Smith doesn't say that missionary work is the sole reason he voted for the war, but I'm sure it was an important and desirable side effect for him, and he discu

Smith doesn't say that missionary work is the sole reason he voted for the war, but I'm sure it was an important and desirable side effect for him, and he discusses that. Yes, which is why I find it disturbing. The LDS religion has a strong "kingdom building" ethos where service to their god is equated to furthering the aims of the church corporation itself, which is considered to be the kingdom of their god on Earth. It is codified into the rituals in their temple that every "worthy" adult participates in regularly. Not every member shares the same interpretation of the scope of that commitment, but if a Mormon senator gives a reason for entering into a war as being the expansion of the LDS organization specifically, then that seems problematic to me. I would be concerned about something like this from any other specific religious organization as well.