Joseph F. Smith (1838-1918), sixth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was five years old when his father, Hyrum Smith, was killed at Carthage Jail with the Prophet Joseph Smith. As president of the Church, he encouraged families to hold “home evening” activities, promising that great blessings would result. On 13 November 1838, Joseph Fielding Smith was born in Far West, Missouri. (Note: this is not the Joseph Fielding Smith who was tenth president of the Church, but his father, the sixth president.) He is the son of Hyrum and Mary Fielding Smith. Joseph was too young to realize what his mother and the other Saints were suffering at the hands of the Missouri mobs who were determined to exterminate the Mormons. When he was six years old and living in Nauvoo, his father, Hyrum, and Uncle Joseph were killed in Carthage Jail. In his early years he had been a witness many times to the courage of these great men. His mother, Mary Fielding Smith, was another great example of courage and strength of character. It is not surprising that young Joseph showed these characteristics at an early age. He was not quite eight years old when he drove a yoke of oxen pulling their wagon from Montrose, Iowa, to Winter Quarters, Nebraska. When he was nine years old he drove one of their wagons with a double team of four oxen to the Salt Lake Valley, where he again was a responsible herd boy. During the time he was in charge of the cattle, he never lost one due to negligence. Once he saved a calf from howling wolves. His mother died when he was only thirteen, but already he had seen so many examples of courage, faith, and integrity from her that he could build his own life on them. Fifteen-year-old Joseph F. Smith was called on a mission to the Sandwich Islands, now Hawaii. After he arrived he became ill, but he used this time to learn the language so he could talk to the natives. He learned to love the people and even their food. Some of the other missionaries gave up and went home. Three years later, and still younger than today’s young men who are called to go on missions, he was released to return home. On the return trip, just as on the way to the Islands, it was necessary for the elders to stop and find jobs in the harvest fields or elsewhere to pay for clothes and food and to help them return to Salt Lake City. When they got as far as San Bernardino, Joseph was hired as a teamster to drive a team across the desert to Salt Lake. Even President's Smith later life wasn’t easy. During his presidency there was much opposition to the Church. President Smith ignored criticism. He said that if the Prophet Joseph Smith could endure the persecutions he suffered, and if the Savior could endure it and suffer in silence, so could he. He knew that in time the truth would triumph. His faith gave him courage. During all this time the Church continued to grow. The Latter-day Saints loved, honored, and respected this great man of courage. Even many of his enemies honored him before his life was over.