Emma Smith has always been a confusing woman to me. While the Church elevated her position in early Mormon history, her “elected” lady status turned south in a hurry upon the death of Joseph.
The assertive stance she took in making decisions for herself and the kids wasn’t well received and if her dislike towards Joseph’s philandering ways wasn’t well known before, it soon became a situation demanding the immediate attention of not only Brigham Young, but the entire church as well. The power struggle for Church control aside, the focus here isn’t so much on who got to rule Mormonism, but the way Smith looked upon her and other women as well. Testimonies from members speak to why there are two major forms of Mormonism today in that no less than Rigdon, Young, Joseph Smith III supporters, et al, all played their parts. To understand how or why it got to this point let’s take a look at where it came from.
