Joseph Toronto facts for kids
Joseph Toronto (born Giuseppe Taranto) was an important figure in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was born on June 25, 1818, and passed away on July 6, 1883. Joseph Toronto was the very first person from Italy to join the Latter Day Saint movement. He also became one of the first missionaries for the Church in his home country.
Life Story of Joseph Toronto
Early Life and Joining the Church
Joseph Toronto, originally named Giuseppe Taranto, was born in Cagliari, a city on the island of Sardinia. When he was young, he worked as a sailor. He traveled across the Mediterranean Sea and even sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on large cargo ships.
In 1843, while his ship was in Boston, Massachusetts, Joseph met some missionaries from the Latter Day Saint movement. He became very interested in their beliefs. He read the Book of Mormon, which was written in English at the time. After learning more, he decided to join the Church and was baptized by a man named George B. Wallace.
Moving to Nauvoo and a Big Donation
Soon after Joseph joined the Church, his ship had an accident. It crashed into another ship, and Joseph almost drowned. After this event, he decided to stop working as a sailor. In 1845, he moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. This was where many members of the Church were gathering at the time.
Joseph Toronto made a huge donation to help build the Nauvoo Temple. He gave almost $2600 in gold coins, which was all the money he had saved from his sailing career. This generous gift was very important because it allowed construction on the temple to continue when work had stopped due to a lack of funds.
Journey to Utah and New Work
In 1848, Joseph Toronto became a Mormon pioneer. He traveled with other Church members from Illinois to the Utah Territory. He was the first person from Sardinia (which was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia at the time, before Italy became a united country) to arrive in the Salt Lake Valley.
Once in Utah, Joseph found new work. He was put in charge of looking after the Church's cattle herds. These cattle grazed on Antelope Island, which is located in the Great Salt Lake.
Missionary Work in Europe
In 1849, Joseph Toronto was given a special calling in the Church. He was ordained as a seventy, which meant he would serve as a missionary. In 1850, he traveled to England with two other Church leaders, Lorenzo Snow and Thomas B. H. Stenhouse. From England, they continued their journey to Europe.
Joseph Toronto and his companions became the very first missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Italy. However, their work was quite difficult. They faced challenges and opposition from the Italian media and government. Despite these difficulties, in 1851, Lorenzo Snow and Joseph Toronto hired an Italian speaker to translate the Book of Mormon into the Italian language. This important translation was finished by 1852.
Joseph Toronto lived the rest of his life in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, where he passed away.
Joseph Toronto's Family
Joseph Toronto had children and grandchildren who also achieved important things.
- One of his sons, Joseph B. Toronto, became a professor and a vice president at the University of Utah.
- His grandson, Wallace F. Toronto, served as the president of the Czechoslovakia Mission for 25 years, even when he wasn't physically there. He also served as a missionary and mission president in Czechoslovakia multiple times.
- Another grandson, Lamont F. Toronto, served as the Secretary of State of Utah for 12 years, from 1952 to 1964.
- His grandson, Joseph Young Toronto (who was Wallace F. Toronto's younger brother), served in the first presidency of the Provo Temple starting in 1971.
