author
Joseph F. (Joseph Fielding) Smith
1838–1918
Raised in hardship after the deaths of his father Hyrum Smith and uncle Joseph Smith, he went on to become the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His life spanned the pioneer era and the church’s move into the modern twentieth century.
1 Audiobook
Gospel Doctrine: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. Smith
by Joseph F. (Joseph Fielding) Smith
About the author
Born in Far West, Missouri, on November 13, 1838, Joseph F. Smith lost his father, Hyrum Smith, in 1844 and later crossed the plains to Utah with his mother, Mary Fielding Smith. Those early years of grief, migration, and frontier life shaped the steady, practical voice that would define his later leadership.
He served missions while still young, including work in the Hawaiian Islands, and spent many years as an apostle before becoming president of the church in 1901. As a religious leader, he is remembered for guiding the church through a period of change and for emphasizing faith, family life, and spiritual conviction.
Joseph F. Smith remained president until his death in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 19, 1918. He is often noted as the last president of the church who had personally known Joseph Smith, linking the founding generation of the movement with the world that followed.