By JENNIFER JONES
jones@du2.byu.edu
A church history professor addressed faculty members Thursday about her new book, 'Impressions of a Prophet.'
Susan Easton Black, professor of church history and doctrine, has helped to author or edit more than 80 books. Joseph Smith is the subject of her latest book.
Black began and concluded her lecture with the same statement about the prophet, saying, 'I absolutely love the man.'
She commenced by speaking of the birth of Joseph Smith on Dec. 23, 1805. Expressing her deep love for the prophet, Black said that her family has a birthday party every Dec. 23 to celebrate that day.
Speaking of the conditions surrounding the prophet's birth, Black said the doctor who delivered the baby Joseph to Lucy Mack Smith later wrote, 'If I had known what this baby would grow up to be I would have smothered the little cuss.'
Black spoke of extroardinary circumstances surrounding the childhood of Joseph Smith. Black said that after a leg surgery at age seven, 14 pieces of Joseph's bone came out of the incision in his leg.
Describing the persecution of the prophet's youth, Black said, 'These were difficult days for Joseph and his family.'
Black went on to describe what she calls, 'the two main events that happened in Palmyra that would change the course of the world.' Black was refering to the First Vision, where the Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith, and the initial visitation of the angel Moroni to Joseph Smith.
Black said Moroni was just one of 59 angelic beings that the prophet saw during the course of his life, but in her opinion it was the greatest learning opportunity for Joseph.
BYU Human Resources employee, Rebecca Estrada, said, 'I think we need to learn about the testimonies of the prophets through their hardships.'
Kathy Greer, an employee of the MTC, said, 'This lecture was entertaining, enlightening and it enriched my life.'
Black closed with her testimony of Jesus Christ and said her favorite book is The Book of Mormon. She quoted Joseph Smith, who said, 'It is the most correct of any book on earth.'
Black's lecture was sponsored by the Office of Professionals Advisory Committee as part of their monthly brown bag program which provides lectures for faculty and staff during lunch hour.