The Prophet Joseph Smith was born December 23, 1805, just two days before Christmas is celebrated. There is no record of any specific ways the Prophet celebrated his birthday, but in 1843, on the Prophet’s 38th birthday, he recorded that he spent the day preparing for a celebration—a birthday celebration of sorts, but not his own. Rather he spent the day preparing for Christmas, the observed birthday of the Savior.
On Christmas Day of 1843, the Prophet recorded "the celebration began quite early in the morning when carolers serenaded the Prophet’s home around 1:00 A.M. This surprise visit made the Prophet very happy; he recorded that the singing “caused a thrill of pleasure to run through [his] soul”
Years earlier, Joseph spent Christmas 1829 at his home in Harmony, no doubt thrilled with the knowledge that the pages of the Book of Mormon were then in the hands of a Palmyra printer and anticipating the volume that would shortly issue from the press.
Read Joseph's testimony of the Christ child, the Savior and Redeemer of the world:
"I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true."
“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!”
We hope that as you remember Joseph's birthday your thoughts are turned to the Savior, of whom he lived and died for. We have much to be grateful for.
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