"Praise to the Man!"

Another serious note:

On this normal day I thought I would take a minute to pay my respects to a very special man who was martyred 164 years ago today. Joseph Smith Jr and his elder brother Hyrum were attacked and shot to death in a prison in Carthage, IL by a large mob with faces cowardly painted black. A mob in Missouri had previously offered to do the job, but it was the men of IL that finally sealed the Prophet's testimony in his blood, and of course no justice was brought to anyone. Joseph and Hyrum were set to go before a judge for causing a uproar in the community. 

Sara and I had the great opportunity to visit Nauvoo and Carthage in '06. It one of the greatest experiences I have had to walk the streets of Nauvoo, watch the Pageant, and to the see the cell and bedroom that they were being held. It's hard to describe the feeling I had when I stood in that room and in front of the window where Joseph fell to the ground below and was shot a few more times. It is very easy to feel the Spirit there, and very easy to receive confirmation that Joseph is the prophet of the Restoration, that the Book of Mormon is exactly what he testified- the keystone of our religion and another witness of Jesus Christ, and that I belong to the full and true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Sara and me outside of Carthage Jail.

The Joseph Smith "mansion"