Fwd: josephsmith.net

The church has a new website on JS. The announcement is as follows:
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> New Web Site Features Joseph Smith's Life and Mission
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> By Walter Cooley, Church Magazines
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> Josephsmith.netThe life and mission of Joseph Smith are the subjects of t=
he Church's new official Web site, featured at www.josephsmith.net and also=
accessible via www.lds.org. Presented in a multimedia format, the site is =
a compilation of history, art, and academic research about the Prophet's li=
fe, the places he lived, and the events he influenced.
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> The Church has launched the site during the bicentennial year of the Prop=
het's birth to increase members' access to commentaries, testimonies, and a=
rtwork about the Prophet. Much of the information was previously unavailabl=
e online.
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> "Josephsmith.net takes the most authoritative statements about the role o=
f the Prophet in restoring the gospel and consolidates them into one locati=
on," said Steven Olsen, a director in the Church's Family and Church Histor=
y Department.
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> Content on the site is divided into five sections that detail Joseph Smit=
h's mission as a prophet to restore the Church, the historical events of hi=
s life, and comments from Joseph Smith's contemporaries.
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> The "Mission of the Prophet" section includes information on seven import=
ant events and blessings of the Restoration, such as temples, the translati=
on of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of priesthood authority.
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> In the "Life of the Prophet" section, visitors can choose one of 14 categ=
ories describing time periods in Joseph's life, including his call from God=
, his trials and persecutions, his marriage to Emma Smith, his role in temp=
le building, and his Martyrdom.
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> The "Witnesses of the Prophet" section includes 45 testimonies, including=
statements from all 14 Presidents of the Church since Joseph Smith and tes=
timonies from the present First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostle=
s.
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> Sections contain six tabs that allow visitors to navigate extra resources=
: quotes about Restoration events from Joseph Smith and his contemporaries;=
responses on why each event is significant; and a list of further readings=
from the scriptures, Church curriculum, and academic papers. Each section =
also has a multimedia slideshow displaying images of the Prophet's letters =
or journal entries and artists' depictions of Restoration events, places, a=
nd people.
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> Brother Olsen said the site is designed in multiple layers to allow membe=
rs to research according to the degree of information they need. The site i=
ncludes a topical search function to help visitors easily locate quotes or =
statements.
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> Josephsmith.net also features 21 virtual tours of Church history sites, i=
ncluding the Sacred Grove; the Peter Whitmer home, where the Church was org=
anized in 1830; and the room at Carthage Jail where Joseph and Hyrum Smith =
were martyred in 1844. The virtual tours were included to allow members who=
may never be able to visit the sites to see the locations of the Restorati=
on.
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> The site, created by the Family and Church History Department, is just th=
e beginning of attempts to increase members' access to information from the=
Church's library and historical archives.
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> Many of the scanned images of the Prophet's original writings were availa=
ble only upon special request at the Church archives in Salt Lake City. Pre=
viously, only a handful of authorized visitors saw these documents each yea=
r. Brother Olsen said he anticipates additional original-document images wi=
ll be added to the site in the future.
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> "This is the best site to get information on the Prophet and his role in =
the Restoration," said Brother Olsen.=20
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This is the layout of the site:

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Mission of the Prophet
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* A Marvelous Work and a Wonder
* The First Vision
o Seeking God's Truth
o God Answers Joseph's Prayer
o Joseph Comes to Know God
* The Book of Mormon
o Moroni: Messenger of the Restoration
o Joseph Smith Translates the Gold Plates
o God Reveals His Word in Our Time
* The Church of Jesus Christ Restored
o The Authority to Baptize
o The Priesthood of God Returns to the Earth
o Following Jesus Christ
* Building the Kingdom of God
o Missionaries Sent among the Nations
o The Saints Gather to Worship God
o Preparing for the Return of Jesus Christ
o Modern Scripture Revealed
* The House of the Lord
o Power to Seal on Earth and in Heaven
o Blessings of the Temple
o The Saints' Devotion to the Temple
* The Prophet's Legacy
o Knowledge of God's Plan
o Praise to the Man
o The Work of God Rolls Forward
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Life of the Prophet
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* Foreordained of God
* A Christian Heritage
* Called of God
* Joseph and Emma
* Prophet, Seer, and Revelator
* Trials and Persecutions
* Teacher of God's Truth
* Missionary Labors
* Leading with Love
* Prisoner for Jesus Christ
* Character of Joseph Smith
* Temple Builder
* Friend of Man
* Martyr for God
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Witnesses of the Prophet
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* First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
o Gordon B. Hinckley
o Thomas S. Monson
o James E. Faust
o Boyd K. Packer
o L. Tom Perry
o Russell M. Nelson
o Dallin H. Oaks
o M. Russell Ballard
o Joseph B. Wirthlin
o Richard G. Scott
o Robert D. Hales
o Jeffrey R. Holland
o Henry B. Eyring
o Dieter F. Uchtdorf
o David A. Bednar
* Latter-day Prophets
o Brigham Young
o John Taylor
o Wilford Woodruff
o Lorenzo Snow
o Joseph F. Smith
o Heber J. Grant
o George Albert Smith
o David O. McKay
o Joseph Fielding Smith
o Harold B. Lee
o Spencer W. Kimball
o Ezra Taft Benson
o Howard W. Hunter
o Gordon B. Hinckley
* Reminiscences
o John Needham
o Parley P. Pratt
o Martin Harris
o Sarah DeArmon Pea Rich
o Eliza R. Snow
o Daniel D. McArthur
o Emmeline B. Wells
o Gilbert Belnap
o Lucy W. Kimball
o Jane Snyder Richards
o Jacob Butterfield
o George Q. Cannon
o Angus Cannon
o William Clayton
o Howard Coray
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Historic Sites
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* New York
o Sacred Grove
o Smith Family Log Home
o Smith Family Frame Home
o Hill Cumorah
o Book of Mormon Publication Site
o Peter Whitmer Farm
* Pennsylvania
o Priesthood Restoration Site
* Ohio
o Newel K. Whitney Home
o Isaac Morley Farm
o Newel K. Whitney Store
o Kirtland Temple
o John Johnson Home
* Missouri
o Zion's Camp at the Fishing River
o Far West
o Liberty Jail
* Illinois
o Joseph Smith Homestead and Mansion House
o Red Brick Store
o Nauvoo Temple
o Carthage Jail
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Resource Center
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* Basic Facts
* Quotes
* Witnesses
* Questions
* Readings
* Artwork
* Photographs
* Documents
* Maps
* Virtual Reality
* Daily Events
* Glossary
* Joseph Smith Links