Last week was my first week of full time at the Joseph Smith Papers--for those who didn't know, I was taken on at full time for a year as a research assistant for the project, which has been great. Although I miss the luxury of being able to sleep till 7 on Fridays, I am really enjoying my work at the project.
One of my assignments this week was to compile a list of the Prophet's debts to New York creditors in 1840. In the process of compiling this list, one of the editors directed me toward the Prophet's 1843 declaration of bankruptcy. This was the very first time I had ever seen this document. I have to confess that it brought tears to my eyes as I read through the Prophet's list of outstanding debts--most of which he had incurred during the period from 1837 to 1839. The grand total for his debts was approximately $107,000. Adjusted for inflation, he was $2.84 million dollars in debt in 1843. Along with this document, I read letters that Joseph wrote to some of his creditors, telling them that he was desperately trying to repay his debts, but simply lacked the capital to do so.
It is no surprise to any faithful member of this Church that Joseph's life wasn't easy. We all know about the deaths of his children, the tarring and feathering, Liberty, Carthage, and many of his other struggles. And we know about Joseph's financial difficulties and the Kirtland Safety Society's failure. But this document helped me to come to a deeper appreciation for just how difficult these struggles were and for just how human the Prophet was. Now, most of us don't know what it is to be $2.84 million dollars in debt, but almost all of us have known moments where we faced bills that we could not pay; months where we wondered how we would possibly make our rent; and perhaps even weeks where we wondered how we could manage to get by on the bare minimum for groceries and still have sufficient to eat. These are terrifying times that tax the very depth of our souls. And yet they are real moments, real struggles, the common lot of almost all mortals, and even prophets.
For some the humanity of prophets seems to be a trial. Their mistakes and failures and sins seem to be more than they can bear--and far be it for me to criticize something that troubles my fellow brothers and sisters. But for me, the humanity of prophets is what draws me to them. That a man as great as the Prophet Joseph could know such crippling and depressing debt and still counsel us to "never get discouraged, whatever difficulties might surround [us]," as we would ultimately "come out on the top of the heap" through our exercise of "faith and . . . good courage" (George A. Smith, memoir, Winter 1835) is truly remarkable.
As far as we know, Joseph never managed to pay off the $107,000 during his lifetime. He died with deep monetary debts, and yet he died as the richest man of the nineteenth century--full of faith in the Savior's atonement and in His promises of eventual triumph. No matter our circumstances, may we heed this wise counsel given to his cousin George A. Smith, who told Joseph that he "was almost discouraged" by the pain of his arthritis in the winter of 1835:
"He told me I should never get discouraged, whatever difficulties might surround me, if I was sunk in the lowest pit of Nova Scotia & all the Rocky Mountains piled on top of me, I ought not to be discouraged but hang on, exercise faith and keep up good courage and I should come out on the top of the heap."
May we emulate that Prophet who did hang on, exercise faith, and keep up good courage, ultimately coming out on top of the heap.
Brett
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