Exaltation is Overrated

During the press conference, I tried to come up with my 3 for the ideal first presidency, but I realized that I couldn't without bringing back Richard g. Scott

He seems like the most likely to use priesthood session as an opportunity to  pick people up, shake them by the lapels, and tell us to smarten up - which is good

I tend to be a bit hot and cold with Holland. Maybe because he is bolder, I tend to have stronger reactions?

"Maybe he'll die before he's able to get set apart..." a thought I had recently

Man, I think I was less sad about Monson dying than I was over the realization that my predictions of the order of the apostles' deaths was wrong.

 While I never had strong feelings against Thomas S. Monson (at least not to the degree that I have for other GAs), I was never able to feel the same type of emotional connection with him. Also, I first went inactive within his first year as prophet, in-part as a reaction to the stuff that went down with Proposition 8. Also in-part because my friends were all going on missions, and I never really had an interest in serving one even when my testimony was at its strongest. 

That combined with the fact that his health had been in bad shape for like a year before his passing made it hard to really feel a whole lot when I read that he passed. It was expected. My first thought was “aw gee. :/” My second thought was “Oh no, that means Nelson is next, and things are probably going to get worse.”

Ahhhhhh this is a difficult question!! I have a lot of torn thoughts, but I’ll say: 

I think he’s an incredibly interesting historical figure. I recommend reading Rough Stone Rolling for a detailed and decently balanced account of his life. 

I think reducing him to just a con-artist ignores the fact that he was imprisoned many times and lost children as a result of his work. I feel like he must have really believed that what he was doing was important, otherwise he would have given up a lot earlier. 

That being said I think it should also be acknowledged that he had some incredibly serious moral failings as a person and did things that are unforgivable

I think he had some of the most profound and interesting ideas about theology and cosmology 

I think he really wanted to make the world better, even if he often failed at holding himself to the same standards he held others. 

It is difficult for me to let go of him as an influence on my life. When I was Mormon (I think I solidly consider myself ex-mormon now), my belief in Joseph was stronger than my faith in Christ. This might sound strange, but it was. Letting go of the myth of Joseph Smith and accepting that he was, actually, very likely a predator has been something psychologically difficult for me, but I feel like I’ve gotten there. He was not a good person. But I still think he wanted something better for the world, and I think most of all he wanted to bring his family peace and happiness.

I think in building the Mormon church, he was more motivated by transforming the world than he was in self-gratification. That being said, Joseph Smith had a big ego problem, and he easily let power get to his head, and took advantage of his positions of power in horrible ways. 

He has written stories and scriptures that have shaped the way I look at the world. Stories that are part of the culture I grew up in. No matter how much I acknowledge his failings as a person, his influence will always be in my blood, because the scriptures that he dictated molded me from very early childhood. I love a lot of Book of Mormon stories and verses. I love the Pearl of Great Price. Those came from the heart of Joseph Smith.