Joseph Smith was not only a prophet of God, he was also a “Choice Seer”. He was an outstanding prophet among prophets, the equal of which the world has rarely if ever seen, either before or since. He accomplished more in one short lifetime than most average men or even prophets of God could have achieved in 10 lifetimes. His life is well documented and is worthy of the most careful and detailed study.

Despite being a choice Prophet and Seer, in the face of the extraordinarily severe trials he faced, Joseph was human and his faults were plain to see. Some people will say “Well, how can he have been a Prophet of God?” – They forget that God cannot use perfect people to do his work – simply because there aren’t any. For example, Moses killed a man but he still went on to become a revered and major Old Testament prophet

If God condescends to make such amazing use of imperfect people, then perhaps there may be some hope for you and me. God can only choose those he knows are humble and strong enough to obey him at all costs. At the end of the day Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and we either stand with him or we do not.

Here are 3 quotes from Joseph Smith, followed by extracts from the diaries of some of people that met him.

You don't know me; you never knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot tell it: I shall never undertake it. I do not blame any one for not believing my history. If I had not experienced what I have, I could not have believed it myself. I never did harm any man since I was born in the world. I never think any evil, nor do anything to the harm of my fellowman. When I am called by the trump of the archangel and weighed in the balance, you will all know me then. I add no more. God bless you all. Amen. (April 7, 1844.) Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843–44, p.361

“I never told you I was perfect – but there is no error in the revelations I have received.”

“If you could gaze into heaven for 5 minutes you would know more about it than all that has ever been written on the subject.”

"History of Luke Johnson," Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star 27, no. 1 (7 January 1865):A Baptist Clergyman from the state of New York, who had been acquainted with the Prophet Joseph in his early life, called upon him and staid [stayed] all night. Joseph made the minister welcome, and treated him hospitably and respectfully; but, when breakfast was over next morning, he called Joseph a hypocrite, a liar, an imposter and a false prophet, and called upon him to repent. Joseph boxed his ears with both hands, and, turning his face towards the door, kicked him into the street. He immediately went before a magistrate, and swore out a writ against Joseph for assault and battery. I saw the operation, and followed the minister into the squire's office, and demanded a writ for his apprehension, for provoking an assault; the clerk filling up the writ I called for first—the minister, fearing trouble, paid for his writ and withdrew without it, and made his way post haste for Cuyahoga County; I followed him on horseback, making him travel pretty lively until he got a few rods over the line when I overtook him and said, "Sir, you are lucky to have got over the line, and out of my jurisdiction, or I should have arrested you."

Joseph F. Smith, "Boyhood Reflections of President Joseph F. Smith," Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine 7 (April 1916): 56.I will tell you a little circumstance that I saw myself and you would think it very inappropriate of a Prophet, but there were reasons for it that perhaps it would be difficult for me to explain here. I was one day playing marbles in front of the Mansion with my cousin Alexander Smith. We were amusing ourselves on the sidewalk. The fence ran along within six or eight feet of the door of the Mansion, and we were playing at the gate just outside the stone steps, when all of a sudden the door flew open and I looked, and there came a great, big man right off the end of Joseph Smith's foot, and he lit on the sidewalk just by the gate. I saw that myself. Well, I wondered what in the world was the matter. Since I grew to be a man, I learned that this man was there insulting the Prophet, and abusing him in his own house, until the Prophet thought he had stood enough abuse from him, so he opened his door and invited him out; that he did not go as quickly as the Prophet wanted him to go, and he gave him the assistance of his boot, and helped him out. Well, now, some biased man would say: "Why, would a prophet of God do such a thing as that!" Some would be shocked beyond measure to think that the man who beheld the face of God and the face of His son Jesus Christ—who had seen the glory that was manifested in the Temple at Kirtland, when Moses, and Elias, and Elijah, and others of the Prophets visited him, and Christ Himself also again—and their countenances shone as the glory of God, almost beyond the brightness of the sun—that a man who had beheld these wonderful things, and who had been entrusted with the great mission of restoring the great revelation of salvation to the earth for the last time, should be seen to kick a man out of his house that was abusing him. But he was tried beyond endurance many a time by false brethren, by false accusers, by malicious persons, by wicked men, by mobs and murderers, and evil creatures that sought his life from the day that he received his first message from God until the day they succeeded in taking his precious life from the earth. There was never a moment of his life that he was free from such things as these, being hounded, and abused, and insulted by wicked men; and he had been less a man if he had not kicked Josiah Butterfield out of his house on that day. "

Autobiography of David Osborn, I will tell another story as related to me by Ira N. Spaulding of east Weber. He lived near Joseph at Nauvoo. He got into Joseph's carriage to ride with him down to his store one day and while in the carriage there came a man who held a (promissory) note against Joseph. He talked kindly to the man and begged him to wait a short time for the money as he could not pay him then but good words would not satisfy him. He abused him shamefully, calling him every mean name he could think of. Joseph did not appear to be much irritated in his feelings but after hearing him a while he turned his head to Spaulding and said, "That's enough, hold the lines." He just stepped outside the carriage and knocked him down as flat as a beef, not speaking a word

and came back the carriage and traveled on.

On hearing that a family was “in want” Joseph took his horse and rode over to assist them as best he could. He eventually returned home riding barefoot, having given away his boots, as the man of the house had no shoes.

After lending an axe to Joseph who promised to return it before the next day, a brother was derided by his wife who was opposed to Joseph. “You will never see that axe again” she said. Well after dark and long after everyone had retired to bed, and after many “I told you so” remarks, there was a knock at the door. There stood Joseph with the axe, saying. “I gave my word and my honor was at stake. I could not rest until I had returned it”. The brother’s wife never did join the church.

As mayor Joseph tried a man for disorderly behavior and fined him $20. The man was destitute and was unable to pay. After the hearing Joseph gave the man his own horse so that he could pay the fine.

It is 9 April 1937. Woodruff goes to the House of the Lord, the new Kirtland Temple, for worship. John Smith preaches a sermon based on 2 Nephi 12. Heber C. Kimball and Orson Pratt give remarks. Sidney Rigdon speaks about the Saints' financial situation. (The meeting isn't over yet. I think they had longer attention spans in those days.) Then Joseph Smith gives a powerful address. I picture Wilford, sitting on the edge of his bed that night, dipping a quill pen in ink as he tries to capture for his journal what he had heard.

"Joseph arose and like the lion of the tribe of Judah he poured out his soul in the midst of the congregation of the Saints. But who can find language to write his words and teachings as with an iron pen in a rock that they may stand for future generations to look upon. A fountain of knowledge rolled from his mouth to the people which was the word of God. . . . There is not a greater man than Joseph standing in this generation. The gentiles look upon him and he is to them like [a] bed of gold concealed from human view. They know not his principle, his spirit, his wisdom, virtue, philanthropy, nor his calling. His mind like Enoch's swells wide as eternity. Nothing short of a God can comprehend his soul."

I remember when first reading this passage many years ago I thought to myself: "My own testimony is another matter. But I am thoroughly convinced that Wilford Woodruff had a powerful testimony of Joseph Smith's prophetic calling. – Davis Bitton