Rae: More about Emma

Liz...A lot of people think that Emma fell away from the church because she chose not to go with Brigham Young and the rest of the saints when they traveled west to Utah. She stayed behind to take care of Lucy Mack Smith and she quite honestly didn't get along with Brigham...or he with her. So that animosity created a lot of assumptions. She DID have a difficult life and you should read all about her and make up your own mind about her. After I did that, I realized that I would never judge her one way or tuther...that it was definitely in the hands of the Lord. I know she loved Joseph and her children. Those histories I have read describe her as such a good lady. I choose to remember her that way.

She remarried after a time and didn't really have a happy time back in Nauvoo. There were issues about whether their son was really meant to be the next prophet or not. He became the leader of the RLDS church, now the Community of Christ.

If you cannot find the one book I recommended, I can send you my copy if you will PROMISE me that I will get it back someday! I'm sort of attached to it because it is out of print...hey, maybe I can copy it? Let me know. I definitely think it is worth your while to read about her. She was an amazing woman with great strength. I know I couldn't have made it through her trials. You can do a search for the BYU Studies articles online. I think most of them are free to download.

I'll be happy to share anything else about her if you can't find much. Check your ward and stake libraries as well. And ask older people in your ward if they have that book. I actually found it at a used book sale up here...

Happy searching and reading!