2. Founding Women

In this section, we talk about two of the Founding Women of Mormonism - Joseph Smith’s mother Lucy Mack Smith and his wife Emma Hale Smith. Both women counseled with Joseph Smith and aided his efforts in founding the church. They loved and supported each other as well and when the church moved West both stayed behind in Nauvoo. Because they were not part of the Utah church they were somewhat suspect--particularly Emma. This lesson seeks to understand both women better and recognize their roles in founding the church.

See FILES below for excerpts about Lucy Mack Smith from Joseph Smith, Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman and Emma Smith from Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith by Linda King Newell and Valery Tippets Avery as well as some thoughts from M.J. about why we chose to study individual women in this course.

LUCY MACK SMITH

“Lucy Mack Smith: Woman of Great Faith,” Jaynann Payne, Ensign

“That We May All Sit Down in Heaven Together,” Kathleen H. Hughes, Ensign

EMMA HALE SMITH

“Emma Hale, The Prophet’s Wife” A comic book version of Emma and Joseph’s courtship, The Friend

“The Elect Lady: Emma Hale Smith,” Valery Tippetts Avery and Linda King Newell, Ensign

"The Mormon Reinvention of Emma Smith," Jana Reiss, Religion News

“The Emma Smith Lore Reconsidered,” Linda King Newell, Dialogue

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1.What women do you know by name from the pre-Nauvoo period of the church?

2. What did you know about Lucy Mack Smith?

3. Having read more about her, what attributes do you think Joseph Smith might have picked up from his mother? (Some possibilities - Interest in organized religion, commitment to being an active participant in religion, confidence in personal destiny, acceptance of his visions and missions, resourcefulness)

4. Before reading some of these materials, what were the stories you knew in Emma's favor? What stories put her in a bad light?

5. What did you learn from the readings that helped you see her as a more complex person?

6. Why do you think Emma briefly participated in polygamy and then later denied it?