Hyrum Smith

I love Nauvoo, IL. It is by far my favorite place to visit. If you have been to Nauvoo within the past 5 years, you have seen this new statue right across the street from the Nauvoo Temple. I have many photos of this statue, but thanks to Tony Mitchell I have a new photo. The statue is of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.

I love Hyrum Smith. He is one of my heroes. I will never be like Joseph, but I think all of us can be like Hyrum. He was so dedicated to his brother, mind you his younger brother, Hyrum was 5 years older than Joseph. We all have heard the quote (or various quotes) from Joseph 5 days prior to his martyrdom "If I and Hyrum were ever taken again we should be massacred, or I was not a prophet of God" but the quote does not end there, the next sentence reads, "I want Hyrum to live to avenge my blood, but he is determined not to leave me." (History of the Church, 6:546)

Hyrum was so loyal to the prophet. Another story I love about Hyrum took place in Kirtland, OH. Joseph requested that each of the brethren to give his views with regard to building a Temple. Some suggested a frame house and others a log house. Joseph politely rebuked the brethren saying "shall we build a house for our God, of logs? No, I have a better plan than that. I have a plan of the house of the Lord, given by himself; and you will soon see by this, the difference between our calculations and his idea of things." Joseph then took the brethren to the to a spot and Hyrum immediately grabbed a shovel and started digging a trench declaring that he would strike the first blow upon the house. (p. 230, History of Joseph Smith by Lucy Mack Smith).

We can't all be Joseph's in this lifetime, but we can be Hyrums; dedicated, loyal, and committed to the cause.