Prophets have been the mouthpiece of the Lord since the very early years of the Old Testament. There are prophets mentioned in the New Testament, as I am certain you are aware.
Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, who was given the task of restoring the Gospel to the Earth. Since by example of the current Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, I shall not speak ill of other Churches, I will not explain the necessity of restoring the gospel to the Earth.
Bless you all and have a great day!
There happens to be an excellent history about Smith written by the neice of a former president of the LDS Church. It is called "No Man Knows My History," by Fawn S. Brodie (the same brilliant historian who disclosed the relationship of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings)...Open Up Our Minds, and our Mouths Will Show Fourth Thou (the Lord's) Praise. You have a blessed day also!
My copy of the BoM* (1981 edition, © by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.), sitting right here at my side says, on the introduction page, halfway down...
"...the Book of Mormon was the most correct book of any book on earth..."
and 6 pages later, on the 'brief explanation' page, at the bottom:
"Some minor errors in the text have been perpetrated in past editions of the Book of Mormon. This edition contains corrections that seem appropriate to bring the material into conformity with prepublication manuscripts and early editions edited by the Prophet Joseph Smith."
Now considering how ACCURATE the BoM was supposed to be, just WHY were there so many EARLY editions that contained error??
Especially after JS Himself EDITED them??
Why did it take 151 YEARS until these 'errors' were eliminated??
This edition contains corrections that seem appropriate to bring the material into conformity with prepublication manuscripts and early editions edited by the Prophet Joseph Smith."
SEEMS to be appropriate? Doesn't the Living Prophet KNOW??
*First English edition published in 1830