THE ELECT

 

Joseph received the golden plates from Moroni eight months after he and Emma were married. From that moment on their lives were punctuated with persecution and trial.

Emma traveled with Joseph on many of his missionary journeys and shared with him the joy and sorrow that came with preaching of the gospel. The joy must have outranked the sorrow for Emma showed incredible strength during her trying life with Joseph. The Prophet’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, said this of her:

“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 breasted the storms of persecution, and buffeted the rage of men and devils…which would have borne down almost any other woman.”  (History of Joseph Smith, pp 190-91)

In July of 1830, Joseph received a revelation for Emma known as section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants in which He called her ‘an elect lady’ (v 3). When Joseph organized the Relief Society on 17 March 1842, he appointed Emma as its first President and explained that to be ‘elect’ means to be elected to a certain work (History of the Church, 4:552-53).

When President Joseph F. Smith received his vision of the spirit world in 1918, he observed that many of the ‘noble and great ones were chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the Church of God’ and that they ‘with many others  received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labour in His vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men’ (D&C 138:55-56). I believe this is when Emma was elected.

What a worthy woman Emma she must have been long before this world began to head the female contribution to the ‘wonderful work and a wonder’. Besides her work in the Church, her support to Joseph in his calling was equal in part to his accomplishments. She was there body and soul and did not shirk to give anything that was asked of her. She stands at the head of all the valiant women of this Church who have laboured for the salvation of the human race.

This is what I see in Emma: when the Saviour opened this last dispensation, He did not forget His valiant sisters. He enlisted us to work alongside the priesthood in establishing His Church to make available the priesthood ordinances of salvation. What a privilege it is to be harnessed with Him in this important work of salvation for the human family.

We, the sisters, will stand as a symbol of righteousness and spiritual endeavour of Zion when the King of Kings returns to reign. And long after this earth is rolled together as a scroll, we will stand as queens and priestesses in the celestial kingdom of our God forever.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Emma's Hymns by Liz Lemon Swindle)