The year before Joseph Smith was murdered is one the most significant periods in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as in the life of the Church's founding prophet. This volume of The Joseph Smith Papers reproduces Joseph Smith's second journal from Nauvoo, Illinois, covering May 1843 through June 1844. During this time, Joseph Smith balanced his role as mayor of Nauvoo with that of Church leader, while simultaneously dealing with conflict from those both within and outside the Church. Accompanied by thorough annotation, the journal transcribed in this volume illuminates Joseph Smith's daily activities, including his and others' continued participation in temple ordinances, his presidential campaign, the creation of the Council of Fifty, and the opposition that eventually led to his violent death in Carthage, Illinois.This is the final volume of the Journals series of The Joseph Smith Papers.