Sacrifice, Service, and Unsung Heroes

I remember being on my own mission and hearing stories about individuals that sacrificed a lot for the coming of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. One of the most interesting periods in church history in my mind is the buildup before the actual establishment of the church. During this time, Joseph Smith was receiving all the instruction that he needed to organize the church as well as translation of the Book of Mormon and its eventual publication.

Martin Harris. A great man who
has been described as "The
Great Benefactor" of The Church

When it came time to pay for the Book of Mormon, a friend of the prophet, a wealthy man named Martin Harris, mortgaged his farm to pay for the publication (much to the dismay of Mrs. Harris. She came around though). We hear so much about how Martins farm was his entire livelihood and that mortgaging the farm could possibly end his career. The story we don’t often hear about is the story of Porter Rockwell.

The Modern Samson: Orrin
Porter Rockwell

Porter Rockwell is a character shrouded in mystery partially because the man was ill-literate so we have no firsthand accounts. This also meant that he could not read. Porter grew up on a farm near the Smith farm and was one of the first people outside of the Smiths to hear about Joseph’s magnificent vision of The Savior and his Father. A few years later, Joseph Smith was getting ready to print The Book of Mormon but was running short on cash. Porter Rockwell got wind of this and put in countless hours working any odd job he could from digging ditches to picking berries so he could give everything he had to Joseph for the publishing of the book.

So now I ask this: which sacrifice was more appreciated by the lord?

No matter how you give or how much you are able to serve, God will accept your service if you act sincerely. To those unsung heroes who do so, I thank you for the great work you have done in trying to make the world a little bit of a brighter place. Let your light keep shining as a beacon for the world.

If you were intrigued by the story of Porter Rockwell, I am pleased to tell you, you haven't even heard of the best parts of his life! He is definitely one of the most interesting people in early church history. For more on Porter Rockwell, I recommend this podcast released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: https://www.mormonchannel.org/listen/series/legacy-audio/porter-rockwell-episode-45

To see the story of Martin Harris, check out this link: https://history.lds.org/article/museum-treasures-martin-harris-great-benefactor?lang=eng