This past week I was blessed with the opportunity to see the movie, Emma Smith, My Story in my new hometown. The experience is one that I wish that everyone could have as it was one of the most uplifting movies I have seen in awhile. I was indeed grateful for the opportunity to teach my son about the elect lady, Emma Smith, through such a wonderful medium.
There has been a propensity within the church to criticize the wife of the prophet, Joseph Smith. I believe that most of this has come from an inherent misunderstanding of Emma and her role as the beloved wife of Joseph Smith. Many people have claimed that she fell away from the truth and was not a strong enough woman for the trials that befell her. In the movie, Emma Smith, My Story, we are given the perspective of Emma�s life from Emma as she relates her trials to her adopted daughter, Julia Murdock.
Julia is visiting with her mother about the many trials that she, Julia, has experienced over the years. Emma takes the teaching opportunity as a mother to relate her own trials throughout her life and weaves her tale of her courtship and marriage to the prophet, Joseph Smith. There are many stories related concerning the history of the church as seen from the eyes of Emma Smith. The viewer is left in awe of the great strength and testimony of the elect lady.
The history includes the period of time when the Book of Mormon was translated from the gold plates. Emma�s testimony of the translation is inspiring as she never actually looked upon the plates, but she testified of their truthfulness saying that some things you don�t need to see to know that they are real and true. Those are the things that you know in your heart are true.
Throughout the movie, Emma�s relationship with her parents becomes strained due to the calling of her chosen husband. Her father vehemently denies her the relationship she deserves due to his disbelief in her religious choices. Her mother regretfully follows the lead of her husband. Emma sadly receives the news of her parents� deaths without the relationships being healed while they were alive.
During the movie, we see the events that lead up to the martyrdom of her husband, the prophet Joseph Smith. Her trials were great and she kept her testimony through to the end of her marvelous life. Her testimony was inspiring and strong as she related it to her daughter, Julia. The viewer was left feeling the sweet and strong spirit of all she believed.
If you have the opportunity to see this movie with your family, I strongly encourage you to go. You will leave with a new respect for Emma and the trials she endured as well as a stronger testimony of the restoration of the gospel. I will definitely be adding this movie to my collection when it comes out on video. You won�t be sorry that you took the time out to see this movie and you will anxiously await its release on DVD for your movie collection.