Taught Joseph Smith About Failure

That brings us to the profound lessons found in Doctrine and Covenants 122. While this section is famous for providing comfort during the absolute lowest point of Joseph Smith’s life (Liberty Jail), it’s impossible to truly appreciate it without understanding the economic disaster that paved the way for that suffering: the infamous 1837 Panic and the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society.

Let me explain the crisis in layman's terms and unpack why Section 122 remains one of the most powerful revelations about enduring adversity.

Part I: The Kirtland Crisis—When Vision Met the Void

Imagine a booming community of Latter-day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio. They’re building a temple—an enormous, expensive undertaking—and they’re trying to build up the kingdom of God, or Zion. They needed capital, and they needed it fast.

Simultaneously, a massive real estate and speculative bubble engulfed the entire American economy. It felt like everyone was getting rich overnight.

The Layman’s Explanation of the Kirtland Safety Society (KSS)

Joseph Smith and other Church leaders decided they needed their own financial institution to fund the work and stabilize the local economy. They tried to create a legal bank called the Kirtland Safety Society (KSS).

The problem? They couldn't get a bank charter from the state legislature (mostly due to anti-Mormon sentiment). Determined to move forward, they attempted to operate as an anti-banking system, or private company. They issued their notes (fancy paper money) that were supposed to be redeemable for gold or silver.

Here’s the simple reality: The KSS was founded during the peak of the speculative bubble. When the 1837 Panic hit—a massive financial crisis that wiped out banks nationwide—the KSS collapsed almost instantly.

The result was total chaos:

1. Massive Debt: Joseph Smith, as the chairman, found himself personally liable for crippling debt.
2. Internal Division: Many people who had invested heavily lost everything. This led to bitter accusations, apostasy, and massive dissent within the Church.
3. Legal Persecution: Joseph Smith faced dozens of lawsuits and threats of violence. He was eventually forced to flee Ohio under cover of darkness.

What did we learn from this period regarding economic principles? That even prophets, while receiving prophetic guidance for spiritual matters, are not immune from the laws of economics or the consequences of poor timing and risky investments.

Part II: The Ultimate Low Point and the Why

The failure of the KSS and the continuing persecution ultimately led to the Prophet being imprisoned in an isolated, frozen cell in Liberty Jail, Missouri, in the winter of 1838–1839. This was not just physical suffering; this was the height of emotional anguish. He had lost friends, experienced betrayal from counselors, and witnessed his family and people facing starvation and exile.

It was during this time, in the depths of despair, that Joseph cried out to the Lord, pleading, "O God, where art thou?"

This moment of utter brokenness provided the setting for the profound comfort found in Doctrine and Covenants 122.

Part III: The Lesson of D&C 122

Section 122 isn't about how to run a bank or avoid debt. It’s about the purpose of pain itself. The Lord essentially tells Joseph, "I know you're suffering. I know you’ve been misrepresented, betrayed, and failed publicly."

The Lord then delivered a message that shifts the focus from the failure of Kirtland to the eternal perspective. While the Kirtland disaster taught Joseph painful lessons about financial responsibility and trusting the wrong people, the Liberty Jail revelation taught him that even if the entire world turns against him, he is still approved of by God.

My favorite part of the revelation is the promise that suffering provides us crucial, divine experience. The Lord assures Joseph:

The key lesson comes in verses 7 and 8, where God validates every kind of tragedy Joseph had faced—including financial loss and betrayal:

I see two massive takeaways here, relevant for us today:

1. God uses even catastrophic failures, such as the KSS debacle, to broaden our experience and prepare us for greater things. Our darkest moments are not dead ends; they are lessons.
2. Endurance is the Key to Exaltation: The revelation promises that if Joseph endures all these things, "thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." This is the ultimate reassurance for all of us struggling with our own modern anxieties and financial pressures.

Conclusion: Learning From History and Looking to the Future

The entirety of Kirtland's history, the 1837 Panic, and the ultimate solace found in Doctrine and Covenants 122 offer a profound depth to our comprehension of the restoration. It demonstrates that the Church's organization evolved through a process of experimentation, introspection, and education.

When I am facing a financial setback, a debt challenge, or massive stress, I remember that even Joseph Smith had to learn the difficult way about the limits of human wisdom versus the vastness of the national economy.

Ultimately, D&C 122 confirms that personal tragedy—whether it stems from a failed bank, the loss of a loved one, or simply the daily grind of life—is not proof of God’s disfavor. It is simply the "experience" required for our eternal progression. We can take comfort knowing that if we endure well, those experiences will ultimately be for our good.

What have you learned?

1. What does the Kirtland Safety Society (KSS) story tell us about the early days of the Church and Joseph Smith? 

2. What exactly was the Kirtland Safety Society, and why did it fail? 

3. How did the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society affect Joseph Smith and the Church? 

4. Where does Doctrine and Covenants 122 fit into this story of failure and suffering? 

5. What are the most important lessons we can learn from Doctrine and Covenants 122 about failure and adversity?