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Thank you for your lasting support and for your generous comments. I loved playing the part of Joseph and it was a great career decision as well.
Our Church has a special kinship with Joseph and for that matter with the Jews. Let me elaborate on that, not only for you, but for others who may read this who may not be as familiar as you are with this background.
As you know, the Hebrews are otherwise known in the scriptures at The House of Israel or The Twelve Tribes of Israel. We know this name comes from Joseph's father Jacob who was the grandson of Abraham as he was called Israel by the Lord. His twelve sons and their descendants were henceforth known as the "House of Israel" or the "Twelve Tribes of Israel".
Because of the great worthiness of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Lord made wonderful promises to them and their descendants and have since, in the scriptures been often referred to as the "Chosen People".
As you know, the name Jew comes from one of those twelve sons, Judah. The kings, Saul, David and Solomon and Jesus and his Apostles were all Jews and we can thank them for the Holy Bible that we now use among Christiandom.
Joseph, the eleventh and favorite son born to Jacob (because he was the first born of his beloved Rachael), was sold into Egypt by his jealous brothers. Years passed and Joseph became prominent in Egypt even the first in command for many things under the Pharaoh himself. When the seven years of famine hit the region, and the eleven brothers came seeking food, Joseph was able to bring them to Egypt where they lived and multiplied until Moses led them back to the Holy Land.
We are connected to this Joseph in a few ways and thus feel related to the Jews. Let me start back with Jacob and his prophetic blessings to his sons recorded in the 49th chapter of Genesis. Verses 22-26 is the blessing of Joseph. It states: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall."
We also note in the writings of Ezekiel, the 37th chapter and the 16th and 17th verses mention of two records (sticks or scrolls) "Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand." The Bible is the "stick of Judah" and The Book of Mormon is the "stick of Joseph" and we use both ("one in thine hand") in understanding and teaching the gospel.
We also believe that the "Ten Lost Tribes" who left the Holy Land into the North country, had among them descendants of Joseph, many of whom, it appears ended up in the British Isles. Many of these descendants of Joseph responded to the message of the early Mormon missionaries around the 1840's and over 100,000 migrated from that small part of the world and were the core of the early Mormon Pioneers who crossed the Great Plains to Utah. In other words, we believe that most of the members of our Church whose roots go back to the British Isles are descendants of Joseph.
That sort of makes us cousins, doesn't it? Anyway, yes, I loved playing Joseph and this is part of the reason.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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