Joseph Smith’s “Happiness Letter” is famous for the line “Happiness is the object and design of our existence.”
But the full letter was connected to Nancy Rigdon, the 19-year-old daughter of Sidney Rigdon, after she refused Joseph Smith’s proposal of plural marriage.
We walk through the proposal, Nancy’s refusal, the full text of the letter, Joseph’s denial, Nancy’s confrontation, Sidney Rigdon’s private appeal, and Orson Hyde’s later public attack on Nancy’s character.
The Church has quoted the pretty part for generations. The full context is much harder to explain.
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