The Prophet Joseph’s mother received a vision in answer to her prayers many years before Joseph had his first vision. During the time of her vision, she was earnestly seeking the true religion and wanted her husband Joseph Sr. to also know the truth. She went out in a grove of trees close to her home and poured out her heart to her Maker. God heard her prayers and gave her the answer she was seeking. We can only imagine the joy and comfort she received from her vision. She truly was a prophetess who bore a prophet of God. Let’s hear Lucy’s story after she made her covenant with the Lord.
As soon as I was well enough, I went from place to place talking and listening to ministers from different denominations to find someone who could instruct me more perfectly in the way of life and salvation. Not receiving the answers I sought, I became very disappointed. I said in my heart that there was not then upon the earth the religion which I sought. As a result, I determined to read my Bible and take Jesus and his apostles for my guide to obtain what I needed for my personal salvation.
In time I considered it my duty to be baptized, and I found a minister who was willing to baptize me without requiring me to become a member of his or any other church. This left me to believe according to my own conscience. I stepped forward and yielded obedience to this ordinance after which I continued to read the Bible until Joseph had his vision in 1820.
We moved back to the town of Tunbridge and our daughter Sophronia was born here on May 18,1803.
While we were in Tunbridge my mind became deeply excited about the subject of religion. I began attending Methodist meetings and asked my husband Joseph to join me, which he did. However, my husband’s brother Jesse was very displeased when he found we were attending meetings with the Methodists, and he talked to Joseph so much on the matter that Joseph decided to not go to the meetings anymore. Joseph said he considered it hardly worth our while to attend them any longer as it proved to be of little advantage to us and it gave our friends such disagreeable feelings.
I was very hurt but did not say anything to Joseph at the time. Instead, I retired to a grove of trees not far distant from our home, where I prayed to the Lord on behalf of my husband – that the true gospel might be presented to him and that his heart might be softened to receive it, or that he might become more religiously inclined. After praying for some time, I returned home feeling depressed. I retired to my bed where I soon fell asleep and had a wonderful dream.
I found myself in a large, beautiful meadow where a pure stream ran through it and 2 trees stood beside the stream. These trees were well proportioned and towered with majestic beauty to a great height. I gazed upon them in wonder and admiration. I saw that one of the trees was surrounded with a bright belt of light that shone brighter than burnished gold. A gentle breeze came up and the tree encircled with light bent gracefully and waved its branches. The wind increased and the tree became more animated and seemed to express joy and happiness as it moved. The stream shared the same joy and gratitude as the tree surrounded in light. They moved in unison, increasing continually in light until the scene became exceedingly glorious to behold.
I turned my eyes to the other tree. However, it was not surrounded with a belt of light, and it stood erect and fixed as a pillar of marble. “No matter how strong the wind blew over it, not a leaf was stirred, not a bough was bent but obstinately stiff it stood …” I wondered what the meaning was of what I saw and asked to know. I was given the interpretation…that the stubborn unyielding tree was like my husband’s brother Jesse and that the more pliant and flexible tree was like my husband Joseph and “that the breath of heaven which passed over them was the pure and undefiled gospel of the Son of God, which Jesse would always resist, but which Joseph when he was more advanced in life,
would hear and receive with his whole heart and rejoice therein; and unto him would be added intelligence, happiness, glory and everlasting life.”
End Notes: If my understanding is correct Lucy looked for the true religion for about 17 years from the end of 1802 until the spring of 1820 when Joseph had his first vision. This vision she received concerning her husband I’m sure thrilled her heart giving her the assurance of what the Lord had in store for him and for herself if they were faithful. Jesse Smith never joined any formal religion and did not join the church his nephew established. However, the other 4 living brothers of Joseph Smith Sr.’s did accept the restored gospel and they and their descendants were blessed and in turn blessed others. (“History of Joseph Smith by His Mother’” by Scott and Maurine Proctor, 1996, pg. 61)