

"Emma lived almost thirty-five years after the martyrdom of her Prophet-husband. She died 30 April 1879 in her seventy-fifth year. In her last years she was greatly loved, and in the last hours of her life she was attended by her family: Louis Bidamon, Julia, Joseph III, and Alexander. According to Alexander, Emma seemed to sink away, but then she raised up and stretched out her hand, calling, "Joseph! Joseph!" Falling back on Alexander’s arm, she clasped her hands on her bosom, and her spirit was gone. Both Alexander and Joseph thought she was calling for her son Joseph, but later, Alexander learned more about the incident. Sister Elizabeth Revel, Emma’s nurse, explained that a few days earlier Emma had told her that Joseph came to her in a vision and said, "Emma, come with me, it is time for you to come with me." "As Emma related it, she said, ‘I put on my bonnet and my shawl and went with him; I did not think that it was anything unusual. I went with him into a mansion, and he showed me through the different apartments of that beautiful mansion.’ And one room was the nursery. In that nursery was a babe in the cradle. She said, ‘I knew my babe, my Don Carlos that was taken from me.’ She sprang forward, caught the child up in her arms, and wept with joy over the child. When Emma recovered herself sufficient she turned to Joseph and said, ‘Joseph, where are the rest of my children.’ He said to her, ‘Emma, be patient and you shall have *all of your children.’ Then she saw standing by his side a personage of light, even the Lord Jesus Christ."

*Emma and Joseph had five children who did not live past infancy. One of whom was stillborn.
My mom had a baby brother who was still born. My mom was only twelve when the Baby boy was born. They named him Boyd. Over the years I heard my Grandmother and mom talk about him many, many times. He was very much a part of their family, even though they were not allowed to get to know him the way they would have wanted. They loved him and missed him. My Mom told me about how she made him baby clothes and was excited for him to come home so she could dress him and help take care of him. She never had the chance. What a tragedy. She takes comfort in the fact that he is still her brother and she has a special someone to meet and get to know one day. I know Boyd is busy on the other side doing important work. I am sure he walks beside my grandma on some of her hard days. She has Alzheimer's. I spent the day with her today in fact. She and my grandpa have a beautiful Ranch that we were able to go see and enjoy for the first time today. Anyhow, getting back to my story. I will always remember the words My grandpa told my mother as she was anticipating her little brother to come home from the hospital. Of course, I was not there, but my mother tells me that she asked weather it was a boy or a girl (my mother is the only girl of eight!) My grandfather responded by saying, "It's a little boy but we don't get to keep him." OH! The way my mom's heart must have sank! I could spring to tears to think of it. Those are sweet and painful words all at the same time "...but we don't get to keep him." What gentler way to tell your only daughter, all of 12 years of age? There is a reason those words have been remembered for all of 40 years. Well, this post was never meant to be so blasted long!! scuse me. I know my mom, her parents, and family will be reunited with Boyd one day. And I have an Uncle to meet.

Of her daughter in-law, these are the words of Lucy Mack Smith, concerning Emma...

“I have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year, with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which she has ever done; for I know that which she has had to endure—she has been tossed upon the ocean of uncertainty—she has breasted the storms of persecution, and buffeted the rage of men and devils, which would have borne down almost any other woman.”

An Elect Lady D&C:25